E-Campus Working Groups (EWG)
What is a "Working Group"?
A Miami Regionals E-Campus Working Group (EWG) is a small group of colleagues from different departments across Miami University Regionals coming together as a learning community to investigate important new areas of work knowledge and new approaches to traditional strategies in online learning.
EWG members focus on a specific area of study, in which the community supports each other, shares information, and works together to advance their field. Additionally, EWG participants who successfully complete the learning community experience earn $125 to $250 in professional development stipends.
NEW for Fall 2021! Now more than ever, it’s essential that educators at every level offer flexible and responsive learning experiences. To that end, ECCOE is pleased to share new options for EWG participation that reflect the different personal and professional goals of MUR faculty and staff:
Collaborative Level EWG
Perfect for those participants who, as a result of joining the EWG, expect to change something within their practices and share that change’s impact with the EWG Members AND the campus or academic/professional community at large. Upon successful completion of the outcomes and expectations for the Collaborative Level EWG, participants will receive $250 in professional development funds.
Cooperative Level EWG
Appropriate for those participants who, as a result of joining the EWG, expect to change something within their practices and only share the results with the EWG members. Upon successful completion of the outcomes and expectations for the Cooperative Level EWG, participants will receive $125 in professional development funds.
Individual Session Option
An excellent opportunity for those participants who cannot currently commit to the outcomes and expectations of an EWG but are interested in attending one or more of the meeting sessions (similar to an E-Campus Workshop) and are not pursuing professional development funds.
Why Join a Miami Regionals E-Campus Working Group?
Watch Thomas Morgan, Rebecca Eaton, and Tsuneo Ferguson share their experiences with being a member of an EWG.
Fall 2021 EWG Opportunities
Teaching with Canvas: Face-to-Face and Synchronous Courses
Facilitated by Leah Henson, Languages, Literatures, and Writing
VIRTUAL SYNCHRONOUS MEETINGS: TUESDAYS 2-4 P.M.
As a result of teaching during the pandemic, many faculty are reexamining how they set up and teach their face-to-face (F2F) and online synchronous courses. This E-Faculty Working Group (EWG) will present an opportunity for any Miami University Regionals faculty to become more familiar with using the Canvas learning management system (LMS) to support F2F courses. The goal of this EWG is to help faculty effectively use Canvas to offer tech-enhanced or even flipped/inverted courses, while simultaneously increasing students’ satisfaction with their learning experiences. This EWG will focus on course setup features and functions that are built into the LMS (e.g., Regionals template, quizzes, assignments, etc.). Participants will also focus on utilizing modules to organize course material and assignments into thematic or chapter units. The faculty cohort will actively collaborate and support each other through learning opportunities during the semester to expand their knowledge and expertise in using the LMS in their courses.
To apply, connect with Robyn Brown, E-Campus Coordinator for E-Faculty Engagements, via email at ecampushelp@miamioh.edu.
Focus
As a result of engaging in this EWG, participants will be able to:
- Create or update a tech-enhanced course template for a face-to-face class
- Course may include features such as the Regionals template, modules to organize lecture material and assignments, Canvas quizzes or assignments for students pre/post-class, and more
- Locate and utilize Canvas guides for instructors and for students
- Identify multiple ways to provide lecture material through Canvas
Topics to Be Covered (Or Individual Session Options)
Note: The individual session option meets from 2-3 P.M. on the day indicated.
- Teaching with Canvas: The Flipped Classroom | September 21
- Teaching with Canvas: Primary Features | October 5
- Teaching with Canvas: Gradebook Setup | October 19
- Teaching with Canvas: Course Setup | November 2
- Teaching with Canvas: Modules | November 16
- Teaching with Canvas: Quizzes and Assignments | November 30
Group Activities
- Virtual Synchronous Meetings: Tuesdays from 2-4 p.m.
- 12-week duration; starting Tuesday, September 21, and meeting bi-weekly through November 30.
