Preparing for January Intersession and Spring 2016 Courses in Blackboard Learn

As you start to think about your January intersession or spring courses, we wanted to share with you the following important information that will help you prepare your course site in Blackboard Learn.

Copying a Course

To copy a previous course site into a new one in Blackboard Learn:

1. Go into the course site that has the content to copy. In the Control Panel, expand the Packages and Utilities section and click Course Copy.
2. On the next screen, in the “Select Copy Type” section, make sure Copy Course Materials into Existing Course is selected in the drop down menu.
3. Now, in the “Select Copy Options” section, next to the Destination Course ID field, click Browse. Then, find and select the Course ID for the new course (the one you want to put the content into). Click Submit.
4. Select the Course Materials that you want to copy over to the new course. Usually, Select All is the best choice, although you might not want to copy announcements.
1. If Select All is not used, make sure to include Grade Center Columns and Settings if Assignments and/or Tests are being copied.
2. Also, under Discussion Board, select Include only the forums, with no starter posts if threads are not created by the instructor for students to respond to. If not, all student threads will copy over as anonymous and they will need to be deleted.
5. In the “File Attachments” section, keep the default settings.
6. In the “Enrollments” section, keep the Include Enrollments in the Copy box unchecked.
7. Click Submit.

Please note: When a previous course site is copied over into a new course site, any new or changed content areas will be added to the bottom of the course menu.

Make Your Course Available

All Blackboard Learn course sites are unavailable to students by default. Here are the directions for making the course site available to your students. To open your course:

1. Go into the course site.
2. On the Control Panel, expand the "Customization" section and click Properties.
3. On the next screen, in the "Set Availability" section, select Yes to make the course available.
4. Click Submit.

Preparing a Blackboard Learn Course Site for a New Semester
Please check out this handy reference at http://goo.gl/pZbUZ8 to help prepare a  Blackboard Learn course site for a new semester.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Blackboard Learn Helpdesk at bbhelp@northshore.edu if there are any issues with Blackboard Learn.

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (12/14/2015)

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 Instructional Technology and Design (ITD) and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CTLA).

20 Minute Online Professional Development
The Monday Morning Mentor series, professional development in twenty minute snippets, will kick off for the spring semester on January 25, 2016 with How Do Master Teachers Create a Positive Classroom? More information will be available in an upcoming issue of iDevelop. The presentation and supplemental materials can be accessed at https://sites.google.com/a/northshore.edu/mmm/.

The complete spring schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/12/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html.

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• SEQuEL (Southeastern-Massachusetts Quantitative Engagement & Literacy) Event. A day-long event that supports authentic curriculum, effective and innovative practices, and student success in quantitative literacy across the curriculum. Faculty and staff from the region are invited to attend, present, and share. When: Thursday, January 14, 2016, 8:30am - 2:30pm, at Bridgewater State University. Registration is free to attend the event. For more information: http://webhost.bridgew.edu/msalomone/quacprogram_com/sequel/.

MSC Initiative
NSCC is once again participating in the Multi-State Collaborative (MSC) initiative. You may recall that last year a number of you submitted student artifacts (e.g., essays, journal entries, and quantitative papers) to examine the validity of the AAC&U rubrics in written communication, quantitative literacy, and critical thinking.

The MSC is continuing to test these rubrics and has requested additional artifacts (e.g., essays, journal entries, and quantitative papers) in the following areas:

• written communication
• quantitative literacy
• critical thinking
• civic engagement

We received a small grant to stipend faculty interested in participating. Depending upon the level of faculty participation, these stipends will be somewhere in the range of $50-$100 per faculty member. The process is entirely voluntary and is intended to assess the rubrics only, not the student work or scope of the assignment. If you are willing to partake, here's what the MSC would need:

• A completed Assignment Cover Sheet
• Your assignment sheet that generated the artifact
• 10-12 student artifacts (e.g., essays, journal entries, and quantitative papers) that demonstrate written communication, quantitative literacy, critical thinking, or civic engagement. These artifacts should be at least 3 pages in length. All names and identifying features will be scrubbed. No releases from students are needed for this project.

Please let Chris Bednar know if you are willing to participate. We would need the materials by December 20, 2015. Thanks!


