Presenters Needed for the 7th Annual Teaching, Learning and Technology Showcase

 

Announcing the 7th Annual Teaching, Learning and Technology Showcase on March 20th from 1:00-4:00 pm on the DeVos Campus. The call for presenters is now open! The showcase is an “eposter/exhibit type” event and it is designed as an informal opportunity to share with and to see how your peers are using technology for teaching and learning. Visit http://bit.ly/tltshowcase to submit a proposal. For more information on the showcase and to see what presenters have shared in the past, visit http://cms.grcc.edu/showcase.

 

Nominations now being accepted for the ‘Excellence in Teaching with Technology’ Award

Nominations are now being accepted for the “Excellence in Teaching with Technology” Award. This award will recognize a faculty member who exhibits excellence in their use of instructional technologies to enhance their teaching and improve student success. The criteria for the award are:

1. The nominee must be a faculty (full time or adjunct) member at GRCC.
2. The nominee must share (and/or be willing to share) their knowledge and use of instructional technology with students and peers.
3. The nominee’s use of technology demonstrates excellence and promotes and contributes to student success.

Nominations may be made by any faculty or staff, including self-nominations, and are due 5:00 pm, Monday, February 18, 2013. The award will be presented at the 7th Annual Teaching, Learning and Technology Showcase on March 20.

Please take a moment to nominate a colleague to receive this award by clicking here.

Celebrate Digital Learning Day with DLIT

Come and celebrate national Digital Learning Day with the department of Distance Learning and Instructional Technologies!

What: Donuts and Distance Learning & Blackboard and Bagels – Digital Learning Day
When: Wednesday, February 6 from 11:30 to 1:30
Where: Room 347 Main

The focus of this day is about engaging students, celebrating innovative faculty, inspiring great teaching, and creating better learning experiences to improve student success  through leveraging technology in the classroom!

More information, click here.

Top 10 NBC Videos watched in Blackboard for January

In the month of January there were 1,255 visits to the NBC video archives in Blackboard with over 2,900 video minutes watched!

The following videos were the top 10 viewed in the month of January at GRCC:

• “The Pros and Cons of Gun Control”
• “Who Talks More, Men or Women?”
• “Mr. Rogers: ‘You Are Special’”
• “Studies Show Social Relationships Impact”
• “Health Kids Hooked on Electronics”
• “Mom and Dad, R U Listening?”
• “Teachers Brace for Layoffs, Bigger Class Sizes”
• “The Last Days of Martin Luther King, Jr.”
• “Feeding the Hungry Via the World Wide Web”
• “Common Errors: Accept vs. Except”

Interested in using NBC video in your Blackboard course? Here is a video tutorial that includes instructions on how to easily add accessible video into Blackboard.

Blackboard Resources to Assist with Posting Syllabus and Faculty Contact Information

Winter has finally arrived in Michigan!  As we settle in to Winter term, we want to make sure you know about the various resources available to assist you with Blackboard.  Blackboard is a powerful tool that we use college-wide to ensure students have syllabus and contact information for all courses.  As you work to ensure that this information is available for all your students on Blackboard, we would like to highlight several training and support resources available through the Center for Teaching Excellence and Distance Learning and Instructional Technologies:

Email

Send Technical Support, Problems, and Error Message Questions to: ithelp@grcc.edu
Send How-To and General Questions to: dlit@grcc.edu

Self-Help Resources for Blackboard

Adding your Syllabus Tip Sheet - https://bb.grcc.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-798483_4
Video Tutorial on Uploading your Syllabus - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1trl23VFJM
More tip sheets are available here – http://cms.grcc.edu/bbtipsheets

Facilitated in Person Sessions

Register to attend a training session hosted by the Center for Teaching Excellence – www.grcc.edu/ctereg
Schedule a 1-on-1 with a Faculty Facilitator at: dlit@grcc.edu

Celebrate Digital Learning Day with DLIT

Come and celebrate national Digital Learning Day with the department of Distance Learning and Instructional Technologies!

What: Donuts and Distance Learning & Blackboard and Bagels – Digital Learning Day
When: Wednesday, February 6 from 11:30 to 1:30
Where: Room 347 Main

The focus of this day is about engaging students, celebrating innovative faculty, inspiring great teaching, and creating better learning experiences to improve student success  through leveraging technology in the classroom!

For more information, click here.

GRCC In the News, 1-24-13

Does online education work? Live chat with Grand Rapids Community College experts on Thursday

January 23, 2013; MLive

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — In the world of higher education, online learning is growing.
That’s especially true at Grand Rapids Community College, where enrollment in online classes is up about 17 percent since the winter 2012 semester.

Flu prevention a focus for future cooks

January 23, 2013; WZZM 13

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) – The Secchia Institute for Culinary Education is one of the finest cooking schools in the country. Before students at the Grand Rapids Community College program learn about cooking though, they must be certified in sanitation and cleanliness. That’s of special concern when there are flu outbreaks like we’re experiencing now.

Diversifying Downtown

January 24, 2013; rapidgrowthmedia.com

A viable and attractive city must be diverse. This doesn’t just mean that your census shows you have a statistically diverse population, it means when one goes to your city’s urban core, that statistical data is reflected in who they see living, working, and playing in the streets and establishments. The Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) wasn’t seeing the diversity reflected in their three entertainment venues — the DeVos Place Convention Center, The Van Andel Arena, or the DeVos Performance Hall — so they decided to form the Community Inclusion Group (CIG).

