Back from the ATL conference

I had a great time at the Assessment, Teaching and Learning conference. It was fabulous to see so many of you there, particularly my former colleagues at Cascadia.  I always enjoy this particular conference for the opportunity to see people I haven't seen for a while and the great ideas generated not only in the sessions but in the hallway conversations.

It was one such "hallway conversation" (actually, it was outside of the Starbucks) when someone advised that one should take a moment after the conference to reflect and then take two or three good ideas and commit to incorporating them. That seemed like wise advise, so here are my three ideas from the conference that I'm going to integrate into my upcoming teaching.

(Some of the links below are to my conference blog. I like to blog conferences as a way to remember what I learned and to share some of that information out with others.)

1. Data Collection. I attended a pre-session on gathering qualitative data. I like to survey my students fairly regularly, but it is somewhat inconsistent. I'm going to be a lot more strategic with my surveying and have all of my questions planned out before the quarter starts.

2. Digital Storytelling.  I attended a fabulous session on digital storytelling.  I think it could have good application in both of my classes on the Service Learning Project. I really need to explore this idea, though, as it might be too much, given all the other stuff I do in the classes.  I have to question myself as to whether this would just be using technology for the sake of using technology or whether it will increase student learning significantly enough to justify the effort of me and the students.

3. Assessment Dashboard.  Hands down the best session I attended was one by my friends at Cascadia on creating an assessment engine or assessment dashboard.  It is sort of a physical manifestation of outcomes, to help look at individual assessments to determine whether they are achieving all of the goals one is trying to achieve. Genius.  I will aim to build my own dashboard this weekend, while it is still fresh in my mind.