The CTLA Extension
The CTLA is launching a Google Site with information related to teaching, learning, and assessment. We are calling it "The CTLA Extension." We envision continuing to add content as the site develops. For now, you will find some resources related to the following areas:

• Instructional Strategies
• Assessment
• The Faculty Fellowship
• The Professional Days

Here is the link: https://sites.google.com/a/northshore.edu/the-ctla-extension/home.

Stay Updated on Professional Development
To stay current on professional development opportunities offered by Instructional Technology and Design over the winter break and during the spring semester, be sure to:

• Read the Learning, Education, Technology and Support (LETS) Blog at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/. ITD’s goal with this blog is to provide an informative and useful resource for faculty and staff by highlighting events, spotlighting projects, and presenting current information around instructional technology while also providing a growing pool of resources, recommendations, tools, and materials for teaching and learning purposes.
• "Like" the North Shore Community College Academic Technology Page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/myNSCC.acadtech. On the Academic Technology Facebook page, AT provides information about upcoming professional development opportunities, links to interesting articles on integrating technology into the teaching and learning environment, and presents tips on using the various instructional technology resources.

This will be the last issue of iDevelop for the fall semester. We will publish the first one of the spring semester on January 18, 2016. We hope you have enjoyed this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment

20 Minute Mentor - Online Faculty Professional Development - Spring 2016 Schedule

The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CTLA) and Instructional Technology and Design (ITD) have partnered up again to bring faculty a professional development series from Magna Publications, called the 20 Minute Mentor. The goal of the  20 Minute Mentor series is to offer faculty practical professional development opportunities in twenty minute snippets that can be accessed from anywhere and at any time during the given week. Session topics cover the areas of student engagement, teaching and learning, teaching online, assessment and learning goals, and classroom management.

Information on how to access the 20 Minute Mentor sessions is available each week in the Bulletin and the iDevelop e-newsletter.

New video presentations (with supplementary materials) go live at 10:00am each Monday morning and are only accessible through Sunday. 

The following sessions are on the schedule for spring 2016. For session descriptions, objectives, and mentor bios, click on the titles below. 

• January 25 - How Do Master Teachers Create a Positive Classroom?
• February 1 - How Do I Assign Students to Groups?
• February 8 - How Do I Get Students to Come to Class Prepared?
• February 15 - What Key Concepts Improve Student Learning and Memory?
• February 22 - How Do I Create Engaging Threaded Discussion Questions?
• February 29 - How Can I Effectively Use Class Preparation Assignments?
• March 7 - How Can I Make the Activities in My Course More Inclusive?
• March 14 - How Do I Build Community in My Classroom?
• March 21 - How Do I Give Feedback that Improves Student Writing?
• March 28 - How Can I Enhance Class Using Story, Popular Media and Objects?
• April 4 - How Do I Prepare a SoTL Article for Publication?
• April 11 - What Key Factors Influence Test Performance?
• April 18 - How Do Prepared Students Change the Way I Teach?
• April 25 - Is Your Syllabus Sending the Wrong Message?
• May 2 - How Can I Transform My Tests into Learning Tools?
• May 9 - How Can Students Use Self-Compassion to Reduce Test Anxiety?

We would love to hear your feedback on the usefulness of these sessions. Please send your input to itd@northshore.edu.

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (12/7/2015)

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 Instructional Technology and Design (ITD) and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CTLA)

20 Minute Online Professional Development: How Do I Design Courses to Enhance Student Veterans' Success?
The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the fall semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of December 7th is How Do I Design Courses to Enhance Student Veterans' Success? The presentation is available Monday at 10:00am and is accessible through Sunday of that week. 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 Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/how-do-i-design-courses-to-enhance-student-veterans-success-3193-1.html. The complete fall schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/08/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html.

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• Creating Accessible Online Course Content. As part of Disability Services’ Brown Bag Lunch Series, Andrea Milligan and Lance Eaton will be facilitating a discussion around creating accessible digital course content. The event will take place on Thursday, December 10th from 12:30pm to 1:30pm in Danvers, DB388 (CTLA Conference Room).

Share your Teaching Practices
Please send an email with your teaching strategies, best practices, resources, and tips to itd@northshore.edu and we will share them in the next few issues of iDevelop.

We hope you enjoy this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (11/30/2015)

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 Instructional Technology and Design (ITD) and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CTLA).

20 Minute Online Professional Development: In Blended Courses, What Should Students Do Online?
The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the fall semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of November 30th is In Blended Courses, What Should Students Do Online? The presentation is available Monday at 10:00am and is accessible through Sunday of that week. 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 Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/in-blended-courses-what-should-students-do-online-3146-1.html. The complete fall schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/08/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html. 

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• Creating Accessible Online Course Content. As part of Disability Services’ Brown Bag Lunch Series, Andrea Milligan and Lance Eaton will be facilitating a discussion around creating accessible digital course content. The event will take place on Thursday, December 10th from 12:30pm to 1:30pm in Danvers, DB388 (CTLA Conference Room).

Resources

• Developing online learning activities for blended courses
  https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/developing-assignments/blended-learning/developing-online-learning-activities

If you are interested in learning more about designing and teaching blended/hybrid courses, please contact ITD at itd@northshore.edu.

Share your Teaching Practices

Are you teaching a blended/hybrid course? What types of learning activities do you find work really well in the online environment? And what types of learning activities do you find work really well in-class? Please send an email with your teaching strategies, best practices, resources, and tips to itd@northshore.edu and we will share them in the next few issues of iDevelop.

We hope you enjoy this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
 Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment

Blackboard Learn Grade Center Tips

As you begin to record your grades you might to think about using the Blackboard Learn Grade Center. It can be a little complicated but all of us here in Instructional Technology and Design are more than happy to sit down with you and create a Grade Center that will work for you.

1. For those of you that already use the Blackboard Learn Grade Center, I wanted to pass along a tip on how to “hide” information on other students if you want to show a student his/her grades in class. Go to the Grade Center and then to the Full Grade Center in your Course Management area. Look for the name of the student who wants to see his/her grade. If you click the chevron to the right of the student’s last name, you can select the option to “Hide Other Rows". This will display only that student’s grades. To return to the normal view of the Full Grade Center, click on the same chevron and select "Show All Rows" or you can visit another place within the course (e.g. Content) and then return to the Full Grade Center and it will be automatically repopulated with other students.  
   
2. Sometimes I get emails in the Blackboard Learn Helpdesk from students saying that they cannot see a comment from the instructor in a particular assignment. In order for any comments to display in the student's My Grades, an instructor needs to have “graded” that assignment.
3. Another email I get is from instructors who do not know what a particular icon in the Full Grade Center means. It can look like a triangle, an exclamation point, or even a shaded circle. If you notice this, you can click the “icon legend” to the bottom right of the Full Grade Center. All the icons are displayed there with their meanings.
4. If you would like to print your Full Grade Center, go to the “Work Off Line” chevron in the upper right top of the Full Grade Center. Click “Download” and then "Submit" (you do not need to change any settings). This will download your Full Grade Center as a spreadsheet that can be opened in Excel and you should be able to access it wherever you typically have files download to.

I hope this helps as you get familiar with the Blackboard Learn Grade Center and, remember, you can always contact bbhelp@northshore.edu to set up an appointment for assistance.

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (11/23/2015)

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 Instructional Technology and Design (ITD) and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CTLA). 

20 Minute Online Professional Development: How Can I Build a Successful Faculty Development Program?

The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the fall semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of November 23rd is How Can I Build a Successful Faculty Development Program? 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 Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/how-can-i-build-a-successful-faculty-development-program-13406-1.html. The complete fall schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/08/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html. 

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• Creating Accessible Online Course Content. As part of Disability Services’ Brown Bag Lunch Series, Andrea Milligan and Lance Eaton will be facilitating a discussion around creating accessible digital course content. The event will take place on Thursday, December 10th from 12:30pm to 1:30pm in Danvers, DB388 (CTLA Conference Room).

Share your Ideas
What professional development programs would be the most beneficial to you? What types of professional development opportunities should the college offer for faculty? What topics are you interested in learning more about? Send an email with your ideas to itd@northshore.edu and we will use them to plan future professional development sessions.

We hope you enjoy this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (11/9/2015)

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 Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. 

20 Minute Online Professional Development: How Can I Connect Students’ Interests to Course Content?
The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the fall semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of November 9th is How Can I Connect Students’ Interests to Course Content? 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 Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/how-can-i-connect-students-interests-to-course-content-3160-1.html. The complete fall schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/08/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html. 