- 6 working meetings (Sept. 21, Oct. 5, Oct. 19, Nov. 2, Nov. 16, Nov. 30); including (but not limited to): presentation, demonstration, conversation, facilitated guidance, practice sessions
Outcomes and Expectations
Collaborative EWG Commitment: Upon successful completion of ALL the following EWG objectives, participants will receive $250 in professional development funds:
- Attend and participate in at least 5 of the 6 scheduled meetings
- Create or modify at least one artifact, or otherwise demonstrate the outcome(s), for the strategy or theory discussed in the EWG
- Examples: set up Modules in Canvas, create a template for a flipped course, design an accessible web page, etc.
- And, working in collaboration with E-Campus, share lessons learned, tips, tricks, or strategies with colleagues through at least one of the following:
- Present at a department meeting
- Participate in an E-Campus event (e.g., Faculty showcase, National Distance Learning Week [NDLW])
- Present at an internal conference (e.g., Opening Day, Lilly Conference, etc.) or external conference
Cooperative EWG Commitment: Upon successful completion of the following EWG objectives, participants will receive $125 in professional development funds:
- Attend and participate in at least 5 of the 6 scheduled meetings
- Create or modify at least one artifact, or otherwise demonstrate the outcome(s), for the strategy or theory discussed in the EWG
- Examples: set up Modules in Canvas, create a template for a flipped course, design an accessible web page, etc.
Multiple Measures: Evaluation of Online Teaching
Facilitated by Robyn Brown, Regional E-Campus, and Leah Henson, Languages, Literatures, and Writing
VIRTUAL SYNCHRONOUS MEETINGS: WEDNESDAYS 1-3 P.M.
This E-Faculty Working Group (EWG) will present an opportunity for Miami University Regionals faculty to examine the relationship between Miami University’s Policy Statements on “Good Teaching Practices” and “Evaluation of Teaching” and the online environment. This EWG will focus on examining best practices for teaching and course design (with emphasis on organization and communication) and evaluating teaching efficacy in the online environment (using Canvas and other tools and systems). The goal of this EWG is to help faculty effectively use Canvas and online resources to evaluate their teaching, while simultaneously increasing students’ satisfaction with their learning experiences. The faculty cohort will actively collaborate and support each other through learning opportunities during the semester to expand their knowledge and expertise in using the LMS in their courses.
To apply, connect with Robyn Brown, E-Campus Coordinator for E-Faculty Engagements, via email at ecampushelp@miamioh.edu.
Focus
As a result of engaging in this EWG, participants will be able to:
- Relate Miami University’s Policy Statements on “Good Teaching Practices” and “Evaluation of Teaching” to practices in the online environment
- Collect data from multiple measures of teaching effectiveness to assess their online teaching and course design
- Interpret data from multiple measures of teaching effectiveness to inform the continued refinement of their online teaching and course design
- Utilize Canvas and online resources to promote student learning outcomes and student satisfaction, especially related to course organization and communication
Topics to Be Covered (No Individual Session Option)
- Miami Policy
- Statement of Good Teaching Practices
- Statement on the Evaluation of Teaching
- Formative Assessments
- Midcourse Evaluations
- Summative Assessments; University/Divisional Questions
- End of Course Evaluations
- Feedback for the Improvement of Course Design and Instruction
- Feedback for Faculty Self-Improvement
- Multiple Measures of Teaching Effectiveness in Annual Reports
Group Activities
- Virtual Synchronous Meetings: Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m.
- 8-week duration; starting Wednesday, September 22, and meeting roughly weekly through November 10.
- 6 working meetings (Sept. 22, Sept. 29, Oct. 13, Oct. 20, Nov. 3, Nov. 10); including (but not limited to): presentation, demonstration, conversation, facilitated guidance, practice sessions
Outcomes and Expectations
Collaborative EWG Commitment: Upon successful completion of ALL the following EWG objectives, participants will receive $250 in professional development funds:
- Attend and participate in at least 5 of the 6 scheduled meetings
- Create or modify at least one artifact, or otherwise demonstrate the outcome(s), for the strategy or theory discussed in the EWG
- Examples: set up Modules in Canvas, create a template for a flipped course, design an accessible web page, etc.
