Teaching, Learning, and Distance Education (TLDE) News

**Important Blackboard Announcement** 

IT Notification – Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation
(Copy of Email from IT on Tuesday, February 7, at 10:00am)

On Saturday, May 6, between 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., GRCC IT will be updating Blackboard to incorporate the new Ultra Base Navigation. This new navigation has a sleek, modern look and feel, and will save you time with simpler workflows and easier access to important information.

What is Ultra Base Navigation?

It is a more modern, intuitive navigation menu that provides quick access to the most critical information from across all courses in Blackboard Learn. It creates a more engaging, efficient, and enjoyable experience for students and instructors, without having to change courses.

What does this mean for me?

Your courses will not change. They will look and operate exactly as they do now.

• Starting May 6th, you will see the new navigation as soon as you sign into Blackboard Learn.

How will this enhance your efficiency and experience?

• Modern, intuitive user experience. 
• Works well on mobile devices. This navigation is designed to work well regardless of which device you’re using.
• Aggregates important information. All your course and organization information like calendar, messages, and grades, is now consolidated into one global view, minimizing the time spent navigating into each individual course.
• Only one click away. See something that needs your attention? Just click on it and you will be taken directly there, minimizing clicks and saving time.  
• Optional Ultra Course View. With the Ultra Base Navigation, interested faculty will be able to pilot Blackboard’s new course interface, the Ultra Course View. Please contact us to learn more.

How can I check it out early?

You are able to check out Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation prior to May 6th in our Blackboard Staging site located at bbstaging.grcc.edu. In addition, the Blackboard Staging site was refreshed with all your course and organization data as of 1/15.  Please note any changes in our Blackboard Production site (bb.grcc.edu) after 1/15 will not be reflected in the Blackboard Staging environment, since it was a one time refresh.  

Where can I find more information?

We’ve provided some links below to Ultra Base Navigation references to get you started.  In addition, the Teaching, Learning, and Distance Education (TLDE) area will be offering several Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation learning opportunities in the coming months.  Please check out their upcoming events and registration page for more information. TLDE also has created a Ultra Base Navigation transition page that has plenty of information and resources available for you to reference.  Please contact TLDE with any questions you may have regarding Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation at CTE@grcc.edu or (616) 234-3205.

Faculty/Staff

• Base Navigation Overview Video
• Base Navigation Brochure for Instructors
• Getting Started Video

Students

• Base Navigation Video for Students
• Base Navigation Brochure for Students
• Getting Started Video

Featured Upcoming TLDE Workshops/Events:

1. Introducing Blackboard Ultra Base Navigation – Friday, February 24, 10 to 11 a.m. and Tuesday, February 28, 2 to 3 p.m., Virtual
2. Understanding the New General Education Outcomes- Tuesday, February 28, noon to 1:30 p.m., In Person **Light Snacks will be provided.
3. LibreFest 2023 – Wednesday, March 22 and Thursday, March 23, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. **Lunch will be provided on both days.
4. Winter Semester TLDE Faculty Liaison Office Hours, Virtually: Tuesdays 1 to 3 p.m. (email dvilmont@grcc.edu to request a virtual appointment).  
5. TLDE Office Information: The TLDE office location is RJF 373.  TLDE staff are available Mondays – Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist you!  Please stop by the office, email cte@grcc.edu, or call 616-234-3205 and we will be happy to assist you!

Please visit CTE’s Calendar and Programming for the current listing of all Winter 2023 Professional Development opportunities being offered by TLDE!

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Psychology Lecture Series ‘Toward Trans Allyship: “They” Isn’t Plural and Other Lessons in Gender Diversity’

In the wake of the deadliest year on record for transgender and non-binary people, communities and individuals are not only poised for, but called to, action. 

GRCC’s Psychology Department Lecture Series is hosting the discussion, “Toward Trans Allyship: ‘They’ Isn’t Plural and Other Lessons in Gender Diversity.”