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• Universal Design for Learning and Practical Applications. As part of Disability Services’ Brown Bag Lunch Series, Lucy Bayard will be facilitating a discussion around incorporating Universal Design for Learning into curriculum design and teaching practice. The event will take place on Thursday, November 12th from 12:30pm to 1:30pm in Danvers, DB388 (CTLA Conference Room).
• Complimentary Webinar. Academic Probation: Leveraging Technology to Develop Strategic Interventions For At-Risk Students. Monday, November 16th from 3:00-4:00pm (Eastern). Registration includes access to the recording for one year. For more information and to register, visit http://www.innovativeeducators.org/Academic-Probation-Technology-For-At-Risk-Students-p/3516.htm.

We hope you enjoy this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment 

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (11/2/2015)

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 Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. 

20 Minute Online Professional Development: How Do I Get Started with Service-Learning?
The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the fall semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of November 2nd is How Do I Get Started with Service-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 Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop. 

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/how-do-i-get-started-with-service-learning-3132-1.html. The complete fall schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/08/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html. 

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• Complimentary Webinar. Academic Probation: Leveraging Technology To Develop Strategic Interventions For At-Risk Students. Monday, November 16 from 3:00-4:00pm (Eastern). Registration includes access to the recording for one year. More information is available at http://www.innovativeeducators.org/Academic-Probation-Technology-For-At-Risk-Students-p/3516.htm.

Resources
To learn more about the service learning program at NSCC, please visit http://www.northshore.edu/ctla/service_learning/ or contact the NSCC Service-Learning Coordinator.

• Service-Learning Course Design: What Faculty Need to Know http://www.grcc.edu/sites/default/files/attachments/_export_sites_magnapubs_01_data_media_pdfs_Service-Learning-Course-Design-What-Faculty-Need-to-Know-wp.pdf 
• Service-Learning Course Development
  http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/curriculum-development/service-learning-course-development/
• Six Steps to Designing Effective Service-Learning Courses http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/curriculum-development/six-steps-to-designing-effective-service-learning-courses/

Share your Teaching Strategies
Do your courses have a service learning component? What service learning activities do your students participate it? How has it enhanced the student learning experience? Send an email with your teaching strategies, best practices, resources, and tips to itd@northshore.edu and we will share them in the next few issues of iDevelop.

We hope you enjoy this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment 

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (10/26/2015)

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 Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment.

20 Minute Online Professional Development: How Can I Reduce Apathy and Increase Motivation?
 
The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the fall semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of October 26th is How Can I Reduce Apathy and Increase Motivation? For information on accessing the presentation and supplemental materials, please view the Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/how-can-i-reduce-student-apathy-and-increase-motivation-13420-1.html. The complete fall schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/08/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html.

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• ADA Webinar. Last week, Academic Affairs and Student Affairs sponsored a webinar on the topic of ADA Compliance, Accommodations and Resources. The webinar recording and handout(s) for “Understanding ADA Compliance, Accommodations & Resources: Fast Facts for Faculty” is available in the email version of iDevelop.
• Lunch 'N' Learn. The CTLA welcomes all NSCC faculty to a conversation on Student Advising on Thursday, October 29th from 2:00pm to 3:30pm in the CTLA Conference Room, Danvers DB-388. Light refreshments will be available.

Resources

• Motivating Students: Fifteen Tips 
  http://tep.uoregon.edu/resources/faqs/motivatingstudents/motivating.html
• Motivating Students
  https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/motivating-students/
• Motivating Students
  http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/motivation.html 
• Increasing Student Participation
  https://www.cte.cornell.edu/teaching-ideas/engaging-students/increasing-student-participation.html

Share your Teaching Strategies

What strategies and tips for motivating students can you share with your colleagues? Send an email with your teaching strategies, best practices, resources, and tips to itd@northshore.edu and we will share them in the next few issues of iDevelop.

We hope you enjoy this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (10/19/2015)

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 Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment.

20 Minute Online Professional Development: What Can I Learn From Student Ratings?
The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the fall semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of October 19th is What Can I Learn From Student Ratings? 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 Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/what-can-i-learn-from-student-ratings-3125-1.html. The complete fall schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/08/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html.

