Author: Sean Davis

C3-2-1 Newsletter – Week Twelve!

Hello, Faculty Community! 

***You are receiving this newsletter because you are a faculty member at MiraCosta College. I, Sean Davis, am the coordinator of our C3 Teaching and Learning Center***

OI am sending this out at 11:25pm on a Friday night – just to keep the streak alive. Also, Friday nights aren’t what they used to be…kay, I was a bit late getting this out today. Yeah, things are coming in late today…

3 resources related to teaching and learning, 2 online tips and tricks, and 1 question for reflection

Looking for archived resources, tips/tricks, and questions?

Revisit the past editions of the C3-2-1 Newsletter here. 

Want to share? 

If you have some resources, tips/tricks, and questions to share, please contribute to the newsletter using this C3-2-1 Form.

C321 Newsletter

(3) Resources

  1.  Academic Impressions
    We now have a year-long subscription to this professional development service that offers faculty learning on such topics as teaching, DEI work, online course design, and many others. There are both synchronous and asynchronous offerings. I have only started to poke around on this platform, and I would welcome any feedback from others who decide to complete some of the webinars/training. 

    Our College President included this resource in a recent update email. Here is the message from Dr. Sunny Cooke – 
    Academic Impressions: MiraCosta College employees now have access to Academic Impressions which provides extensive online leadership and professional development resources specifically for colleges and universities. Several of the training sessions address subjects such as: engaging in empathy, managing your emotional labor in the workplace, and communicating effectively in high-anxiety times (to name a few).   Log on (with your single sign on) and start learning. 
  2. ASCCC Webinar 
    Many faculty members are struggling with ensuring the kinds of lab-based experiences they would hope to achieve during distance learning. These sessions bring folks together to share effective tools and practices while opening up space for people to share. 

    Strategies and Effective Practices for Conducting Labs and Activities Online (Hard-to-Convert Courses) 
    Date/Time:  Monday, December 7th, 3:30-4:30pm 
    Date/time: January 7, 2021 3:30-4:30 

    As the pandemic persists, Career Technical Education faculty have taken on a heavy lift of delivering quality career education to their students.  Laboratory modifications for online environments continue to be a challenge.  This professional development session will offer resources, expert advice, and a conversation to help us all better serve our students. Bring your best ideas! 

    Presenters:
    Dr. Lynn Shaw, Academic Senate, CTE Curriculum Director
    Jimmie Bowen, Antelope Valley College
    Audrey Le Baudour, RDEE, RHT, Santa Rosa Junior College
    Agriculture faculty member, TBA

    Register for Monday, December 7th, 3:30 – 5:00pm
    Register for Thursday, Januar    y 7, 2021, 3:30 – 5:00pm
  3. On Course
    This organization has long been recognized as a quality professional development resource for strategies, techniques, and ideas that work toward the goal of student success. They regularly host conferences and workshops on teaching, learning, and college success skills – these events have hefty price tags. However, their newsletter archive includes helpful entries that are succinct and relevant to current challenges in higher education. 

(2) Online Tips and Tricks

  1.  Keeping Up With Your Class Using Canvas Analytics
    Using this feature, you can go beyond viewing student grades by seeing page views data, participation, and submissions. You can also track page view by date to see when students are accessing your course. This could be helpful when planning the release of content and assignments. Feels Big Brotherish – because it is. 
  2. SpeedGrader Hacks
    Okay, so I know most of us are familiar with SpeedGrader at this point. However, there may be options in this SpeedGrader that you are not using and/or aware of. Last week, James Garcia (Sociology) introduced me to the keyboard shortcuts in SpeedGrader. How could I miss that?!? Well, it is likely that there are more efficiency hacks to uncover with this essential Canvas tool.

(1) Question

If you were not online, where would you be?

Stay joyful,

Sean Davis
Joyful Teacher in Residence 
Coordinator, C3 Teaching and Learning Center

C3-2-1 Newsletter – Week Eleven!

Hello, Faculty Community! 

***You are receiving this newsletter because you are a faculty member at MiraCosta College. I, Sean Davis, am the coordinator of our C3 Teaching and Learning Center***

Okay, I was a bit late getting this out today. Yeah, things are coming in late today…

What a week. I hope you are well, and things are as decent as they can be.

3 resources related to teaching and learning, 2 online tips and tricks, and 1 question for reflection

Looking for archived resources, tips/tricks, and questions?

Revisit the past editions of the C3-2-1 Newsletter here. 

Want to share? 

If you have some resources, tips/tricks, and questions to share, please contribute to the newsletter using this C3-2-1 Form.

C321 Newsletter

(3) Resources

  1.  OneHE –

    There are so many great resources on this site! The A-Z Index of Teaching is fantastic. OneHE’s four-pronged community-based approach to better teaching includes being Connected, Informed, Questioning, and Caring. This site is definitely worth a visit (or several).

