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WHAT'S INSIDE

What's Happening
  • ADC Closure on October 4th
Professional Development Opportunities
  • D2L: Deep Dive into Tests
  • Scholarship Series: UDL in Higher Education
  • Gathering Formative Feedback on Teaching & Learning
  • TurnItIn Feedback Studio
  • Engaging Students with CATs
  • Book Sprint on Teaching in the Active Learning Classroom
Mokakiiks Centre for SoTL
  • 2022 Symposium for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Community Events
  • MRU Academic Integrity Training Module
  • Academic Integrity Week 2022
  • Copyright for Instruction
  • Tenure and Promotion Committee Training Session
Teaching Tip
  • Why Do I Need Alternative Text for My Images in D2L?

WHAT'S HAPPENING

ADC Closure on October 4th

The ADC, including the Sandbox, will be closed on Tuesday, October 4th for our fall planning day. Regular hours will resume on October 5th.

For technical support, please go to our Sandbox On-Demand site where you can find a library of videos to help you.

We appreciate your patience.

notebook and glasses on table

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Discover in-person and online offerings to help build your knowledge and skills in a variety of areas.

View the full schedule of professional development opportunities by going to our upcoming workshops page. (See also: calendar view). 


Always know what's upcoming by adding the ADC Events and Workshops calendar to your own calendar.

Follow us on Twitter and stay up-to-date on upcoming workshops and other ADC news!

Key for mode of delivery:

Online In-person
For a quick view of the upcoming fall offerings, download our flyer.

D2L: Deep Dive into Tests

Facilitator: Bree Smith
In Person:
September 28
Online:
October 3, 5, and 6

in person icon 
Learn more & register

Turnitin® Feedback Studio

Facilitator: TurnItIn® Representative
Date: Wednesday, October 5
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Learn more & register

Engaging Students with CATs (Classroom Assessment Techniques)

Facilitator: Jennifer Boman
Date: Wednesday, October 19

Time: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

in person icon
Learn more & register

How’s the Term Really Going? Gathering Formative Feedback on Teaching & Learning

Facilitator: Andrea Phillipson
Date: Monday, October 3

Time: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

 
Learn more & register

Academic Writing Group

Facilitator: Andrea Phillipson
Dates: Mondays, Oct. 17 – Nov. 28
Time: 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm

in person icon 
Learn more & register

Book Sprint on Teaching in the Active Learning Classroom

Facilitators: Luciano Santos &
                     John Cheeseman
Dates: October 20, 27, and November 3
Time: 10:30 am – 12:00 pm

in person icon
Learn more & register
View all PD Opportunities

MOKAKIIKS CENTRE FOR SOTL

2022 Symposium for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Join us to celebrate our tenth Symposium on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, where we will reflect on our past, while imagining SoTL for the future. We are excited to gather in-person once again in Banff this year.

When: November 10 – 12
Where: Banff Park Lodge

Register now

COMMUNITY EVENTS

MRU Academic Integrity Training Module

Do you wish your students had a clearer understanding of academic integrity, academic misconduct, and plagiarism? Looking for some common language and examples to engage students in a conversation about academic integrity? Student Learning Services has developed a 45-minute online training module to help clarify these concepts and introduce key pieces of MRU’s new Code of Student Academic Integrity. The training includes learning materials, sample scenarios, and questions to test your understanding. MRU students, faculty, and staff are welcome to try the module.

If you'd like your students to complete the module, give them access by copying and pasting the following description (which includes the link to the training module) into your D2L course as an announcement or content item or send it to your class in an email.

Once participants complete the module, they will receive a record of completion in their MRU email.

Academic Integrity Week 2022: October 17 to 21

Plans for MRU's Academic Integrity Week are coming together! By attending an event with a colleague, discussing academic integrity in class that week, encouraging your students to register for a workshop, and sharing resources (like the new online training module), each of us can help shape the culture of academic integrity here at MRU.

Questions? Interested in getting involved? Please contact Silvia Rossi (srossi@mtroyal.ca) and Lauren Cross (lcross@mtroyal.ca).

View resources and schedule of events
(Events will be added to the schedule as they are confirmed.)

Copyright Workshops


Creative Commons Crash Course 

When: Tuesday, October 25, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm 
 

Copyright Dough for Employees  

When: Wednesday, October 26, 11:45 am - 1:00 pm 

Are you interested in learning more about copyright, but unable to make one of the workshops? Check out the FAQs and resources on the copyright libguide or connect with the Copyright Advisor at MRUcopyright@mtroyal.ca.

Register now

Tenure and Promotion Committee Training Session

Article 9.1.9 requires that members and alternates serving their first year on a Tenure or Promotion Committee (or on UTPC) attend one of the workshops conducted jointly by the MRFA and Academic Affairs. Topics include responsibilities of committee members, tenure and promotion criteria, congruence of scholarship expectations with teaching loads at an undergraduate university, the need for flexibility in assessing a candidate's performance, and the principles of due process and natural justice. Additional information will be provided this year regarding tenure and promotion process considerations relating to the pandemic.

When: October 3, 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Participation is not limited to those who are required to attend. Anyone who would like or feels they need a refresher is most welcome. If you cannot attend but require training email facultyrelations@mrfa.net

Register now
computer and book with sticky notes

TEACHING TIP

Why Do I Need Alternative Text for My Images in D2L?

Alternative text (alt text), also known as an alt attribute, describes digital visuals such as images, diagrams, graphs, etc. This invisible text is read aloud by screen readers for users with visual impairments. Alt text is used to improve accessibility and the learner’s experience. In D2L, alt text is required for images.  

HOW TO WRITE ALT TEXT FOR IMAGES

  • Describe the image in 1–2 concise sentences
  • Avoid words such as “image/picture of” for image files (.jpg, .png, etc.) since screen readers always declare images
  • Express the purpose, meaning or impression of the image in the context of your content 
  • Check “This image is decorative” for images that don’t present information (e.g. borders, images for visual interest, images with adjacent content/captions already describing them). Screen readers will ignore decorative images.
  • Test your alt text by deleting the image from your page and replacing it with your alt text. Does your content still make sense?

EXAMPLE 1  — Context: Setting goals and accomplishing them


Image credit: Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU from Pexels

Original alt text: Picture of a runner

Better alt text: An elated runner with open arms and thumbs up in victory after crossing the finish line of a race.

EXAMPLE 2 — Context: Selecting flavours of ice cream to buy for a party

Original alt text: Chart of preferred ice cream flavours

Better alt text: Bar chart showing which of three flavours of ice cream was most preferred. More people chose chocolate, then strawberry, and lastly vanilla.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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