Upcoming Blackboard Learn Workshops

Over the 2014-2015 academic year, North Shore Community College (NSCC) has been implementing the latest version of Blackboard Learn and migrating away from ANGEL. During the spring 2015 semester, all online and hybrid courses ran in Blackboard Learn. Starting in summer 2015, Blackboard Learn will now be available for NSCC faculty members teaching face-to-face courses that use the learning management system as a supplemental resource. ANGEL will no longer be available.

Instructional Technology and Design (ITD) will be offering a series of Blackboard Learn workshops in April and May as well as throughout the summer. NSCC faculty teaching an upcoming summer or fall course who currently use ANGEL are encouraged to sign up for at least the Introduction to Blackboard Learn workshop as well as the other workshops, depending on the features and functions used. Also, NSCC faculty who are not currently using ANGEL but would like to learn more about using Blackboard Learn are welcome to attend any of the workshops.

 

The complete schedule of workshop sessions (with descriptions) as well as RSVP information is available at this web page, http://goo.gl/UIkoUk.

 

Please do not hesitate to contact itd@northshore.edu if there are any questions.

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (3/16/2015)

Welcome to iDevelop, a weekly eNewsletter providing faculty with information about professional development opportunities at NSCC. The intent of this eNewsletter is to spotlight the various professional development events for faculty in one convenient location as well as share best practices, resources and tips related to the teaching practice. iDevelop is being brought to you by Academic Technology and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment.

20 Minute Online Professional Development: Are Group Exams a Viable Testing Option? 
The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the spring semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of March 16th is Are Group Exams a Viable Testing Option? The presentation is available Monday at 10:00am and is accessible through Sunday of that week. For information on accessing the presentation and supplemental materials, please view the email version of iDevelop or the Bulletin notice.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/are-group-exams-a-viable-testing-option-13202-1.html. The spring schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/01/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html.  

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• Faculty Externships. As Massachusetts state colleges and universities weather budgetary constraints, the CTLA feels it is important that the former Faculty Externship initiative go forward in some incarnation. We support our instructors’ efforts to deepen their understanding of their fields. We are able to offer mini-grants to provide NSCC faculty with assistance as they explore new areas for development, avenues to discover new ways to link teaching to real world applications, and ways to enhance content knowledge and technical skills. Four summer mini-grants of $250.00 each will be available to full and part time NSCC faculty members; the application deadline is Friday, May 1st. For more information and for applications, please email Andrea DeFusco-Sullivan in the CTLA at adefusco@northshore.edu.
• Blackboard Learn Workshops. Starting in summer 2015, Blackboard Learn will be available for faculty members teaching a face-to-face course that uses the learning management system as a supplement. ANGEL will no longer be available. If you teach a summer or fall course and currently use ANGEL, we will be offering a series of Blackboard Learn workshops over the March spring break. If you would like to get a jump start on learning how to use Blackboard Learn, we encourage you to sign up for any of these workshops. To view the complete schedule of workshop sessions (with descriptions) and to RSVP, please visit this web site: http://goo.gl/UIkoUk.
• NERCOMP Virtual Workshop. On Thursday, March 19th at 1:00pm, Andrea Milligan will be facilitating a virtual workshop on hybrid flexible design, presented by Lance Eaton. More information on the workshop is available at http://nercomp.org/index.php?section=events&evtid=446. NSCC is a NERCOMP members so the workshop is  free to attend. Please contact itd@northshore.edu if you would like to attend so we can send you the access information.

 
Resources

• Group Exams and Quizzes: The Benefits of Student Collaboration
  http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/group-exams-and-quizzes-the-benefits-of-student-collaboration/ 

  
Share your Teaching Strategies
What types of assessments do you use in your classes? Please send your teaching strategies to itd@northshore.edu and we will share them in the upcoming issues of iDevelop.

iDevelop is being brought to you by Academic Technology and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. If you have any professional development events, best practices, resources or tips to share with other faculty, please send them our way. Also, we would love your input on this eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Academic Technology and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (3/9/2015)

Welcome to iDevelop, a weekly eNewsletter providing faculty with information about professional development opportunities at NSCC. The intent of this eNewsletter is to spotlight the various professional development events for faculty in one convenient location as well as share best practices, resources and tips related to the teaching practice. iDevelop is being brought to you by Academic Technology and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. 

