The first DOLCE of the quarter prompted thoughtful discussions about how faculty use technology in their classrooms to support teacher presence as well as to make grading easier. 

Joe Anistranski, from Human Development and Family Studies, presented his talk titled “Technologically-Supported Tautology: Facilitating Teacher Presence When the Teacher Isn’t Present.” He began his talk with the guiding question: “What do you do when you want to be somewhere for people and you literally can’t be there?” His talk explored ways in which faculty can give students a sense of instructor presence by strategically using instructional technologies. Reflecting his focus on helpful tautologies, Anistranski concluded his talk with the following key takeaways:

• “Be everywhere when you can’t be anywhere.”
• “Do everything twice, and do it differently (but repetitively) once more.”
• “Know your LMS, and know it well.”
• “Listen to students, and seek additional tools to support their needs.”
• “Rely on 21st-century technology, but use “old” strategies.”