Connection: British Columbia

Speaker: Howie Bender, D2L VP, Strategic Initiatives

• Incorporating Proficiency Scale in Assessment Using the Standards Tool

  
  We understand that there is a lot going on in your day to day.  It’s hard to keep up with all the changes to the platform in a continuous delivery model. The goal of this session is to provide insight into the changing landscape and how to stay engaged. We’ll review the great features that have recently been released by D2L, what is being released this month, and what is coming soon. We’ll also show you how to engage with the Brightspace Community, the PIE (Product Idea Exchange) and the ability to directly engage in our Research and Pilot groups helping to steer product development from your input.
  

Host: Bell Chen, Vancouver Learning Network
Location: Education Room

• WCLN Resources and SMS in D2L

  
  Quick updates:

  1. SMS conversion to work with D2L (student management)
  2. 2023 Resources using SF’s LTI system

Host: Brent Sawatzky and Sean Hayes, WCLN
Location: Brainstorm Room

• The Power of Portfolio

  
  This session is designed to showcase the incredible potential of Brightspace Portfolio to document and assess student learning. We will explore the many ways that Brightspace Portfolio can be used to promote critical thinking, reflection, and self-assessment, as well as how Brightspace Portfolio can be leveraged to track and showcase student progress over time. Additionally, we will highlight Brightspace Portfolio as an invaluable component to assess student progress and mastery towards competencies, while providing opportunities for educators to share meaningful, real-time feedback to support student success. Join us to explore and discuss how Brightspace Portfolio can be leveraged to support your teaching practice today.
  

Host: Heather Ryan, Solutions Engineer, D2L
Location: Action Room

• D2L Review of the Stuff you Desire2Know

  
  We understand that there is a lot going on in your day to day.  It’s hard to keep up with all the changes to the platform in a continuous delivery model. The goal of this session is to provide insight into the changing landscape and how to stay engaged. We’ll review the great features that have recently been released by D2L, what is being released this month, and what is coming soon. We’ll also show you how to engage with the Brightspace Community, the PIE (Product Idea Exchange) and the ability to directly engage in our Research and Pilot groups helping to steer product development from your input.
  

Host: Jane Mathers, Senior Solutions Engineer, D2L
Location: Gathering Room

• Agents...Intelligent Agents...How Intelligent Agents Are Helping Teachers Keep Their Students Engaged!

  
  Intelligent Agents (IAs) allow triggered and personally identified communication to welcome students, to notify that assessments are ready, provide further practice or enrichment, and many other activities to help encourage students to engage and communicate. In this session, we will look at practical examples and provide participants with simple instructions to create their first intelligent agents to begin simplifying some parts of their course instruction and communication.

  The end of the session with allow for questions and sharing of ideas for beginning your journey to using this powerful tool to its fullest.
  

Host: Clint Surry, SIDES
Location: Education Room

• Creating a Vibrant, Virtual Community Through Actionable Feedback and Visible Learning

  
  Coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic students and teachers are craving a sense of community more than ever. In online schools this continues to pose a challenge as there are now learners in our schools who represent new demographics from traditional online learners. Online courses are often designed to be teacher driven where students respond to a predetermined outline of content and assignments that are static and unresponsive to changing events and learner demographics. How might we design an online learning environment that while still self-paced, allows for deep and effective engagement in a learning community? David Weisgerber and Jessica Bates, online teachers in Calgary, Alberta at CBelearn High School, propose that the answer is to incorporate multiple cycles of actionable feedback and visible learning into a course. The benefit of this approach is threefold: Teaching in an online environment becomes more responsive to the needs of 21st century learners; Teachers become more aware of the learning needs of their students as they progress through a course and can be responsive in their pacing; Students can engage more meaningfully with their teacher and peers throughout a learning cycle.
  

Host: David Weisgerber and Jessica Bates, CBe-learn High School/ Calgary Board of Education
Location: Brainstorm Room

• Brightspace: An extension of your classroom (Blended strategies)

  
  Join us to explore the powerful features of D2L’s Brightspace designed to extend your classroom beyond its physical boundaries. With its user-friendly interface and versatile tools, D2L’s Brightspace offers a comprehensive platform for creating and delivering engaging blended learning experiences that integrate seamlessly with your existing teaching practices. During this session, you will discover how D2L’s Brightspace can enhance your teaching and learning strategies and provide a more personalized and effective learning experience for your students. You will learn how to create and manage course content, communicate with students, and assess learning outcomes using Brightspace’s advanced features.

  You will also discover how Brightspace’s analytics tools can provide insights into student progress and engagement, enabling you to adapt your teaching methods and support individual learning needs. Whether you’re teaching in a fully online or blended learning environment, Brightspace provides the flexibility and support you need to deliver engaging and effective instruction.
  

Host: Heather Ryan, Solutions Engineer, D2L
Location: Action Room

• Getting Started in the Brightspace Learning Environment

  
  Educators new to Brightspace will find value in this session for beginners and intermediates. Whether you are teaching in a blended mode or fully online, we’ll start to build a course from scratch; including Announcements/Activity Feed, Course Content (Content display options), Checklists, Quizzes, Assignments, Discussion Forums and Topics, Brightspace Editor and Accommodations. Examples of effective practices for the most used tools will be illustrated. We’ll also discuss adding different Language Packs to your course layout if you teach in that specific language.
  

Host: Jane Mathers, Senior Solutions Engineer, D2L
Location: Gathering Room

• Using Brightspace to Foster Excellence in Online Teaching: A Leadership Perspective

  
  In this presentation, the leaders of SIDES, a K-12 online school in Victoria, will show you how to create frameworks for excellence in online teaching and learning using Brightspace. From our innovative in-house course for training online teachers, to engaging student courses that incorporate modern pedagogy and assessment practices, to purposeful course development year-round, we will show you how you can use Brightspace to enhance the quality of online teaching at your organization.
  

Host: Suzanne Chisholm, SIDES
Location: Education Room

• Intelligent Agents and Automation in Brightspace: Enhancing Teaching and Learning Experiences

  
  Intelligent agents have become a valuable tool in online education, as they can automate routine tasks, facilitate communication, and personalize student learning experiences. In this presentation, I will explore how Brightspace leverages Intelligent Agents and other automation tools to enhance learning experiences. First, I will delve into the functionalities of Brightspace Intelligent Agents and their potential impact on the student and instructor experience. Additionally, I will discuss various automation that can streamline administrative tasks. Attendees will learn how Intelligent Agents and other automation can improve the efficiency of online teaching and increase student engagement.
  

Host: Christopher Rozitis, Vancouver Learning Network
Location: Brainstorm Room

• Content: Where the Learning Magic Begins

  
  Don’t miss out on this exciting session where you will explore various ways to leverage the Content tool in D2L’s Brightspace to create engaging and interactive learning materials that are tailored to your students’ needs. You will learn some best practices in content creation and gets hands-on experience with the powerful Content tool. Whether you’re a seasoned educator or just getting started, this session will provide you with valuable insights and practical tips for creating high-quality content that enhances the learning experience of your student and helps to unlock the power of content creation to drive student success using D2L’s Brightspace.
  

Host: Heather Ryan, Solutions Engineer, D2L
Location: Action Room

• The Brightspace Awards Tool (Badges, Certificates, Transcripts, Oh My!)

  
  The Awards tool comes standard in the Brightspace Learning Environment and offers new opportunities for the recognition of student accomplishments. We’ll examine how the Awards Tool works, the philosophy behind badging and how to customize badges and certificates for your institution. See how Brightspace Awards can be used to recognize and motivate learners, identify skills and be shared on social networks.
  

Host: Jane Mathers, Senior Solutions Engineer, D2L
Location: Gathering Room

Wrap-up and Prize Drawings