    Of particular use for a day like today is their step-by-step activity for checking-in on students to see how they are feeling today. Here it is – Four Ideas For Checking-In
  2. A Message from the President/Superintendent of MiraCosta College

    Last Friday, our college president, Dr. Sunny Cooke sent out an email detailing information on and resources for the election as they are pertinent to MiraCosta employees. Here is a snippet from her message: 

    SUPPORT FOR EMPLOYEES:

    These are particularly stressful times, and the unknowns of election results and impacts may seem overwhelming at times. I want to reiterate MiraCosta’s commitment to you and emphasize the importance of self-care.
    • All MiraCosta employees are eligible to receive confidential support. The Employee Assistance Services for Education (EASE) program provides free, short-term counseling over the phone or by appointment. To learn more, please contact the EASE Program at 800.722.3273.  
    • Should you need to take a personal leave day or some time off, please work with your supervisor on approval.
    • Make sure to practice self-care and stress management including:
      • Please focus on healthy eating, adequate exercise and sleep, and stress relief techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and other forms of mindfulness
      • Tuning out election news if it becomes too stressful
      • Reach out to talk to a friend or family member when you are feeling overwhelmed or particularly concerned
      • Turn your focus to helping a friend or neighbor in need
      • f your schedule permits, give back to your community by way of volunteering.
    • Our Mental Health Counselors on Campus have developed a set of six, short health and wellness videos that will be shared each week, for six weeks beginning the week of November 2, 2020.  

      Regardless of the election results, MiraCosta will uphold our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and condemn any acts that attempt to distract us from our core values and mission. 
  3. November is National Career Development Month! 

    Our Faculty Director of the Career Center, Donna Davis, invites us to engage this month starting with a kick-off FLEX workshop next Monday, November 9 (see attached flyer)

    Here is a bit from Donna –

    Although we can’t celebrate with free coffee, as we have in years past, we invite you to kick off the month by attending a Flex workshop next Monday, 11/9/20, from 2:30 PM-4 PM; see the attached flyer to RSVP and get the Zoom link.

    At next week’s Flex, we’ll
    • introduce the MiraCosta-customized Career Coach exploration tool,
    • share an assignment 5 faculty implemented using Career Coach last spring, and
    • review feedback from students who completed the assignment. 

      Can’t wait to get started?  Click “Explore Careers and Programs” on the MiraCosta home page or click “Explore Careers” on any academic program page

(2) Online Tips and Tricks

  1.  25 Strategies to Engage Students on Your Next Zoom Meeting

    This site provides a pretty solid list of tools and tricks for engaging students in Zoom. Some of the ideas are pretty basic (like sharing your screen), but others are a bit more advanced AND fun – like “Bingo” and Hosting a “Game Show.”
  2. Creating Engaging Lecture Videos

    What kind of lecture video do you want to present? Classroom style? Khan Academy-like? Animation? This site provides these lecture recording techniques and more. There is also a section on dos and don’ts that are based on research focused on viewership. 

    Some key takeaways- keep videos short, talk fast with enthusiasm, and use relevant visuals

(1) Question

How are we remaining flexible and understanding as we know this week has impacted our students in very different ways?

Stay joyful,

Sean Davis
Joyful Teacher in Residence 
Coordinator, C3 Teaching and Learning Center

Designing Classes for All Learners: Possibility or Pipe Dream – A S.A.F.E. Topics Podcast

The S.A.F.E. Topics Podcast team is back at it with our latest episode! In this release, we are changing up the format from our one-word conversation into an ongoing series on Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Our hosts Sean and curry are joined by Aaron Holmes (Access Specialist, DSPS) and Jeff Higginbotham (Faculty Director, DSPS) in a conversation on “Designing Classes for All Learners: Possibility or Pipe Dream.”

Ways to Listen!

  1. Podbean – S.A.F.E. Topics
  2. Spotify
  3. Apple Podcasts
  4. Amazon Music
  5. Audible

​More ways to listen coming soon!

What to Listen For

Designing Classes for All Learners: Possibility or Pipe Dream

Listening points:

  • Faculty’s ability to adapt to accessibility.
  • The need to eliminate the fear factor in online instructional design.
  • Where to start: accessibility or universal design?
  • Understanding universal design as a framework and a mindset.
  • The “angle of ramps” for wheelchair users.
  • Why it is important for faculty to be flexible.
  • Why should I be doing these things?
  • Creating content and being mindful of how it will be used.
  • Intentionally reviewing your own course looking for barriers.
  • Understanding the importance of adapting to different points of access.
  • The importance of consistency.
  • The dangers of using new technology – is it worth it?
  • Are we creating anxiety in our online courses?
  • A celebration of everyone.
  • Focusing on the good and not the limits.
  • The need and want to be equitable.
  • A willingness and openness to assist students.

Helpful Link:

The S.A.F.E. Topics Team

curry mitchell – Faculty, Letters (Co-host)
Sean Davis – Faculty, Sociology (Co-host)
Kelly Barnett – Intern and Music Technology Student (Audio Editor)
James Garcia – Associate Faculty, Sociology (Show Notes, Online)

Connect with Us

PodBean
Safe Topics

Stay great,
S.A.F.E. Topics Podcast Team

S.A.F.E Topics logo

C3-2-1 Newsletter – Week Ten! (Election Edition)

Hello, Faculty Community! 

***You are receiving this newsletter because you are a faculty member at MiraCosta College. I, Sean Davis, am the coordinator of our C3 Teaching and Learning Center***

This edition of the C3-2-1 Newsletter is coming to you a few days early because Election Day is just over a week away, and our resource suggestions focus on our roles, as educators, in the serious business of political participation. We all have a responsibility to engage in ways we can. We can also help our students engage in the process regardless of if they can vote or not.

3 resources related to teaching and learning, 2 online tips and tricks, and 1 question for reflection

Looking for archived resources, tips/tricks, and questions?

Revisit the past editions of the C3-2-1 Newsletter here. 

Want to share? 

If you have some resources, tips/tricks, and questions to share, please contribute to the newsletter using this C3-2-1 Form.

C321 Newsletter

(3) Resources

  1.  Campus Election Engagement Project (CEEP)
    Do you want to discuss the upcoming election in your class but struggle with how to facilitate the conversation? This resource provides strategies, tips, and conversation starters, including their Campus Civic Discussions: A Non-Partisan Guide. We know these discussions can seem challenging. Hopefully, this resource and others can give us what we need to be prepared and willing to bring the topic to our students. 
  2. 76 things You Can Do To Boost Civic Engagement – Brookings Institution
    This resource gives us 76 ideas for staying informed, voting, other forms of participation, and a call to action for us all as we prepare to make decisions on policies that will impact how we operate locally and nationally. 

    ***We must remember that not all of our students and colleagues can cast a ballot. Being sensitive to this reality is crucial to creating inclusive working and learning environments***
  3. General Election Voter Guide – KPBS
    What was that prop about again? Who is that city council candidate? There are so many important items on the ballot, and keeping up with all of them can feel like taking a class, and the final exam is next Tuesday! Of the election guides I have reviewed, I found this one to be fair and comprehensive. Check it out to get clarity beyond all of those text messages, TV commercials, and leaflets cluttering up our mailboxes. 

(2) Online Tips and Tricks

  1.  View Recent Page View History in Canvas
    This tip comes from our Instructional Technologist, Karen Turpin. Thanks, Karen! 

    You may have noticed a new item in the Canvas Universal Navigation Menu. The clock icon on the menu is your gateway to your recent page view history within the learning management system. This menu item may be useful as you are managing several classes while working in Canvas. Here is a brief description of this tool from the Canvas Community site:
    As an instructor, you can view a list of your recent Canvas course page views from the History link in Global Navigation. The Recent History list displays page view history within the most recent three weeks.
  2.  Allowing Students to Create Discussions in Canvas

    Are you looking for ways to diversify the kinds of discussion you have in class? One way to accomplish this is by allowing students to engage with the course content by creating their own discussion board based on the material. Here is a blurb on how to use this feature in Canvas:

    You can allow students to create a new discussion by changing the settings from the Discussions page. When this setting is enabled, discussions created by students become part of the course and are included in future course copies and exports unless the discussions are deleted.

(1) Question

What are the potential consequences of claiming neutrality in a clearly critical juncture in contemporary history?

Stay joyful,

Sean Davis
Joyful Teacher in Residence 
Coordinator, C3 Teaching and Learning Center

Joyful Office Hours – Episode 1

Hello, Faculty Community! 

***You are receiving this message because you are a faculty member at MiraCosta College. I, Sean Davis, am the coordinator of our C3 Teaching and Learning Center***

The C3 Teaching and Learning Center is excited to present a new virtual offering that will help us connect with our colleagues by learning more about them! There is a fair amount of teaching and learning in each episode as well. 🙂
Enjoy! 

Joyful Office Hours – Episode 1 – The Joyful Teacher is joined by guest CE (Career Education) Instructional Designer, Liesl Madrona. The discussion includes accessibility, making videos that students will watch, what it is like working with an instructional designer, and more!

https://youtu.be/w0zRmBNb9l4

Stay joyful,

Sean Davis
Joyful Teacher in Residence
Coordinator, C3 Teaching and Learning Center

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