Strategies for Training the Trainer

[mjohnson3]

Introduction:

Rachel Lee from Instructure spent 90 minutes pouring knowledge into each attendee and sending everyone off with a wealth of tools to take back to their institution to improve training and teaching.

Details:

Typically, when you walk into a session like this, you really expect to be preached to about the best approach to training instructors/staff/etc. but are never given any real, good means by which to succeed.  That was not the case in this training session. In addition to a great lesson on the Why? behind using online learning  (because as Rachel notes, we need to start with the Why), we were also given a ton of information on adult learning, k-12 and higher ed adoption strategies, and my favorite- technology integration models.  It was really like an infomercial (but in a good way) where every time you thought there wasn't any more, there was!  After all this, we were also treated to some great tools for integrating technology into Canvas classes.  Tools like Kahoot (which we actually got to test), Nearpod, Quizlet, and many more were all shared.  The great thing about these is that they are powerful and offer free versions!

Conclusion:

I loved this session! It really made me think about the technology integration strategy at my school and is sending me home with tons of ideas about what we need to do in the future to become more successful trainers and teachers.

[biray]

Wow - what great take-aways,  @mjohnson3 ​! Thank you for blogging about the session.  @inst_rlee ​ is always full of great insights! Oh, yeah... and Kahoot is a hoot, isn't it!? Glad you got to try out some fun, free tools! Be sure to join the Canvas Engagement Strategies​ group and get more ideas on how to implement and roll-out Canvas... then share back to the group about your trials and tribulations!

[Renee_Carney]

 @mjohnson3 ​

Are there any tips, tricks or technologies that you can share with the Community?  I'm interested to know what specific takeaways you are going to try!

[mjohnson3]

So, the concept that she spoke of that really knocked my socks off was choosing which technology integration model that your school (university/k-12/whatever) will use and allow that to guide how you use not just Canvas, but other technology as well. Now, we have been with Canvas since ~2012, so I don't really have to worry about why Canvas, because our folks are sold, but for us, use of technology is a very hit or miss, willy-nilly kind of thing.  While I have been in higher-ed technology for a while now, I didn't really know about this because I came in from an IT side at a time when our online program was changing very drastically.  I hope to be able to take the information about the various technology integration models back to my university and work with some folks on developing our plan and deciding which model best fits our purposes.