Blackboard Faculty Announcements

(emailed received from SoftChalk LessonBuilder on 12/15/08 to the Learning Systems group/Blackboard Team)

Subject: December Digest Featuring SoftChalk Talk

Happy Holidays from SoftChalk! We know the month of December can get quite hectic and your calendar is probably full, but take a moment to check out our latest webinar series - SoftChalk Talk. At SoftChalk Talk you will get all your SoftChalk questions answered by the experts. Come 2009 you will be happy you did - SoftChalk is the gift that keeps giving all year long!

Introducing your SoftChalk Talk Experts: Click & Drag

SoftChalk Talk is a new and exciting online series that will feature Click & Drag - SoftChalk experts, Dave and Mary Beth. This will be your hour to discuss topics of importance with SoftChalk fans near and far. It's a great place to ask a SoftChalk question, ask for advice, or share your ideas and suggestions. Please join your hosts for an exciting one-hour session on the following dates. To register visit http://www.softchalk.com/talk.html.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008
12pm PT | 1pm MT | 2pm CT | 3pm ET

Thursday, January 8, 2009
1pm PT | 2pm MT | 3pm CT | 4pm ET

Wednesday, January 14, 2009
9am PT | 10am MT | 11am CT | 12pm ET

Advance Your LessonBuilder Skills

Get specialized detailed training. Each Short Course is a live 1-hour training course conducted by a SoftChalk instructor using web conferencing. The course includes a presentation and examples, as well as an opportunity to ask questions and receive assistance from the instructor. These Short Courses are free to our Gold Support clients (register from the Help Menu of SoftChalk LessonBuilder) and a small fee for others. Register at http://www.softchalk.com/training.

The following Short Courses are being offered at this time:

SoftChalk StyleBuilder - Tuesday, December 16
1pm PT | 2pm MT | 3pm CT | 4pm ET

Hyperlinks and Embedded Media - Thursday, December 18
1pm PT | 2pm MT | 3pm CT | 4pm ET

Introduction to SoftChalk - Monday, December 22
9am PT | 10am MT | 11am CT | 12pm ET

Quizzes and SoftChalk ScoreTracker - Tuesday, January 6
12pm PT | 1pm MT | 2pm CT | 3pm ET

Creating, Importing and Modifying Tables - Thursday, January 8
9am PT | 10am MT | 11am CT | 12pm ET

Images and Sidebars in LessonBuilder - Monday, January 12
10am PT | 11am MT | 12pm CT | 1pm ET

Contact SoftChalk
22 South Auburn Ave Richmond, VA 23221 l team@softchalk.com l 877-638-2425 (toll free)

Posted by at 12:50 PM | Permalink

email from SoftChalk:

SoftChalk Innovators Series: "Promoting Higher Level Thinking Skills"

Hello,
For professional development purposes, we offer a "Certificate of Attendance". Our Innovovator Webinars are about the pedagogy, not the technology. Next session, on August 27, learn how SoftChalk is used to develop higher level thinking skills. Click here for details.

Other ways to learn about SoftChalk:

* Introductory Demonstrations: Discover the main features of SoftChalk, see examples and ask your questions.
* SoftChalk Short Courses: Join our popular training program on topic-specific one-hour sessions.

Innovators in Online Learning
Promoting Higher Level Thinking Skills:
Using Bloom's Taxonomy with SoftChalk LessonBuilder
Wednesday August 27
11 am Pacific | 2 pm Eastern

In this one hour presentation Lyn Hawks, Coordinator of Independent Learning at Duke University TIP, will show how you can you use SoftChalk to ensure that students are thinking at their highest level. Bloom's Taxonomy is a familiar framework for educators as they help students explore levels of knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis. Learn how the Duke University Talent Identification Program harnesses LessonBuilder quizzes, activities, and hyperlinks to provide meaningful skill practice and assessment at the highest levels of critical thinking. See examples of elementary, middle, high school, and college level lessons at work. The session ends with a Q&A period. (Space is limited. Please register now for best selection!)
Register Now for this Innovators presentation

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Online Introductory Demonstrations
Want to see how easily a lesson can be built? Each one-hour live online demonstration introduces the key features of SoftChalk. We will view example lessons, and then demonstrate how the lesson content was created using SoftChalk. The session ends with a question and answer period . Register at http://www.softchalk.com/webinar.

=========================================================================

SoftChalk Short Courses
Get specialized detailed training. Each Short Course is a "live" 1-hour training course conducted by a SoftChalk instructor using web conferencing. The course typically includes a presentation and examples, as well as an opportunity to ask questions and receive assistance from the instructor. These Short Courses are free to our Gold Support clients (register from the Help Menu of SoftChalk LessonBuilder) and a small fee for others. Register at http://www.softchalk.com/training.

