For the past twenty years, the Teaching and Technology Collaborative (also know as the TTC or Teach Tech) has worked to help instructors throughout the University take advantage of the myriad of technologies that are available. They offer courses that cover everything from Canvas to M+Box, Adobe CS to Linux, data security to video production, and usually host two or three conferences for instructors every year. Last year, they offered about 1,000 workshops and training sessions through their site. The TTC is comprised of nine different groups of technology consultants and instructional designers, including ITS, the UM Libraries, the Language Resource Center, The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, and of course, our own LSA-ISS staff regularly present sessions. The sessions have been attended by thousands of faculty, students, and staff—a current count of unique attendees over the last three years comes to over 13,000, with 45,000 registrations for the nearly 4000 training sessions offered in that period.
The TTC hosts three conferences—two smaller ones, Emerge and Teach Feast, and one large conference, Enriching Scholarship. Enriching Scholarship is a five day conference, with over a hundred sessions focused on improving instruction and the use of technology in UM courses, but covering other topics in areas of research, data, productivity, and media. Enriching Scholarship 2017 (ES 2017) is especially exciting, as it coincides with the University’s Bicentennial and the 20th anniversary of the TTC. Also, we are trying a new format highlighting the great work being done in our classes around campus. The conference runs the first week of May, the 1st through the 5th. In addition to the Keynote address on Monday, there will also be Lightning Talk sessions, where attendees can get a quick introduction to a variety of the tools and techniques being used around campus, and a catered lunch where attendees can meet with each other and share ideas over food. The TTC is hoping to help instructors make connections—attendees will leave with a good understand of not only what is available, but how it can be used in their courses, and how they get the support they need to make their classes even more successful!
Last years keynote address was, "Learning How to Learn," by Barbara Oakley, professor of engineering at Oakland University, and focused on the complex relationship between neuroscience and social behavior. The keynote this year will be given by Scott Page, and will address the proliferation of new technologies that instructors can now choose from (a choice ISS-LTC began to grapple with in past articles). Page is the Leonid Hurwicz Collegiate Professor of Complex Systems, Political Science, and Economics here at the University of Michigan. He also directs the U-M Center for the Study of Complex Systems, and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Scott's research focuses on the myriad of roles that diversity plays in complex systems. Professor Page will also join us for the closing panel on Friday, along with other faculty.
Registration for the 20th Annual Enriching Scholarship Conference begins on April 3rd, 2017. For more information, please see the TTC Enriching Scholarship 2017 website.
LSA-ISS staff will be presenting a number of sessions during the week. Here is a few examples:
Instructional Support Services Tour
Wacom Touch Screen Monitors
Learning Spaces
Active Learning Framework
Collaborative Tools for Students
Video Services
Stay tuned as more details emerge.
