Canisius University Center for Online Learning & Innovation

Struggled with group work assignments in your teaching? Listen to what Dr. Mary Becker has to say about it.

Canisius Pedagogy Primer Podcast: Dr. Mary Becker: Collaboration in Business Education Dr. Mary Becker is Assistant Professor in Finance, in the Richard J. Wehle School of Business at Canisius University.  In Dr. Becker's courses, students learn the practices of institutional finance through collaborative exercises.  These problem-solving activities closely simulate processe...

A great opportunity for students, faculty and staff!

At Canisius University we are helping students to discover and live Jesuit values, including being "contemplatives in action:" connecting our academic reflections with service for and with others. Please consider supporting our Makerspace program. Small donations are a big help!

Support Makerspace | Canisius Giving Day I’m ready to support Makerspace on April 10, 2024 during Canisius Giving Day. Learn more about Makerspace and all the other funds participating in Canisius Giving Day.

In the latest episode of the Pedagogy Primer Podcast, Dr. Jonathan Lawrence, Associate Professor in Religious Studies, is joined by recent Canisius graduates Mylan Hawkins and Abby Bradley to discuss the use of historical simulation games in their recent classes. Dr. Lawrence uses Reacting to the Past series games to teach concepts in the study of world religions, as well as critical analysis skills common across the liberal arts. He has written a game focused on Jesuit history, appropriate at Canisius College but also any course where perspectives on religion intersect with social class and political institutions.

Hawkins and Bradley provide valuable student perspectives: it is fun to learn this way, but it was also challenging. Game-based learning makes rigorous demands on students’ research, analysis, and presentations skills, as well as creativity, emotional intelligence and collegiality. At the same time, it compels students to consider the relationship between their cultures and experiences in the present, and people’s problems and choices in the past. Along the way, they encountered plenty of surprises, too!

Pedagogy Primer Podcast: Games Based Pedagogy In the latest episode of the Pedagogy Primer Podcast, Dr. Jonathan Lawrence, Associate Professor in Religious Studies, is joined by recent Canisius graduates Mylan Hawkins and Abby Bradley to discu…

Hypothes.is and D2L both have a number of updates scheduled for this summer. Note that some of these updates, specifically the Hypothes.is ones, have not yet been implemented. We will be working on them throughout the summer with a target of getting all updates done before August.

Software Updates Summer 2023 Hypothes.is and D2L both have a number of updates scheduled for this summer. Note that some of these updates, specifically the Hypothes.is ones, have not yet been implemented. We will be working on…

This month, COLI launches two MicroCredentials (MicroCreds): D2L Mastery and Accessibility. These are in addition to the Online Faculty Development Course (OFDC). What is a MicroCred? A MicroCred is a credential that shows mastery of a specific topic, according to a program of professional development. MicroCreds can be used in a professional portfolios, including tenure and promotion, as well as yearly performance evaluations and even academic program reports....

COLI Launches MicroCreds This month, COLI launches two MicroCredentials (MicroCreds): D2L Mastery and Accessibility. These are in addition to the Online Faculty Development Course (OFDC). What is a MicroCred? A MicroCred i…

As you prepare your courses for the Fall 2023 semester you may consider having third-party integrations for textbooks, online activities, or exam tools added to your D2L Course Spaces. Before you request this, carefully read COLI’s policy on these integrations. Immediately there are two things you know: Neither COLI nor ITS can provide you or your students support for these tools or integrations, past integrating them into D2L in accordance with the provider’s instructions....

Third Party Tools and Integrations with D2L As you prepare your courses for the Fall 2023 semester you may consider having third-party integrations for textbooks, online activities, or exam tools added to your D2L Course Spaces. Before you r…

The OFDC (Online Faculty Development Course) offered by COLI is for full-time and part-time faculty, whether new to D2L, or experienced with technology for teaching. This five-week mini-course prepares instructors to teach online and hybrid courses. The OFDC provides many practical tips for teaching online but more importantly, helps faculty explore new pedagogies for active learning, social presence, and community in courses on the internet....

Summer OFDC Session! The OFDC (Online Faculty Development Course) offered by COLI is for full-time and part-time faculty, whether new to D2L, or experienced with technology for teaching. This five-week mini-course…

This summer, take the time to clean up your computer desktop! Organizing your desktop will let you find files that are weeks if not months old quickly and easily. Take a look at the video below: The above video goes through organizing your Windows (or even a Mac) Desktop. You can sort files alphabetically and organize files into folders. Try it today and see how much time you can save!

COLI Quick Tip 23: Desktop Organization This summer, take the time to clean up your computer desktop! Organizing your desktop will let you find files that are weeks if not months old quickly and easily. Take a look at the video below: Th…

It’s coming up to the end of the semester again. Here are some actions you should take by the week after grades are due: Enter your Final Grades through MyCanisius. If you want students to see their final grade on D2L, there are a few steps to release the Final Calculated Grade if you have not already released it. Export your gradebook…...

COLI’s End-of-Semester Checklist It’s coming up to the end of the semester again. Here are some actions you should take by the week after grades are due: Enter your Final Grades through MyCanisius. If you want students to see thei…

Since Large Language Model (LLM) Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) became popular late last year, COLI has been tracking the development of this technology, and experimenting with the three major text-generation tools: ChatGPT, Bing Chat, and Google Bard. We have compiled notes on these AIs, as well as methods of teaching with these AIs in mind, in a tentative resource. This is tentative because AIs are developing rapidly, so any statement we make may plausibly change in just a few weeks or months....

COLI’s Notes on AI and Pedagogy Since Large Language Model (LLM) Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) became popular late last year, COLI has been tracking the development of this technology, and experimenting with the three m…