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• ADA Webinar Recording. Last week, Academic Affairs and Student Affairs sponsored a webinar on the topic of ADA Compliance, Accommodations and Resources. The webinar recording and handout(s) for “Understanding ADA Compliance, Accommodations & Resources: Fast Facts for Faculty” is available in the email version of iDevelop.
• Lunch 'N' Learn. The CTLA welcomes all NSCC faculty to a conversation on Universal Design for Learning on Thursday, October 22nd from 2:00pm to 3:30pm in the CTLA Conference Room, Danvers DB-388. Light refreshments will be available.
• Part Time Faculty Professional Development Program. All NSCC faculty are welcome to attend the next session of the Part Time Faculty Professional Development Program on Saturday, October 24th from 9:00am to 12:00pm in Danvers, MS106B. The topics are Universal Design for Learning and Disability Services as well as NCBI.

We hope you enjoy this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment

Technology Across the Curriculum Grant Applications - Fall 2015

The Technology Across the Curriculum (TAC) Committee invites all North Shore Community College (NSCC) full-time faculty, part-time faculty, and professional teaching staff to submit applications to develop a TAC project in the spring of 2016 with implementation in the summer or fall of 2016. 

Fall application materials are now available and proposals are due by 11:59PM on Tuesday, November 17th.  No late applications will be accepted under any circumstances. Notification of awards will be made before the end of the semester.

There are two types of TAC applications: one for faculty wishing to develop online/hybrid courses and one for those wishing to develop projects that integrate technology into their curriculum. For faculty wishing to develop online/hybrid courses, there are two separate applications, one for faculty new to online course development, and one for faculty who have already developed online courses at NSCC.

1. If you would like to develop an online/hybrid course:

Please contact Andrea Milligan or Lance Eaton.  They will explain the process and discuss the expectations, have you complete some short readiness activities, and give you an application. You will also need to discuss your plans with, and get the approval of, your Division Dean.

The design and development phase for faculty new to teaching an online/hybrid course at North Shore Community College begins with a 6 week online course, Teaching and Learning Online.  This online course will run January 2 – February 14, 2016 (for fall 2016 and spring 2017 courses) and May 16 – June 26, 2015 (for spring 2017 courses only).

Applications and process are available during your consultation with Andrea Milligan or Lance Eaton.

2. If you would like to develop a project integrating technology into the curriculum:

Apply for a TAC grant. The application also includes project ideas and the description of the TAC process. Please read all of the materials before completing your application. Division Deans and Department Chairs would appreciate an email letting them know about your ideas so they can support your efforts.

Please note:

• The technology integration project application materials are available on Pipeline. To access, go to the My Northshore tab and click the Technology Across the Curriculum link (left column in the Faculty Resources box.)
• Applicants need not have high level experience using technology, but because the TAC grant is becoming highly competitive, we urge applicants to prepare their applications carefully, making sure the descriptive narrative is thorough and clear. We are also, of course, interested in the applicant’s motivation and willingness to think about how technology can improve his/her teaching.

Finally, we would be delighted to answer any questions or discuss application ideas.  

We hope you will consider applying for a TAC grant and look forward to assisting you in any way we can in that process.

Andrea Milligan, Director of Instructional Technology and Design, and Terri Whitney, TAC Coordinator and Professor of English

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (10/12/2015)

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 Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment.  

20 Minute Online Professional Development: Can Service-Learning Work in My Discipline?

The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the fall semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of October 12th is Can Service-Learning Work in My Discipline? 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 Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/can-service-learning-work-in-my-discipline-3130-1.html.
The complete fall schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/08/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html. 

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• ADA Webinar. Academic Affairs and Student Affairs are sponsoring a professional development opportunity for NSCC faculty and staff on Wednesday, October 14th from 3:00pm to 4:30pm on the topic of ADA Compliance, Accommodations and Resources. The webinar will be broadcast on both the Danvers (Math/Science 106B) and Lynn (LW326) campuses. Please RSVP to indicate your interest in viewing the webinar and preferred location at https://goo.gl/1Zf0V3.

Resources

• To learn more about the service learning program at NSCC, please visit http://www.northshore.edu/ctla/service_learning/.

Share your Teaching Strategies
Do your courses have a service learning component? What service learning activities do your students participate it? How has it enhanced the student learning experience? Send an email with your teaching strategies, best practices, resources, and tips to itd@northshore.edu and we will share them in the next few issues of iDevelop.

