Learning and Teaching Newsletter W2012

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Teaching and Learning Newsletter, Fall/Winter 2011,12

In March 2011, Skagit Valley College received a four-year grant to participate in the Achieving the Dream (ATD) initiative. Achieving

the Dream is a national nonprofit focused on bold solutions to help more community college students succeed, particularly students of color and low-income students. The organization works on multiple fronts — including efforts on campuses and in research, public engagement and public policy — and emphasizes the use of data to drive change. Launched as an initiative in 2004 with funding provided by Lumina Foundation for Education, Achieving the Dream is built on the belief that broad institutional change, informed by student achievement data, is critical to significantly improving student success rates. Today, Achieving the Dream’s network includes 160 institutions in 30 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 2 million students.

ATD is focused on improving student success, especially identifying ways to help increase the percentage of students who graduate with a degree or certificate. Central to the initiative are the dual principles of equity and excellence, in which the best that higher education has to offer should be made available to all students. The notion of “equity” does not imply treating all students the same; some students may need extra help in meeting their goals. Administrators, faculty, and staff alike examine hard evidence and data to pursue policies and practices that are most likely to improve outcomes for all students.

A focus on data and using data to improve programs and services is at the core of ATD’s methodology: it advocates the practice of using data in decision-making, program evaluation and resource allocation. Decisions about how to organize, manage, and fund instruction and student support services should be made based on evidence of what works to facilitate student success.

Finally, ATD stresses the importance of broadly engaging the college community to improve student graduation and retention rates. The reasons why some students succeed and others do not are complicated and multifaceted. The only way we can tackle these issues effectively is to engage faculty, staff, students, and administrators throughout Skagit Valley College. Simply securing input from faculty and staff is not enough: ATD believes that colleges should better

Newsletter Fall/Winter 2011, 2012

CONTENTS:Editorial..........................................1,8,10 Achieve the Dream Dave Paul............................1,3AVID and CLT.........................................4Community Intergration Folette, Kost, Tate................5,6,8 Social Media and Social Change Linda Smith............................7Parking Safety Reminders Bill Overby................. ............9Global Fest.............................................11Important Fitness Questions Beth Collins...........................13Professional Development Schedule......12Library Tours..........................................13Sustainability Tips..................................12Embedded Librarian...............................13Sustainability Tips..................................15Tai Chi....................................................16SLOAN..................................................16 Want to Learn Spanish...........................17Welcome to our Community.............17-18Moodle Hours........................................18Tergrity Steps.........................................20 Continued on page 3

Well here we are at the start

of the winter quarter, and the Center for Learning and Teaching (CLT) newsletter is finally in print. The retirements and cut backs of the past few quarter have left us all extremely busy; everyone is working a little extra. While we sorely miss our departed colleagues and wish they were here, there has been an incredible effort shown from all of the current Skagit Valley College (SVC) crew to maintain the same level of excellence that has become commonplace.

Editorial: Sean Howard, Editor Achieve The Dream

Dave Paul

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Teaching and Learning Newsletter, Fall/Winter 2011/12 2

encourage faculty and staff to take responsibility for student success and invite them to take the lead in efforts to improve the effectiveness of their programs and services.

I hope that faculty and staff do not view ATD as “one more thing to do.” The goal of ATD — that of improving student graduation and retention rates — is not a new one for Skagit. SBCTC’s Student Achievement Point initiative already rewards Washington state community colleges when students reach certain benchmarks (such as completing a developmental math course, completing 15 college credits, or earning a degree or certificate). And, Skagit Valley College is already participating in a number of valuable student success initiatives, including AVID, IBEST, and Learning Communities to name just a few.

What ATD does is help provide Skagit Valley College with a focus and better resources to accomplish that focus. The grant totals $250,000 over four years. Some of that money will help us collect data that faculty and staff need to determine strategies they would like to implement to improve graduation and retention rates and some will be used for faculty and staff professional development activities, based on what faculty and staff believe is most valuable.

