Do you struggle with keeping up-to-date with the latest educational technologies? Are you still searching for a systemic answer to reduce new technology-anxiety, increase faculty integration of valuable learning innovations, and make learning a fun experience again? This panel will present the Technology Infusion Plan (TIP) that enabled a graduate program to address the constant disruption of new technology for online learning. During this panel session all TIP components will be demonstrated, including: (a) a walk-through of the Criteria for Technology Selection Checklist and Timeline, (b) real life technology examples showing faculty phase-in options, and (c) the development process of learning modules for faculty adoption from an instructional designer perspective. Additional resources will be highlighted to ensure that this session provides a valuable addition to the university instructor’s teaching tool-kit.

During this interactive session, panel members will provide and discuss multiple examples of TIP strategies and processes from current courses. Session participants will follow a step-by-step process that allows for an interactive dialogue throughout the discussion. All panelists will share actual artifacts using video/audio segments when possible. Audience questions and participation will be integrated throughout the presentation as panel members explain and demonstrate the suggested use of these learning technologies.

This session will focus on a systemic approach to faculty on-boarding, training and development employed by the Center for Teaching and Learning at Kaplan University. Presenters will describe Kaplan’s centralized, holistic approach to faculty training and development, including the development offered, systems and tools employed, and outcomes achieved.

The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) was developed in 2005 when faculty training moved from individual departments to a University-centered approach for large-scale faculty training and development. The mission of the CTL is as follows: The CTL is committed to helping novice and veteran teachers to create a collaborative, student-centered learning experience. The Center provides training, resources, and services designed to enrich both the teaching and learning process, foster practices of adult education, promote faculty scholarship, and provide a forum for discussions about teaching and learning among all members of the community of educators.

Over the past nine years, the CTL has grown and evolved annually. What started as a department that only offered required faculty trainings has become one now that still includes these required trainings, but also over 30 asynchronous workshops, two annual conferences, 3-4 weekly live events, a website that is revised daily, a weekly newsletter focused on technology tips, and a variety of learning objects and tools that are highlighted throughout Kaplan University.
In the spring of 2014, the Center for Teaching and Learning conducted a University-wide faculty survey, with a nearly 20 percent response rate, to gauge the impact of their offerings; the anonymous survey results revealed that, of the respondents, 95% had participated in CTL events and had a positive experience with these/that the faculty believed the trainings helped them to
become a better faculty member.

Online discussions as learning spaces: Active learning, community-building, and engagement. They provide new spaces to engage students, share information, acquire content knowledge, and develop valuable skills. This innovation presents challenges for faculty in designing, using, and managing relevant and meaningful educational experiences appropriate for students. This session will describe and discuss how to design better online discussions to support learning of new knowledge and skills for specific content areas, specifically in graduate education. It will discuss how the use of these communication technologies can empower students to achieve their academic goals. The presentation will appeal to individuals with professional interest in using specific online communication and collaboration tools, and faculty members who are thinking of using communication technologies as primary or complementary tools in their teaching. Anyone working with graduate students or anyone engaged in distance learning and teaching will also find the ideas presented in this session useful.

The present study proposes the integration of mobile audiobooks to help develop EFL students’ listening comprehension skills in English. It will give the following: (i) examples of English literature mobile audiobooks; (ii) the advantages of using mobile audiobooks; (iii) criteria for selecting audiobooks; (iv) listening comprehension, vocabulary and literary appreciation skills that can be developed with mobile audiobooks; (v) instructional stages with mobile audiobooks.

Mobile audiobooks can be used as extension activities or as a supplement to in-class instruction in ESL/EFL. They are free, easy and quick to download, update and delete, can be used anywhere, anytime and as many times as the students need.

Students can download an audiobook from children’s audiobooks, short classic audiobooks or Disney audiobooks by the students, whether simplified, authentic; children or adult audiobooks depending on the students’ proficiency level. The instructor can ask pre-questions that require the students to identify the main events of the story (plot), setting, characters and main theme. Questions can be posted in an online discussion forum. The students can post their responses to the questions in the online discussion forum. They can also summarize the novel or story and post their summary in the forum. They can post comments on each other’s’ responses. They can retell or summarize the story, discuss the elements of the novel under study in class (face to face).

The integration of mobile audiobooks showed improved listening comprehension, vocabulary and literary analysis skills among participating students and increased student engagement in listening activities.

The study investigated use of the iPad on Saudi young children as reported by their mothers. Specifically, (i) how long they use it; (ii) types of Apps they use; (iii) positive and negative effects of the ipad on the cognitive, psychological, physical, emotional, social development,. Results of a survey administered to a sample of mothers showed that half the children in the sample have their own ipad, and the other half share an ipad with their siblings. About 50% spend 1-2 hours a day using the ipad; 30% use it over the weekend and in holidays.

74% believe that use of the ipad has become a necessity. They like to introduce their kids to latest technologies. It is a good enjoyable educational and entertainment tool.

Mothers reported that their kids use Apps for learning the alphabet, numbers, games, cartoons, nursery rhymes, video clips, drawing, animals, classification and others.

Some of the advantages of using the ipad are: kids keep up with what’s new around the world; they learn quickly and easily; they learn the alphabet, words, animal names, the colors, shapes in both English and Arabic; in addition to entertaining the kid while the mother is busy or away.

The mothers reported several disadvantages such as: Distraction, social isolation; addiction to the ipad; losing their temper when the ipad is taken form them, when it is out of battery. The ipad’s glare affects the kids’ eyesight. They do not feel like moving or playing, socializing or communicating with others.

The mothers did not agree on the optimal age for using the ipad (ages 3, 4, and 5 years). The majority recommended setting a time limit for using the ipad under the parents’ supervision. Results and recommendations will be reported in detail.