Quote of the Month

GIFTS (Great Ideas for Teachers) – Course Corrections

Learning Guide – Tips for Teaching Teleclasses

York Tech Connects – Great Expectations?

Learning Links – Helpful Links to Internet Resources

Faculty Focus – Father/Son Duo

Across the Campus…

December Professional Development Workshops

Dates to Remember

Reach to Teach Deadlines

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

Believing is easier than thinking.  Hence so many more believers than thinkers. – Bruce Calvert

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GIFTS – Course Corrections

Help your students take responsibility for their actions and for their own success in their classes.  Use or adapt the following questions used in COL 103 to promote reflection and to encourage course corrections if needed.

Fill in the blank below with the name of a current college course that is the most challenging for you.  Then complete the following sentences, letting your Inner Guide tell the truth here.  So far in ______________ (course name) …

1.            I’ve been absent ____ times.

2.            I’ve been late ____ times.

3.            I’ve studied for this course an average of ____ hours per week.

4.            I’ve completed ____ percent of the assignments.

5.            I’ve done my work at ____ percent of my best effort.

6.            I’ve participated actively in ____ percent of the classes I’ve attended.

7.            I’ve attended ____ study group meetings.

8.            I’ve attended ____ conferences with my instructor.

9.            I’ve gotten tutoring ____ times this semester.

10.       If I keep doing what I’ve been doing, the grade I’ll probably get in this course is ____.

11.       The advantages of my doing well in this course are…

12.       The disadvantages of my doing poorly in this course are…

13.    Changes I will make to improve my results in this course are…

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LEARNING GUIDE – Tips for Teaching Teleclasses

Being “on television” sounds more intimidating than it is.  If teaching a teleclass might be in your future, good preparation will help you make a smooth transition to distance learning.  Use these tips to ensure a good experience in the distance classroom.

1.      Be prepared; you may want to “rehearse” before your first class.  Organize your materials ahead of time since disorganization on TV appears exaggerated.  You may need to spend more time before class each week mailing or faxing materials to students and support personnel at distance learning sites.

2.      Understand how to operate equipment.  Know how to change camera shots—students, yourself, multiple views, etc.  Be able to turn microphones on and off; coughing or shuffling papers can create annoying noises.  Know where you can move about the room and still be on camera.

3.      Anticipate technology problems.  Make sure to have phone numbers for all sites and for technical assistance.  Have a contingency plan for students to work in groups or have an assignment ready to distribute if connections are lost.

4.      Use visual aids.  Since TV is a visual media, take advantage of graphics and illustrations to keep students focused and interested.

5.      Prepare a detailed syllabus addendum and calendar.  Make sure all students know how to reach you and other support personnel (e-mail, phone, mail).  Give students a detailed calendar with readings and assignments along with instructions for submitting assignments. 

6.      Question students directly.  Students at other sites may feel somewhat disconnected; make sure to include them at every opportunity.

7.      Get student feedback.  Ask students early if they are having problems with the class format, and address their concerns.

Royse, David, Teaching Tips for College and University Instructors:  A Practical Guide, Allyn & Bacon, 2001.

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YORK TECH CONNECTS – Great Expectations?

Do your students know what to expect from an online course?  Do you want to make navigating your WebCT course more user friendly for your students?  If so, consider preparing a Camtasia course overview. 

Camtasia is software that captures your actions on the computer screen while you narrate.  You can walk your students through your course showing them where to access information they will need to successfully complete the course.  This guided tour is a wonderful approach to simplify course navigation!  To learn more about Camtasia or to schedule a recording session, please call Ginger Dewey at 327-8038. 

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LEARNING LINKS 

Get the latest news on issues in higher education by accessing The Chronicle of Education online.  You will find articles on information technology, faculty, research and books, government and politics, and a section focused specifically on the community college.

http://chronicle.com/

Find study guides and strategies that are useful to both you and your students.  Discover, for example, valuable tips to share with your students on reading strategies, test taking, classroom participation, studying, and project management.

http://www.studygs.net/

The sky is falling!  The sky is falling!  Your cell phone number will be available soon to telemarketers!  To dispel these rumors and other urban legends, refer to this link. 

http://www.snopes.com/

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FACULTY FOCUS

YTC boasts a father/son duo teaching in the new Building Construction Trades program.  Henry Powell has served as an Army Ranger and started his work in the construction industry as a laborer.  He worked as a supervisor at Duke Power; during the Duke years, Henry started two successful companies and “retired” in 1982 to run them.  He “retired” again from his general contracting company in 1999 and consulted with his son Keith, who ran the company for six years.  During his construction years, Henry’s projects included apartments, condos, and a vacation retreat complex on Virginia’s eastern shore. He taught for the Dale Carnegie Schools of Management and Personnel for several years.  Henry and his wife of 48 years, Ann, have twins Keith and Kathy.

Keith Powell served in the Navy as an electronic warfare technician working on "top secret stuff."  He worked as a traffic control and production manager in electronics and as a warranty administrator for a large-scale HVAC and chiller company before going to work with his dad.  When Keith joined Powell Construction Company, he and his dad worked as a team; Henry typically handled the construction, and Keith worked with the mechanical, plumbing, accounting, payroll, advertising, etc.  Keith is a licensed mechanical and electrical contractor in both North and South Carolina and is nearing completion of his bachelor’s degree.

Both Henry and Keith are participating in the Adjuncts Creating Excellence (A.C.E.) program at YTC.  They are enthusiastic about sharing their experience and expertise with students and work hard at being as successful in the classroom as they have been in the construction field.  These adjunct instructors are helping to build a strong new program in Building Construction Trades! 

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ACROSS THE CAMPUS. . .

COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT

The Children’s Attention Home is the focus of the College’s Community Service Project this year.  The Children’s Attention Home is a refuge for abused, abandoned, and neglected children.  Licensed by the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS), the Home is a 24-hour emergency shelter for up to 24 children from birth through age 17.  Children may stay at the Home for up to 90 days while the DSS conducts an investigation, a Family Court hearing is held, and a treatment plan is presented.  A residential cottage is also available for 12 children who are in need of long-term care.  The Home’s main objective is to provide a care facility in which a child can experience a loving and secure family life.  Often, the only love and kindness some of the children have known will come from being a resident of the Home. 

Donated items for the Home will be collected through December 19.  Collection boxes are located across campus:

A100 – Health and Human Services Division Office

A104 – Business, Computer, Arts and Sciences Division Office

C104 – Industrial and Engineering Technologies Division Office

ST266 – Science and Technology Building

Administration Building

Child Development Center

Hood Center

Student Services Building

To see a list of items you can donate and to learn more about the Children’s Attention Home, please visit their website at www.attentionhome.org.  

HOLIDAY ANGEL TREE 2006

Stop by the START Center/Student Activities Center to participate in this year’s Angel Tree project.  You can purchase gifts for area foster children who have been removed from the custody of their parents and will not be returned to their homes.   Return the unwrapped gifts to Student Activities by November 27.  Call Student Activities at 981-7236 if you'd like more information or if you have questions.

BOOK CLUB

Join the Faculty/Staff Book Group on Fridays during lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in L-101.  We read about one chapter a week and will soon be starting At Century's End.  Check with Taunya Paul at X7316 for weekly progress.

The books that we will be reading and discussing in 2006/2007 are:

1.      Excellence Without a Soul:  How a Great University Forgot Education by Harry R. Lewis

2.      At Century’s End:  Great Minds Reflect on Our Times edited by Nathan P. Gardels

3.      Forbidden Knowledge: From Prometheus to Pornography by Roger Shattuck

SAVE THIS DATE

The annual Employee Recognition Luncheon will be from 12 noon to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 19.  Mark your calendars now!

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS - December

Concurrent sessions and QEP Friday Forums are from 11 a.m. to 12 noon; exceptions are noted.  Go to Friday Forums and Workshops for descriptions of all workshops.

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DATES TO REMEMBER

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Reach to Teach Deadlines

We appreciate your completing the short survey to help us make this a useful newsletter.  Make it your newsletter!   Contribute material for the newsletter, and tell us if you or your department would like to be a regular contributor.  Share your best practices as well as what you’ve learned along the way.  Tell us what you and your colleagues are doing to build community in York County.  Send your contributions and comments to lochsner@yorktech.com.

Article submission deadlines:

·        December 8

·        January 12

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