Register Now for Short Course Training

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Check out our newly updated Quick Tour Videos, Sample Lessons and User Guides on our website today!

Please feel free to forward this digest to any of your colleagues who may have an interest in creating more engaging on-line lessons for their students.

Please contact us with questions or concerns.

The SoftChalk Team
team@softchalk.com
www.softchalk.com
877-638-2425 (toll free USA/Canada)

Posted by at 10:41 AM | Permalink

SoftChalk Innovators Presentation Tomorrow (June 3, 2008)

Hello SoftChalk LessonBuilder Users,
Tommorrow you can learn how one of our clients handles the jittery online student. See below for details.

Other ways to learn about SoftChalk and our newest release:

* SoftChalk Version 4 New Features: Check out the WOW!
* Introductory Demonstrations: Discover the main features of SoftChalk Version 4 for those that wish an overview.
* SoftChalk Short Courses: Join our popular training program on topic-specific one-hour sessions.

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Innovators in Online Learning:
Working with the Jittery Online Student
Tuesday June 3
1 pm Pacific | 4 pm Eastern

Learn how Jacob Guerra, Instructional Designer for South Texas College, uses SoftChalk to create fully Interactive Lessons that are not only visually appealing, but engaging for those that need to move around in order to learn. Since reaching students of all learning styles is a key ingredient to any online course, this presentation will describe the real life issues of dealing with a Tactile/Kinesthetic Learner and show examples of lessons created to address them. The session ends with a question and answer time. Register at http://www.softchalk.com/webinar/.

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SoftChalk Version 4 New Features
See the WOW! New features include a Style Builder, Time Line and Slide Show Activities, Internal Bookmarks, Online Score Tracking, Internationalization.. and more. A Question and Answer period will follow the demonstration. Register at http://www.softchalk.com/webinar.
==============================================================================================
Online Introductory Demonstrations
Each one-hour live online demonstration introduces the key features of SoftChalk. We will view example lessons, and then demonstrate how the lesson content was created using SoftChalk. The session ends with a question and answer period . Register at http://www.softchalk.com/webinar.

==============================================================================================
SoftChalk Short Courses
Each Short Course is a "live" 1-hour training course conducted by a SoftChalk instructor using web conferencing. The course typically includes a presentation and examples, as well as an opportunity to ask questions and receive assistance from the instructor. Register at http://www.softchalk.com/training.

==============================================================================================
Check out our newly updated Quick Tour Videos, Sample Lessons and User Guides on our website today!
Please feel free to forward this digest to any of your colleagues who may have an interest in creating more engaging on-line lessons for their students.

Please contact us with questions or concerns.

The SoftChalk Team
team@softchalk.com
www.softchalk.com
877-638-2425 (toll free USA/Canada)

Posted by at 1:03 PM | Permalink

Email from the SoftChalk - LessonBuilder Team...

Continue reading "SoftChalk - LessonBuilder" »

Posted by at 12:50 PM | Permalink

Using SoftChalk as a Tool for Formative Assessment

California State University, Fullerton

Wednesday February 27
11 am PT | Noon MT | 1 pm CT | 2 pm ET

Dr. Lynda Randall, Professor in the Department of Secondary Education, will offer formative assessment strategies to provide ongoing feedback to students and to allow teachers to determine student competencies. Dr. Randall developed several modules that support student success with text readings and the development of competencies in critical areas (e.g., developing goals and objectives, understanding brain-based development of cognition during adolescence, and creating holistic and analytic trait rubrics). Master?s degree students in Secondary Education have also developed several SoftChalk lessons. The webinar will show some of these lessons and their initial impact on student learning. The session ends with a Q&A period. Register at http://www.softchalk.com/webinar.
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How Course Tutorials Promote Success, Retention,
and Accountability for the Online Student

Online Educator in Doctoral and Associate Degree Programs

Wednesday March 19
11 am PT | Noon MT | 1 pm CT | 2 pm ET

During this presentation, Lisa Harrell, Online Course Instructor and Developer, will discuss the use of online course tutorials to increase student success, retention, and accountability. The online learner faces unique challenges as compared to the traditional classroom student. Lisa is using SoftChalk to promote their success by developing online course tutorials addressing such topics as program orientations, course navigation, using course e-mail, how to access and submit assignments, participating in online discussion boards, using online libraries, using online data bases, and understanding grading rubrics. During the presentation, examples of these tutorials will be shown including how SoftChalk Learning Activities can be used effectively. The presentation will be followed by a Question and Answer period. Register at http://www.softchalk.com/webinar.
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And Our Live Online SoftChalk Short Courses!
Each Short Course is a "live" 1-hour training course conducted by a SoftChalk instructor using web conferencing. The course typically includes a presentation and examples, as well as an opportunity to ask questions and receive assistance from the instructor. Register at http://www.softchalk.com/training.

These Short Courses remain free for a limited time, so register now.

Please feel free to forward this invitation to any of your colleagues who may have an interest in creating more engaging on-line lessons for their students.

Please contact us with questions or concerns.

The SoftChalk Team
team@softchalk.com
www.softchalk.com
877-638-2425 (toll free USA/Canada)

Posted by at 8:32 AM | Permalink

For a very limited time, SoftChalk/LessonBuilder Short Courses are being offered to you at no cost. But this offer will expire soon.

Topics include:

* Introduction/Overview
* Media and Images
* Sidebars
* Learning Activites
* Quizzes
* Tables
* Equation Editor

---- and more.....

For more information and to Register for a class, go to: http://www.softchalk.com/training!
Register Now/Click Here: http://www.softchalk.com/training

With LessonBuilder you create SCORM compliant, Section 508 accessible web pages that integrate with all the major Learning Management Systems. Or the content can be simply placed on a CD or a web/file server!

For additional information you and your colleagues can:

1. Go to http://www.softchalk.com/support for up to date questions and their answers.
2. Review some existing lessons at http://www.softchalk.com/lb_examples.html

Please feel free to forward this invitation to any of your colleagues who may have an interest in creating more engaging on-line lessons for their students.

Please contact us with questions or concerns.
The SoftChalk Team
team@softchalk.com
www.softchalk.com
877-638-2425 (toll free USA/Canada)

Posted by at 8:11 AM | Permalink

Softchalk is offering their LessonBuilder short courses for free during January 2008. See Softchalk training website for more details:

http://www.softchalk.com/training/

Posted by at 1:29 PM | Permalink

Information from Softchalk received via email on 10/29/07:

Tomorrow (Oct 30): learn how LessonBuilder grades become part of the Angel Learning GradeBook through the magic of SCORM.

Next Week: see the progression of one faculty member's use of LessonBuilder from a simple testing tool to having student use LessonBuilder to improve their critical thinking.

Register for these events............ http://www.ebsuite01.com/mktUT.jsp?ui=244&uk=xzCX

Integrating LessonBuilder Content with Angel Learning

Tuesday, October 30
10 am PT | 11 am MT | Noon CT | 1 pm ET
===============================================================================
Students use LessonBuilder
to Develop Critical Thinking
Glendale Community College, Maricopa System, Arizona
Wednesday November 7
9am PT | 10 am MT | 11 am CT | 12 pm ET

During this presentation, you will learn from Mary Jane Onnen, a full time faculty member and Faculty Development Facilitator at Glendale College in Arizona, how her use of LessonBuilder evolved from using it as a simple testing tool to having her students create content in LessonBuilder to help them develop critical thinking skills. For a Basic Reading class, LessonBuilder textpoppers are used to emphasize vocabulary, and recorded text is integrated with the lesson content. In a College Reading Skills class, students use LessonBuilder to create content that is then used to assess the student's summarizing and critical thinking skills, as well as grammar, punctuation, and spelling.The session ends with a questions and answer period.
============================================================================
Our LessonBuilder Introductory Webinars!
A 45 minute presentation introduces the key features of SoftChalk LessonBuilder. We will view sample lessons, and then demonstrate how the lesson content was created using SoftChalk LessonBuilder. The session ends with a question and answer period.

Register Now for these events.............http://www.ebsuite01.com/mktUT.jsp?ui=244&uk=xzCX

Now available: Online LessonBuilder Training...
Take any one of our six 2-hour online Short Courses - in any order - and know what our experts know!! For more information click here!

Please feel free to forward this invitation to any of your colleagues who may have an interest in creating more engaging on-line lessons for their students.

Please contact us with questions or concerns.

The SoftChalk Team
team@softchalk.com
www.softchalk.com
877-638-2425 (toll free USA/Canada)

Posted by at 12:20 PM | Permalink

(Information obtained from email from Softchalk - LessonBuilder)
Presentations from Innovators in Online Learning

Want to track the time a student spends on a lesson? Register now for Tuesday's Blackboard and LessonBuilder integration webinar.
Want to know how a single person created 1000 pages of content in 8 months? Register now for Thursday's Innovators in Online Learning webinar about engaging at-risk students online!

