Blogs

The text editor in Isidore is one of the most powerful authoring tools available to instructors (and students), but few know all its secrets. Possibly not even I, a longtime connoisseur. In this series, we will explore the text editor buttons that I wish everyone knew and used. This post starts with probably my most commonly used button: the Link button.

“Ok class! Let’s have each of you take turns saying your name, your major, and what you hate most about Zoom icebreaker activities. Ready? Go!”

I think Father Chaminade would do a spit-take if he ever heard a sentence like this blog post’s title. But I do feel like this concern over grading is often - and perhaps increasingly - students’ sentiment about education. Part of our job at this Marianist institution is to inspire students to look beyond the grade, to “help students see their capabilities and competencies as a means of service to others." But it often feels like we’re fighting a losing battle as students are seemingly less engaged, less curious, less caring - less alive. For some academics, the solution to this conundrum is ungrading. Ungrading is radical, challenging, scary - and it just might work.

Everyone’s heard the phrase, “C’s get degrees,” in their careers, and - let’s be honest - have maybe even thought it to themselves during a particularly difficult stretch in their time as students. Given this uncomfortable truth, it’s worth asking ourselves the question, “do traditional points-based grading system is actually working to develop skilled professionals, life-long learners and well-rounded citizens?” According to Linda Nilson, that answer is a resounding "No."

Document accessibility can often feel like a mystery, but it does not have to be. Individuals with disabilities should have the same access to information that those without disabilities have. For this reason, it is important to ensure that your documents adhere to standards for accessibility. Not only that, there are benefits to creating an accessible document for all users. In this blog, we will be discussing the essential considerations in document accessibility.

The dreaded phrase "fake news" has become a mainstay in political discussions and general social interactions over the past few years. How can you - and your students - find "truth"? In this book review of Fact vs. Fiction: Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in the Age of Fake News, a few tools and resources are shared to help hone critical thinking skills.

Scaffolding is a pedagogical technique that can help unprepared students, but your syllabus is already too demanding on class time. Here’s an approach that can help students catch up while not falling behind on other course goals.

Captions - the easiest of all our Accessibility Tips. This article will review the importance of captions and how to ensure your videos are captioned (trust me, it's easy!).

Group projects and group discussions are proven ways to provide students with critical skills needed for future careers. In an online environment, however, group work is a means to connect students, which improves the likelihood of course and degree completion.  It also helps students learn to work with others at a distance, which is an increasingly vital skill in the remote workplace environment. There are, however, essential skills that course instructors must have to facilitate this effectively for positive outcomes.

You might be surprised to learn that one of every twenty people has some type of colorblindness, and though we want you to take all our accessibility tips seriously, this is one you absolutely cannot ignore. It’s possible you may never have a student that is blind or deaf, but you will FOR SURE have a student with color blindness in your class.