Luckily Technology Demonstrators is here to shoulder some of your load. We encourage and support:

• New digital initiatives (individual and group)
• Pilots of new or existing edtech tools for student learning success
• Evaluation of digital initiatives and pilots leading to report writing to help take needs to the next level and potentially full implementation
• Hands on advice - if we don't know the answer, we find someone who does!

We have a growing family of 'Champions' who are only a phone call or Teams message or email away. We encourage you to:

• make use of our Champions
• become a Champion!

Join the TechDem CoP today and reap the benefits!

How can YOU engage with TechDems this semester? We have an exciting schedule of events including CoP sessions, SIG meetings, information sessions and awareness sessions.

You will find all events, SIGs, CoPs and more on our EVENTS page.

The next TechDem CoP session is on Thursday Septemberr 15, 2pm in Engageli where we will:

• Focus on tools and pedagogy - what new or existing tools do we want to use and why? Let's consider how UniSQ virtual campus practices are supported by a basketful of appropriate edtech tools, specifically for communication, collaboration, and creation.
  
• Hear from guest speakers who use edtech tools at the next level
  

"to foster educational innovation, through active experimentation with, and evaluation of, educational technologies and other digital platforms to continuously improve learning and teaching"

You are invited to READ, COMMENT on and SHARE these posts.

You are also invited to contribute.

One way you can contribute this semester is to create a ThinkPiece Conversation.....details below.

The Student Engagement SIG focused on a range of tools to discuss affordances and enablers.

• Padlet vs Trello as visual ways to share information and collaborate
• Mentimeter vs Sli.do to facilitate interactive quizzes
• Miro vs Stormboard as interactive, online boards

READ the Conversation

Browse and contribute to the 'On our Radar' Padlet

This post shares and reflects on a recent digital initiative in a music course where Padlet was implemented to enhance cognitive presence. Did it? What else was learned in terms of:

• Patience
• Context
• Experimentation

READ the Conversation.

SIGN UP for a UniSQ Padlet account today - it's free!

A 'must read' reflective piece on rapid change, digital transformation and the challenge we all have to keep up with educational technologies for learning. Katrina asks:

• Would ‘being IT’ mean we had the courage to attempt new technology without the fear of failing? Or become an early adopter? Or even reach out for help with online student engagement?
• After all, with 70% of our students studying online, and 100% of our students having their learning shaped by StudyDesk as much as by their course examiner, doesn’t being an educator mean we’re all IT?

What do you think?

READ the Conversation

Take the Digital Transformation Signals survey to see if you are 'on your way'.

Are you digitally literate? Fluent? What about your students? As a Graduate Attribute, and embedded into the Education Plan at UniSQ, digital literacy is a key skill/awareness/competency we need to develop, and continue to refine. Vanessa considers basic skills such as:

• using cloud-based storage
• being able to use formatting tools
• understanding keyword searches
• being able to collaborate with others using technology

What do you think?

READ the Conversation

Take this OER Introduction to Digital Literacies Quiz (ask your students to take it!)

In the video below Lachlan Mears shares FOUR key benefits of Video Based Learning.

Consider how you can put these ideas into action for your teaching and learning environment.

Our ThinkPiece Conversations initiative launched last Thursday, August 25. Make sure you visit this Smore or go to the website each week to see the latest and greatest ThinkPieces.

Don't wait any longer - Read more and SIGN UP to share a ThinkPiece now!

Recently we have explored the concept and practice of integrative leadership in connection with what is needed for Digital Transformation (Dx) within an institution. You may be interested to learn more.

The LeaderShift project in Canada reveals five domains on integrative leadership:

• Lead self
• Engage others
• Achieve results
• Develop coalitions
• Systems transformation

The Educause article, Integrative Leadership: A necessary ingredient for Dx shares:

• Integrative leadership emphasises cross-organizational reach, a collaborative approach, and even the distribution of leadership across units and teams

• Integrative leadership builds connections and bridges to achieve institutional impacts

• Digital transformation can help higher education face increasingly severe challenges, but not without integrative leadership

What are your thoughts? Share via the TechDem Padlet.

July 2022 - Engageli, SIG News, Creating a virtual campus

June 2022 - Learning and Teaching Initiatives Sem 2

May 2022 - Engage with Engageli - Meet the Champions

April 2022 - Connectivism and TechDem Champions

March 2022 - Creating a HyFlex classroom

February 2022 - Updates and resources

Senior Education Technology Advisor

Email: julie.lindsay@usq.edu.au
Phone: +61 7 46312890