Launching this summer, Perusal pilot program at UIC.
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We will be launching the process of transitioning to a new LMS this summer, and we want to keep you informed! In our final newsletter of the academic year, we will share the results of our Learning Management System (LMS) review and campus-wide survey as we wait for a final decision from our administration. In this article, we will outline the beginning steps in the transition and explain our overall vision for this process. For faculty, the first step will be to clean up your Blackboard courses!
We will also present our findings from a year-long review of our educational applications ecosystem and highlight graduate students' perspectives on the use of digital applications in higher education. Additionally, based on faculty requests, we will provide details about an exciting pilot program we will be launching this summer for Perusall.
We invite both new and returning users to participate in our final Grammarly survey before we make a decision regarding the full adoption of this application at UIC.
Lastly, please note the update on VoiceThread, which will be retired for all faculty who use it, and the article on the archiving of all videos in Panopto that have not been viewed in the past four years.
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We will be launching the process of transitioning to a new LMS this summer, and we want to keep you informed! In our final newsletter of the academic year, we will share the results of our Learning Management System (LMS) review and campus-wide survey as we wait for a final decision from our administration. In this article, we will outline the beginning steps in the transition and explain our overall vision for this process. For faculty, the first step will be to clean up your Blackboard courses!
We will also present our findings from a year-long review of our educational applications ecosystem and highlight graduate students' perspectives on the use of digital applications in higher education. Additionally, based on faculty requests, we will provide details about an exciting pilot program we will be launching this summer for Perusall.
We invite both new and returning users to participate in our final Grammarly survey before we make a decision regarding the full adoption of this application at UIC.
Lastly, please note the update on VoiceThread, which will be retired for all faculty who use it, and the article on the archiving of all videos in Panopto that have not been viewed in the past four years.
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Year One Results of Our Multi-Year Application Review |
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Year One Results of
Our Multi-Year
Application Review |
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This report highlights the first-year results of LTS's effort to optimize our teaching and learning application ecosystem, including information about VoiceThread, Panopto, Echo360, Perusall, and Grammarly. Additionally, the transitioning to a new LMS will be discussed. As always LTS seeks community input to ensure an inclusive, transparent process, fostering tools and resources that advance educational excellence.
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This report highlights the first-year results of LTS's effort to optimize our teaching and learning application ecosystem, including information about VoiceThread, Panopto, Echo360, Perusall, and Grammarly. Additionally, the transitioning to a new LMS will be discussed. As always LTS seeks community input to ensure an inclusive, transparent process, fostering tools and resources that advance educational excellence.
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The Results of our LMS Review
and What to Expect Next! | |
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We conducted a campus-wide survey concerning whether Anthology's Blackboard Ultra or Instructure's Canvas seems best suited to UIC's needs. Following campus visits, survey results revealed a strong preference for Canvas, with 70% of staff and 73% of students favoring this platform. While final approval from the provost’s office is pending, the university aims to begin teaching courses in the new LMS by summer 2026. The transition plan involves system integration, data security testing, and a year-long adaptation process to support faculty and students. UIC is committed to ensuring a seamless migration by maintaining familiar tools, introducing new solutions, and providing extensive support and resources.
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We conducted a campus-wide survey concerning whether Anthology's Blackboard Ultra or Instructure's Canvas seems best suited to UIC's needs. Following campus visits, survey results revealed a strong preference for Canvas, with 70% of staff and 73% of students favoring this platform. While final approval from the provost’s office is pending, the university aims to begin teaching courses in the new LMS by summer 2026. The transition plan involves system integration, data security testing, and a year-long adaptation process to support faculty and students. UIC is committed to ensuring a seamless migration by maintaining familiar tools, introducing new solutions, and providing extensive support and resources.