=====Register Now for any of these events at http://www.softchalk.com/lb_WebinarRegistration.html======

Using Online Learning to Successfully Engage at-risk Students
Heartland Area Education Agency in Johnston, Iowa
Thursday, September 27
11am PT | Noon MT | 1 pm CT | 2 pm ET
In this session, Gene Behrens, Professional Development and Leadership Consultant, at Heartland Area Education Agency in Johnston, Iowa, will describe how they have worked with at-risk students that have had a history of resisting reading and writing instruction. Softchalk LessonBuilder has been used to create interactive supplemental reading and writing activities for at risk students in shelters and a juvenile detention program. Participants will be able to see how LessonBuilder's interactive activities (Seek a Word, ordering, short answer, sorting, matching, and crossword puzzles) have successfully reinforced student learning.

Special Partners Webinars!
Integrating LessonBuilder Content with Blackboard
Tuesday , September 25
10 am PT | 11 am MT | Noon CT | 1 pm ET

Integrating LessonBuilder Content with Angel Learning
Tuesday, October 30
10 am PT | 11 am MT | Noon CT | 1 pm ET

===============================================
Our LessonBuilder Introductory Webinars....
A 45 minute presentation introduces the key features of SoftChalk LessonBuilder. We will view sample lessons, and then demonstrate how the lesson content was created using SoftChalk LessonBuilder. The session ends with a question and answer period.

=====Register Now for any of these events at http://www.softchalk.com/lb_WebinarRegistration.html======

Now available: Online LessonBuilder Training...
Take any one of our six 2-hour online Short Courses - in any order - and know what our experts know!! For more information go to http://www.softchalk.com/training

Please feel free to forward this invitation to any of your colleagues who may have an interest in creating more engaging on-line lessons for their students.

Please contact us with questions or concerns.

The SoftChalk Team
team@softchalk.com
www.softchalk.com
877-727-5548 (toll free USA/Canada)

Posted by at 8:36 AM | Permalink

(VCU has a site license for LessonBuilder - accessible from My Faculty Tools in Blackboard)

Email from Softchalk follows:

Hello,

Over the past few months hundreds of your colleagues have come to these webinars to see for themselves how SoftChalk LessonBuilder creates online, interactive, and engaging learning content.

SoftChalk LessonBuilder is a powerful web lesson editor that allows educators to easily create lessons that can be packaged for delivery in any learning management system, or on a web server or CD-ROM. You will be amazed at how easy it is to use!

We offer webinars several times a week; each webinar will take approximately 45 minutes and have a question and answer session at the end. Private Sessions are also available for your organization; please contact us directly to schedule.

TO REGISTER GO TO http://www.softchalk.com/lb_WebinarRegistration.html

Wednesday, August 1
10 am Pacific | 1 pm Eastern
Monday, August 6
Noon Pacific | 3 pm Eastern
Tuesday, August 14
9 am Pacific | Noon Eastern

You will learn that LessonBuilder is a tool that makes it very easy for educators to create professional looking and engaging content. During the demonstration you will see how to:

* Create learning activities with pictures and sound as well as text.
* Create interactive Flash-based activities such as text and image matching, crosswords, interactive images, flashcards and more.
* Insert quiz questions, including self-correcting, quick-response questions embedded in your lessons.
* Insert glossaries and Pop-up text annotations to define terms or add additional lesson information.
* Insert Automatic intra-page and inter-page navigation and a Table of Contents

Note: LessonBuilder creates SCORM compliant, accessible web pages that integrate with all the major Learning Management Systems or the content can be simply placed on a CD or a web server!

For additional information you and your colleagues can:

1. Go to http://www.softchalk.com/ download and try the newest version for 30 days at no cost. You can also find a Users Guide as well as guides on how LessonBuilder works with your favorite Learning Management System.
2. Review some existing lessons at http://www.softchalk.com/lb_examples.html

Please feel free to forward this invitation to any of your colleagues who may have an interest in creating more engaging on-line lessons.

Please contact us with questions or concerns.
The SoftChalk Team
team@softchalk.com
www.softchalk.com
877-727-5548 (toll free USA/Canada)

Posted by at 3:33 PM | Permalink

Presentations from Innovators in Online Learning (sponsored by SoftChalk - LessonBuilder)

A last reminder: tomorrow is the Innovators session telling how Broward Community College uses Instructional Events and Learning Outcomes to ensure quality eLearning content. If you want a "Certificate of Attendance" for being there, we do that too!

Continue reading "SoftChalk - LessonBuilder - email received 07/24/07" »

Posted by at 10:51 AM | Permalink