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Faculty Resource Bulletins

Faculty Resource Bulletin

Highlights of this week’s Bulletin include:

 

Semester Start Resources and Tools

Use a Checklist

There is a lot to keep track of in preparing for any semester. This is more true this semester than ever before. If you feel like you need a checklist, we’ve got you covered. We’ve included the most common online course prep tasks in a pre-semester checklist, complete with links to tutorials and further resources. Access these checklists from the Faculty Resources sites at both colleges.

DCTC: https://www.dctc.edu/DCTC/assets/File/pdf/faculty-resources/Semester-Start-up-Checklist.pdf

IHCC: https://www.inverhills.edu/FacultyResources/pdfs/SemesterStartupChecklist.pdf

 

Combining Sections

As a reminder: if you would like multiple sections of a course combined into a single section, please create a JIRA ticket as soon as possible to allow for this work to be completed prior to the start of the semester. We will not be able to combine course sections once courses have been opened to students.

 

Setting Course Start and End Dates

Did you know you can set the start and end dates in D2L Brightspace course shells? You can – and it’s easy! Just follow instructions on the Faculty Resources sites.

DCTC: https://www.dctc.edu/DCTC/assets/File/pdf/faculty-resources/Changing-Start-and-End-Dates.pdf

IHCC: https://inverhills.edu/FacultyResources/pdfs/D2LResources/Changing_Start_and_End_Dates.pdf.

 

Course Navigation: Adding and Removing Tools

As you prepare for fall semester, you might consider adjusting the navigation in your online courses by adding or removing tools from the course “navbar”. See the illustrated guide on the Faculty Resources sites.

DCTC: https://www.dctc.edu/DCTC/assets/File/pdf/faculty-resources/turning-on-off-tools.pdf

IHCC: https://inverhills.edu/FacultyResources/pdfs/D2LResources/Turning_on-off_Tools.pdf

 

Getting Started Guides for D2L Brightspace and Zoom

We developed a Getting Started with D2L Brightspace document for students new to online learning. As you prepare for fall semester, please feel free to distribute this to your students via email or post in your online courses. We also have a Getting Started guide for Zoom! Access both guides on the ITS page of college websites.

DCTC: https://www.dctc.edu/support-services/technology-services

IHCC: https://www.inverhills.edu/CampusResources/TechnologyServices/index.aspx

 

D2L Accessibility Checker

Are you wondering whether your online course is accessible to all students? D2L has a tool you can use to check your content for any accessibility limitations. Watch this four-minute introduction to this tool and see just how easy it is to run this test.

 

Brightspace and Orientation for Students

Another resource you may want to share with your students in advance of the semester is the Brightspace Orientation for Students course. The course is accessible from the Online Learning pages at each college, and provides an overview of our online learning environment along with a few general tips on how to be successful in online courses.

DCTC: https://www.dctc.edu/online-learning

IHCC: https://www.inverhills.edu/DegreesAndPrograms/OnlinePrograms/OnlineLearning.aspx

 

Brightspace and Beyond Recordings and Resources

If you’ve missed our synchronous trainings this summer, you can still take advantage of session recordings. For recordings of all sessions from our most recent Brighspace and Beyond Week, see the MediaSpace playlist: https://mediaspace.minnstate.edu/media/Brightspace+and+Beyond+WeekA+Zoom%2C+MediaSpace%2C+and+Captioning/1_cpb7fa38

This week-long workshop was designed for all faculty. We focused on beginning tools and recent updates made to D2L Brightspace, as well as other academic technology such as Teams and Microsoft tools; MediaSpace and Kaltura Capture; and Zoom. Daily sessions each ran approximately two hours.

Session Recordings

  • Brightspace I (Announcements; Content and Content Templates; Discussions)
  • Brightspace II (Quizzes, Gradebook, Assignments, Course Templates)
  • Zoom and MediaSpace
  • Brightspace III (Groups, Rubrics, Checklists, Intelligent Agents)
  • Teams and Microsoft O365 Tools

 

CTL Teaching Consultations

The Center for Teaching and Learning also offers teaching consultations designed to meet the needs of faculty members who prefer to work one-on-one with staff. Whether you need just-in-time training or advice in the application of a specific teaching tool, or are planning for next semester or next year, our staff are available to offer support.

Examples of topics addressed through consultation services include, but are not limited to:

  • Course design
  • Academic technology, including D2L Brightspace
  • Implementing a change in your course(s)
  • Applying student or other formative feedback to course redesign

For staff information and scheduling, visit Teaching Consultations pages at Inver Hills Community College and Dakota County Technical College.

More Summer Events and Development Opportunities

Additional Campus Programs and Services

Faculty Teaching Online Group

We are excited to be continuing this group at DCTC all summer! If you are experiencing some success in this environment and would like to share with your colleagues, these sessions are for you. If you are struggling and need to draw upon on the wisdom of your peers, these sessions are also for you. Or if you’re anywhere in between, again – these sessions are for you.

These sessions will run without agendas. We’ll simply talk about whatever faculty bring to the meetings. Several members of the Faculty Development Committee will participate on a rotating basis. Join us any or every Thursday from 3:30-4:30 pm. Registration is not required. Come as often or as infrequently as you need. See the Zoom invitation from Martin Springborg in your campus email to join.

 

From Minnesota State

Visit www.asanewsletter.org/academic-continuity to find resources for moving your courses online. Also see Upcoming OER Opportunities.

OER Learning Circles

Fall 2020 Applications Due August 26

Collaborate with other Minnesota State faculty from across the system who are committed to redesigning courses around open educational resources (OER) and/or creating OER ancillary materials to help eliminate textbook costs for students.

In addition to virtual weekly meetings, OER Learning Circles will utilize a D2L Brightspace course to support faculty and will take place over a ten-week period. The equivalent of .5 RCE is available to participating faculty.

Get reimbursed for taking the Creative Commons Certificate Course

Registration deadline is September 7, 2020, or when all spots have been filled.

This cohort runs from September 14 – December 22, 2020.

The Creative Commons (CC) Certificate course is an in-depth course about CC licenses, open practices and the ethos of the Commons. The course is composed of readings, quizzes, discussions and practical exercises to develop learners’ open skills, and costs $500.

However, Minnesota State will reimburse librarians, departments, or institutions for up to 10 seats upon successful certificate completion, librarian or educator track.

Upcoming Webinars

See https://asanewsletter.org/events for a full list of upcoming webinars and other opportunities! Also see resources on the NED Resource Site focused on course design, assessment, and instructional strategies.

In addition, the Minnesota State Educational Innovations Office maintains a page of resources for students at www.asanewsletter.org/academic-continuity-students.

The Minnesota State Learning Technologies Team offers a variety of faculty resources (opens in new window) on their SharePoint site, including:

Navigate to the IMS opens in new window SharePoint site (https://mnscu.sharepoint.com/sites/IMS), and use YourStarID@minnstate.edu as your username and your StarID password.  View the PDF for how to login instructions opens in new window.

National and Vendor-Sponsored

Quality Matters

Bridge to Quality: A QM Online Course Design Guide

If you’re looking for a way forward from Emergency Remote Instruction that is rooted in QM Standards and focused on the learning experience, this guide is just what you need. This web-based guide provides a step-by-step approach to complete the hands-on, iterative work that is central to creating a quality course. This includes:

  • Alignment of foundational course elements
  • Promoting engaged, active learning
  • Creative work and organization to develop the course within a digital learning environment (LMS)

Turnitin

Whether you’re a new user or need a refresh, join our training sessions to learn how to get started with Feedback Studio and Originality Check Plus, or how to enable remote learning and assessment with Gradescope. We have expanded our training calendar to provide recurring training throughout the rest of the academic year.

More information and registration at https://www.turnitin.com/resources/training-webinars.

D2L Fusion Conference

For the safety and well-being of our guests, we’ve determined that it is necessary to move Fusion 2020 entirely online with an all-new virtual experience that will launch this summer. While we can’t all be together in person this year, we’re fully committed to bringing you the absolute best Fusion experience possible.

The virtual Fusion program includes sessions of interest to K-12, higher education, and corporate learning audiences, and will take place three consecutive days each month (July-December) from noon–3:45pm ET (9am–12:45pm PT) each day.

See the full schedule at https://www.d2l.com/events/fusion/schedule.

Register at https://www.d2l.com/events/fusion/register.

 

The Faculty Resource Bulletin is one of many steps we’re taking to improve communication about local and statewide faculty professional development information and opportunities. Please visit our Faculty Resources sites (see links in the header of this blog) for more information and resources to support teaching and learning!

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