- And, working in collaboration with E-Campus, share lessons learned, tips, tricks, or strategies with colleagues through at least one of the following:
- Present at a department meeting
- Participate in an E-Campus event (e.g., Faculty showcase, National Distance Learning Week [NDLW])
- Present at an internal conference (e.g., Opening Day, Lilly Conference, etc.) or external conference
Cooperative EWG Commitment: Upon successful completion of the following EWG objectives, participants will receive $125 in professional development funds:
- Attend and participate in at least 5 of the 6 scheduled meetings
- Create or modify at least one artifact, or otherwise demonstrate the outcome(s), for the strategy or theory discussed in the EWG
- Examples: set up Modules in Canvas, create a template for a flipped course, design an accessible web page, etc.
Creating Accessibility for All
Facilitated by Pruthvi Patel, Regional E-Campus; Karen Yates, Regional Student Disability Services; and Autumn Meade, AccessMU Center
VIRTUAL SYNCHRONOUS MEETINGS: THURSDAYS 12-2 P.M
The Creating Accessibility for All EWG will present an opportunity to become more familiar with the MU and MUR offices, people, practices, and resources available to faculty, staff, and students dedicated to making learning at Miami accessible for all students; including AccessMU, Student Disability Services, and Regionals E-Campus. This EWG will focus on Accessibility principles and guidelines, tools for creating accessible materials in your work, and practices for incorporating Accessibility when working with students and each other. Members of the Working Group will actively collaborate and support each other through learning opportunities during the semester, expanding their knowledge and expertise for creating accessible materials.
To apply, connect with Robyn Brown, E-Campus Coordinator for E-Faculty Engagements, via email at ecampushelp@miamioh.edu.
Focus
As a result of engaging in this EWG, participants will be able to:
- Explain the importance and benefits of designing accessible materials for people with disabilities
- Recognize the common barriers experienced by people with disabilities
- Identify the different types of accommodations MUR encounters most often for students with disabilities
- Connect with the MU and MUR offices, people, practices, and resources available to faculty, staff, and students dedicated to making learning at Miami accessible for all students
- Implement basic principles of accessibility during the preparation of web content, text-based documents (PDF, Word, Docs), and video
- Access MU tools to aid in making materials accessible and accommodate student needs
- Use Canvas functions and strategies to accommodate student needs
Topics to Be Covered (No Individual Session Option)
- Types of accommodations encountered most often for students with disabilities
- Web Accessibility
- Content authoring
- Images and Multimedia
- Creating accessible documents (PDF, Word, Google Docs)
- Creating closed captioning and transcripts
- Canvas LMS functions and features
- Accessibility checkers
Group Activities
- Virtual Synchronous Meetings: Thursdays from 12-2 p.m.
- 12-week duration; starting Thursday, September 30, and meeting roughly weekly through November 18.
- 6 working meetings Sept 30, Oct 7, Oct 21, Oct 28, Nov 11, Nov 18); including (but not limited to): presentation, demonstration, conversation, facilitated guidance, practice sessions
- Reading guides on Accessibility
- Guest speakers
Outcomes and Expectations
Collaborative EWG Commitment: Upon successful completion of ALL the following EWG objectives, participants will receive $250 in professional development funds:
- Attend and participate in at least 5 of the 6 scheduled meetings
- Create or modify at least one artifact, or otherwise demonstrate the outcome(s), for the strategy or theory discussed in the EWG
- Examples: set up Modules in Canvas, create a template for a flipped course, design an accessible web page, etc.
- And, working in collaboration with E-Campus, share lessons learned, tips, tricks, or strategies with colleagues through at least one of the following:
- Present at a department meeting
- Participate in an E-Campus event (e.g., Faculty showcase, National Distance Learning Week [NDLW])
- Present at an internal conference (e.g., Opening Day, Lilly Conference, etc.) or external conference
Cooperative EWG Commitment: Upon successful completion of the following EWG objectives, participants will receive $125 in professional development funds:
- Attend and participate in at least 5 of the 6 scheduled meetings
- Create or modify at least one artifact, or otherwise demonstrate the outcome(s), for the strategy or theory discussed in the EWG
- Examples: set up Modules in Canvas, create a template for a flipped course, design an accessible web page, etc.