Showing posts with label Student Success. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Student Success. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Online Teaching & Learning Articles

This week, we offer a few recent articles pertinent to online teaching and learning; enjoy!


“Paying Attention in the Digital Age” by Nigel Thrift (5/16/13)
From The Chronicle’s “WorldWise” blog:

http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/paying-attention-in-the-digital-age/32331


“Q&A: Howard Rheingold on Using Technology to Take Learning into Our Own Hands”
by Heather Chaplin (5/14/13)
From the MacArthur Foundation’s Spotlight on Digital Media and Learning:

http://spotlight.macfound.org/featured-stories/entry/qa-howard-rheingold-on-using-technology-to-take-learning-into-our-own-hands/

“50 Education Technology Tools You Can Start Using Today” by Jeff Dunn (4/15/13)
From Edudemic:

http://edudemic.com/2013/04/50-education-technology-tools-you-can-start-using-today/


“The Skills Both Online Students and Teachers Must Have” by Todd A. Hitchcock (3/27/13)
From Edudemic:

http://edudemic.com/2013/03/the-skills-both-online-students-and-teachers-must-have/

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

How Well Do Students Adapt to Online Learning? Study Released



This month, the Community College Research Center published a study titled "Adaptability to Online Learning: Differences Across Types of Students and Academic Subject Areas”; WCET’s Russell Poulin responded to it, and to a subsequent New York Times editorial, here.

As you read, we always like to hear your thoughts and encourage you to share them in the CCCO Community.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

CCCS Participates in Complete College America Grant Program

More exciting news from CCCOnline: the Colorado Community College System has received the Complete College America $1M incentive grant award for implementation starting this spring. To that end, CCCOnline is implementing a mentoring program delivered in close coordination with our Online Tutoring Lab (OTL).

Students from selected CCCOnline sections of Mat 090 and Eng 090 (developmental Math and English) are our pilot student group. Each of these students has been assigned to a CCCOnline mentor (academic coach), and the mentors will follow their students for three successive semesters--as long as the students remain in the Colorado Community College System.

For CCCOnline, the grant goals will be to
· Retain students in their current course(s)
· Retain students in the community college system, aid students in achieving their two-year degree or certificate, or help students transfer successfully to a four-year university
· Help students learn skills that will help them to be successful college students
· Assist students by identifying resources, within their online environment or at their home college, that will help them to be successful in their academic goals

Having been in regular contact with students since the beginning of this semester, CCCOnline mentors are positive about the program: Liz Dzabic notes “as a group, our students have expressed appreciation for our weekly conferences and gratefulness for the assistance”; and Lisa Brown-Roberts reports "I enjoy talking to students who are new to online education and watching their confidence increase, week by week!"

Thursday, January 26, 2012

More Online Learning News

For your reading pleasure, below you will find a few recent Online Learning-related news links. (Our last installment of such links was published last October.) As always, we welcome your comments or additions in the CCCOnline Community . . . and best wishes as you embark upon Spring Semester 2012!


“What works—and what doesn't—in online learning”
by William Wade (1/13/12)
Commentary from Community College Times:
http://www.communitycollegetimes.com/Pages/Opinions/What-works-and-what-doesnt-in-online-learning.aspx

“Listing Toward Order” by Steve Kolowich (1/10/12)
From Inside Higher Ed:
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/01/10/us-news-world-report-releases-first-ever-online-college-program-rankings

“'U.S. News' Sizes Up Online-Degree Programs, Without Specifying Which Is No. 1” by Nick DeSantis (1/10/12)
From The Chronicle:
http://chronicle.com/article/US-News-Sizes-Up/130274/

“MIT Will Offer Certificates to Outside Students in Online Courses” by Marc Parry (1/1/12)
From The Chronicle:
http://chronicle.com/article/MIT-Will-Offer-Certificates-to/130173/

“The risks and rewards of online learning” by Chris Bustamante (11/16/11)
Commentary from Community College Times:
http://www.communitycollegetimes.com/Pages/Technology/The-risks-and-rewards-of-online-learning.aspx