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New Resource: A Student Guide to Using Grammarly | |
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New Resource: A Student Guide to Using Grammarly |
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LTS has published a student-oriented guide for using Grammarly responsibly in academic writing, emphasizing the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and higher education. Our guide is structured around writing stages – pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing – and provides a framework for understanding acceptable AI-use, stressing adherence to institutional policies. We want to recognize Grammarly's role in improving communication and bridging language proficiency gaps while also addressing concerns about its generative AI capabilities.
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LTS has published a student-oriented guide for using Grammarly responsibly in academic writing, emphasizing the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and higher education. Our guide is structured around writing stages – pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing – and provides a framework for understanding acceptable AI-use, stressing adherence to institutional policies. We want to recognize Grammarly's role in improving communication and bridging language proficiency gaps while also addressing concerns about its generative AI capabilities.
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Spring 2025
Grammarly Survey |
Spring 2025
Grammarly Survey |
You’ve seen the results from our two Grammarly surveys, but the pilot isn’t over yet. The number of UIC members using Grammarly has risen month after month, currently standing at approximately 18,000. Whether you’re a long-time user with recently solidified opinions or you just recently started
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You’ve seen the results from our two Grammarly surveys, but the pilot isn’t over yet. The number of UIC members using Grammarly has risen month after month, currently standing at approximately 18,000. Whether you’re a long-time user with recently solidified opinions or you just recently started experimenting with it, we’re offering you a last chance to make your voice heard before UIC makes a final decision on adopting the application for the university.
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experimenting with it, we’re offering you a last chance to make your voice heard before UIC makes a final decision on adopting the application for the university.
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| This fall, we are excited to launch a pilot program for Perusall based on requests from our faculty for a social annotation application! In this highlight, LTS covers the advantages of adopting a tool like Perusall and provides some details on the upcoming pilot.
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This fall, we are excited to launch a pilot program for Perusall based on requests from our faculty for a social annotation application! In this highlight, LTS covers the advantages of adopting a tool like Perusall and provides some details on the upcoming pilot.
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IMPORTANT NOTICE: VoiceThread Retirement at UIC |
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IMPORTANT NOTICE:
VoiceThread Retirement
at UIC |
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As part of UIC's technology updates, VoiceThread will be retired on June 13, 2025. After this date, access to the instructor and student VoiceThread accounts will end, and content will no longer be available. Additional information is available in our November announcement.
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As part of UIC's technology updates, VoiceThread will be retired on June 13, 2025. After this date, access to the instructor and student VoiceThread accounts will end, and content will no longer be available. Additional information is available in our November announcement.
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EdTech for Grad School: Doing More with Less |
At LTS, we were curious about how grad students at UIC use educational technology. Are they forward thinking, embracing the newest tools as fast as they come out? Or has their training made them skeptical of new tools? We asked a few grad students from across STEM and humanities disciplines what tools they used to manage their busy programs.
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Archiving Policies for Videos |
To manage rising storage costs, UIC has formulated a policy of archiving Panopto videos that have remained unused for over four years. This June, we will test the policy and gather data on the process. The trial will evaluate storage savings, faculty experience of the process, and feedback. And these results will inform a further reassessment next year, alongside an optional faculty survey. Balancing user needs and resources, the goal is to optimize the university's video content management while incorporating community feedback for continuous improvement.
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EdTech for Grad School:
Doing More with Less |
At LTS, we were curious about how grad students at UIC use educational technology. Are they forward thinking, embracing the newest tools as fast as they come out? Or has their training made them skeptical of new tools? We asked a few grad students from across STEM and humanities disciplines what tools they used to manage their busy programs.
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Archiving Policies for Videos |
To manage rising storage costs, UIC has formulated a policy of archiving Panopto videos that have remained unused for over four years. This June, we will test the policy and gather data on the process. The trial will evaluate storage savings, faculty experience of the process, and feedback. And these results will inform a further reassessment next year, alongside an optional faculty survey. Balancing user needs and resources, the goal is to optimize the university's video content management while incorporating community feedback for continuous improvement.
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INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS FOR TEACHING & LEARNING
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