Erin Long and Allan Gyorke Active Learning Institute Educause Solutions in Action “Reaching and Engaging Today's Learners” April 20, 2009 Barbara Knauff, Senior Instructional Technologist Academic Computing, Dartmouth College Our Next Speakers: Erin Long Instructional Designer, The Penn State University Allan Gyorke Education Technology Manager, The Penn State University The Schreyer Blogging Initiative

Erin Long and Allan Gyorke Reaching and Engaging Today’s Learner Erin Long & Allan Gyorke The Pennsylvania State University

Erin Long and Allan Gyorke The Schreyer Blogging Initiative

Erin Long and Allan Gyorke Problem: Tried to coordinate bi-weekly face-to-face meetings through . Failed miserably. Students do not check daily Hard to determine scheduling Not “immediate” enough for students involved Solution: Facebook to the rescue! Students admitted to checking a few times a week However, they check Facebook a few times an hour The Schreyer Blogging Initiative

Erin Long and Allan Gyorke The Schreyer Blogging Initiative

Erin Long and Allan Gyorke Result: Everybody’s happy! One place to go for information Best to go to where the students are Eliminates some administrative overhead By using groups, we don’t have to “friend” students Future Uses… Division of Undergraduate Studies is working on making their own group to reach incoming students. The Schreyer Blogging Initiative

Erin Long and Allan Gyorke Texting – replaces Web forms Twitter – immediate back channel YouTube – course work and responses Live Question Tool – involve the students in the lecture For more information… Erin Long – Allan Gyorke – Other Ways to Engage…