“Online-Course Enrollments Grow, but at a Slower Pace. Is a Plateau Approaching?” by Marc Parry (11/9/11)
From The Chronicle’s “Wired Campus” blog:
http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/online-course-enrollments-grow-but-at-a-slower-pace-is-a-plateau-approaching/34150

“Online Grows, Doubts Persist” by Steve Kolowich (11/9/11)
From Inside Higher Ed:
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/11/09/survey-shows-online-enrollments-have-boomed-doubts-about-online-quality-persist

Links from The Chronicle’s Special Report “Online Learning 2011”:
http://chronicle.com/section/Online-Learning/491/?inl
“From Homeric Writings to Cellphone Forensics, Some Favorite Online Resources” (11/6/11)
http://chronicle.com/article/Forum-Online-Resources/129614/
“How Technology Can Improve Online Learning—and Learning in General” by Robert W. Mendenhall (11/6/11)
http://chronicle.com/article/How-Technology-Can-Improve/129616/?sid=cr

The Sloan Consortium published their ninth annual survey; this one is titled “Going the Distance - Online Education in the United States, 2011.”
http://sloanconsortium.org/publications/survey/index.asp

*Related reading on Cultivating Excellence: “Community College Headlines” (12/14/11)
http://cccoexcellence.blogspot.com/2011/12/community-college-headlines.html


Friday, January 20, 2012

CCCS Participating in Landmark Analytics Project

This week, we’re excited to share that the Colorado Community College System is one of six academic institutions participating in the groundbreaking PAR (Predictive Analytics Reporting) project. Led by WCET (WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies) and funded by the Gates Foundation, the project aims to help institutions improve students' progression and completion through a better understanding of student success factors.

Jonathan Sherrill, CCCOnline Data Analyst Professional, is a project participant. He says the group is bringing the idea of “big data” to the study of student success; and indeed, the scale of the project is big: “We’ve already brought together 640,000 anonymized student records and three million course records from these six institutions – we can go very fine looking at this because there’s so much data,” reports Jonathan. This multi-institution collaboration is also exciting, he explains, because analyzing such a great number of records from multiple sources invites broadly meaningful conclusions.

The other PAR project participants are Rio Salado College, the University of Illinois at Springfield, the University of Hawaii system, the American Public University system, and the University of Phoenix. As the project continues, additional institutions will join, allowing for even broader analysis. Preliminary results from the proof of concept already are being released, and the next phase likely will conclude in late 2014.

"I believe the hope of the Gates Foundation is for it to ultimately become self-sustaining,” Jonathan concludes, “a valuable service provided to educational institutions long after their direct involvement ends."

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Valuable Library Information Coming Your Way!

This week, we’d like to remind everyone we have a wonderful resource to help us cultivate e-classroom excellence: our CCCOnline Librarian!


Check out Mary Cash’s The Librarian’s Labyrinth blog this week for news you can use:

*how your students may access article databases,
*where students may find helpful resources,
*an invitation to communicate with the librarian, and
*the latest on upcoming library webinars!





Thursday, November 10, 2011

New Library Blog Launched

CCCOnline is pleased to announce an exciting new blog from our Instructional Online Librarian: The Librarian’s Labyrinth. It will feature news you can use on research and library topics; we encourage you to follow along!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Online Learning in the News

This week, FYI, we offer a few links for you to browse: recent news or commentary about Online Learning in general. Please feel free to comment, or share any such links you’ve bookmarked, in the CCCOnline Community.

“Myths of Online Education” by Steve Kolowich (10/21/11)
“Educational technologists defend online education” at recent Educause conference (Inside Higher Ed):
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/10/21/educational-technologists-defend-online-education

“QuickWire: Online-Learning Growth Is Confirmed by Education Dept. Report” by Josh Fischman (10/5/11)
From The Chronicle’s “Wired Campus” blog:
http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/quickwire-online-learning-growth-is-confirmed-by-education-dept-report/33537

“The Digital Revolution and Higher Education” by Kim Parker, Amanda Lenhart and Kathleen Moore (8/28/11)
From the Pew Research Center:
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/08/28/the-digital-revolution-and-higher-education/1/

