August 2025 EdTech Tips

In this Issue

Hello << Test First Name >> << Test Last Name >>,

What's happening in the world of FASE EdTech this month? A big transition! The ETO extends our warmest congratulations to Allison as she begins her new role as Executive Director at CTSI later this month. While we’ll miss her leadership, creativity, and unwavering support, we’re excited to continue working with her across the university. This isn’t goodbye because it’s just a new Teams channel away. And let’s be honest, we’ll probably still message her when we can’t find that one file she shared in 2019. Thank you, Allison, for everything!

We are also excited to be relaunching a series of hands-on Learn Together sessions to help FASE instructors get their Quercus courses ready for the fall (see Tip 01) and offering two more ETO Studio Doors Open and Demo Sessions in August (with plans for more sessions in the fall and winter).

What's happening over the next few months? As we turn our thoughts to the start of the Fall term, consultations will begin to pick up (book a 1-1 consultation) which we always look forward to because it’s an opportunity to meet with faculty and discuss how to make things a bit easier or more effective with the tools that are available (see Tip 03).

Meanwhile, the ETO will be ramping up on production for the Construction and Development course (part of the Mining Industry Management Program) which includes video recording sessions in the ETO studio using a green screen (see Tip 02).

If you do one thing after reading this newsletter, consider integrating the GenAI Literacy Course Modules in your Quercus course (see New Resource Available).

1. Start Strong with your Quercus course this fall

Join the ETO this August for Start Strong: Learning Together, a series of hands-on workshops to help FASE instructors get their Quercus courses ready for the Fall 2025 term. Each interactive session aligns with the Start Strong asynchronous online modules (enroll link) and the Quercus Start-of-Term Checklist and focuses on one of three key themes: building and organizing your course, setting up assessments and grading, and using communication tools effectively.  

The sessions will be offered both online via Zoom and in person at the ETO Filming Studio for flexible, personalized support. To register for the in-person sessions, select the session date from the Bookings calendar link.

Theme 1: Build and Organize Your Course: From Template to Homepage
In Person: August 19 (10 a.m.–12 p.m.) and September 3 (1–3 p.m.)
Online: August 21 (10 a.m.–12 p.m.) and September 4 (1–3 p.m.)

Theme 2: Set Up and Manage Assessments and Grading in Quercus
In Person: August 26 (10 a.m.–12 p.m.)
Online: August 25 (10 a.m.–12 p.m.)

Theme 3: Use Quercus Tools and Backchannels for Better Communication
In Person: August 28 (10 a.m.–12 p.m.)
Online: August 27 (10 a.m.–12 p.m.)

2. Go behind-the-scenes on how to capture green screen backgrounds

Multi-media specialists James and Marisa recently captured new footage to be used as backgrounds for future green screen videos. In their blog, “Behind the Scenes: How We Approach Capturing Backgrounds for Green Screen Productions,” they share best practices and insights from their experience producing polished green screen videos for projects like the Mining Industry Management Program.

The blog outlines how thoughtful background choices, whether it’s a still image or motion, can enhance the overall tone and effectiveness of a video. With real examples from locations across St. George Campus, this post highlights how strategic design elevates the quality of instructional videos.

Once enabled, Zoom will automatically include the passcode in your meeting URL.

To share:

1. Copy the Invite Link from your Zoom meeting and paste it directly into your email or calendar event.

In her blog “Lessons Learned from the Session: Using Crowdmark for Collaborative In-Class Activities at Scale,” Educational Technologist, Yun recaps highlights from the 2025 Crowdmark Community Conference.

Faculty questions of the week

Each week we answer a real question that we've received about Quercus and other Academic Toolbox and media tools, keeping the questions timely and relevant to you. You can select on the question to read the full inquiry and response or see all previous faculty questions of the week.

Read the faculty questions of the week

How can I hide my published announcements from students in Quercus after a course ends, without deleting them? (June 26, 2025)
Is it possible to hide announcements in my Quercus course after the semester ends? I’d like to keep them accessible to myself for future use, but hidden from students.

How can I import a multi-page file into MS OneNote so each page is displayed fully, not just as an attachment? (June 12, 2025)
Is there a better way to import a multi-page PDF into OneNote so that each page is displayed as a separate, scrollable page, and I can make annotations directly on the slides as I go through the file?

Worthwhile clicks from the Web

Looking for something to read/watch/listen to? Each month we round up things that we've interacted with that we think are worth sharing:

• Teaching for integrity in the age of AI | Teaching in Higher Ed From the podcast: “You can treat people with dignity and respect even as you’re calling out their mistake. You can challenge them while being respectful.”

• Why is Working Memory so Important for Learning? | The Learning Dispatch From the article: “Working memory is one of those things that seems so simple but which has profound implications for how learning happens. It’s also one of those things that I wish I knew about when I first started teaching, particularly the ways in which different aspects of instructional design can impact working memory.”

• Can We Teach our Moms to Spot Fake AI Videos? | YouTube From the video: “First and foremost, we’re going to change the way we think about videos. From now on, just because it looks real no longer mean it is real. So before you trust a video, you need to authenticate it.”

Photography of the Month

A picture is worth a thousand words, or at least whatever we can fit in the description! Here are a few photos taken by the ETO team during the summer months:

Hoodoos in Drumheller, Alberta

(Anna Limanni)

Celebrating Canadian citizenship

(James Zhan)

Sunset over Lake Huron (Inga Breede)

Catamaran in Canal Lake (Maggie Laidlaw)

Garden in full bloom

(Cheryl Heeyeon Lee)