Our ATD fall in-service activity was just the start of our ATD efforts — we will be hosting forums and activities throughout the year to help guide and advance Skagit’s ATD initiative. We look forward to working with you in one or more of these activities! For more information about Skagit’s ATD effort, go to www.skagit.edu/atd. You can also contact one of the ATD leaders: Dave Paul and Hilda Halliday, ATD Core Team co-chairs, and Maureen Pettitt, ATD Data Team chair. A list of faculty, staff, and students serving on the ATD Core and Data Teams is also available on the website. We’ll be including regular ATD updates in the CLT Newsletter. Contact one of the ATD leaders: Dave Paul and Hilda Halliday, ATD Core Team co-chairs, and Maureen Pettitt, ATD Data Team chair. A list of faculty, staff, and students serving on the ATD Core and Data Teams are available on the website. We’ll be including regular ATD updates in the CLT Newsletter.

ATD Continued from page 1

Teaching and Learning Newsletter, Fall/Winter 2011,12 3

AVID (Achievement Via Individual Determination) - I had the good fortune of attending 5-day AVID Summer Institute with some of SVC’s best. From their website: The “Summer Institute is AVID’s

annual professional development training where teachers can come to learn the latest in AVID methodologies and strategies to successfully implement AVID in their schools.” The 101 + degree days in Dallas didn’t seem too bad at all when spending time them with co-SVC-attendees Val Mullen, Gail Bruce, Jean Market, Laura Callioux, Dan Nelson, and our leader Gail Bruce. We were introduced to the post-secondary Version of AVID. This is a section of AVID that began recently to continue the AVID enthusiasm.

Our AVID leader in Dallas was Jim Donohue. A talented teacher and presenter, Jim and his team led us through numerous AVID activities, while explaining to us AVID precepts. The foundation of these activities is built on group participation surrounded organization motivation and creative lesson planning and curriculum design. My enthusiasm grew quickly as I realized that these were not only golden lesson plan ideas, they are effective and enjoyable. We received a lot of information to bring back and share with our teaching peers. Each month there will be an AVID workshop through the CLT, so be sure to mark it on the calendar and plan to attend.

Also, our AVID trainer, Jim Donohue visited Skagit Valley College on Nov 21st to help teach AVID strategies (see pictures below)

Examples of the topics covered in AVID include:• Cornell Note-taking • Critical Reading Strategies • Time Management Skills• Critical Thinking Strategies • Levels of Inquiry (Costa/Bloom taxonomy)(asking more in-depth or appropriate questions) • Socratic Seminars* • Philosophical Chairs*

AVID and the SVC CLT(employees attended theAVID Summer Institute in USA Dallas Texas)Sean Howard


Megan Kost, Twila Tate and Jere LaFollette from Skagit Valley College (SVC) were featured presenters at the

2011 Defendant/Offender Workforce Development Conference – SCOPE OF PRACTICE – held in Seattle this past August. They were joined by representatives of the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC), the Skagit County Sheriff’s Department, and Skagit County Community Action Agency who have worked with SVC in the development and implementation of the Community Integration Project (CIP) - a collaborative effort designed to assist persons returning to our community from Washington State correctional facilities.

The central focus of this project is to identify and support individuals leaving DOC facilities that would benefit from participation in SVC programs. In addition to their involvement at the college, students are provided with case management support that assists them in accessing housing and other needed social services that can facilitate their success.

Critical Community Issues

Our nation is facing a major challenge in developing effective models to support persons leaving prison and returning to their communities. It is important for each community to assist this group in establishing

productive lives. As was noted in the Scope of Practice call for proposals:

Explosive growth in the number of people on probation or parole has propelled the population of the American corrections system to more than 7.3 million. The Department of Justice reports that one of every

15 people in this country will serve a prison term during their lifetime and one in 32 individuals is currently in prison, on probation or parole. Of those released, 67.5% will be rearrested within three years. Having a meaningful job with a livable wage and reducing the barriers to employment has proven to reduce the

likelihood of re-offending.1

The situation in the Evergreen State is no less critical:

• Washington’s prison population continues to increase. The projected 2009-2011 operating budget for the State Dept. of Corrections approaches $2 billion. 2

• With felony recidivism at an estimated rate of 67%, a great portion of these costs are related to serving repeat offenders.3

• In addition to justice system and correctional costs, crime seriously impacts the lives of many community members – victims, perpetrators, and the public.