We hope you enjoy this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment

Blackboard Learn Mobile App

The Blackboard Mobile Learn app is now available for NSCC faculty and students to download and use for free. The Blackboard Mobile Learn app is available for Android devices (on 2.3.5 +) as well as iPhones and iPads (on iOS 7+).

About

The Blackboard Mobile Learn app is primarily a consumption app and allows for the easy viewing of course content on a mobile device. Using the Blackboard Mobile Learn app, faculty and students will be able to access course content, read announcements, see grades (students), and participate in discussions, blogs, and journals. The following features are natively supported in Blackboard Mobile Learn 4.0 and translate well to a mobile device.

• Announcements
• Blogs
• Content
• Discussions
• Grades (viewing)
• Groups
• Journals
• Mobile Tests
• Roster
• Tasks

Non-native features, such as Calendar, Email, Assignments, Roster or Video Everywhere, etc., will display via the in-app browser. It is highly recommended that students submit assignments and take tests on Blackboard Learn through the browser on a computer.

Some recent updates to the app include: 

• Create Favorites - You can "Favorite" your most used course content, discussion threads, etc. for easy access at a later point.
• Customization - You can edit your course list by hiding, coloring, and reordering your courses.
• Rich Content - Additional support for rich content styles like bold, underline, italics, hyperlinks, and more.
• Unread Counts - Quickly see what is new in your courses (not currently available in iOS).

Directions

1. Search for and download the Blackboard Mobile Learn app from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Launch the Blackboard Mobile Learn app and search for North Shore Community College in the "Search for your school" field.
3. Select North Shore Community College to be brought to our Blackboard Learn login page.
4. Login using your Pipeline credentials (under Faculty and Staff Login).

The Blackboard Mobile Learn app for Android devices can be downloaded from Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blackboard.android&hl=en).

The Blackboard Mobile Learn app for the iPhone or iPad can be downloaded from the App Store (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blackboard-mobile-learn/id376413870?mt=8).

Resources

• What Can You Do With Blackboard Mobile Learn? (a nice overview of the app features) https://www.blackboard.com/resources/mobile/mobile_learn_splash/desktop/portal-nonsprint.html
• Mobile Learn 4.0 Feature List
  http://goo.gl/keRpiQ
• How to Use Mobile Learn
  http://help.blackboardmobile.com/customer/en/portal/topics/556493-how-to-use-mobile-learn?b_id=2825 

If you have any questions about the Blackboard Mobile Learn app, please email the Blackboard Helpdesk at bbhelp@northshore.edu.

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (10/5/2015)

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 Instructional Technology and Design (ITD) and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CTLA). 

20 Minute Online Professional Development: How Do I Create a Climate for Learning in My Classroom?

The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the fall semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of October 5th is How Do I Create a Climate for Learning in My Classroom? 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 Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/how-do-i-create-a-climate-for-learning-in-my-classroom-3134-1.html. The complete fall schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/08/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html. 

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• Introduction to Disability Services. As part of Disability Services’ Brown Bag Lunch Series, Susan Graham will be facilitating a discussion around the “laws that govern disability services in higher education, how students request services, and the determination of eligibility and reasonable accommodation.” The event will take place on Thursday, October 8th from 12:30pm to 1:30pm in Danvers, DB388 (CTLA Conference Room).
• ADA Webinar. Academic Affairs and Student Affairs are sponsoring a professional development opportunity on Wednesday, October 14th from 3:00pm to 4:30pm on the topic of ADA Compliance, Accommodations and Resources. The webinar will be broadcast on both the Danvers (Math/Science 106B) and Lynn (LW326) campuses. Please RSVP to indicate your interest in viewing the webinar and preferred location at https://goo.gl/1Zf0V3.

Share your Teaching Strategies
Send an email with your teaching strategies, best practices, resources, and tips to itd@northshore.edu and we will share them in the next few issues of iDevelop.

We hope you enjoy this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (9/28/2015)

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 Instructional Technology and Design (ITD) and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CTLA).

20 Minute Online Professional Development: How Can I Use Technology to Improve Learning?

The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the fall semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of September 28th is How Can I Use Technology to Improve 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 Bulletin or the email version of iDevelop.

