[{"id":332,"date":"2026-10-16T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/?p=332"},"modified":"2026-10-15T19:40:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T23:40:00","slug":"idea-to-learning-experience-five-questions-to-ask-before-sharing-an-ai-built-tool-with-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/2026\/10\/16\/idea-to-learning-experience-five-questions-to-ask-before-sharing-an-ai-built-tool-with-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Idea to Learning Experience: Five Questions to Ask Before Sharing an AI-Built Tool with Students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Generative AI makes it easier for faculty to turn an idea into a digital learning experience. Faculty can develop quizzes, simulations, calculators, interactive case studies, and practice activities by writing a prompt, testing the result, and making adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These possibilities invite experimentation. Faculty can try new approaches, build activities around specific course content, and offer experiences that existing platforms may not provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting an activity to work is only one step toward making it ready for students. Before sharing an AI-built tool with students, it is also helpful to consider its learning purpose, accessibility, privacy, accuracy, and long-term use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The following five questions can help faculty move an idea from a working prototype to a student-ready learning experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Does the tool support a clear learning goal?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start with what you want students to learn or practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A custom tool can help students explore a concept, apply knowledge to a scenario, practice a skill, make decisions, or receive formative feedback. Connecting to a specific learning objective helps ensure that the technology adds value to the experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, an interactive scenario might ask students to examine information, choose a response, and reflect on the consequences of their decision. In that case, the tool supports application and critical thinking. If the tool simply produces an answer, it may not support the thinking students need to practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It may also be useful to consider whether a custom AI-built tool is the best fit. In some cases, a Canvas quiz, discussion, worksheet, or another VCU-supported tool may meet the same learning goal more simply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Questions to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What should students know or be able to do after using the tool?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What will students actively do while using it?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does the tool encourage practice, reflection, decision-making, or critical thinking?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does technology make the learning experience more meaningful or useful?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Could an existing VCU-supported tool accomplish the same goal?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The best starting point is not \u201cWhat can AI build?\u201d but \u201cWhat would help my students learn?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Is it accessible and usable across devices?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Students access course materials in different ways. Some use screen readers, keyboard navigation, magnification software, smartphones, tablets, Chromebooks, or slower internet connections. Others may encounter temporary barriers, such as a broken mouse or an environment where they cannot listen to audio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Testing an AI-built tool with different users, devices, and ways of navigating can uncover issues that may not be obvious during development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Helpful areas to review include keyboard access, color contrast, heading structure, alternative text, captions, form labels, instructions, error messages, and mobile responsiveness. VCU\u2019s accessibility requirements are based on <a href=\"https:\/\/webstandards.vcu.edu\/notices\/accessibility-requirement-changes-wcag-21-aa\/\">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Accessibility also includes the practical experience of using the tool. Consider whether students need to create a new account, purchase access, provide personal information, or use a particular type of device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Questions to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Can students complete the activity using only a keyboard?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are buttons, form fields, instructions, and error messages clearly labeled?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does the tool work with screen readers and other assistive technologies?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does it work on both mobile and desktop devices?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are captions, transcripts, or text alternatives available for multimedia?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does it require an external account, subscription, or specific device?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is there another way to complete the activity if a student cannot use the tool?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Building accessibility into the process from the beginning usually makes a tool easier for everyone to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Does it protect student privacy and data?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An AI-built tool may connect to other platforms or services behind the scenes. Before asking students to use it, take time to understand what information it collects, where that information goes, and whether it is stored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is especially important when a tool connects to an external AI model through an API. Even when the activity appears inside Canvas or on a webpage, student entries may be sent to another service for processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whenever possible, design the activity so students do not need to enter names, grades, student identification numbers, personal details, or other sensitive information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VCU provides enterprise versions of tools such as Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Adobe Firefly. According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/cio.ts.vcu.edu\/ai\/\">VCU Office of the CIO\u2019s generative AI guidance<\/a>, these enterprise licenses include protections for university data. Free, public, or personally licensed versions of the same tools may handle information differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a new tool will collect, store, process, or transmit VCU information, faculty can consult VCU Technology Services or IT Governance for guidance before using it with students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Questions to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What information does the tool ask students to enter?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does it send information to an external AI model, vendor, or API?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is the technology approved for use with VCU data?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can students use the tool without entering personal information?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are students told when they are interacting with AI?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is it clear how their information will be used?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Could the activity work without collecting or saving student responses?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A simple approach is often the safest: collect only the information the activity truly needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Have its content, calculations, and feedback been tested?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Generative AI can produce polished code quickly, but the first version may not handle every response or situation correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A tool might work well with the examples used during development but respond differently when a student enters an unexpected answer, skips a question, or interprets the instructions in another way. Calculations, links, branching paths, and automated feedback should all be reviewed before the activity is assigned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Testing does not have to happen all at once. Faculty can start with a small group of colleagues, student workers, or other reviewers and ask them to use the tool in different ways. Subject-matter experts can review the accuracy of its content, while accessibility and technology specialists can help identify usability issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Questions to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Has someone with subject-matter expertise reviewed the content?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have calculations and answer paths been checked?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What happens when a student enters an incomplete or unexpected response?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are instructions and feedback clear?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Could any feedback unintentionally reinforce a misconception?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are explanations grounded in reliable sources?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Has someone other than the tool\u2019s creator tested it?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI-generated feedback can be useful for practice and reflection, but faculty should continue to oversee grades and other decisions that significantly affect students. VCU\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ico\/2026\/03\/13\/understanding-vcus-generative-ai-policy-responsible-ethical-and-safe-use-of-ai-on-campus\/\">responsible AI guidance<\/a> also recommends checking AI-generated information against reliable sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A small test group can be a great way to gather feedback and improve the tool before using it with an entire class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Can the tool be maintained if the course or technology changes?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Courses and technologies both change over time. Readings are updated, assignments are revised, and learning objectives evolve. AI platforms, browsers, APIs, and learning management systems also release updates that may affect how a tool works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A little documentation can make future updates much easier. Keep copies of the prompts, code, instructions, settings, and source materials used to create the tool. It is also helpful to note which accounts or services it depends on and who can make changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Questions to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Who will maintain or update the tool?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are its prompts, code, settings, and source materials documented?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does it depend on a personal account, API key, subscription, or payment method?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Could someone else update it if needed?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How might changes to the course affect the tool?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What support will students receive if they encounter a problem?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is there a backup activity available if the tool is temporarily unavailable?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Planning for maintenance does not mean anticipating every possible problem. It simply means making sure the learning experience can continue if the technology changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A Quick Pre-Launch Check<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before sharing an AI-built tool with students, confirm that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The tool supports a clear learning objective.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Students actively practice, apply, evaluate, or reflect while using it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Students understand when and how AI is involved.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The tool does not ask students to enter sensitive information into an unapproved system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Accessibility and mobile usability have been tested.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Students do not need to purchase access or create an unnecessary account.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Content, calculations, and feedback have been reviewed for accuracy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A faculty member remains involved in grading and important decisions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The prompts, code, settings, and source materials are documented.