Challenges Facing Individuals Returning to the Community

There are a number of challenges facing persons leaving correctional facilities. These include:• Finding employment or education that can enhance employability, • Finding appropriate housing, particularly if they are without family or other• supports.

1 Community Partnership for Transitional Services, 2011 Defendant/Offender Workforce Development (DOWD) Regional Conference. “Scope of Practice” August 16-18, 2011 RegionalConferenceProposal_001.pdf.

2 (http://www.governor.wa.gov/priorities/budget/factsheet/doc.pdf) 3Gregg Freeman, DOC, Mount Vernon.

SVC Community Integration Project Featured At Regional Corrections ConferenceJere LaFollette, Megan Kost, Twila Tate

Teaching and Learning Newletter, Fall/Winter 2011/12 5 CONT. on PG. 6

• Dealing with the stigma which results from having been in prison.

To address these issues, the Community Integration project began in the fall of 2009 with a series of meetings between representatives of DOC, Community Action, and SVC.

The partners to this project knew that they were suggesting expanded services at a time of shrinking budgets. Thus, it was realized that this effort would need to be developed through the effective use of existing resources rather than being able to count on additional funding for a new program. While there was a critical need for specialized case management for this group of clients, this was met by successfully securing an AmeriCorps VISTA position as the Community Integration Project Coordinator, a position now filled by Megan Kost. The project was formally initiated in December 2009.

The SCOPE OF PRACTICE conference featured innovative practice to support offender rehabilitation with a particular focus on employment and workforce development. A major goal of the SVC presentation was to share the Community Integration Project (CIP) model with professionals and educators from other Washington State communities who might benefit from adopting this collaborative approach which calls on cooperative programming between corrections, social service, and educational programs.

As Megan pointed out in describing this innovative program, the mission of the CIP is to provide support and guidance to previously incarcerated individuals who wish to further their education. In doing so, the long-term goal of Community Integration Project, is to decrease the rate of recidivism by helping ex-offenders achieve the skills necessary for self-sufficiency. In addition, the project seeks to serve individuals who are committed and motivated to continue their education.

As the project coordinator Megan provides one-on-one case management and support for each program participant. This includes:

• Academic planning and advising• Support with the application and registration process• Help in finding the right funding for college• Financial Aid• Opportunity Grant/Basic Food Employment & Training• Providing Program Pathway options

Services through the SVC Professional / Technical Student Success Unit

At SVC the Community Integration Project is located within the College’s Professional / Technical Student Success (PTSS) Unit. As noted by Twila Tate, a wide range of services and supports are

coordinated through PTSS. These include:

• Work Place Essentials (WPE) which provides a supportive learning environment for students in transition and assists students in improving their basic math, reading, writing, communication and study skills.

• College Prep, a course designed to prepare students for successful transition into college by providing students with an orientation to college life and expectations.

• Integrated Basic Education & Skills Training (I-BEST) which pairs basic skills Instructors with Vocational instructors in short-term professional/technical certificate programs.

While the Community Integration project does not have resources to assist students in paying for tuition and other educational resources the Professional/Technical Student Success unit helps to secure funding for project participants where possible. As Twila pointed out, many students are eligible to receive funding from Opportunity Grant or Basic Food Employment and Training, which support educational expenses such as tuition, books and supplies.

Teaching and Learning Newsletter, Fall/Winter 2011/12 6 CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

July 14-16, 2011 four Skagit Valley College instructors attended the 2011 Community College Master Teacher Institute at the University of Washington in Seattle. Participating were Jason Lind, Commu-

nication Studies; Elena Bianco, Library & Journalism; Jere LaFollette, Human Services; and Linda Smith, Communication Studies. Sponsored by the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, the workshop focused on Social Media and Social Change.

The institute touched upon a number of topic areas: a sample learning community from Cascadia Community College; instructional applications of social media and electronic technologies; the impact of social media in different regions of the world; the use of digital storytelling in a local refugee community; and developing curriculum for participants to use in their community college classrooms. For me the highlight of the institute was those presentations focusing on how or to what degree social media was influencing social change by geographical region.

Guiditta Caliendo, visiting Fulbright Scholar from the University of Naples, presented on how social media was being used to shape the identity of the European Union. The formation of the EU has resulted in an inter-esting question both among member nations and outsiders: “Who do you call if you want to talk to Europe?” Social media and/or other electronic media have become the answer. The Europa website, for more formal information exchange, has been used with the goal of developing a sense of collective values. EUTube and Europatweets have been more informal media. Interestingly, the use of social media has not been as effective in achieving objectives of creating a European identity, in part because the rhetoric (rather than the media that delivers it) uses a “telling and selling” discourse, a customer-service orientation, and a synthetic personaliza-tion (the “benefits YOU derive from being a member of the European Union”).

On day two, David Bachman, professor in the Henry M. Jackson, School of International Studies at UW, dis-cussed Social Media and Social Change in China. Of particular interest to me was China’s approach to con-trolling social media within its own borders. It has simply developed its own versions of Western media such as Facebook (Kaixan 001), Twitter (SINA, TencentQQ), Amazon (Dang Dang, Taopao), YouTube (Youku), Google (Baidu), etc., media which China is better able to control.

Sara Van Fleet, Associate Director of the Southeast Asia Center in the Henry M. Jackson School of Interna-tional Studies at UW, presented Social Media, the King, and Political Crisis in Thailand. Because of social media, a new social contract is currently being “negotiated” in Thailand. However, since 2006, the monarchy has chosen to use lese majeste laws, originally enacted in 1908 to prosecute crimes of injury to the monarchy, to now stifle political dissent. The application of lese majeste laws to criminal prosecution has increased 300% since 2006. A Computer Crimes Act of 2007 has also been enacted. Since media providers can be held libel for content, this leads to self-censorship, especially with loyalist “cyber scouts” patrolling the Internet. So for Thai citizens, social media has been “an uneven process for change.”

Jere Bacharach, Professor Emeritus of History at UW, explored The Arab Spring: Multiple Stories, focusing primarily on Egypt where he was a witness to the various events taking place, starting with the Police Day national holiday on January 25, 2011, when various contributors to social media called for a “Day of Rage.” Bacharach noted that while he believed social media didn’t create the conditions for the Egyptian protests (changes in birthrate and marital relationship account for a portion of this), it did allow

SOCIAL MEDIA AND SOCIAL CHANGE: 2011 COMMUNITY COLLEGE MASTER TEACHER INSTITUTE AT UWLinda A. Smith, Communication Studies


SOCIAL MEDIA (cont. from pg.7) formations of small local groups through which communication passed and a worldwide distribution of events as they happened via cell phone.

This was the first time I had participated in UW’s Community College Master Teacher Institute, and I came away from the experience thoroughly impressed by the presenters, the organizers, and the participants whose openness and intellectual curiosity made interactions stimulating and fun. All of this at no cost to the partici-pants; in fact, we received a stipend to cover transportation and other expenses. I’d recommend future summer institutes to other SVC faculty and would not hesitate to attend again myself.

Summary

In summary, SVC staff who participated in this conference not only shared the Community Integration Project with other attendees at Scope of Practice but made valuable contacts and learned from others as to the challenges facing offenders as they return to their community. Clearly the issue of reentry for ex-offenders deserves greater attention and the application of innovative projects, such as this SVC CIP model program, throughout the state. To do so, will benefit not only ex-offenders, but increase the safety of our communities as well.

COMMUNITY INTERGRATION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5


Students at our college are not only receiving an excellent education, they are benefiting from all the extras that our state at a monetary value higher than that invested. Sometimes these are “just” educational services, but many times the services involve much more.

