Faculty Development
Faculty Development is at the heart of everything we do in the E-Learning environment; our focus is to develop dynamic e-learning courses built upon sound pedagogy, instructional design, and active learning which lead to optimal student success. Workshops are scheduled each semester and can be accessed from the CTL Workshop Registration link.
In Fall 2010 the E-Learning Advisory Committee reaffirmed the guiding principles established for course development by the E-Learning Task Force in 2001/2002.
E-Learning Course Development Guiding Principles
- Given the economic climate, identify strategically where we are, and how to best utilize institution resources.
- Supports degree and/or certificate completion.
- Supports AGEC course development.
- Supports innovative, new, and/or emerging specialized programs.
- Other: examples include, consideration such as faculty/space issues, inability to hire adjuncts, etc...
Course Development Process
Faculty members desiring to develop hybrid or online courses must have completed Blackboard I, II, III and IV workshops and be proficient in using the course management system, as well as completing the following steps. No development should take place until Steps 1-3 are complete.
Step 1: Faculty member attends the Estrella Mountain Hybrid Design Workshop if they are requesting to develop a hybrid or the Estrella Mountain Online Design Workshop if they are requesting to develop an online course.
Step 2: Faculty members submits either the Hybrid Request or Online Request via the EMCC Learning Grant process.
Step 3: Division Chair and faculty member, along with the Vice President or appropriate Dean, agree upon the course redesign and compensation.
Step 4: Over the course of a semester, in collaboration with the E-Learning Faculty Coordinator, the faculty member develops the hybrid/online course. Faculty meets with the E-Learning Faculty Coordinator on a weekly basis.
Step 5: Complete Learning Outcome Assessment form & SAAC EZ.
Step 6: Pilot semester: meet regularly with E-Learning Coordinator during Pilot semester.
Step 7: Presentation of the hybrid/online course/module to colleagues.
E-Learning Adjunct Teaching Process
The guidelines for adjunct faculty who wish to take an existing EMCC Hybrid/Online course and teach at EMCC in the hybrid and online environments are as follows:
Step 1: Complete the Blackboard workshop series and be proficient in using the course management system.
Step 2: Obtain permission from the respective Division Chair or Program Director.
Step 3: Complete the two part ‘Preparing To Teach a Hybrid/Online course’ workshop.Faculty will be compensated the corresponding hourly rate as per the RFP for the 'How to Teach Hybrid and Online' workshop series.
Step 4: Meet with the E-Learning Faculty Coordinator/Chair or Program Director to identify the appropriate hybrid/online course and discuss the course plan.
Blackboard Basics (I): Getting Started
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of the Blackboard I workshop participants will successfully demonstrate:
- Demonstrate ability to effectively communicate with your students via campus Gmail.
- How to use Blackboard to effectively communicate course policies to enhance student readiness and success in all course formats (traditional, hybrid, online).
- How to modify the EMCC Syllabus, Reflective Practice Assignment, and syllabus quiz in order to assess student readiness in alternative learning environments.
- Demonstrate how to add and structure content for maximum academic rigor and instructional effectiveness.
- Demonstrate how to access and use student assessment rubrics and general abilities matrix.
- Demonstrate how to organize the grade center, add items to the grade book, and grade student assignments.
Blackboard Basics (II) Communication, Collaboration and Assessment
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the Blackboard II workshop participants will successfully demonstrate:
- Demonstrate the different methods of creating groups within your course; discuss the importance of using the group contract activity, faculty oversight, and utilizing group activities to engage students (class wiki, what’s in a name).
- Create blogs and wikis for individual and group reflection, communication, and course collaboration.
- Articulate the difference between the voice tools and demonstrate how to use them to enhance student-student and student-instructor engagement.
- Demonstrate how to create and deploy assessments (tests and surveys).
Blackboard Basics (III) Student Success Tools
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the Blackboard III workshop participants will successfully demonstrate:
- Knowledge of the different type of assignment features available within Blackboard and how they can be used to maximize academic rigor and enhance student success.
- Ability to create assignments using Blackboard assignment tools that bolster student learning and engagement opportunities via online resources.
Blackboard Basics (IV) Effective Content Management
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the Blackboard IV workshop participants will successfully demonstrate:
- Use of the Content Collection feature.
- Saving instructional materials within the Content Collection.
- Sharing content using permission settings within the Content Collection.
- How to edit documents/assignments once and save to multiple courses and across divisions.
- How to use the Content Collection’s web folder via your desktop to manage course learning objects, using a drag and drop technique.
Preparing to Teach
Preparing to Teach Part 1
Faculty will demonstrate through the completion of workshop activities the guiding principles for effective E-Learning teaching and learning at EMCC;
Identify and implement appropriate Student Success Strategies using the following tools;
- Learner Responsibilities Orientation
- Syllabus Module
- Hybrid/Online Template
Demonstrate readiness for teaching in an E- Learning environment by;
- Completing the Learning and Teaching Styles inventory
- Completing the self-assessment, ‘Am I Ready to Teach a Hybrid or Online Course?’
- Developing active learning strategies for different learning styles
Understand the importance of and demonstrate successful use of communication and social networking tools and activities
Preparing to Teach Part 2
Faculty will demonstrate through the completion of workshop activities the guiding principles for effective E-Learning teaching and learning at EMCC;
- Identify and develop effective active learning strategies for the E-Learning environment
- Understand the importance of effective instructional design principles in the E-Learning environment
- Develop an active learning reusable learning object
- Understand Assessment of Student Learning and EMCC processes
- Complete a Copyright Law Overview activity
Hybrid/Online Redesign
Hybrid Redesign Workshop
As a result of taking this workshop faculty will;
- Leave the workshop with a preliminary framework in which to develop an E-Learning course.
- Review current research and trends in the E-learning environment.
- Receive ‘support and time’ to develop additional technology skills needed to develop an E-Learning course.
- Demonstrate understanding, application, and analysis of instructional best practices, active learning strategies, assessment, and effective tools and software for teaching in the E-Learning environment.
Online Redesign Workshop
As a result of taking this workshop faculty will;
- Leave the workshop with a preliminary framework in which to develop an E-Learning course.
- Review current research and trends in the E-learning environment.
- Receive ‘support and time’ to develop additional technology skills needed to develop an E-Learning course.
- Demonstrate understanding, application, and analysis of instructional best practices, active learning strategies, assessment, and effective tools and software for teaching in the E-Learning environment.
