UW Conference Promotes Technology to Enhance Teaching and Learning

“Innovations in learning environments” is the theme of the annual e-Volution Conference Sept. 28-29 at the University of Wyoming.

All sessions are free and open to campus and the public. A complete schedule of programs, registration details, live streaming opportunities and other information can be found at www.wyoforum.org.

“The e-Volution Conference provides a free forum in which educators share ‘best practices’ examples of technology use at university, community college, K-12 and other learning environments,” says Christi Boggs, conference coordinator. “The aim of e-Volution is to facilitate dialogue about the effective use of existing and emerging technologies in learning environments.”

This will be accomplished through sessions ranging from discussions about best practices in teaching to hands-on workshops as faculty share their experiences with lessons learned and exciting innovations in both virtual and on-campus arenas, she says.

The conference starts Monday at 9 a.m. with a panel of experts sharing their experiences leading and facilitating transformative learning experiences. Panelists will provide insights into such areas as experiential learning, service learning, internships, study abroad and capstone courses.

Jose Fierro, president of Cerritos College in California and former vice president at Laramie County Community College, will be the keynote speaker. He will discuss “The Role of Technology in the Flipped Classroom and Flipped Learning” Monday at 11:45 a.m. in Room 506 of Coe Library.

“Flipped learning allows instructors to utilize different teaching methodologies to enhance student learning,” says Fierro, known for his work in the collaborative model of institutional design/course development and integrating innovative technologies in the classroom. “For students to engage in flipped learning, it is important that instructors adopt relevant technology, utilize significant and applicable content, and recognize that they are no longer the sole source of knowledge and information in the class.”

Other topics include navigating and understanding media; using gaming to engage learners; combining science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects with art; study abroad; virtual realities; and using live streaming tools in the classroom.

The UW Outreach School, Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning, UW Libraries, Laramie County Community College and the Wyoming School-University Partnership are the conference sponsors.