The event is planned for 1-2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb.  15, 2023 in room 168 of the Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center.

There is no charge for the session, and it is open to students and the community. No registration is required.

Centuries of misinformation and misunderstanding can impede efforts to support people in these communities and ultimately bring about change.

Melissa Selby-Theut, LMSW, associate director and director of Prevention and Community Education at Grand Valley State University, will explore the fundamental tenets of gender in light of current research and dispel common myths with the goals of increasing understanding and promoting gender justice.

GRCC students in NASA competition to make nutritious, tasty meals in edible containers to blast to International Space Station

Teams of Secchia Institute of Culinary Arts students are competing to send into space meals that can be enjoyed by astronauts – containers and all.

It is the third year Grand Rapids Community College’s culinary students and faculty are competing in the NASA HUNCH competition, with a top prize of having their creations being rocketed to the International Space Station.

Students on Saturday competed in a preliminary round against students from the Regional Career Technical Center from Ypsilanti at the Grand Rapids Public Museum,

The Secchia Institute is partnering with the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District’s Careerline Tech Center, with students Katie Bird and Devon Vanderwall devising a recipe of Austrian style steak soup.

Bird and Vanderwall were preparing the soup alongside RCTC students preparing avocado beef stew with smoked mushrooms and fire roasted peppers.

Meanwhile, health and biomedical science students Abby Tichelaar and Cole Herring are working on edible cargo boxes with a goal of eliminating waste on space missions, where space on aircraft is at a premium.

Tichelaar and Herring attend Launch U, and partnership between GRCC and the Kent Intermediate School District.

Both teams are coached by Dr. Werner Absenger, Secchia Institute’s program director, and Secchia  instructor Jennifer Struik.

The team has been working since late October, faced with nutritional guidelines from NASA and a research project looking at how foods affect astronauts in low gravity.

About 20 culinary judges sampled the dishes on Saturday, with results known in several weeks. The next round will take place in Houston, where 10 finalists will compete.

The biomedical team is working on packaging that will hold nutrition bars, then be broken down into an edible solution and make snacks such as gummy bears.

GRCC’s 2020 team made it all the way to the finals, finishing second in the competition.

Tech Tip: Peoplesoft Troubleshooting

Do you work in Peoplesoft? Have you ever received an error message or noticed missing menus that were there before?

It may be an issue with how the browser is communicating with Peoplesoft. Try to clear cookies and cache following the instructions in the link below. This will help to determine if it is an issue with your browser or with the PeopleSoft application.

Please call the Support Desk if the issue persists after clearing cookies and cache and restarting the browser.  

Clearing Cookies and Cache

For more information and helpful tips, please visit the IT Customer Support Portal or contact the IT Customer Support Desk at x4357.

If you have a suggestion or a Technology Tip you think can be useful, you can submit them by emailing techtips@grcc.edu 

My Story Started at GRCC: Bree Mitchell tries to give East Grand Rapids music students the same encouragement she got at GRCC

When you find something you love, you want to share it with everyone.

Grand Rapids Community College helped Bree Mitchell build a career on her love for music.

Start at GRCC and go anywhere. Every former student has a story to tell about how GRCC gave them the education and opportunity to be successful.

As East Grand Rapids High School’s director of orchestras, Mitchell shares her talent and experience with sixth- through 12th-graders. She tries to give them the same encouragement she received at GRCC.

“GRCC was a valuable experience for me because it helped me work on my technical abilities on my instrument and get a lot of individualized attention and opportunities as a student,” said Mitchell, whose main instrument is the viola. “All of the faculty I worked with were passionate about helping students succeed.”

After earning her associate degree in 2016, she completed a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Memphis. Before her East Grand Rapids post, she worked with music students in the Lowell and Caledonia districts and at the Interlochen Center for the Arts.

“GRCC helped me prepare for my role now by offering me opportunities to connect with people in the community,” she said. “I did this through the Kent Philharmonic Orchestra and by being able to play with the GRCC Orchestra at different schools.”

Start your GRCC story today here.

Sally Merrill leads GRCC women’s basketball team to victory over Bay College, men fall short

The Grand Rapids Community College women’s basketball team scored the first 16 points of the second half and cruised to a 71-46 victory at Bay College on Saturday.

The men’s team fell short, losing 99-72.

After leading by just 11 at the break, the GRCC women’s team out-scored the Norse 41-17, while leading by as many as 41 mid way through the final quarter.  With the win, the team is now 12-7 and in third place in the conference with a 6-3 record.

“Anytime we can get a win on the road in this conference, we’ve done some nice things,” coach David Glazier said. “Today it was specifically on display when looking at our play coming out of halftime. I’m especially proud given the added challenge of traveling nearly six hours away for this one. Credit to our kids for locking in and keeping a business-like focus for this trip.”

Sally Merrill led all scorers with 26 points on an efficient 12 of 19 from the floor, while grabbing six rebounds. It was her 16th career game with 20 or more points and fourth in her last five games.

As a team, GRCC shot 44.8 percent from the field, which was their third best performance of the season.  It also bested Bay College in every other statistical category including 10 more rebounds, 11 more assists and 11 fewer turnovers.

Grace Lodes, 12 points, Allison Kellogg, 11 points, and Karissa Ferry, 11 rebounds were the only other Raiders in double figures.

The men’s team trailed by 14 at the break, and went on a 13-3 run to start the second half and make it a four-point game. But Bay College coasted to a 99-72 victory to stay unbeaten in the conference.  GRCC dropped to 4-5 in conference play and 15-7 overall.

Herman Brown came off the bench to score a team-high 16 points, including four-of-eight from behind the arc.

Danyel Bibbs and Chris Coleman were the only Raiders in double figures with 11 and 10 points.

Both teams will return home on Feb. 15 to take on rival Muskegon Community College.  The women will tip-off first at 5:30 p.m. 

This story was reported by Ben Brown.

Reminder that nominations for the Salute to Women Awards are due Feb. 17

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) wants to send out a friendly reminder that the 25^th Annual Salute to Women Awards is right around the corner.

The deadline for all nomination submissions are due Friday, February 17, 2023.

The award celebrates the accomplishments of women and gender equity advocates who impact the GRCC community.

The award is open to all GRCC stakeholders regardless of gender or gender identity.

The nomination form is available on the ODEI Salute to Women website.

The awards recognition ceremony will take place Wednesday, March 29 from Noon to 1 p.m. in Sneden 108.

RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/2023STW

GRCC Communications wants to tell your story

We’re proud of the people who serve our students and community at GRCC. Telling your stories helps show potential students the experience and expertise we have, and makes them aware of the resources and opportunities available to them.

Will you help us share your story? 

Every week a new faculty or staff story is shared in GRCC Today, on the GRCC homepage, and on GRCC social media. Faculty are highlighted in “Learn From the Best” stories, and staff are featured in “Here to Help” stories. 

Please fill out this form. We will reach out if we need additional information.

Thank you for your help!

Save the Date: GRCCePrint Open House

February 27, 2023 Economic Club of Grand Rapids Opportunity for GRCC Students

The Economic Club of Grand Rapids has gifted us with the opportunity to have GRCC students participate in an upcoming luncheon FOR FREE.

The next event is with Sheryl Connelly, Leading Futurist & Global Consumer Trends Expert and Legendary Chief Futurist at Ford Motor Company. 

DATE: Monday, February 27, 2023
WHERE: International Ballroom, JW Marriott
TOPIC: Confessions of a Futurist – How Businesses Can Learn to Expect the Unexpected

You can find more information here: https://econclub.net/events-2/#speaker-info-10. 

The RSVP deadline is 8 am, Wednesday, February 22 for this February 27th event.

Please use this link to sign up for this opportunity: https://forms.gle/Q7bzLx6iN89dfoYZA