Valparaiso University
center for INNOVATION in teaching, assessment, and learning 

february 25, 2025
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to your last CITAL Newsletter before Spring Break. Two weeks of break means time to revitalize and prepare for the rest of the term. Just know that your CITAL team is still here to support you with any adjustments or ideas you have for the rest of the term. We begin this newsletter by highlighting a student perspective about Canvas written by our Student Aide, Soniya Ottayil. Check out how students are feeling about the transition. We then move on to congratulate Ossama Abdelgawwad, Professor of Theology, for receiving a Life Worth Living Faculty Course Development Fellowship. Next, we turn our attention to exciting news related to Quality Matters, including information on upcoming professional development opportunities, a new white paper on engagement, and consultation information. Finally, we end with reminders about the continuing migration to Canvas and resources related to Simple Syllabus. As always, thank you for reading and we wish you all the best over the break.
Sincerely,
The CITAL Team (Ed, Gina, and Cindy)
Link to CITAL Blog web page

A Student Perspective on Valpo's

Transition to Canvas 

Soniya Ottayil, Junior Nursing Major & CITAL student aide.
"Last semester, all of my courses were still on Blackboard; this semester, every one of my classes is in Canvas. This transition was pretty extreme for me; I didn't know what to expect from Canvas, but I was excited to explore the platform."  

Ossama Abdelgawwad is Awarded a

Life Worth Living Fellowship


Congratulations to Professor of Theology Ossama Abdelgawwad, who has been awarded a 2025 Life Worth Living Faculty Course Development Fellowship from the John Templeton Foundation.

Through this prestigious program, Ossama will develop innovative courses that engage students with life's fundamental questions.

As a fellow, Ossama will become part of the Life Worth Living Network of scholars who are working to help undergraduates begin a process of lifelong learning about how to create a life imbued with meaning, truth-seeking, and engagement with others. This summer he will join other fellows at an in-person retreat at Yale University.

This Fellowship award reflects both Ossama’s teaching excellence and our university's commitment to meaningful education.

Quality Matters Workshop Coming to Campus: Applying the Quality Matters Rubric (APPQMR) 

Representatives from Quality Matters will be on Campus Friday, April 4th, from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm to facilitate another APPQMR workshop for interested faculty. This event is part of our continuing effort to provide faculty development around online and hybrid course design. The cost of the workshop is being covered by remaining funds from a Lilly Foundation grant, with breakfast and lunch provided by CITAL. Faculty are encouraged to sign up early, as the session is capped at 25 participants. Click here for more information and to register on the Professional Development and Training Portal.

FREE White Paper on Using Multimedia to Support Learners

This paper is a great resource for using multimedia formats with your students in a digital learning context. Beyond Video: Harnessing Multimedia for Engaging Online Courses, a new white paper by QM Research Colleague Steven Crawford, Ed.D. synthesizes research and best practices on the topic. 

You can find out if your online or hybrid course is QM-certifiable by
measuring your course design to the QM Rubric standards and conducting a
QM confidential unofficial review.
To learn more or request consultation, reach out to CITAL@valpo.edu.

Specific Review Standards from the QM Higher Education Rubric, Seventh Edition
ALERT! Blackboard will sunset on June 30, 2025.
Request previous Blackboard courses to be migrated to Canvas for spring & summer 2025. 
Click here for the Request Form to Migrate Previous Blackboard Courses
(Requests for Fall 2024 Blackboard Migrations to Fall 2025 Canvas Courses Coming Soon!)
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are not migrating previous Blackboard course content (files, multimedia, etc.) to Canvas and want to have access to it after June 30, you should download and save it to your personal or work device for uploading to Canvas in the future.

Do you have questions about Canvas?

CITAL is available for department, small group, and one-on-one sessions
via Zoom or Live on Campus and Canvas online support 24/7 for you & your students.
You can make your request for "CITAL Canvas Coaching" to CITAL@valpo.edu. 
CITAL Website Simple Syllabus

~Friendly Reminder~Valpo Course Requirement~

Beginning Fall 2023, the Office of the Provost required all courses to use Simple Syllabus for design and delivery of course syllabi. 
However, some courses may be an exception to this criteria such as independent study or research, merged sections, practicums, labs, etc. If this applies to you or if you need help with Simple Syllabi, please contact CITAL@valpo.edu.
Click here for Simple Syllabus Help for Faculty How-Articles, Videos, and Training.
Visit the CITAL Website, Your One-Stop-Shop for Faculty Resources
Submit a CITAL Helpdesk Ticket
219.464.5000 - 1700 Chapel Drive, Valparaiso, IN 46383-6493 USA - valpo.edu
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