Welcome back!
Course Management System Evaluation – STILL TIME FOR YOU TO PROVIDE INPUT!
Thanks to all who have responded to the CMS evaluation survey to help our task force choose between Blackboard, Moodle and Canvas. If you haven’t yet done so, please see http://miracosta.edu/cms-eval for background on the evaluation, and by this Thursday morning, faculty may complete the feedback process detailed at:
https://tic.miracosta.edu/campus-teaching-technologies/cms-evaluation-2016/cms-evaluation-2016-faculty-experience
Student Orientation to Online Learning – TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY
Two final SOOL sessions (especially for late-start online students) will be offered on 3/29 (4 pm) and 3/30 (9 am), both online.
Any instructor can now use SURF to find out which of their students have attended. Scroll to the bottom of any SURF Class Roster page, and click the “Student Orientation to Online Learning Roster” link to get a PDF showing which students attended an orientation, and on what date.
MiraCosta Online Class Quality Guidelines
In March, the Academic Senate approved online class quality guidelines developed by the MiraCosta Online Educators committee. The document has two parts – (I) Essential elements for all distance education classes as already required in department and college policies and practices, and (II) Good practices featuring principles and examples commonly recommended for consideration in online education. Please take a look at these guidelines and use them as you “develop and redesign online classes” and to “foster conversation in departments about online instruction.”
Open Educational Resources Adoption Grant for 2016-17
MiraCosta will be submitting a grant to support the adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) in 2016-17 in order to reduce course material costs for students. I’ve been in touch with a number of interested departments and faculty, but if you’d like to learn more about OER or are interested to hear more about how these funds might provide support for you and your students, please contact me.
Online Teaching Conference
MiraCosta College has been sending great groups of faculty to OTC for several years. It’s again in San Diego, June 16-17 – see the conference website for details. It’s likely that Online Education will have budget to again support attendance for a number of faculty. If you are interested, please send me an email (jjulius@miracosta.edu) letting me know which hybrid/online classes you expect to teach in summer or fall (if any), and when the last time was that you attended OTC (if ever). Likely my budget can support registration and parking/mileage, but not hotel stays.
Professional Learning Opportunities (got Flex?)
- The ASCCC is holding a regional meeting on Online Education at Glendale College on Saturday, April 9. I am happy to support faculty attendance – let me know if you are interested.
- Check out recorded archives of past Online Education workshops .
- Take @One’s free, self-paced Introduction to Teaching with Canvas if you’re curious about the Canvas course management system.
Jim Julius, Ed.D.
Faculty Director, Online Education
Vice President, Academic Senate
