CTC Ed Tech News September 25, 2017

Dear Colleagues,

I hope you're settling in to the new semester.  Here are some items to spark some thinking and a quick tutorial on adding your picture to your Blackboard profile.  Enjoy!

How Do I Prepare My Students for Jobs That May Soon Disappear?

A high school teacher muses  (you can decline subscribing and still see the article) about preparing students for a world that is rapidly changing and automating.  I am reminded of A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink (his first best seller in 2006) and his argument that we need to prepare students for a world in which Asia, automation, and abundance compete with the work we do.  More than 10 years after reading the book, I still think of the 3A's and how they are helping change the nature of work in our country.

Thoughts on Instructor Presence

Delivering an online course requires intentional action to develop an online presence as an instructor. Nicole Smith provides some reminders and good advice in this article. 

Blackboard profile

Wonder no more on how to add your picture to the Blackboard system. A picture of one's self in a web profile is called an avatar. Avatars will appear next to discussion board postings and elsewhere in Blackboard. Here's how to add an avatar:

1.    In the upper right of the screen you will see your name next to a blank avatar.  Click on the triangle to the right of your name open your personal menu.

2.    Click on the word "Settings" in the lower portion of the panel, then from the dropdown list, choose "Personal Information"

3.    Click on "Personalize My Settings"

4.    Change option #1 to "Use custom avatar image" and click to "Browse My Computer" for an image.  (Note:  Recommended pixel size for an avatar is 150 by 150.  Larger images should be cropped. I recommend a close-up of your face.  The image is very small in most places in Blackboard.)

5.  Select the image and click to "Open".  This will add the image to your Blackboard account.  (from UIS blogs)

Thank you,

Lee

Lee Maria Henrikson

Instructional Designer

907-786-4903

http://ak-lee.blogspot.com

UAA Community and Technical College

Building Alaska's Workforce

CTC Ed Tech News Sept. 12, 2017

Dear Colleagues,

This first newsletter of the fall alerts you to compliance and legal issues that pertain to your work at the university and with students. Upcoming Quality Matters workshops are listed, include one that I co-facilitate that starts this Friday.

1.    Required training

Title IX Haven Training

Employees are required to complete Title IX: Sex and Gender Based Discrimination Prevention training by September 30, 2017.

Instructions for Faculty & Staff

You may start and stop as your time permits. Session is approximately one hour.

• Log on to UAOnline
• Select Employee Services
• Select Employee E-Learning
• Select Haven for Faculty & Staff

Approximately 30 days following completion of the session you will receive notification to complete a survey.

The training covers topics that can be distressful for some. If anyone is uncomfortable at any time during the training, stop and contact our Employee Assistance program directly, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 866-465-8934 (TDD at 800-697-0353) or our Student Health and Counseling Center at 907-786-4040, option 3.

Your students will also be required to complete FERPA training.  There will be notices from the university and you may choose to alert your students to the required training.

Instructions for Students

Students* are required to complete Title IX: Sex and Gender Based Discrimination Prevention training by October 31, 2017 in order to access registration for Spring 2018. Students may start and stop as time permits. Session is approximately one hour.
*degree seeking, living in campus housing, or on national/international exchange

Log on to UAOnline

• Select Student Services and Account Information
• Select Student Training
• Select Haven targeted for students ages 18-24   
• or
• Select Haven Plus for post-baccalaureate and non-traditional students ages 24 and up

Approximately 30 days following completion of the session they will receive notification to complete a survey and a short session on prevention, safety and supporting survivors.

The training covers topics that can be distressful for some. If anyone is uncomfortable at any time during the training, stop and contact our Student Health and Counseling Center at 907-786-4040, option 3.

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) Training 

FERPA is a federal law designed to do three things:

1. Protect the privacy of education records
2. Establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records
3. Provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate and misleading data through informal and formal hearings

The Essence of FERPA is:

• School officials may not disclose personally identifiable information about students nor allow inspection of their records without written permission unless such an action is covered by certain exceptions.
• Students MUST be permitted to inspect their own record

Required annual training for faculty and staff on FERPA is found in UAOnline. To complete the training:

1. Log on to UAOnline
2. Select Employee Services
3. Select Employee E-Learning
4. Select FERPA Online Training 

2.    New Academic Dishonesty Policy

The new policy on academic dishonesty as of this academic year is: 

"Cheating, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will first go through the student conduct process and then, if a violation of the Student Code of Conduct is found, academic sanctions may occur in addition to disciplinary sanctions." (UAA Catalog)

This means:

•       All allegations of academic dishonesty, cheating, or plagiarism must be referred to the Office of the Dean of Students for review.

•       The Student Conduct Review must be exhausted before an academic penalty (such as lowering a grade or failing a student in the course) is applied.

•       Possible academic penalties must be announced in the syllabus.

This PowerPoint presentation on the new policy was presented at the College of Arts and Sciences August 2017meeting.  It had no author listed.

3.    Quality Matters Improving Your Online Course Workshops

The Improving Your Online Course (IYOC) workshop explores the QM Rubric and provides a framework to improve the quality of online and blended courses. Participants use the QM Rubric to review their own online/blended courses and develop a course improvement plan. Participants will begin making course modifications and come away with a plan for more course improvement, so enrollment in the workshop requires having a pre-developed online or blended course to use.  Participants will also be able to work with an instructional designer, if desired.

Learning Objectives for the IYOC Workshop

1. Recognize the foundational concepts of Quality Matters.
2. Apply the essential Standards of the Quality Matters Rubric to your own online course.
3. Describe the alignment of at least one module/unit in your online course.
4. Prioritize improvements to your online course.

All Day On-Campus Session Friday, September 22, 2017, LIB 214, 9 AM - 4 PM

You must attend the full day in person.

Facilitated by Debbi Canavan & Heather Nash 

Register by September 20th. Registration is limited to 20 participants. 

Register for the Friday, September 22nd IYOC

Two Online Sessions Available

The time commitment to complete the online workshop is 7-10 hours each week of the three-week course. 

Session 1: September 15, 2017, through October 6, 2017

Facilitated by Debbi Canavan, Lee Henrikson, and Owen Guthrie

Register by September 13th. Registration is limited to 20 participants.

Register for September 15th IYOC

Session 2: November 10, 2017, through December 1, 2017

Facilitated by Debbi Canavan, Katie Walker, and Heidi Olson

Register by November 7th. Registration is limited to 20 participants. 

Register for November 10th IYOC