Starting the Semester: What Works for Your Classes?

As we count down to spring semester, we ask: what are some tips and tricks you use to get your online classes off to the right start? 
Join the idea exchange in the CCCOnline Community!

P.S. Below are a few posts on the topic from Fall 2010:
Quality Time: Goal Post # 1 (Students and the Syllabus)

Quality Time: Goal Post # 2 (Opening Lines of Communication with Students)
Quality Time: Goal Post # 3 (Establish Community)

Developmental Education Task Force at CCCS

Below, more news from our Academic Team! This important task force’s official mission, goals, and contact information are below:

The Developmental Education Task Force (DETF) has been charged with reviewing developmental education practices throughout the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) and making recommendations about what steps the system will take to become the premier purveyor of developmental education in more streamlined and efficient ways, resulting in greater student success.

Through data and research, the DETF will holistically examine the role that developmental education plays in overall student success. The DETF will:

1. Review and clarify the purpose of developmental education and analyze implications for policy and practice resulting from a clarified purpose.
2. Review current system policies and practices related to developmental education and propose revisions that will promote greater student success in alignment with sound academic principles and practice.
3. Investigate and analyze measures of success, data reports and studies on success of developmental education students.
4. Examine structures for developmental education, highlighting innovative and successful strategies, improving the student experience and identifying barriers to success.
5. On the basis of a comprehensive review, recommend broad strategies and specific initiatives related to developmental education that should be pursued by Colorado's Community College System Colleges, leading to enhanced outcomes for student learning and success.

The DETF is led by Dr. Casey Sacks, Interim Dean of Developmental Education for CCCS, and has 30+ members from across the state. CCCOnline is represented by Heidi Barrett, who serves on the Online Learning Subcommittee.

To learn more about the DETF and its current research, visit http://www.cccs.edu/developmental-education/index.html. If you have questions or comments, please contact Heidi Barrett at Heidi.oberle-barrett@cccs.edu.

Course Readiness for Summer

*Below is a reminder from our Faculty News Blog.*

As you prepare your Summer courses, please remember to follow the Course Readiness Checklist.

 

Note the Checklist now reflects the requirement that all faculty use their cccs.edu email addresses for student contact outside of D2L. (Please remember to update your email address in both your Syllabus and your Instructor Widget.) Thanks!

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.