A series of posts from Frank Donoghue at The Chronicle’s “Innovations” blog:
“Online Learning: Good, Bad, Inevitable” (7/12/11)
http://chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/online-learning-good-bad-inevitable/29814
“The Strengths of Online Learning?” (7/18/11)
http://chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/the-strengths-of-online-learning/29849
“Another Look at the Weaknesses of Online Learning” (7/27/11)
http://chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/more-on-weaknesses-on-online-learning/29888
“Online Learning: Final Concerns” (8/1/11)
http://chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/online-learning-final-concerns/29947

Also from The Chronicle:
“Community-College Students Perform Worse Online Than Face to Face” by Ryan Brown (7/18/11)
http://chronicle.com/article/Community-College-Students/128281/

“Why Are So Many Students Still Failing Online?” by Rob Jenkins (5/22/11)
http://chronicle.com/article/Why-Are-So-Many-Students-Still/127584/?sid=gn

Links to The Sloan Consortium’s surveys. The most recent one is “Class Differences: Online Education in the United States, 2010.”
http://sloanconsortium.org/publications/survey/index.asp

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Introducing CCCOnline’s Math Team


In coming weeks, we’ll be introducing CCCOnline’s Academic Team, division by division. This week, say hello to our Math Team!

Photo: From L-R, Tonia, Heidi, and Jan.

Heidi Barrett, Associate Dean
Heidi is an old friend of CCCOnline, having most recently served as our Assistant Math Department Chair. She has been sharing her talents with the CCCS system for more than 11 years; she began teaching at Arapahoe Community College in 2000 and CCCOnline in 2002.

Heidi earned her Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from DePaul University in Chicago and her Master’s in Mathematics from the University of Iowa. She enjoys being outdoors and is an avid runner: she recently completed her first marathon, and also has done a few half-marathons and triathlons. In addition, she enjoys biking, swimming, hiking, playing board games with her children and cards with her friends.

Jan Butler, College Level Program Chair
Jan is a valued member of the CCCOnline team. She has been teaching college-level math courses since 1971; she started teaching with CCCOnline in 1991 and in 2000 became co-chair of Mathematics, Sciences and Health with Chuck Sherrill. In August 2002, Jan became CCCOnline’s Mathematics Department Chair.

Jan has had a varied career from being a mathematician at U.S. Geological Resources, to Systems Analyst and Assistant Director of the Computer Center at University of Colorado at Denver, to teaching and academic administration around the Denver area. She worked at Metropolitan State College and was very involved with their Veteran's Upward Bound program from 1973 - 1985. Jan also taught at Community College of Aurora, Metro State, and University of Colorado at Denver in addition to her teaching and administration at CCCOnline.

Jan loves to take long walks, hike in the mountains, and read (especially science fiction and fantasy). She also loves dark chocolate and is always looking for new recipes to add to her collection.

Tonia Lock, Developmental Math Program Chair
Tonia has taught developmental Math for CCCOnline since 2008. She earned her Associate’s of Science degree from Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado, her Bachelor's degree in Mathematics Secondary Education from Regis University in Denver, and her Master's degree in Educational Technology from University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.

Her interests are hunting, fishing and camping with her family and friends. She also enjoys reading, traveling, and being outside on a nice summer day.

Math News
Some of the projects underway in the Math department are transitioning more classes to digital content, increasing student participation in the STAR Center, and researching methods to improve student success in Math courses.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Research & Writing Toolkit, Illustrated!

The library and information literacy talk continues with special guest Mary Cash.

Impressed by what you see here in our Wordle? You can find information on these topics and more when you visit the Research and Writing Toolkit on our Student Wiki: http://at.ccconline.org/students/wiki/Academic_Resources_-_Research_and_Writing_Toolkit

And, for those of you who already know about the Toolkit, how do you use the Research and Writing Toolkit in your courses?

Besides having links to the Toolkit on my Resources page and on several of my Unit Homework page, I send my students to specific assets we've listed on the Toolkit, including the Research 101 tutorial from the University of Washington's library. Also, when I grade papers and run into students who have grammar or sentence issues, I often send them to a specific section in the Help with Writing part of the Toolkit - I often send students to the Comma Splices and Fused Sentences section.