… But it’s not just about entertainment events. The team also works to host inclusive community events. One example is the Giants banquet. This 30-year-old event, previously held on campus at Grand Rapids Community College, awards African-American community members who have made advancements for the quality of life in Grand Rapids. MacKeigan refers to convincing the event to move to the DeVos Place, a more expensive venue, and working with them to secure additional sponsoring as one of their biggest successes. “They took the risk and their revenue has greatly exceeded the increased expenses and created a much better event,” he says. This mutually rewarding event mirrors other receptions and events held at the DeVos Place, and works to help provide a positive experience for communities who may not have come to the downtown area for other reasons before.

DLIT creates Blackboard website focused on accessibility

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has awarded Blackboard Learn™, Release 9.1 with a Nonvisual Accessibility Gold Certification, making it the first learning management system to achieve this certification. Additional information about Blackboard’s accessibility commitment along with more resources such as the “VPAT” documents for conformance with accessibility standards are available on the Blackboard accessibility web page.

Related to accessibility, the Distance Learning and Instructional Technologies Department has created a Blackboard Accessibility Website with additional information about accessibility.  This page highlights resources for faculty that can be used as recommendations to make course materials accessible which is a requirement under the Assistive Technology Act, Section 508.

Additional information about Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is also available that highlights principles for curriculum development that gives all individuals equal opportunities to learn.

Also, be sure to keep an eye out for sessions offered this Winter through the Center for Teaching Excellence related to creating accessible materials for your courses.

 

Sign up for next Online and Hybrid Certification Course

On January 18, 2013, the Online and Hybrid Certification Course (OHCC)  began with 16 faculty enrolled from the following departments: Business, Physical Science, Nursing Program, English, Biological Sciences, Center for Teaching Excellence, Dental Auxiliary, Culinary Education, and Accounting.

Online learning continues to grow rapidly across the nation with more than 6.7 million students — almost a third of all students — taking at least one online course in the fall 2011 semester, according to the Babson Survey Research Group.

This winter semester, there are over 6,200 enrollments in online and hybrid courses at GRCC.

The OHCC is required for faculty interested in teaching an online or hybrid course at GRCC.  The course is six weeks long and held entirely online with optional face-to-face meetings on Friday afternoons.  If you are interested in becoming certified to teach online, you can sign up through the Center for Teaching Excellence for the next training session!

The following topics are addressed in this certification:

• Online and Hybrid Course Syllabus
• Online and Hybrid Course Schedule
• Accessible Online Content
• Copyright Compliance
• Universal Design for Learning
• Consistency in Course Design
• Academic Integrity and Authentication
• Building Online Community
• Facilitating Online and Hybrid Learning
• Preparing the Online Learner
• GRCC Online Course Development Process
• GRCC Student Support Services
• Online Course Quality

More information about this course is available by reviewing the OHCC syllabus.

DLIT can help with submissions for Blackboard Catalyst Awards

Attention GRCC Faculty: It’s that time of year again – the 2013 Blackboard Catalyst Awards are open for nominations.

The Blackboard Exemplary Course Program began in 2000 with the goal of identifying and disseminating best practices for designing engaging online courses. Last year,  Cheryl Kautz, an adjunct professor from GRCC’s Computer Applications Department, received the award, and this year, Szymon Machajewski submitted his CO 230 course.

Distance Learning & Instructional Technologies would like to encourage  you to submit your course to the Blackboard Exemplary Course Program (ECP).  You do amazing work, and this is a great program that gives you the opportunity to gain recognition as well as valuable feedback from reviewers at other institutions who have fresh perspectives.

If you would like assistance with your course design please feel free to contact dlit@grcc.edu, and we can help you with instructional design questions and even take the time to look at your course using the Blackboard Exemplary Course Rubric with you.

Courses must be submitted to Blackboard by February 15, 2013!

GRCC In the News, 1-9-13

Federal complaint prompts action on GRCC’s compliance with disability law

January 9, 2013; MLive

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Grand Rapids Community College is working to strengthen its compliance with federal disability regulations after a student told civil rights advocates that parts of the schools website were inaccessible for the blind.

Blackboard student and faculty survey results posted

Each year, GRCC surveys students and faculty regarding their use of Blackboard.

These posts provide several highlights from the survey:

• Student survey results
• Faculty survey results

 

Teaching Online? Get Certified in January!

Registration is now open for the January sessions of both Blackboard Basics (January 18) and the Online Hybrid Certification Course. Blackboard Basics will be held on January 18 at 11:30 AM. It provides a quick overview of how Blackboard can be used in teaching, learning, and community building.

The OHCC is a six-session course that will run from January 18 – March 1. It allows you to become certified to teach online by learning to plan, construct and manage your own online or hybrid course. This is a full-fledged, academic, six-week, online/hybrid course. All six weeks and a final project must be completed for certification. You will be required to log in and attend, meet minimum standards for participation, and submit assignments. Please review the course syllabus to make sure you are able to commit to the entire course before registering. One of the greatest lessons you will get out of this experience is how it feels to be a student. Sessions may be completed online or face-to-face during meetings on Fridays from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM. Prerequisite: Blackboard Basics. register here

For more information, contact the Center for Teaching Excellence at 616-234-2278 or at teachexcellence@grcc.edu

DLIT believes your course is exemplary — so submit it to the Blackboard Exemplary Course Award program

We know you have an exemplary course in Blackboard, and it’s time for you to be recognized!

The 2013 Blackboard Catalyst Awards are open for nominations, and the Distance Learning and Instructional Technologies Department wants to encourage faculty to submit their courses to the Blackboard Exemplary Course Program. Last year, one of our own faculty members was recognized, and we’d like to have more courses honored in 2013.

We will even help you! We can help you with instructional design questions and even take the time to look at your course using the Blackboard Exemplary Course Rubric with you — just contact us at dlit@grcc.edu. The deadline for submissions is February 15, 2013.

For more information, click here.

Video: The latest from GRCC TV on YouTube

“OHCC Orientation”