20 Minute Online Professional Development: How Can I Use Twitter to Improve Teaching and Learning?

The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the spring semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of March 9th is How Can I Use Twitter to Improve Teaching and Learning?

The presentation is available Monday at 10:00am and is accessible through Sunday of that week. For information on accessing the presentation and supplemental materials, please view the email version of iDevelop or the Bulletin notice.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/how-can-i-use-twitter-to-improve-teaching-and-learning-13265-1.html. The spring schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/01/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html.  

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• TLSD Conference. This year's TLSD Conference will be held at Bristol Community College's Fall River campus on April 10th--that's just one month away! A number of NSCC staff, faculty, and administrators will be presenting (yay team NSCC!!) Because of the travel distance and conference registration costs (the CTLA is billed directly when people register and identify as NSCC employees), attendance is going to be really expensive this year. The CTLA can cover the cost of a limited number of NSCC attendees, so please contact the CTLA ASAP if you are certain that you will be attending. Presenters, we need to hear from you, too! Thank you! iDevelop is honored to serve such a selfless and knowledgeable community!
• Blackboard Learn Workshops. Starting in summer 2015, Blackboard Learn will be available for faculty members teaching a face-to-face course that uses the learning management system as a supplement. ANGEL will no longer be available. If you teach a summer or fall course and currently use ANGEL, ITD will be offering a series of Blackboard Learn workshops over the March spring break. To view the complete schedule of workshop sessions (with descriptions) and to RSVP, please visit this web site: http://goo.gl/UIkoUk.

Resources

• Professors Use Twitter to Increase Student Engagement and Grades http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/professors-use-twitter-to-increase-student-engagement-and-grades/ 
• 50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom
  http://www.teachhub.com/50-ways-use-twitter-classroom
• Twitter for Academia
  http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2008/twitter-for-academia/ 
• Twitter in the College Classroom
  https://laureloverby.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/twitter-in-the-college-classroom/

If you are interested in learning more about incorporating Twitter or other Web 2.0 tools into your classes, please contact ITD at itd@northshore.edu. We would be happy to brainstorm ideas and help you get started.

Share your Teaching Strategies

Do you use Twitter or other Web 2.0 tools in your classes to engage students? What tips and strategies do you have for other faculty who are interested in using some of these tools? Please send your teaching strategies to itd@northshore.edu and we will share them in the upcoming issues of iDevelop. 

iDevelop is being brought to you by Academic Technology and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment.  If you have any professional development events, best practices, resources or tips to share with other faculty, please send them our way.  Also, we would love your input on this eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Academic Technology and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (3/2/2015)

Welcome to iDevelop, a weekly eNewsletter providing faculty with information about professional development opportunities at NSCC. The intent of this eNewsletter is to spotlight the various professional development events for faculty in one convenient location as well as share best practices, resources and tips related to the teaching practice. iDevelop is being brought to you by Academic Technology and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment.

20 Minute Online Professional Development: How Do I Develop a High-Impact Capstone Course?

The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the spring semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of March 2nd is How Do I Develop a High-Impact Capstone Course?

The presentation is available Monday at 10:00am and is accessible through Sunday of that week. For information on accessing the presentation and supplemental materials, please view the email version of iDevelop or the Bulletin notice.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/how-do-i-develop-a-high-impact-capstone-course-3191-1.html. The spring schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/01/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html.  

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• Smart Classroom Training. An ITD staff member will be available on Monday, March 2nd from 4:30pm to 6:15pm at the Lynn campus for smart classroom training. Please contact us at itd@northshore.edu to set up an exact time and location. If you are on another campus or only available at a specific date/time, please feel free to contact us to work out mutually convenient dates and times in the future for training.

Share your Teaching Strategies

Do you teach a capstone course? What tips and strategies do you have for other faculty in designing a high-impact, student-centered capstone course? Please send your teaching strategies to itd@northshore.edu and we will share them in the upcoming issues of iDevelop. 

iDevelop is being brought to you by Academic Technology and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment.  If you have any professional development events, best practices, resources or tips to share with other faculty, please send them our way.  Also, we would love your input on this eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Academic Technology and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment