CCCOnline Annual Conference Call for Proposals--Reminder!

The CCCOnline CONNECT to Excellence Committee is looking for proposals for the CONNECT Conference scheduled on September 19, 2014.  Our four strands for 2014 are: ·       Online Instruction ·       Online Learners ·       Assessment ·       Technology We are particularly interested in hearing about your best ideas for the following subjects: ·       Designing courses for Quality Matters certification ·       Techniques for engaging students in discussions ·       Ways to share professional or discipline content with students ·       Establishing instructor presence in your courses ·       Interesting Web 2.0 apps ·       Useful resources for online libraries, for LORs, or for your particular discipline ·       Training online instructors ·       ADA/Section 508 compliance ·       Open source texts or media ·       Complying with copyright and the TEACH Act ·       Assessing online courses across the curriculum ·       Teaching writing across the curriculum There are lab classrooms if you want to share hands-on practices. Staff and faculty from all Colorado community colleges are invited to present.  Please take a moment to visit http://CONNECT.ccconline.org and follow the instructions found under the “Call for Proposals” tab. Submit proposals to CONNECT@ccconline.org.  Deadline is May 15, 2014.

On Student Evaluations

This week, we’re sharing a few links regarding student evaluations. Enjoy . . .

“Rating My Professor – For Real” by Colleen Flaherty (4/21/14)
From Inside Higher Ed:
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/04/21/u-minnesota-proposes-plan-offer-students-access-course-evaluations

“Mid-Semester Evaluations” by Laura B. McGrath (3/11/14)
From Inside Higher Ed’s “GradHacker” blog:
http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/gradhacker/mid-semester-evaluations

“How to Deal With Negative Teaching Evaluations” by Natascha Chtena (2/9/14)   
From Inside Higher Ed’s “GradHacker” blog:
http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/gradhacker/how-deal-negative-teaching-evaluations

“The Unnecessary Agony of Student Evaluations” by Spurgeon Thompson (3/1/13)
From The Chronicle’s “The Conversation” blog:
http://chronicle.com/blogs/conversation/2013/03/01/the-unnecessary-agony-of-student-evaluations/

Articles Pertaining to Non-Traditional and Military Students

Below are a few pieces that concern our non-traditional/working adult and military/veteran students. The articles discuss these students’ special needs, their completion rates, and the support they receive from colleges.

As always, please feel free to comment in the Cultivating Excellence area of the CCCOnline Community!

“Data on Student Veterans' College Outcomes under New G.I. Bill” (3/24/14)
From Inside Higher Ed:
http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2014/03/24/data-student-veterans-college-outcomes-under-new-gi-bill

"Opinion: Critical Success Factors for Online Education" by Mario Matus (3/18/14)
From Navy Times:
http://www.navytimes.com/article/20140318/NEWS01/303180039/Opinion-Critical-success-factors-online-education

“Who’s the Boss? The Unexpected Challenges of Transitioning from the Military to Higher Ed” by Jo Emanuelson (3/13/14)
From The Evolllution: Illuminating the Lifelong Learning Movement:
http://www.evolllution.com/opinions/whos-boss-unexpected-challenges-transitioning-military-higher-ed/

“Adult Education Data Show Signs of Declining Investment” by Mary Alice McCarthy and Clare McCann (2/27/14)
From EdCentral: Education News & Analysis from the New America Foundation:
http://www.edcentral.org/adult-education-data-show-signs-declining-investment/

“Traditional and Non-Traditional Learners in Online Education” by Shaun Curran (2/26/14)
From The Evolllution: Illuminating the Lifelong Learning Movement:
http://www.evolllution.com/distance_online_learning/traditional-non-traditional-learners-online-education/

Community Colleges in the News

This week, we offer you a few recent articles of interest that pertain to community colleges:

“College Students Bypassing Degrees on Purpose” by Eddie Small, Hechinger Report (3/25/14)
From Community College Daily:
http://www.ccdaily.com/Pages/Academic-Programs/College-students-bypassing-degrees-on-purpose.aspx

“Starting All Over Again” by Paul Fain (3/19/14)
From Inside Higher Ed:
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/03/19/lost-credits-hold-back-transfer-students-study-finds

“Governor Hickenlooper Signs Legislation Authorizing Community Colleges to Offer Four Year Degrees in Career and Technical Fields” by Joe Marquez (2/27/14)
From Colorado Community College Newswire:
http://newswire.coloradocommunitycolleges.com/2014/02/governor-hickenlooper-signs-legislation-authorizing-community-colleges-to-offer-four-year-degrees-in-career-and-technical-fields/

“Community Colleges Nourish Both Students and Society, Report Says” by Katherine Mangan (2/18/14)
From The Chronicle:
http://chronicle.com/article/Community-Colleges-Nourish/144799/

“Three States Look at Free Community College Tuition” by Jonathan J. Cooper (2/17/14)
From Community College Week:
http://www.ccweek.com/news/templates/template.aspx?articleid=3886&zoneid=3

“Free Community College? Tennessee Proposal Draws Praise and Concerns” by Eric Kelderman (2/6/14)
From The Chronicle:
http://chronicle.com/article/Free-Community-College-/144553/?cid=cc