More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/how-can-i-use-technology-to-improve-learning-13419-1.html. The complete fall schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/08/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html.

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• Who am I? Diversity Event. As part of the DiverCity Series, NSCC is hosting a panel discussion on Identity & Acculturation with guest speaker Aviva Chomsky. The event will take place on Tuesday, September 29th from 11:00am-1:00pm in the Lynn Gym and Thursday, October 1st from 11:00am-1:00pm in Danvers MS106B. 
• Grading in Blackboard Learn Workshop. ITD will be holding a workshop for NSCC faculty on Tuesday, September 29th from 2:30pm to 4:00pm in Danvers, DB201, and in Lynn, LW305, on the options for grading in Blackboard Learn. To RSVP for this workshop, please visit this web site: https://goo.gl/J5ngLA.

Resources

• ITD’s Learning, Education, Technology and Support (LETS) Blog
  http://nscclets.blogspot.com/ 
• Faculty Focus—Teaching with Technology Articles
  http://www.facultyfocus.com/topic/articles/teaching-with-technology-articles/
• EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) 7 Things You Should Know About Series
  http://www.educause.edu/eli/publications?filters=sm_cck_field_super_facet%3A%22EDUCAUSE%20Library%20Items%22%20tid%3A33152%20tid%3A33438 
• Integrating Instructional Technology into Your Courses
  http://fod.msu.edu/oir/integrating-instructional-technology-your-courses 

Share your Teaching Strategies 

In what ways have you meaningfully integrated instructional technology into your courses? What instructional technology tools do you use most frequently? How have you used instructional technology to enhance the learning and expand the classroom? How do you use instructional technology to connect students with each other? Send an email with your teaching strategies, best practices, resources, and tips to itd@northshore.edu and we will share them in the next few issues of iDevelop.

If you are interested in discussing strategies and best practices around integrating technology into the teaching and learning environment, please contact ITD at itd@northshore.edu. We would be happy to brainstorm ideas.

We hope you enjoy this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Instructional Technology and Design and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment

iDevelop – NSCC’s Faculty Professional Development eNewsletter (9/21/2015)

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 Instructional Technology and Design (ITD) and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CTLA).
  

20 Minute Online Professional Development: What is the Best Way to Grade Participation?

The Monday Morning Mentor series will be available over the fall semester to bring you professional development in twenty minute snippets. The topic for the week of September 21st is What is the Best Way to Grade Participation? 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.
More information about this session (including description, topics, and learning goals) is available at http://www.magnapubs.com/online/mentor/what-is-the-best-way-to-grade-participation-3198-1.html.
The complete fall schedule of Monday Morning Mentor sessions is available at http://nscclets.blogspot.com/2015/08/20-minute-mentor-online-faculty.html.

Other Professional Development Opportunities

• Part Time Faculty Professional Development Program. All NSCC adjunct faculty are welcome to attend the first session of the Part Time Faculty Professional Development Program on Saturday, September 26th from 9:00am to 12:00pm in Danvers, MS106B. The topics are a general introduction to North Shore Community College as well as information on the many library resources available to faculty and students.

Resources

• Is It Time to Rethink How We Grade Participation?
  http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/time-rethink-grade-participation/
• Grading Classroom Participation
  http://csufresno.edu/academics/documents/participation/grading_class_participation.pdf
• Grading Class Participation
  http://trc.virginia.edu/resources/grading-class-participation-2/
• A Participation Rubric
  http://www46.homepage.villanova.edu/john.immerwahr/TP101/lects/participation%20matrix0001.pdf
• Six Ways to Get Your Online Students Participating in the Course
  http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/six-ways-to-get-your-online-students-participating-in-the-course/ 
• Encouraging Online Learner Participation
  http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/asynchronous-learning-and-trends/encouraging-online-learner-participation/

Share your Teaching Strategies

What does student participation look like in your class? How do you grade participation? Do students receive an overall participation grade at the end of the semester or do they receive individual grades for participation per class? Do you use a participation grading rubric? Send an email with your teaching strategies to itd@northshore.edu and we will share them in the next few issues of iDevelop.

We hope you enjoy this weekly eNewsletter and would love your input. Please let us know if you have any feedback on the format, content, and resources or if there is anything else you would like to see in the eNewsletter.

Thank you,
Instructional Technology and Design  and the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment