Tip of the Week
Each week, the Office of Distance Learning sets out to provide interesting and helpful topics in technology and education.
Google Sheets crossword puzzles
Week of 12/04/2023
Crossword puzzles can be effective learning tools for reviewing terminology, expanding vocabulary, and practicing spelling. Following a short lecture with a related crossword puzzle shifts students from passive to active learning. In addition to solving puzzles, ...
New text-to-speech option for content creators
Week of 11/27/2023
Are you interested in producing effective video tutorials, but voicework is not your strong suit? Are you lacking a quiet studio space or a good-quality microphone? Push past these obstacles with a new, free text-to-speech tool that can create lifelike voiceovers ...
Draw attention to Laulima Announcements
Week of 11/20/2023
Are your weekly Laulima Announcements getting overlooked by students? As late semester fatigue sets in, you may want to boost the impact of your messages with CKAwesome icons. The icons found in Laulima’s rich text editor can be used to draw attention to ...
GenAI checklist and citation guide
Week of 11/13/2023
Powerful new GenAI content creation tools are in the hands of students and educators alike. It’s important to provide guidance for users who may not understand when and how to incorporate generative artificial intelligence into their work products. Knowing how ...
Rose Thorn Bud activity guides reflection
Week of 11/06/2023
Providing students with opportunities to reflect on their learning promotes self-awareness as they identify personal accomplishments, points of confusion, and motivation to persist. Rose Thorn Bud is a simple framework that can guide learners to identify their ...
Snapseed app for Halloween selfies, profile pics
Week of 10/30/2023
Google’s free Snapseed app will transform a plain headshot into a spooky selfie with creative use of over 29 editing tools. A wide range of filters allows glamour ghouls to remove blemishes before adding dramatic effects. The Halloween Selfies Handout offers ...
Week of 10/23/2023
Figjam Whiteboard Google is discontinuing the Jamboard app. Jamboards will become read-only as of October 2024, and the app will go offline on December 1, 2024. Those with lesson content built into Jamboard will need to transition to another digital ...
Week of 10/16/2023
Text-to-image generators are gaining interest from graphic artists, content producers, and educators. AI modeling can produce photo-realistic and stylistic images, drawings, 3D renderings, and more from descriptive prompts. Illustrate and enliven your Laulima ...
Engage online students with PIP recordings
Week of 10/09/2023
A recent literature review of visual instructor presence in lecture videos found no evidence that the addition of picture-in-picture (PIP) increases extraneous cognitive load. In fact, Oregon State University researchers discovered students prefer lectures with ...
Week of 10/02/2023
Zoom has added new functionality to in-meeting chats. Participants can add meaning and emphasis to their communications with threaded discussions and emoji reactions. A rich-text editor includes text formatting options and a screenshot tool for quick and ...