A Changing Landscape: Essential Skills & Tools for Teaching

Wiley Users Conference
February & April 2011

Today’s faculty are expected to master their subject matter, understand teaching pedagogies for the 21st century, and be Internet and tool savvy in the process….all within a context of changing demographics and student expectations!  Can we know it all?  Based on input from participants and years of experience working in the classroom, this workshop will highlight some of the essential skills and tools instructors need for effective instruction.  These attitudes and skills work regardless of where you teach – online or in a traditional classroom.  

Collaborating Online Means Never Having To Say Goodbye

University of Illinois: Faculty Summer Institute
May 2010

As the physical conference comes to a close it’s important to remember that the learning, networking, and collaborating with one another doesn’t have to end.  As a matter of fact, it is at this time that the new skills we’ve learned be put to use, the new connections we’ve made be cultivated, and the tools we’ve learned about be utilized.  This is a concept Kevin Johnson understands.  As a distant education consultant, distant instructor, distant student, and co-author of Online Education for Dummies, Kevin rarely meets face-to-face with clients, colleagues, students, or faculty. This session will explore the challenges of communicating and collaborating with other professionals in the field and efficient strategies for continuing dialogue as we leave the conference to return to our respective campuses and organizations.

Program & Instructional Design From the Dummies Perspective

Illinois Community College
April 2010

Are your online students often surprised or overwhelmed by the idiosyncrasies of learning online?  Do they arrive in your virtual classrooms with unrealistic expectations of workload and levels of interaction/participation? if so, join Dr. Susan Manning and Kevin Johnson, two online instructors and authors of the recently released book Online Education for Dummies, as they share ideas on how to develop courses around the idea of student expectations and success.  In this two-hour event, we’ll share ideas of how institutions, advising staff, departments, and instructors can better prepare students for transitioning to the online environment.  Be smart and let the Dummies guide you.  Hope to “see” you there!

iPods, Upods, WePods, Oh My!

Blackhawk College
February 2008

Do you feel overwhelmed about the amount of technology choices you have?  Do you enjoy technology, but still haven’t moved beyond setting the clock on the VCR?  Or, do you enjoy technology so much that more time is spent learning new technologies than on work or family?  If so, this presentation is for you!  This presentation will introduce participants to available technology, discuss pedagogical uses, and demonstrate a few implementation and time management strategies for incorporating the right technology at the right time.

Global Campus Partnership Implementation of Online Student Support, Instructor Services, Research and Evaluation, and Course Design – Building on Best Practices

University of Illinois
October 2007

The University of Illinois Global Campus Partnership has built its services and procedures on best practices in the online learning community with a goal of producing high quality courses and instruction, responsive student services, and continual evaluation and assessment.  As a completely new entity, the Global Campus is fortunate in being able to learn from other organizations and UI units that have pioneered online learning.

The Benefits & Challenges of Teaching Online

Western Illinois University
October 2007

Join us for a discussion on the benefits and challenges of teaching online to both undergraduate and graduate audience.  Kevin Johnson from the Illinois Online Network will share his experience on the reasons for choosing to teach fully online courses and provide resources for making the transition to online an easier one.

Quality Standards for Online Course Design

Elgin Community College
October 2007

This presentation will be geared towards administrators, deans, and department chairs.  It will focus on strategies for setting quality standards at the institution and department levels.  Kevin Johnson will introduce the Quality Online Course Initiative Rubric and discuss models for its use.

The Institutional Direction of Online

Illinois Valley Community College
March 2007

This presentation will be geared towards administrators, deans, and department chairs.  It will focus on strategies for developing online programs and setting quality standards at the institution and department levels.  Kevin Johnson will introduce the Quality Online Course Initiative Rubric and discuss models for its use.

Innovative Technologies

University of Illinois at Springfield: Faculty Summer Institute
May 2005

Come learn a variety of instructional tools at a panel of expert share their online classroom experiences using Blogs, RSS, Skype, Elluminate, Wiki, Moodle, and more. This panel will answer questions, demonstrate tools, and speak to best practices with regard to using technology tools in the classroom.