LisaMarie has a discussion early in the semester in her anthropology courses that has students go to the Research Writing Toolkit to do some exploring and then they need to find something they liked and report back to the other students on that website or tutorial.

So, how do you use the Research and Writing Toolkit in your courses? Liz and I are going to be giving presentations on the Toolkit at the eLCC conference in April and at the D2L Fusion conference in July, and we'd like to share with others how our faculty use the Research and Writing Toolkit. And, if you're not using it now, perhaps we've inspired you to try to come up with some ideas on how to incorporate the toolkit into your course:) Please share those ideas with us in the Community's Cultivating Excellence discussion.

-Mary Cash

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Groundhog Says Spring is Around the Corner

Have you emerged from YOUR burrow to engage with students?

How do you establish presence in courses, and how do you encourage students to come out of their own burrows?

Tell us your favorite strategies in the appropriate discussion in the Community.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Time Savers for Students and Faculty

Last week, we posted about your welcome e-mail to students.  This week, we’d like to extend that spirit of guidance and encouragement as we list below some of CCCOnline’s time savers for students.  Feel free to communicate this information within your course:
1)      Orientation: Students who would like coaching on how to move around in their courses will benefit from the CCCOnline Orientation.  To participate, students need to self-enroll; they should click “Self-Registration” on their CCCOnline Home Page as shown here.
The Orientation is available the entire semester; it is not a credit course, it is not a required course, and it is free of charge to enrolled students.  Further information about the Orientation is here: http://at.ccconline.org/students/wiki/Orientation

2)      CCCOnline Student Wiki:
In addition to providing information about the Orientation and technical support (including D2L tips), the wiki provides students with answers to CCCOnline policies.

3)      Research and Writing Toolkit:
Useful for instructors to recommend and for students to browse, this webliography is a set of quick links for brush-up help on research skills, avoiding plagiarism, and writing in general.

4)      The STAR Center:
The CCCOnline STAR (Student Tutoring and Resources) Center offers assistance to students enrolled in developmental courses.  Those students are automatically enrolled in the STAR Center and may visit the Center to work with a tutor, interact with peers, and get additional practice with their lessons.

One last note on time savers: this Friday (Jan. 28), we are offering an exciting new webinar for faculty:

Effective and Efficient Facilitation Online
  • When: Friday, January 28, 2011 (1:00 PM - 2:30 PM - Mountain)
  • Who: Lisa Marie Johnson
  • What: Participants will be able to identify strategies and resources to employ when teaching multiple online courses to teach more effectively and efficiently. Participants will explore how to save time by using staff supports at CCCOnline and why it is effective to encourage learners to use home college resources and supports, the 24/7 Help Desk, and tutoring services to construct a longer lasting and stronger support system for academic success across all the learners' courses.
  • Where: Online via Elluminate. Access up to 15 minutes before the start time from:
    https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=2008363&password=M.BCC4C488D49BCDDD645B92DBAA94D4

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Composing Your Welcome E-mail to Students


Part of the Course Readiness process is for faculty to send welcome messages to students both internally, within D2L, and externally, through e-mail.  In light of this, we’d like to know: when you send your welcome messages to students at semester’s beginning, what do you think is critical to convey? 

Below are some suggestions you may include:
-Technical support information, such as tuning up the computer and logging in to the course; Help Desk contact information (888-800-9198); Orientation information
-link to Student Wiki

-checklist of “to-do” student tasks in the first week of class
-instructor’s external contact information (e-mail outside D2L, for instance)

In the CCCOnline Community, we’ve posted an excerpt of a sample welcome letter from Karen Kaemmerling, Interim Coordinator of Training and Professional Development and Social Sciences Division Chair.  Feel free to post your own there, or let us know what you include in your own student welcome message.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Student Groups in the Online Classroom

You’re invited to our last webinar of the year! Join us for “Creating & Facilitating Groups in D2L” at 1:00 p.m. this Friday, Dec. 3.

In this webinar, you’ll learn about creating and managing groups with the D2L Groups tool and about resources to guide the design and facilitation of virtual team activities.

In the meantime, please feel free to share your experiences with student groups in the appropriate Cultivating Excellence discussion within the CCCOnline Community.