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Professional Development  | Announcements |

Faculty Spotlight | EdTech Corner

Lessons Learned: Enhanced Assessment with (EAC)

           with Elmira Asongwed, Ph. D., Associate Professor, College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES), Grace Kent, Instructional Designer and Outcomes Assessment Coordinator, CAL, and Rebecca Graham, Ph. D, Director of Institutional Assessment and Outcomes, Office of Planning and

Institutional Effectiveness

Thursday, March 21 from 2–2:30 p.m. | Click here to register

Using AI for Research 

With Meghan Kowalski, Outreach and Reference Librarian and Cathy Meals, Reference & Assessment Librarian, LRD

Friday, March 21 from 1–2 p.m. | Click here to register

Hands-On Workshop: session two: Introduction to 3D Modeling and Printing

with Davide Prete, MA, MFA, Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) in the UDC MakerSpace (Building 42, Suite A-08)

Friday, March 7 from 11–1:30 p.m. | Click here to register

Last session highlighted below.

ReadSpeaker is a powerful text-to-speech tool that enhances accessibility and engagement. It allows students to listen to course content with just one click—no setup required. It supports flexible learning while improving comprehension and retention.

Join one of our webinars to learn more about ReadSpeaker and how to structure your course content to maximize its benefits for student learning and accessibility.

Introduction to ReadSpeaker (Part 1)

with Ginger Dewey, Educational Development Manager at ReadSpeaker

Thursday, March 6 from 2 – 2:30 p.m.| Click here to access

Google Meet

Maximize ReadSpeaker (Part 2)

with Ginger Dewey, Educational Development Manager at ReadSpeaker

Thursday, March 20 from 2 – 2:30 p.m.| Click here to access

Google Meet

For questions, email grace.kent@udc.edu.

The B.S. in Community Health Sciences Program is launching this fall. Some courses within this program will be offered entirely online, while others will be hybrid or face-to-face. Dr. Ricardo Brown has taken the initiative to enhance his pedagogical knowledge by completing the Quality Matters (QM) Applying the QM Rubric (APPQMR) course to develop high-quality online courses. Reflecting on his experience, Dr. Brown shared: “Although I have taught online courses at different institutions, I was intrigued by the general standards and the specific criteria outlined in the QM Rubric. Overall, the course was helpful, specific, and concise, yet it still covered a broad range of factors that contribute to a high-quality online course. Additionally, our course facilitator was always available to assist! The time investment is worthwhile, and I would encourage faculty to consider this training as we work toward expanding access to our curriculum and programs through asynchronous learning modalities.”

Professor Essack has been an online educator for a while and is currently redesigning his online courses. Having recently completed the APPQMR workshop, he reflected on his experience: “The workshop has been an enriching experience. It deepened my understanding of course design principles, emphasizing alignment between learning objectives, assessments, and instructional materials. I now appreciate the importance of using measurable objectives, ensuring accessibility, and providing clear learner support. The structured review process and focus on constructive feedback will enhance my ability to evaluate and improve online courses effectively. This training has reinforced my commitment to quality assurance in education, equipping me with practical tools to support student success and promote continuous course improvement through the QM framework. A transformative step toward excellence!”

To read more about the UDC Quality Distance Learning initiative and participate, click here.

For questions, email julian.king@udc.edu.

Spotlight is for individuals who have worked closely with CAL to significantly contribute to teaching and learning at the University.

Bringing Research to Life Through 

Podcasts in Discovery Writing

Bethany Monea

Assistant Professor of Writing

CAS

In Dr. Bethany Monea’s IGED 210 Discovery Writing class—an online course—students build on the critical reading and writing skills attained in the Foundation Writing sequence.

Dr. Monea explained that as part of their culminating project, students create podcast episodes based on semester-long research, utilizing resources from NPR's College Student Podcast Challenge. They are encouraged to submit their final work to NPR's contest, integrating research, argumentation, and personal voice. Students also share their podcasts and engage with each other's episodes through Blackboard discussion boards.

While podcasting might seem intimidating—especially for those new to the genre or less tech-savvy—tools like Adobe Podcasts make the process more accessible. With their UDC credentials, students can access an intuitive platform to record, enhance audio, and edit their podcasts with ease. Dr. Monea shared, “I encourage my students to visit my office for assistance. One student overcame her apprehension during office hours, learning the basics within 15 minutes.”

Dr. Monea added, “This project fosters skills in research, creativity, and technical communication while providing a platform for student voices. As educators, we are encouraged to guide students through the process and leverage tools provided by UDC—like Adobe Podcasts—to

simplify the experience.”

An example of a student podcast project is "Teacher Burnout"—Click here to listen.

EdTech Corner Submissions:

Share your best practices and how you leverage EdTech in your teaching to increase learning outcomes.

Please email fatma.elshobokshy@udc.edu.