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Support and an alternative activity are available if needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>From an Idea to a Learning Experience<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI-assisted development gives faculty another way to experiment with creative approaches to teaching. It can help turn an idea into a prototype quickly and make custom learning experiences more approachable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next step is to look at the tool through the students\u2019 eyes. Is its purpose clear? Can everyone use it? Does it handle information appropriately? Is its content dependable? Can it continue to support the course over time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These questions are not meant to discourage experimentation. They provide a practical way to refine an idea, catch concerns early, and create a stronger learning experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI can help build the tool. Thoughtful planning and testing help make it ready for students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Faculty interested in creating or reviewing an AI-supported learning experience can contact LEDstudio for help with learning design, accessibility, testing, and implementation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Instructure Community.<\/strong> (2025, February 1). <em>Incorporating html\/css and js code<\/em>. Canvas LMS Question Forum. <a href=\"https:\/\/community.instructure.com\/en\/discussion\/632864\/incorporating-html-css-and-js-code?utm_source=gemini\">https:\/\/community.instructure.com\/en\/discussion\/632864\/incorporating-html-css-and-js-code<br><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Instructure Community.<\/strong> <em>How do I upload custom JavaScript and CSS files to an account?<\/em> Canvas LMS Admin Guide. <a href=\"https:\/\/community.instructure.com\/en\/kb\/articles\/661411-how-do-i-upload-custom-javascript-and-css-files-to-an-account?utm_source=gemini\">https:\/\/community.instructure.com\/en\/kb\/articles\/661411-how-do-i-upload-custom-javascript-and-css-files-to-an-account<br><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Human Movement.<\/strong> <em>The 7 Principles<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/thehumanmovement.org\/?utm_source=gemini\">https:\/\/thehumanmovement.org\/<br><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>UNESCO.<\/strong> (2021, November). <em>Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence<\/em>. Global AI Ethics and Governance Observatory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Virginia Commonwealth University, IT Governance.<\/strong> <em>VCU Data Classification Tool<\/em>. Division of Administration. <a href=\"https:\/\/itgovernance.vcu.edu\/security\/data-classification\/?utm_source=gemini\">https:\/\/itgovernance.vcu.edu\/security\/data-classification\/<br><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Virginia Commonwealth University, Office of the CIO.<\/strong> <em>Generative AI at VCU<\/em>. Technology Services. <a href=\"https:\/\/cio.ts.vcu.edu\/ai\/?utm_source=gemini\">https:\/\/cio.ts.vcu.edu\/ai\/<br><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Generative AI makes it easier for faculty to turn an idea into a digital learning experience. Faculty can develop quizzes, simulations, calculators, interactive case studies, and practice activities by writing a prompt, testing the result, and making adjustments. These possibilities invite experimentation. Faculty can try new approaches, build activities around specific course content, and offer [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2106,"featured_media":335,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,31,19,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accessibility","category-ai","category-moving-online","category-teaching-online"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2106"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=332"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":336,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332\/revisions\/336"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/335"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":323,"date":"2026-10-02T08:28:33","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T12:28:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/?p=323"},"modified":"2026-10-02T08:28:34","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T12:28:34","slug":"the-sustainable-video-strategy-5-simple-steps-for-faculty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/2026\/10\/02\/the-sustainable-video-strategy-5-simple-steps-for-faculty\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sustainable Video Strategy: 5 Simple Steps for Faculty"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Video can be a powerful teaching tool. It gives faculty opportunities to explain complex ideas, demonstrate processes, model their thinking, establish instructor presence, and connect with students in ways that text alone cannot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But creating effective instructional video takes time. Recording is only the beginning. Faculty may also need to edit, caption, upload, organize, and eventually update those videos. What starts as an effort to enhance the learning experience can quickly become another time-consuming task, especially when the same videos need to be revisited semester after semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The answer isn&#8217;t to eliminate video or create less engaging learning experiences. Instead, it&#8217;s to be more intentional about when and how video is used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A sustainable video strategy starts with a simple shift in thinking: Don&#8217;t create video just because you can. Create it because it serves a purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These five strategies can help you use video in ways that support student learning while keeping the workload manageable for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Start With the Purpose<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before opening your camera or recording software, start with a simple question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What will students gain from seeing or hearing this rather than reading it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not every piece of course content needs to be a video. Video is most valuable when it adds something to the learning experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consider using video when you want to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Demonstrate a process or procedure<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Model how an expert approaches a problem<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Explain a complex or difficult concept<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Walk students through an example<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide feedback or encouragement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Help students understand how to approach an assignment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Build instructor presence and connection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, instead of creating a 20-minute video explaining an assignment word-for-word, consider creating a shorter 3-5min video that highlights the most important decisions students need to make, common mistakes, and what successful work looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The goal is not to ask, \u201cWhere can I add video?\u201d Instead, ask: \u201cWhere can video improve the learning experience?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Starting with purpose prevents you from spending time creating videos that don&#8217;t actually add instructional value. When every video has a specific job, it becomes easier to determine what should and shouldn&#8217;t be recorded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. <strong>Make It Bite-Sized<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Long lectures can be difficult for both faculty and students. Instead of recording one long lecture, consider breaking the content into shorter videos, with each video focused on one specific idea, question, or task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example: Instead of: Week 3 Research Methods Lecture, 35 minutes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What Makes a Source Credible? \u2014 5 minutes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to Evaluate Evidence \u2014 6 minutes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Common Research Mistakes \u2014 4 minutes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Applying Evidence to Your Argument \u2014 7 minutes<br>Shorter videos make it easier for students to find the information they need and return to specific concepts when they need a refresher. They also make updating the content easier for you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a 35-minute lecture contains information that needs to be updated, the entire recording may need to be reviewed or replaced. With shorter videos, you may only need to update one five-minute segment. Think \u201cone concept, one video\u201d rather than \u201cone long lecture, one long recording.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shorter videos are easier to record, easier to update, easier for students to navigate, and easier to reuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. <strong>Design for Reuse<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the easiest ways to make video more sustainable is to think beyond the current semester. Before recording, consider whether the content will still be accurate and useful next semester, or even in another course. Try to keep videos focused on concepts, processes, examples, and strategies that are likely to remain relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, instead of saying in the video: \u201cYour assignment is due September 18.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Say: \u201cCheck your course schedule for the assignment deadline.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second version is more likely to remain useful from one semester to the next. You can also create a library of short, reusable videos. A five-minute video explaining how to evaluate a scholarly source could potentially be used in multiple courses or modules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think of your videos as instructional assets, not one-time assignments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Could I use this video again?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Could I use it in another course?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is there information in this video that will quickly become outdated?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can I separate permanent concepts from semester-specific information?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The more reusable your video is, the greater the return on the time you invest in creating it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. <strong>Let the Video Do the Teaching <\/strong><strong>&#8211; <\/strong><strong>Not Everything<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A common misconception is that if students watch a video, they have learned the material. Watching is only one part of the learning experience. Instead of asking students simply to watch, give the video a purpose within an activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A simple structure is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Watch: Students watch a short video demonstrating a concept or process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Notice: Students identify something specific from the video. What did the instructor do? What evidence did they use? What strategy was demonstrated?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apply: Students use what they observed to complete a task or solve a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, an instructor might create a five-minute video demonstrating how to evaluate two sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Students could then:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Watch the demonstration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify the criteria the instructor used.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Evaluate two new sources using those criteria.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now the video isn&#8217;t simply content students consume. It becomes part of the learning process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don&#8217;t need to create longer videos to create greater learning. A five-minute video paired with a meaningful activity can often create a stronger learning experience than a 30-minute lecture that students simply watch from beginning to end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. <strong>Create a Repeatable Production Process<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">High-quality instructional video doesn&#8217;t have to mean starting from scratch every time you record. The key to sustainability is developing a repeatable production process that allows you to consistently create polished, engaging videos without reinventing your workflow each semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start by establishing a few standards for your videos:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use consistent lighting, audio, and framing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create a simple visual style or template.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use a consistent opening and closing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prepare a brief outline or script before recording.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Build accessibility into the process with captions and transcripts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use the same recording and editing workflow whenever possible.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also create templates for recurring elements such as title slides, introductions, transitions, and closing screens. This gives your videos a professional and cohesive feel while reducing the amount of time spent on production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most importantly, quality and sustainability don&#8217;t have to compete with each other. A well-designed production process allows you to maintain a high standard without making every video a completely new production. Think of video production as a system rather than a series of individual projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When your equipment, templates, visual style, recording process, and accessibility practices are consistent, creating the next video becomes easier-and the quality remains consistent across your course. The goal isn&#8217;t to lower the quality bar. It&#8217;s to create a process that makes high-quality video repeatable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instructional video can be one of the most effective ways to bring teaching to life. It can help faculty explain challenging concepts, model expert thinking, demonstrate processes, and create a stronger sense of instructor presence. But effective video doesn&#8217;t have to mean creating more and more content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A sustainable approach starts with being intentional. Choose video when it adds value. Keep each video focused. Design content that can be reused. Connect video to meaningful learning activities. And develop a consistent production process that allows you to maintain high quality without starting from scratch every time. The goal isn&#8217;t simply to create great videos. It&#8217;s to create great videos that continue to work for you and your students over time. Before you press record, ask yourself one final question: \u201cHow can I create this video so that it continues to provide value long after I finish recording?\u201d That question can turn video from a time-consuming task into a lasting instructional resource.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Video can be a powerful teaching tool. It gives faculty opportunities to explain complex ideas, demonstrate processes, model their thinking, establish instructor presence, and connect with students in ways that text alone cannot. But creating effective instructional video takes time. Recording is only the beginning. Faculty may also need to edit, caption, upload, organize, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2338,"featured_media":329,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,20,28,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-engagement","category-multimedia","category-tech-tools","category-video"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/323","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2338"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=323"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/323\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":328,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/323\/revisions\/328"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":319,"date":"2026-08-28T08:39:52","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T12:39:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/?p=319"},"modified":"2026-08-28T08:39:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T12:39:53","slug":"tilt-your-assignments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/2026\/08\/28\/tilt-your-assignments\/","title":{"rendered":"TILT Your Assignments!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Picture two versions of the same assignment prompt posted to your Learning Management System:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Version A:<\/strong> <em>&#8220;Write a 5-page research paper on a topic of your choosing related to the course. Due Friday.&#8221;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Version B:<\/strong> A brief, structured guide detailing the specific learning outcome, explaining <em>why<\/em> the paper develops skills needed after graduation, walking through step-by-step expectations while flagging common pitfalls, and spelling out the evaluation criteria alongside an annotated model response.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both versions assign the exact same work.Yet, the student experience couldn&#8217;t be more different because version B removes the unnecessary guesswork that often holds students back. This is the core of <strong>Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT)<\/strong>, an easy pedagogical framework to make the implicit expectations of activities\/assignments explicit to every learner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Is TILT?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Developed by Dr. Mary-Ann Winkelmes and her colleagues, it is a course-design approach that makes the purpose, expectations, and evaluation criteria of an assignment much clearer to students. A <em>TILTed<\/em> assignment typically makes three things explicit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Purpose:<\/strong> Why are students completing this activity? What specific skills and knowledge are they practicing, and how does this work connect to the course goals, future classes, or their professional careers?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Task:<\/strong> What concrete, sequential steps should students take? What should they produce? What resources or tools should they use? Rather than relying on broad directives like &#8220;analyze&#8221; or &#8220;critically evaluate,&#8221; the task breaks down the process and highlights common pitfalls to avoid.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Criteria:<\/strong> How will the work be evaluated? What does success actually look like in practice? This includes providing rubrics, checklists, or annotated examples of past successful submissions (with student permission).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Applying TILT doesn&#8217;t require redesigning an entire syllabus or overhauling course content. It simply means adding clear, structured context to the assignments you are already giving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Research: Why Transparent Design Works<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A national study published through the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&amp;U) demonstrated that TILT significantly enhances student success across the board. The largest gains occur among first-generation, low-income, and historically underrepresented students. Winkelmes\u2019 research reveals that tilting as few as <strong>two assignments<\/strong> per course produces measurable, long-term benefits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>For Students:<\/strong> Boosts academic confidence, strengthens sense of belonging, improves retention, and builds metacognitive awareness of skill development.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>For Faculty:<\/strong> Promotes time-efficient grading, elevates the quality of student work, and dramatically decreases the volume of repetitive, clarifying emails prior to due dates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Try It: A Simple TILT Assignment Template<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Try selecting one assignment (maybe one where students ask frequent questions or submit inconsistent results) and run it through this framework:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Purpose (2\u20134 sentences):<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Knowledge:<\/em> What objective, content, or concepts will this assignment help you (the learner) master?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>Skills:<\/em> What transferable skills (e.g., data synthesis, written argumentation) are you (the learner)\u00a0 practicing? How does this apply to future courses or life after graduation?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Task (Bullet points):<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What are the step-by-step actions required to complete this work?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What are 1\u20132 common missteps or pitfalls from past semesters that learners should avoid?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Criteria (Rubric or Example):<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How will this assignment be assessed?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attach a rubric, self-assessment checklist, or an annotated model of a strong submission so learners can see what quality looks like in practice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Fitting TILT Into the Bigger Picture<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clear expectations are vital in face-to-face classrooms, but they are essential in digital and hybrid environments. In an online LMS module, learners lack the nonverbal cues and informal post-lecture Q&amp;A sessions that clear up confusing directives. A TILT-formatted assignment sheet acts as an asynchronous guide, keeping learners grounded regardless of where or how they access the material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Transparent design also provides an effective, low-stress countermeasure to the misuse of generative AI. Students sometimes turn to AI tools out of panic, confusion, or a lack of clarity about an activity\/assignment. By explicitly defining the <strong>Purpose<\/strong>, you show learners <em>why<\/em> the cognitive heavy lifting matters for their growth, making the case for why short-cutting the assignment hurts their own skill development. By breaking down the <strong>Task<\/strong> into specific, reflective steps, you make the work less daunting to start while naturally designing prompts that generic AI outputs cannot easily fake. When learners understand the path to success and feel supported along the way, the temptation to outsource their thinking may drop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Transparent assignments do not lower the bar or give away the answers. They make the path to meeting high academic standards visible and achievable for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you launch your upcoming term, pick a single assignment to TILT. Observe the questions you receive, notice the quality of the work submitted, and ask your students if the structure changed how they approached their learning. You might be surprised by how far three short, clear sections can go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tilthighered.com\/resources\">TILT Higher Ed Examples and Resources<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>References<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Winkelmes, M. A. (2014). Transparent Assignments Promote Equitable Opportunities for Student Success.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>TILT Higher Ed. <em>About TILT<\/em>.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tilthighered.com\/about\/about-tilt\"> https:\/\/www.tilthighered.com\/about\/about-tilt<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Winkelmes, M. A. (2013). Transparency in Teaching: Faculty Share Data and Improve Students&#8217; Learning. <em>Liberal Education<\/em>, 99(2).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Winkelmes, M. A., Bernacki, M., Butler, J., Zochowski, M., Golanics, J., &amp; Weavil, K. H. (2016). A Teaching Intervention that Increases Underserved College Students&#8217; Success. <em>Peer Review<\/em>, <em>18<\/em>(1\/2), 31.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/399800112_Transparency_in_Teaching_Faculty_Share_Data_and_Improve_Students&apos;_Learning\">Winkelmes, Mary-Ann. (2026). Transparency in Teaching: Faculty Share Data and Improve Students&#8217; Learning.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Picture two versions of the same assignment prompt posted to your Learning Management System: Both versions assign the exact same work.Yet, the student experience couldn&#8217;t be more different because version B removes the unnecessary guesswork that often holds students back. This is the core of Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT), an easy pedagogical framework [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2110,"featured_media":320,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,24,26,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-319","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-active-learning","category-resources","category-student-success","category-teaching-online"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/319","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2110"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=319"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/319\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":321,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/319\/revisions\/321"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=319"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":308,"date":"2026-08-14T08:38:03","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T12:38:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/?p=308"},"modified":"2026-08-14T08:50:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T12:50:55","slug":"creating-accessible-slides-at-vcu-choosing-the-right-tool-and-workflow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/2026\/08\/14\/creating-accessible-slides-at-vcu-choosing-the-right-tool-and-workflow\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating Accessible Slides at VCU: Choosing the Right Tool and Workflow"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Figure 1: The 5-Step Essential Guide to Accessible Slides.<\/strong><br><br>Slide decks often become more than visual aids. Students may use them as study guides, references for recorded lectures, or downloadable course materials. Building accessibility into a presentation from the beginning makes the content easier to navigate and understand, reducing the need for extensive remediation later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VCU provides access to Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Gemini Notebook. VCU users can also use the Grackle extension to identify accessibility concerns within Google presentations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each tool has strengths, but no automated checker can identify every barrier. Manual review and human judgment remain essential. For elements that need to be assessed before the presentation can be given to students as a resource, review an earlier LEDstudio blog, &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/2024\/10\/17\/quick-tips-to-ensure-accessibility-in-online-course-material\/\">Quick Tips to Ensure Accessibility in Online Course Material<\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Which Tool to Choose&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>PowerPoint for Complexity and Accessibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is usually the stronger option for decks containing tables, charts, diagrams, multiple images, audio, or video. Its Accessibility Checker and reading-order tools make it easier to identify and repair structural problems. It also has a strong built-in accessibility review tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Google Slides for Collaboration<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It works well when multiple people or groups need to edit the same file. For the best results, use the slide templates for each deck, keep the layout simple, use the provided placeholders, and run Grackle Slides before sharing the presentation. Include all accessibility elements as you create your presentation. The Grackle extension will need to be downloaded and launched to review your slides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gemini Notebook for Ideas<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Notebook can help organize information and generate an initial slide deck, but the generated file should not be treated as a finished accessible resource and will need to be remediated in Acrobat Pro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>PowerPoint Workflow and Tips<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Start with built-in layouts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Choose a layout from <strong>Home &gt; New Slide<\/strong> instead of constructing the slide from separate text boxes. Built-in layouts provide title and content placeholders that are more likely to follow a logical reading order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Give every slide a unique title<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Slide titles help screen reader users understand where they are and move through the presentation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. Add purposeful alt text and review reading order<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alt text should explain why an image matters in the context of the slide. A chart description, for example, should communicate the main trend rather than simply state that the slide contains a chart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use the <strong>Reading Order pane<\/strong> to confirm that the title, body content, and visuals will be announced in a logical sequence. Only remove an object from the reading order when it is truly decorative. If an object is excluded, any alt text attached to it will not be announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Run the Accessibility Checker<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Select <strong>Review &gt; Check Accessibility<\/strong> and address the errors, warnings, and tips. The checker can identify many common problems, but complete the process with a manual review of the slides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>PowerPoint tip:<\/strong> Some versions use a Reading Order pane, while others use a Selection pane. Confirm which one you are using because the objects may be displayed in a different order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Google Slides Workflow and Tips<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first two steps are very similar to the PowerPoint workflow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Start with built-in layouts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Select <strong>Slide &gt; Apply layout<\/strong> and enter content within the provided title and body placeholders. Avoid building slides from separate text boxes, which can create an illogical reading order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Give every slide a unique title<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unique slide titles help screen reader users identify their location and navigate through the presentation. A title box can be found in the <strong>Slide &gt; Layout<\/strong> drop down. This is difficult to remediate if you do not use a template.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. Turn on accessibility features and set the language<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Google Slides, open <strong>Tools &gt; Accessibility settings<\/strong> and turn on the options appropriate for your workflow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Screen reader support<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Braille support<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Screen magnifier support<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These settings support accessible navigation and testing, but they do not automatically make the presentation accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, select <strong>File &gt; Language<\/strong> and choose the primary language used in the presentation. Setting the language helps assistive technology pronounce and interpret the content correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Add accessible content and check the reading order<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use Google Slides\u2019 built-in bulleted and numbered list tools rather than manually typed symbols. Add concise, meaningful alt text to informative images and remove empty text boxes or extra blank lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use the <strong>Tab<\/strong> key to move through the objects on each slide. The focus should move from the title to the main content and then to supporting images or other elements in a logical order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Launch Grackle Slides<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the best results, launch Grackle early in the process and run it again after the deck is complete:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Select <strong>Extensions &gt; Grackle Slides &gt; Launch<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Review the errors and warnings in the Grackle sidebar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Address missing titles, alt text, contrast concerns, empty elements, and other identified issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use Grackle\u2019s <strong>TAG<\/strong> feature to identify table header rows and columns, since Google Slides cannot do this natively.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A Note About Gemini Notebook Slides<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gemini Notebooks generate slides about specific topics and can be helpful for producing a quick draft. However, exported decks are not accessible without remediation in another tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When possible, download the PowerPoint version and review the slide titles, alt text, reading order, links, tables, and color contrast in PowerPoint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the presentation will be distributed as a PDF, use <strong>Adobe Acrobat Pro<\/strong> to review and remediate the PDF\u2019s tags, document properties, reading order, headings, and figure descriptions. A Notebook-generated PDF should not be shared as an accessible course resource until that remediation and manual review are complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Start with Accessibility, Not Remediation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most effective accessibility workflow begins before the slides are filled with content. Choose the tool that fits the way you need to work, use its built-in structure, and leave time for both automated and manual review. It is helpful to create accessible templates that can be reused easily for repetition.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is understandable if you have presentations that need remediation for the upcoming compliance deadlines. You can choose to use the remediation methods and tools available to VCU, or you can recreate the presentations using your newly garnered knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For additional information about how to remediate individual issues in your presentations or if you would like help setting up an accessible template, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/ledstudio.vcu.edu\">LEDstudio.vcu.edu<\/a> to check out our workshops and attend our Open Office Hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Figure 1: The 5-Step Essential Guide to Accessible Slides. Slide decks often become more than visual aids. Students may use them as study guides, references for recorded lectures, or downloadable course materials. Building accessibility into a presentation from the beginning makes the content easier to navigate and understand, reducing the need for extensive remediation later. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2341,"featured_media":309,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,15,17,24,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accessibility","category-id-process","category-models","category-resources","category-teaching-online"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2341"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=308"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/308\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":302,"date":"2026-07-24T09:35:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T13:35:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/?p=302"},"modified":"2026-07-24T09:35:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T13:35:14","slug":"pdf-powerpoint-or-canvas-page-choosing-course-content-formats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/2026\/07\/24\/pdf-powerpoint-or-canvas-page-choosing-course-content-formats\/","title":{"rendered":"PDF, PowerPoint, or Canvas Page: Choosing Course Content Formats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we think about accessibility, the conversation often starts with fixing what already exists by adding alt text, checking color contrast, captioning videos, remediating PDFs, or running an accessibility scan in Canvas. But one of the most helpful accessibility decisions happens even earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What format should this content be in?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before uploading a file to Canvas, it can be useful to pause and ask, \u201cIs this the best format for what students need to do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That question may sound simple, but it can save time for instructors and reduce barriers for students. A Canvas page, PDF, PowerPoint deck, Word document, or video may all contain similar information, but each format changes how students access, navigate, search, download, print, revisit, and use that information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Communication theorist Marshall McLuhan famously wrote that \u201cthe medium is the message.\u201d In course design, we might say that as \u201cthe format is part of the learning experience\u201d. The way course content is delivered shapes how students encounter it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A slide deck invites students to move through information in a sequence. A PDF preserves a layout, but may be harder to navigate if it is not created accessibly. A Canvas page can be easier to update, scan, link, and read across devices. None of these formats is automatically right or wrong. The key is choosing the one that best supports the student task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Start with the student task<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead of starting with the file you already have, try starting with what students will need to do with this content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, do students need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Follow weekly module instructions?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Review lecture visuals?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Read a short instructor-created explanation?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Print a checklist?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Navigate several links?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Complete a worksheet?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Study a process, model, chart, or diagram?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Download something for later use?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once the student task is clear, the format decision usually becomes easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Use a Canvas page when students need to read, navigate, or act<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Canvas page is often the best choice for content that students need to access quickly and use directly within the course. This includes weekly overviews, assignment instructions, step-by-step directions, course policies, resource lists, and short instructor-created readings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Canvas pages work especially well when content includes links, headings, due dates, reminders, or directions. They keep information inside the course flow instead of asking students to download and open another file. They are also easier to update if something changes later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, instead of uploading a document called \u201cModule 2 Instructions Final Revised,\u201d consider creating a Canvas page titled \u201cModule 2: Instructions and Resources.\u201d On that page, you can use clear headings, short paragraphs, bulleted lists, descriptive links, and direct connections to assignments or activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This helps students understand not only what they need to do, but where they are in the course and what comes next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Canvas pages are often a strong choice when the content is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Primarily text-based<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Instructional or navigational<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Likely to be updated<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Full of links or references<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Important for students to find quickly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Part of the regular weekly or module structure<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A helpful rule of thumb is that if students need to act on the information, a Canvas page may be better than a file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Use PowerPoint when the visual sequence matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PowerPoint can be a useful instructional format when the slide structure adds meaning. Slides work well for visual examples, process explanations, diagrams, models, timelines, or other content where sequence and visual emphasis matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When using PowerPoint, accessibility still needs to be built in intentionally. Some quick checks include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use built-in slide layouts instead of floating text boxes whenever possible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Give each slide a unique, descriptive title.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check reading order, especially on slides with multiple text boxes or images.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add alt text to meaningful images, charts, and diagrams.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use strong color contrast.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid using color alone to communicate meaning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep slides focused rather than overcrowded.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A helpful rule of thumb is to use PowerPoint when the visual flow supports learning, not simply because the content started as slides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Use PDF when the fixed layout truly matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PDFs are common in online courses, and they are not automatically inaccessible. An accessible PDF can be a useful format, especially when students need a printable handout, an official document, a published article, or a form where the layout must stay consistent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, PDFs can create challenges when they are scanned, untagged, image-based, or difficult to navigate with assistive technology. They can also be harder to update than Canvas pages. If a PDF is mostly instructor-created text, directions, links, or weekly content, it may be worth asking whether that material would work better as a Canvas page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PDFs may be appropriate for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Official documents<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Published readings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Printable handouts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Forms with fixed layouts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Documents where the visual layout is part of the meaning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use extra caution with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Scanned PDFs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PDFs that are images of text<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Complex tables<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Long documents without headings or bookmarks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Documents with many links<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Files that will need frequent updates<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A one-page printable checklist may work well as an accessible PDF. A weekly overview with links, due dates, and instructions may work better as a Canvas page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A helpful rule of thumb is to use PDF when preserving the document layout matters. If layout does not matter, consider another format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What about Word or Google documents?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Word and Google documents can be helpful when students need to download, edit, complete, or submit a file. For example, a worksheet, planning template, peer review form, or draft organizer may make sense as a Word or Google document.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As with any format, accessibility still matters. Use built-in headings, descriptive links, simple tables, meaningful alt text, and the Microsoft or Google accessibility checker before sharing the file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A helpful rule of thumb is to use Word or Google Docs when students need to work in the document, not just read it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Before you upload, ask these questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next time you are about to upload a file to Canvas, pause for a quick format check:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Does this need to be a file?<br>Could the content work better as a Canvas page?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What do students need to do with it?<br>Read, print, edit, submit, reference, follow steps, or review visuals?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Will I need to update this later?<br>If yes, a Canvas page may be easier to maintain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is the layout essential?<br>If yes, PDF or PowerPoint may make sense. If no, consider a Canvas page.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does it include many links?<br>A Canvas page often makes links easier to use and update.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Will students use this on different devices?<br>Canvas pages often work better across phones, tablets, and laptops.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can this format be made accessible without creating extra work later?<br>If not, choose a format that reduces barriers from the start.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Final thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Choosing between a PDF, PowerPoint, Word document, or Canvas page may seem like a small design choice, but it affects how students experience the course. The right format can make content easier to find, easier to navigate, easier to understand, and easier to maintain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You do not have to convert every file in your course at once. Start with the materials students use most: weekly instructions, assignment directions, required readings, lecture slides, and assessments. Then, each time you add something new, pause before uploading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ask yourself, \u201cWhat do students need to do with this content?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That one question can help you make course materials more accessible, more usable, and more student-friendly from the beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Helpful LEDstudio resources<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more support, explore <a href=\"https:\/\/ledstudio.vcu.edu\/learning-resources\/quick-start-guides\/\">LEDstudio\u2019s Quick Start Guides<\/a>, including resources on UDOIT, Accessibility Triage, TidyUP, and other tools and strategies for building accessible, organized course content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bibliography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">McLuhan, Marshall (1964). <em>Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When we think about accessibility, the conversation often starts with fixing what already exists by adding alt text, checking color contrast, captioning videos, remediating PDFs, or running an accessibility scan in Canvas. But one of the most helpful accessibility decisions happens even earlier. What format should this content be in? Before uploading a file to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1878,"featured_media":305,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,37,26,27,28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-302","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accessibility","category-adobe","category-student-success","category-teaching-online","category-tech-tools"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1878"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=302"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=302"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=302"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=302"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":281,"date":"2026-07-10T08:32:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T12:32:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/?p=281"},"modified":"2026-07-10T09:31:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T13:31:22","slug":"discovering-googlegemini-canvas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/2026\/07\/10\/discovering-googlegemini-canvas\/","title":{"rendered":"Discovering (Google) Gemini Canvas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re like me, you\u2019ve probably been using AI over the last year to help refine emails for clarity or brainstorm lesson plans. Exploring AI tools is definitely a journey of discovery. It takes some time to test what works, but it&#8217;s incredibly rewarding when you find the ones that click. Recently, I started experimenting with a Google Gemini feature called &#8220;Canvas,&#8221; and this is something that is getting me excited. I feel it has the potential of creating engagements\/interactions quickly for our otherwise heavy text based courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The coolest part? You don&#8217;t need to know a single line of coding to use it (it helps if you know\u2026) I just type out what I am imagining\u2026like a custom study quiz for students, or mini game for a course and Gemini builds it right in front of me. You can literally watch the code build the app or page in real-time, and then you can click around in \u2018Preview\u2019 mode and test it immediately. If a button doesn\u2019t look right or I want to add a new feature or change color, or add a tab, I just go back and add details in the prompting area about that specific part (keeping all other things intact), and it updates instantly. I then downloaded the entire interaction, uploaded it in Canvas (LMS) under Files and linked it to a Canvas (LMS) page! (This was a little tricky)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Image 1<\/strong>: Screenshot of an interaction generated in Google Gemini &#8211; Canvas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"499\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-1024x499.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-282 lazyload\" title=\"Before: In Gemini Canvas.\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-1024x499.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-300x146.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-768x374.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-1536x748.png 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image.png 1886w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/499;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Image 2<\/strong>: Screenshot of the interaction brought into Canvas LMS<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"468\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-1-1024x468.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-283 lazyload\" title=\"After: In LMS Canvas\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-1-1024x468.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-1-300x137.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-1-768x351.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-1-1536x702.png 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-1.png 1886w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/468;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This opens up so many possibilities. Imagine turning a standard syllabus into an interactive schedule, or building a quick, shareable web tool to help students grasp a complex concept without needing an entire web development team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Use Gemini Canvas<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Navigate to <a href=\"http:\/\/gemini.google.com\">Gemini <\/a>\u00a0(<a href=\"https:\/\/cio.ts.vcu.edu\/ai\/ai-tools-and-technologies\/\">VCU approved<\/a>) and login with your VCU email address and password. Click new chat, click the \u2018Canvas\u2019 option from under the \u2018+\u2019 plus sign on the left hand side of the prompt box\/text box, and try turning your next prompt into a real, live webpage\/game! See <a href=\"https:\/\/vcu.mediaspace.kaltura.com\/media\/Gemini+Canvas\/1_3lvo1k0o\">screen capture<\/a> which I recorded live as I was creating the interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Image 3<\/strong>: Screenshot of the \u2018Canvas\u2019 option from under the \u2018+\u2019 plus sign on the left hand side of the prompt box\/text box<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"657\" height=\"156\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-284 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-2.png 657w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/07\/image-2-300x71.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 657px) 100vw, 657px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 657px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 657\/156;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Well, we are available at LEDstudio if you need us! LEDstudio Open Office Hours are held every Tuesday and Wednesday from 12-2PM <a href=\"https:\/\/vcu.zoom.us\/j\/89725493841\">(Zoom link)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Notes:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Although the tool is VCU approved, please follow the university guidelines when it comes to <a href=\"https:\/\/itgovernance.vcu.edu\/security\/data-classification\/\">data<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make sure every time you want to \u2018<em>create\u2019&#8230;<\/em> the \u2018Canvas\u2019 option is selected in Gemini.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The interaction depends on the details. You can upload files, attach a \u2018notebook\u2019 from NotebookLM if you have one.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The interaction may not come right each time. This is where knowledge of coding also helps because then you can get in the \u2018code\u2019 view and refine small details right there.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To bring it into Canvas LMS I had to go a bit back and forth in the prompts. If you need help, reach out to LEDstudio. Our web team can help!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Link to my screen recording (No audio) demonstrating <a href=\"https:\/\/vcu.mediaspace.kaltura.com\/media\/Gemini+Canvas\/1_3lvo1k0o\">Gemini Canvas<\/a> in realtime.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Resource: <a href=\"https:\/\/gemini.google\/overview\/canvas\/\">Gemini Canvas \u2014 write, code, &amp; create in one space with AI<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re like me, you\u2019ve probably been using AI over the last year to help refine emails for clarity or brainstorm lesson plans. Exploring AI tools is definitely a journey of discovery. It takes some time to test what works, but it&#8217;s incredibly rewarding when you find the ones that click. Recently, I started experimenting [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2110,"featured_media":290,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,24,27,28,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ai","category-resources","category-teaching-online","category-tech-tools","category-technology-integrated-teaching"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2110"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=281"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/281\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":274,"date":"2026-06-12T08:37:06","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T12:37:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/?p=274"},"modified":"2026-06-12T08:41:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T12:41:26","slug":"peerceptiv-lets-talk-new-features","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/2026\/06\/12\/peerceptiv-lets-talk-new-features\/","title":{"rendered":"Peerceptiv: Let\u2019s Talk New Features"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ledstudio.vcu.edu\/learning-resources\/quick-start-guides\/peerceptiv\/\">Peerceptiv<\/a> is a peer review tool that allows instructors to facilitate structured peer review for assignments, presentations, and group projects. With a wide variety of configuration options, instructors can create customized learning experiences that fit their course goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Peerceptiv supports several assignment types, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Peer and Self Assessment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Team Member Evaluation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Live Presentations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Group Formation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Does It Work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Students upload a variety of assignment types, including papers, videos, slide decks, or links, depending on the assignment setup selected by the instructor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using instructor-created rubrics, students anonymously and objectively review their peers&#8217; work. These rubrics are highly customizable and can be tailored to meet specific learning outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Optionally, reviewers can receive a &#8220;back review,&#8221; in which the submitting student rates the helpfulness and accuracy of the feedback they received. This feature provides additional accountability and insight into the review process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">E<strong>xisting Features<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prior to Spring 2026, Peerceptiv already offered several valuable features, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>LMS integration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seamless transfer of grades from the Peerceptiv gradebook to the Canvas gradebook<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Review circles&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/2025\/09\/02\/whats-new-with-peerceptiv\/\">previous Peerceptiv blog<\/a> for updates that occurred in 2025 if you missed them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>New Features<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Group Formation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instructors can now allow students to either choose their own group members or complete a Group Formation survey, which can be used to create groups based on specific criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Enhanced Instructor Grading<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new carousel grading tool allows instructors to efficiently grade student work. Instructors can provide comments and choose whether those comments are identified as instructor feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Improved Instructor Review<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instructor Review has been enhanced to support multiple instructors reviewing the same student submission. Instructors can also choose to review only submissions with the lowest reviewer reliability scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reviewer Comment Grading<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instructors now have the option to grade the quality of reviewers&#8217; comments. These scores can be used as the helpfulness grade for students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Flexible Grade Weighting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Component grading weights can now be adjusted individually for accuracy and helpfulness. This flexibility allows instructors to place more emphasis on either component, less emphasis on either component, or no emphasis at all, instead of relying on a combined review grade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Data Dashboard<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Interested in collecting and analyzing student feedback data? Peerceptiv now offers a Data Dashboard that provides instructors with course-level insights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The dashboard tracks rubric tag data and assignment completion data across all Peerceptiv activities. To use this feature, instructors must first create tags within their rubrics. Once rubric tags have been established, instructors can view and track related data through the dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a visual walkthrough of how to access and use the dashboard, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/peerceptiv.zendesk.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/49635499992723-Using-the-Data-Dashboard-for-Instructors\">this Peerceptiv support article.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Questions?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Need help setting up Peerceptiv in your course?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Visit LEDstudio\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/ledstudio.vcu.edu\/news-and-events\/open-office-hours\/\">Open Office Hours<\/a>, held every Tuesday and Wednesday on Zoom from 12 to 2 p.m. Meet with an Instructional Designer to review your Peerceptiv setup, ask questions, and explore best practices for using the platform in your courses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Peerceptiv is a peer review tool that allows instructors to facilitate structured peer review for assignments, presentations, and group projects. With a wide variety of configuration options, instructors can create customized learning experiences that fit their course goals. Peerceptiv supports several assignment types, including: How Does It Work? Students upload a variety of assignment types, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2121,"featured_media":275,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,24,26,28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-authentic-assessment","category-resources","category-student-success","category-tech-tools"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2121"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=274"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":271,"date":"2026-05-29T15:10:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T19:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/?p=271"},"modified":"2026-05-29T15:20:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T19:20:59","slug":"hybrid-course-design-revisited","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/2026\/05\/29\/hybrid-course-design-revisited\/","title":{"rendered":"Hybrid Course Design Revisited"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With so much current attention focused on AI and accessibility, it may seem odd to revisit hybrid course design. But high-quality hybrid teaching remains one of the most flexible and effective approaches for supporting student learning and engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hybrid courses blend synchronous face-to-face instruction with asynchronous online learning experiences. At VCU, hybrid courses intentionally combine in-person instruction with online learning activities, but the <a href=\"https:\/\/registrar.vcu.edu\/registration\/registration-guide\/course-modality\/\">balance between synchronous and asynchronous<\/a> engagement can vary. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ed.gov\/media\/document\/evaluation-of-evidence-based-practices-online-learning-meta-analysis-and-review-of-online-learning-studies-revised-september-2010-107159.pdf\">U.S. Department of Education meta-analysis<\/a> found that courses combining face-to-face instruction and online elements resulted in better student outcomes than either purely traditional courses or purely asynchronous online courses. In addition to improving academic outcomes, a <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/39687123\/\">2024 meta-analysis<\/a> found that hybrid course delivery had a moderate to high impact on the different dimensions of student engagement: academic, behavioral, cognitive, and affective engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When deciding where AI should and should not be embedded into your course design, a hybrid approach allows you to maintain the elements that should remain uniquely human while leveraging the strengths of both face-to-face and online instruction. Hybrid design can create intentional space for discussion, mentorship, collaboration, and feedback while allowing lower-stakes content engagement to happen online. Knowing how to blend them effectively is the key to improved student outcomes and increased engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Start With Learning Goals<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Effective hybrid design begins not with technology or scheduling but with learning goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A common mistake in hybrid course design is beginning with the schedule:<br>\u201cHow many times should we meet?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A stronger starting point is:<br>\u201cWhat kinds of learning experiences do students need?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some activities benefit from real-time interaction. Others work better when students have time to reflect, review materials, and engage at their own pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Discussion-heavy activities often work well synchronously.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reflection, reading, and content review are often effective asynchronously.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In-person meetings can be reserved for high-impact experiences like workshops, presentations, labs, or collaborative problem-solving.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When modality choices align with learning goals, the course structure becomes much clearer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Hybrid-Asynchronous: Flexibility With Structure<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a hybrid-asynchronous course, students complete much of their work independently online while attending a limited number of in-person meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Successful hybrid-asynchronous courses typically include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>predictable weekly modules,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>clear deadlines,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>regular instructor communication,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>and strong Canvas organization.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The key to success is consistency and clarity. Students need a consistent rhythm so the online portions of the course feel connected and manageable rather than isolated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While asynchronous structures prioritize flexibility and self-paced learning, other hybrid courses rely more heavily on real-time interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Hybrid-Synchronous: Connection in Real Time<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hybrid-synchronous courses include scheduled live interaction, either online or in person. These courses can create a strong sense of classroom community because students regularly engage with the instructor and with one another in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This model is particularly useful for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>seminars,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>discussion-based courses,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>collaborative work,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>and courses requiring immediate feedback.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Faculty designing synchronous experiences should think carefully about pacing and cognitive load. Long live sessions can become exhausting quickly, especially online. Shorter, more focused activities often produce stronger engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Making In-Person Meetings Count<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regardless of modality, limited face-to-face time becomes most valuable when it is used intentionally. Each session should serve a clear purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consider using in-person time strategically for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Course launch and community building<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Collaborative workshops or applied learning<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Project development and peer feedback<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Presentations, synthesis, and reflection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In many hybrid courses, face-to-face sessions are most effective when they focus less on lecture delivery and more on interaction, practice, and feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Keep It Simple and Consistent<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether a course leans more synchronous or asynchronous, consistency remains essential for student success. One of the strongest predictors of student success in hybrid learning is consistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Students benefit from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>recurring deadlines,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>simple navigation,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>weekly announcements,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>and clear expectations about participation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hybrid courses do not need to replicate every aspect of a face-to-face course online. Instead, the goal is to use each modality intentionally and take advantage of its strengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At their best, hybrid courses offer flexibility, meaningful engagement, and opportunities for deeper learning. Thoughtful design can help faculty create courses that feel connected, manageable, and student-centered \u2014 regardless of how often the class meets in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consider the checklist below when designing a hybrid course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Hybrid Course Design Checklist<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hybrid course design does not require reinventing an entire course. Small, intentional choices can have a significant impact. The checklist below can help guide planning and revision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Course Planning<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Have you identified which learning activities work best synchronously, asynchronously, or in person?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Does the course modality align with your learning outcomes?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Course Structure<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Is the course organized into predictable weekly modules or units?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are deadlines and participation expectations clearly communicated?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Student Engagement<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Have you built in opportunities for interaction and collaboration?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do students have regular opportunities to receive feedback?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In-Person Sessions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Does each face-to-face meeting have a clear instructional purpose?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are in-person activities focused on engagement, application, or discussion rather than content delivery alone?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Communication and Presence<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Are students receiving regular announcements or updates?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is it clear how and when students can contact you?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Accessibility and Usability<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Are course materials easy to navigate in Canvas?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have you considered accessibility in your course materials and technology choices?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You do not need to redesign an entire course at once. Even small adjustments in course organization and communication can significantly improve the student experience in hybrid learning environments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>References<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development. (2010). <em>Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies<\/em> (Revised September 2010). U.S. Department of Education.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ed.gov\/media\/document\/evaluation-of-evidence-based-practices-online-learning-meta-analysis-and-review-of-online-learning-studies-revised-september-2010-107159.pdf\"> https:\/\/www.ed.gov\/media\/document\/evaluation-of-evidence-based-practices-online-learning-meta-analysis-and-review-of-online-learning-studies-revised-september-2010-107159.pdf<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Akyol, Z., &amp; Garrison, D. R. (2024). <em>The impact of hybrid learning environments on student engagement: A meta-analysis<\/em>. <em>Educational Technology Research and Development<\/em>. Advance online publication.<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11423-024-10345-7\"> https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11423-024-10345-7<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With so much current attention focused on AI and accessibility, it may seem odd to revisit hybrid course design. But high-quality hybrid teaching remains one of the most flexible and effective approaches for supporting student learning and engagement. Hybrid courses blend synchronous face-to-face instruction with asynchronous online learning experiences. At VCU, hybrid courses intentionally combine [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1878,"featured_media":273,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,31,16,19,26,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accessibility","category-ai","category-instructor-presence","category-moving-online","category-student-success","category-teaching-online"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1878"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/271\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":266,"date":"2026-05-15T10:03:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T14:03:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/?p=266"},"modified":"2026-05-15T10:03:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T14:03:07","slug":"learn-more-about-adobe-express-and-adobe-acrobat-this-june","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/2026\/05\/15\/learn-more-about-adobe-express-and-adobe-acrobat-this-june\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn more about Adobe Express and Adobe Acrobat this June"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We are excited to announce that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adobeforeducation.com\/higher-ed\/events\/adobe-education-institute-event-hub\">Adobe Education Institute<\/a> (AEI) is back from June 8th to 11th, and all faculty and staff are invited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Adobe Education Institute is a free, virtual professional development global conference designed to support faculty and staff in enhancing teaching, learning, and digital skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year&#8217;s event has more pathways for you to pick from including opportunities to engage not only in Adobe Express but also Adobe Acrobat. Below is a quick overview of each pathway:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pathway I: Adobe Express Foundation\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Adobe Express: an introduction to this tool\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Video: Creating and editing short\u2011form video content in Adobe Express<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Webpages: Creating clear, engaging webpages in Adobe Express<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pathway II: Advanced Adobe Express<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Building Branded Materials and Projects: create cohesive, on\u2011brand materials and reusable templates\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Building Reusable Presentation Templates\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Elevate Your Audio: Podcasting &amp; Multimedia Creation\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pathway III: Empowered Workflows with Adobe Acrobat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Introduction to the core Acrobat tools<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Beyond the Basics &#8211; More Powerful PDF Workflows\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Exploring Acrobat Online and PDF Spaces &#8211; <em>note: these features are not currently available at VCU<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do you require information about getting access to Adobe Express or Adobe Acrobat Pro? If you still have questions, refer to the <a href=\"https:\/\/adobe.vcu.edu\/\">VCU Adobe<\/a> website or submit a ticket at the <a href=\"https:\/\/adobe.vcu.edu\/support\/\">VCU Adobe Support<\/a> page.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Adobe Acrobat Pro: All eligible non-student VCU employees will automatically have a new VCU Adobe account created and will also receive an Adobe Acrobat Pro license within their first week.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adobe Express: Faculty should complete the <a href=\"https:\/\/go.vcu.edu\/adobe\/licenserequest\">VCU Adobe License Request Form<\/a> and request an Adobe Express account. Most instructional faculty are eligible to receive an Adobe Express account but read more about restrictions at the <a href=\"https:\/\/adobe.vcu.edu\/security\/cloud-access\/\">Adobe Cloud Access<\/a> website.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In sum, even if you can&#8217;t join the AEI live, be sure to register so you have access to all the recordings to watch at your own pace.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We are excited to announce that the Adobe Education Institute (AEI) is back from June 8th to 11th, and all faculty and staff are invited. The Adobe Education Institute is a free, virtual professional development global conference designed to support faculty and staff in enhancing teaching, learning, and digital skills. This year&#8217;s event has more [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2113,"featured_media":268,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37,35,24,28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adobe","category-event","category-resources","category-tech-tools"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2113"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=266"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":252,"date":"2026-05-01T10:31:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T14:31:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/?p=252"},"modified":"2026-05-01T11:55:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T15:55:56","slug":"the-conversation-is-unsettled-hosting-an-ai-common-book-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/2026\/05\/01\/the-conversation-is-unsettled-hosting-an-ai-common-book-event\/","title":{"rendered":"The Conversation Is Unsettled: Hosting an AI Common Book Event"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the VCU Common Book was announced for the 2025-2026 school year as a book on AI, \u201cThe Coming Wave\u201d by Mustafa Suleyman, I pitched that our department, LEDstudio, host an event for faculty to dive into that topic. I had really enjoyed participating in the book club style gatherings that Massey Cancer Center hosted when the book focused on the loneliness epidemic, featuring the stunningly beautiful graphic novel by Kristen Radtke, called \u201cSeek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness.\u201d The timing of those gatherings for faculty and staff, as we were coming out of the pandemic, felt like important steps toward bringing us all back together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LEDstudio has done a lot of work with two faculty in the philosophy department who teach on the Ethics of AI. We created a series of videos for their course content, and one of them was giving a guest talk during this year\u2019s Massey Cancer Common Book programming, James Fritz, PhD. So I asked if we could stream their Zoom talk at the end of a workshop led by instructional designers and media specialists, creating a space for faculty and staff to explore the technology while also diving deep into the subject matter over a shared meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I am so grateful to the people who contributed to our event and to the many events that happened across campus throughout the year. These were important conversations to have. As the sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom, PhD (who used to teach at VCU!) reminds us, \u201cWhen people try to sell you on the idea that the future is already settled, it is because it is deeply unsettled.\u201d I don\u2019t know what the future holds for any of us, but I am certain that the more we come together in our learning communities, the more powerful we will be in shaping a future we want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Something I have always loved about the Common Book program is that the incoming students receive a copy of the book along with a letter from someone at the university, welcoming them to be part of difficult discussions about major societal problems. Before they even arrive on campus, the tone has been set. This is a space for <em>critical thinking<\/em>. A space for <em>learning<\/em> and <em>growing<\/em>. A space where we are all allowed to <em>disagree<\/em> in a <em>respectful<\/em> way. This year\u2019s welcome letter by Andrew Arroyo, EdD, and Catherine Ingrassia, PhD says, \u201cThis book is a call to action. It challenges us to think critically about how AI should be developed and governed to ensure it benefits humanity. At VCU, we embrace such conversations, preparing students, not just to use AI, but to use it to shape our future responsibly. Welcome to the crucial discussion ahead!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the Associate Director of Media Production for LEDstudio, I knew our talented team would come together to make the event something special. Our wonderful instructional designers in LEDstudio came up with topics to lead at their own stations, so faculty and staff could go to what interested them most. Here is what they came up with!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"433\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/05\/image-1-1024x433.png\" alt=\"Photograph cropped wide shot of a modern classroom with instructional designers working with faculty at multiple tables.\" class=\"wp-image-258 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/05\/image-1-1024x433.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/05\/image-1-300x127.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/05\/image-1-768x324.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/05\/image-1-1536x649.png 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/05\/image-1.png 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/433;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Your AI Use Statement: Ethics, Agency, and Your Circle of Influence<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We may not control the coming wave of AI, but we do control how we respond to it in our own lives and work. This station invites participants to reflect on the kind of AI users they want to be and to begin shaping a personal AI use statement grounded in care, responsibility, and human dignity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gemini Gems: AI Workflows for Faculty, Research, and Teaching<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Discover how Gemini Gems can streamline academic work in this hands-on workshop where you can learn how Gems support teaching, research, and everyday tasks. Leave with starter tools to begin using AI in your workflow, and discuss any questions, concerns, or issues you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step into AI\u2014Start Small with NotebookLM<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Step into AI\u2014start small with NotebookLM, a tool that keeps output grounded in one&#8217;s own (multimodal) sources with options of turning information into clear, personalized engagements\/insights while preserving traceability. It gives agency to students to engage deeply with content rather than passively consume it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Storytelling for Learning: Transforming Lessons into Experiences<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Turn content into experiences learners can live. This station invites you to experiment with narrative structures that engage minds, encourage reflection, and help participants navigate complex ideas\u2014whether exploring abstract concepts, emerging technologies, or real-world dilemmas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Visual Communication Using AI in Adobe Express<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elevate the visual presence of your research with the power of AI. Learn how to customize the attributes of a template and use generative AI to ethically create brand-new assets, without the steep learning curve of traditional design software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"270\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/05\/image-1024x270.png\" alt=\"Graphics of print materials from the \u201cPaddling Out with LEDstudio at VCU\u201d event, including a poster, various assignments with words large enough to read on them \u201cGemini Gems\u201d, \u201cCreate Your Personal AI Use Statement\u201d, and \u201cStorytelling for Learning\u201d.\" class=\"wp-image-257 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/05\/image-1024x270.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/05\/image-300x79.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/05\/image-768x202.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/05\/image-1536x404.png 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1334\/2026\/05\/image.png 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/270;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our new graphic designer made it all look so cool for us, along with contributions from the rest of the media team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We were lucky to have great faculty join us. Jonathan Becker, JD, PhD, from the School of Education agreed to represent the faculty perspective on VCU\u2019s new <a href=\"https:\/\/ledstudio.vcu.edu\/who-we-are\/community\/\">commUNity<\/a> space, a virtual environment for collaboration, experimentation, and idea sharing across disciplines, which already has an active stream on the topic of AI. Jon shared the <a href=\"http:\/\/betterimagesofai.org\">betterimagesofai.org<\/a> resource with all of us under the whiteboard prompt to share representations of AI by artists.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even though I had made a point to say that, like all good book clubs, you\u2019re welcome whether you\u2019ve read the book or not, I still wanted to pull something from the text as a starting point, so I set up a station of my own. I focused on the thought experiment mentioned in the book, known as <em>The Paperclip Maximizer<\/em>, by philosopher Nick Bostrom, to illustrate the risks of artificial intelligence and created a playful sculptural activity with paperclips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then it was time to eat! I am grateful that one of the university-approved caterers was kind enough to let me drop off black boxes with stickers defining \u201cblack box\u201d technology in AI for the desserts to go into. I wanted us to lean into these difficult topics, because that\u2019s what I love most about the Common Book program. And a little sugar can go a long way in supporting richer discussions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All of the media specialists contributed to a <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/presentation\/d\/e\/2PACX-1vRz9GgU7VD6BHo1W2H1LyNurtBGRVcdEdECFuRUbh_bGgVNA3Q0Ku2xLHY5cnwEPBpMDLVfHUKRHXNO\/pubembed?start=false&amp;loop=false&amp;delayms=3000\"><strong>slide deck<\/strong><\/a> that played at our event, featuring key takeaways from the Common Book program 2025-2026 events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"The Role of the Health Care Provider in an AI Empowered World\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cTP9_ZplhIk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"AI: Intelligence Without a Heartbeat\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pG9hhIIzKzs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When the VCU Common Book was announced for the 2025-2026 school year as a book on AI, \u201cThe Coming Wave\u201d by Mustafa Suleyman, I pitched that our department, LEDstudio, host an event for faculty to dive into that topic. I had really enjoyed participating in the book club style gatherings that Massey Cancer Center hosted [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2420,"featured_media":256,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,35,14,28,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-252","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ai","category-event","category-growth-mindset","category-tech-tools","category-technology-integrated-teaching"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2420"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=252"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/252\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/ledstudio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}]