Category: Online Education News You Can Use

Hello, Faculty Community! 
We are nearly at the end of our first week of remote instruction and we want to make sure you are getting the support you need to make the most of the rest of the spring semester. Below, we have included some external professional learning opportunities, MiraCosta-developed resources, and ways to stay connected to support for anything that comes up! 

We are offering multiple Student Orientation to Online Learning workshops this week and next especially in support of students new to online learning – please direct your students to the signup form.

After consultation with Academic Senate leadership and our PDP Committee Chair, we are pleased to inform you that all of the workshops, 1-1 support, and external webinars that were offered last week are FLEX-eligible. The following upcoming and recorded professional learning opportunities pertaining to remote instruction are also FLEX-eligible:

• ASCCC: Governance, Remote Teaching, and Discipline Discussion – The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges is providing professional development workshops on remote instruction, counseling, library services, and remaining equity-minded in the midst of crisis.
• CVC-OEI Remote Instruction Workshops and Faculty Support Hours – The California Community Colleges Online Education Initiative is offering and promoting many remote instruction workshops and open office hours to support CCC faculty in this time.
• U.S. Department of Education: FERPA 101 For Colleges and Universities – This course addresses FERPA basics, explores requirements for the protection of student records for Colleges, Universities and other post-secondary institutions, addresses who may and may not access student records, when those records may be shared, and discusses several of the applicable exceptions to the FERPA requirement for consent.
• ACUE: Effective Online Instruction Webinars – Join nationally recognized experts in online teaching and learning for a virtual discussion on best-practices in key areas to ensure quality online instruction for student success.

We also want to remind faculty of the MiraCosta homegrown resources and recorded workshops supporting your shift to remote instruction: 

• Zoom tips 2-pager – Review this document to learn ways to help make your zoom sessions secure, engaging, and overall, a great experience
• MiraCosta Transition to Remote Instruction Workshop Archives – Here you will find all of the MiraCosta workshops and webinars offered last week 
• The Remote Instruction FAQs are an important reference for faculty if you have questions about the shift to Remote Instruction
• The Canvas module on Instructional Continuity contains lots of practical advice and links to tutorials to help you through your transitional process and beyond
• There’s an open Google doc for MiraCosta faculty to share remote instruction resources and ideas – there are lots of great contributions already. Feel free to add anything you find! 

As issues arise, please reach out to the following online support resources:

• 24-7 Canvas hotline for faculty: 1-833-345-2890
• Canvas Instructor Guides – comprehensive step-by-step tutorials on all Canvas features
• MiraCosta Canvas support home for faculty and MiraCosta Canvas tutorials -locally created guides on key Canvas features, how MiraCosta faculty are using Canvas, how Canvas works with SURF, and more
• MiraCosta Online Instructional Technologist, Karen Turpin, kturpin@miracosta.edu | for questions specific to Canvas’s operation at MiraCosta
• MiraCosta Faculty Director of Online Education, Jim Julius, jjulius@miracosta.edu | for questions about effective uses of Canvas and other online education technologies 
• MiraCosta Joyful Teacher in Residence, Sean Davis, sdavis@miracosta.edu | for support in moving from on-ground to Canvas
• MiraCosta Employee HelpDesk: 760-795-6850 for account and password issues

We hope things are going smoothly for you! If not, please use the resources above and/or contact us. 

In solidarity,

Sean and Jim

Hello, MiraCosta faculty –

In the last week, a lot of us have learned a lot about Zoom. Rick Cassoni did a great Zoom intro workshop and curry mitchell followed that with a deeper look on connecting with students in Zoom. Based on those and a lot of additional experience, I’ve compiled a 2-page set of Zoom tips for teaching with Zoom. These tips also can help you lessen the likelihood or severity of Zoombombing, which has sadly entered our world.

Scott Conrad has asked me to let faculty know that AIS ordered a number of wired headsets and webcams for faculty who may need either or both of these for a full instructional setup at home. If you are interested, please submit a Help Desk Request via the Portal. If approved, these items will be available for pickup at either the Oceanside or San Elijo campus at a time that works for you.

Best wishes!

Jim Julius, Ed.D.
Faculty Director, Online Education

Hello, Faculty Community! 

We have made it to the last day of professional development for the transition to remote instruction! We have another great lineup of workshops for you. We want to take time on this last day to thank you all for your efforts to make this project a reality. We are especially thankful for all of the folks who volunteered their time, energy, and expertise to help us during this moment in history that is both anomalous and riddled with uncertainty.  

THANK YOU! 

Below you will find the workshop schedule for the day, 1-1 support, and some resources to use as we get ready to rejoin our students and finish the Spring semester! 

Today (Friday), in our Zoom meeting for online workshops (same Zoom link for all workshops, all day, all week!) 

9 – 10 AM – Virtual Coffee Hour

Join colleagues for socializing, brainstorming, Q&A, demonstrations, and Zoom practice.

10 AM – 12 PM – Equity-Minded Remote Instruction Practices with Rhonda Welch-Scalco, Pedro Morgado, and Shawn Firouzian

In this session, we will look at some great evidence-based equity-minded practices in remote learning or distance education.  Participants and presenters engage in discussion about what these practices would look like in an ideal setting and what can be done now in this trying time to approximate them in our remote instruction.

12 – 1 PM – Academic Support Centers – with our Support Center Directors

Leaders from the Tutoring & Academic Support Center, Writing Center, STEM & Math Learning Centers, and Supplemental Instruction will share how their services will continue to be available to MiraCosta students, and invite faculty to consider how to help their students take advantage of these online support opportunities.

1 – 2 PM – A Review of Where We Have Been and a Discussion About What’s Next with Sean Davis and Jim Julius

Sean and Jim will recap the week, inviting participants to share what they’ve learned. We’ll go over key resources that faculty can continue to use moving forward, and look for input from participants about what additional forms of support will continue to be important.

2 – 3 PM –  A Discussion with Academic Senate Leadership with Maria Figueroa and Luke Lara

This is a space for faculty to address AS leadership with questions, concerns, and things to share that can benefit faculty and our students as we resume our Spring semester next week. 

3 – 5 PM – EXTENDED VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR 

We want to hear from you all about how the week has been and what you would like support to look like moving forward. Please bring your thoughts, ideas, questions, and suggestions as we wrap-up an unprecedented week amid unprecedented circumstances. 

Also today, 1-1 support is available in Zoom from 10 am – 4 pm and 7 – 10 pm – connect with volunteer colleagues to help you think through your technological and pedagogical shifts!

Remember also:

• You can view the full schedule of this week’s workshops and collegial support, and find colleagues who will provide phone support if Zoom isn’t your thing. At this link, you’ll also find on the workshop schedule links to recordings of all workshops from the week so far! Additionally, you can visit the TRANSITION TO REMOTE INSTRUCTION WORKSHOP ARCHIVES to view these offerings. 
• You can also contact a colleague from your discipline who is available for support
• The Remote Instruction FAQs are an important reference if you have questions about the shift to Remote Instruction
• The Canvas module on Instructional Continuity contains lots of practical advice and links to tutorials to help you through your transitional process
• There’s an open Google doc for MiraCosta faculty to share remote instruction resources and ideas – good stuff is being added there daily, including presentation slides and resources from this week’s workshops

With gratitude,

Sean and Jim

Good morning, MiraCosta faculty! We’re on day 4 of our 5 day workshop sprint. How are your preparations going? Ready for a boost? Check out a workshop today, or pop in for some online 1-1 support with a colleague! Check out the details below…

Today (Thursday), in our Zoom meeting for online workshops (same Zoom link for all workshops, all day, all week!) 

9 – 10 AM – Virtual Coffee Hour

Join colleagues for socializing, brainstorming, Q&A, demonstrations, and Zoom practice.

10am – 12pm – Canvas Course Design Overview – Robert Kelley

The workshop covers an approach to effectively set up a Canvas Course. You’ll see a step-by-step walk through in how to design a course using Canvas – with a discussion of both pedagogy and technology. Note that there are many ways to set up a Canvas Course – what you will see is just one possibility – but enough to get you started

12pm – 1pm – Library Resources – Librarians

This session will go over the library’s online resources and how to incorporate them into your courses. We will also have time for individual q & a.

1pm – 3pm – Screencasting – Robert Kelley

Screencasting enables you to ‘Show and Tell’ You can record and share with your students whatever you wish to display on your computer screen, while you are talking about it (e.g. using a microphone). Screencasting is a great way to share mini-lecturettes, make quick replies to students, demonstrate a method, or provide students with feedback on their assignments/quizzes. Importantly, you’ll get hands on experience with how to do this easily and for free!

3pm – 4pm – Making the Most of Canvas Discussions – Sean Davis

During this interactive workshop, we will participate in different kinds of discussions using the tools in Canvas and Zoom.
This workshop will cover:

• How to set up a Canvas Discussion Forum
• Using Zoom in tandem with Canvas Discussions
• Learn how to put students into groups (and have them self-enroll in groups) and facilitate a group discussion
• Using SpeedGrader to assess discussions

4 – 5 PM – Virtual Happy Hour

Join colleagues for socializing, brainstorming, Q&A, demonstrations, and Zoom practice.

Also today, 1-1 support is available in Zoom from 10 am – 4 pm and 7 – 10 pm – connect with volunteer colleagues to help you think through your technological and pedagogical shifts!

Remember also:

• You can view the full schedule of this week’s workshops and collegial support, and find colleagues who will provide phone support if Zoom isn’t your thing. At this link you’ll also find on the workshop schedule links to recordings of all workshops from the week so far!
• You can also contact a colleague from your discipline who is available for support
• The Remote Instruction FAQs are an important reference if you have questions about the shift to Remote Instruction
• The Canvas module on Instructional Continuity contains lots of practical advice and links to tutorials to help you through your transitional process
• There’s an open Google doc for MiraCosta faculty to share remote instruction resources and ideas – good stuff is being added there daily, including presentation slides and resources from this week’s workshops

Keep on keepin’ on,

– Sean and Jim