We do this through the empowerment of individuals to become the active members (currency generators and spenders) of our community that keep our economy turning and the innovators that help it

expand. Moreover, here at the community college level, more than perhaps any other level of education, we receive individuals who sit at an impasse between being a productive member of our society or not. Each one of us at SVC, (probably more than we realize or are given credit for doing), are among the top factors involved in improving people’s lives and empowering individuals of our community to be successful.

We are important, and we deserve to be funded. The state deserves to have a well-funded community college system, because for many people the community college system is their only path to change, their only route to success. I am not talking revolution; this is simply an acknowledgement of all the hard work that everyone at Skagit Valley College does everyday. It is time that we toot our own horn a bit. Not for ourselves, but rather for the students that we serve.

The Center for Learning and Teaching Activities: We have been busy in the CLT working with faculty and staff members to create learning opportunities for all of the SVC community.

Projects:• Online education Group- This is a group of employees that meet regularly to discuss how Skagit Valley

College can be deliver successful distant and hybrid education programs: Our goal is to discuss relevant technology options available and trainings needed, while also exploring the “Best Practices” involved in effective on-line education delivery. Our plan is to begin “Brown Bag Lunch” programs in the Winter Quarter to have instructors discuss the technology that they are using, and how it is working for them. Members include: Alvan Aguirre, Elena Bianco, Sally Dixon, Sean Howard, Kristine LeBlanc, Jennifer McFarland, Niccole Mclaughlin, Margret Mills, Anne Mullenniex, Dan Nelson, Kristi Spinnie.

• AVID (Achievement through Individual Determination): The CLT is working directly with Gail

EDITORIAL CONTINUED FROM FROM FRONT PAGE

Parking Lot Safety Reminders Bill Overby

Everyone values a parking space! The closer to the staff or student’s activity base the better!! On top of that, most people don’t want to be here one minute earlier

than they have to be. I, and most all of you, understand all of that. Yet, when these three “facts” converge, it makes for a frenzy of activity, rise in blood pressure, and driving posture that is uncommon for most of us. In the period September 23 – 26, eight incidents were reported involving collisions or vehicle damage associated with inattention, aggressive driving, or striking fixed objects. Most certainly there were other incidents which were not reported, either out of haste or embarrassment. Finally, more than one person has reported to me that they have experienced close encounters of a third kind: people (not all students) who are crossing streets, parking lots, or other areas and are inattentive to vehicular traffic that can pose a threat to them. These persons generally fit into two categories- they are wearing “ear-bud” speakers and therefore cannot hear vehicles approaching them, or their attention is riveted to the text message they are sending or have received.

Here are some good sense reminders for all of us, including myself. In police training, we speak of “keeping your head on a swivel”. This means practicing situational awareness-being attentive for threats of any kind. Expanding this training concept to the civilian world generally, and campus parking lots specifically, simply means “watch out for the other car”. This can be easier said than done, but in the end, it requires personal discipline as a responsibility. One good way to maximize an opportunity for finding a parking space is, arrive early. This requires personal organization and time management. You will not be guaranteed a parking space exactly where you’d like it, however your chances increase to at least get you in the vicinity. My experience (and that of others I’ve talked with) is never, in years, having to walk over 100 yards to my destination from where I’ve parked. The walk is often therapeutic, as I meet some of the nicest students and employees that way.

In the event that your favorite parking lot is full, may I suggest many opportunities that may exist in the East Campus lots, including the East Campus Building area (the church property where the International Program currently resides). Another opportunity for a short time is a graveled parking lot on the west side of La Venture Boulevard, part of the Children and Family Learning Center.

Drive cautiously to avoid the inattentive. Try to anticipate drivers’ reactions when they start up their vehicle in parking stalls as they prepare to leave—will they look before they back up? Park between the lines, and only in designated parking stalls. Straddling parking stall lines is a violation, and can result in damage to your vehicle or your neighbor’s. One of the most aggravating aspects of the job of security staff is dealing with students who park in staff or visitor’s stalls, and I know from speaking with many of you that it makes you very unhappy. However, I also need to point out that there are several staff members who violate this same premise by parking in an illegal fashion—in designated “NO PARKING” or “FIRE LANE” areas, portions where the lots are “hash-marked” to preclude parking, and in some extreme cases, in handicapped parking stalls. Facilities and Operations Director Dave Scott and his staff deserve kudos for the exemplary condition of the majority of parking lots we returned to this fall—they are clearly marked, and my direction to Security Services staff is that we enforce college codes regarding parking vigorously. As staff, I believe we should set the correct example for our students to follow in this regard, without feelings of privilege or entitlement.

If you have a condition or situation which precludes you from walking long distances between your parking space and your duty station, please contact Security at 7777 so that we can assist you from the lot to your office or classroom.

Finally, the winds of winter have arrived. Be mindful that wind gusts can catch a car door as it is opening, pulling it from your grip, and propelling it into a nearby vehicle or fixed object. Such damage incurred is frustrating, to say the least. Hopefully, only a little cosmetic repair will be required.Teaching and Learning Newsletter, Fall/Winter 2011/12 9


EDITORIAL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

ARCHIVED PHOTO OF SVC LOOKING NORTH FROM COLLEGE WAY

Bruce to facilitate delivery of AVID strategies and tools to SVC instructors. Sean Howard from the CLT attended an AVID workshop in Dallas, Texas this summer to learn more about AVID. Monthly workshops are currently running in which instructor using these AVID strategies and tools demonstrate and talk about how each work.

• “Welcome to our Community Diversity “ Sean Howard from the CLT working with 3 other SVC instructors: Jere Lefollet, Barbara Martinez-Griego, and Lou Lombombard were approved for an $8,000 award to facilitate diversity training on the SVC campus. We chose to take these funds directly to our clubs, and with our guidance, allow them to develop projects that will teach diversity and make our campus a more welcoming place for all students. The goal for the clubs is to create activities that “celebrate diversity” and help Skagit Valley College develop an even more supportive environment where each student feels appreciated and welcome.

• The CLT is working directly with members from “Achieving the Dream” to help disseminate information about the project and actively participate in these training (i.e. helping when needed).

• The CLT is working directly with the Sustainability Committee on a number of projects. The main focus currently is getting out the word on sustainability. We have released a packet of talking points for the instructors and SVC employees to discuss with their students, and we are working on a video that will cover how to properly recycle.

• Sean Howard from the CLT will be co-advising the SVC Veteran’s Club in hopes of creating a strong link between these students and SVC faculty and staff.

• The CLT along with other SVC departments continues to support a number of on-line and on-ground trainings throughout the year on a number of topics.

• Are you interested in helping out with one of the above projects, facilitating training, or want to see a specific training take place? Drop us an e-mail at [email protected] or [email protected] and we’ll make it happen!

ARCHIVED PHOTO OF SVC LOOKING NORTH FROM COLLEGE WAYTeaching and Learning Newsletter, Fall/Winter 2011,12 11

GLOBALFEST: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENT LEARNING

What are you doing to promote global awareness and engagement among your students?

Global competency is an increasingly important factor in our students’ future success. Some of you already do a lot to promote students’ global learning, while others would like to but maybe are not sure how to do it. In either case, our annual GlobalFest - February 9-March 8, 2012 - presents opportunities for you to engage students, as well as our campus and broader communities, in this vitally important area.

Our GlobalFest weekly themes are World Cultures, Global Service,

International Business, Human Rights & the Global Environment. As you

plan ahead for Winter Quarter, here are a few ideas to consider from past

GlobalFest activities, and the faculty, staff and students who made it happen:

• Showcase your students’ work! Invite the campus and community to your classroom for student

presentations on globally-related topics. (Jason Lind and Linda Smith – Public Speaking; Lynne Fouquette

– Human Sexuality)

• Encourage global-themed student projects that result in presentations or displays (poster sessions) in the

Knutzen Cardinal Center or other public location. (Trish Barnes – Developmental English; Student

presentations on travel to France (IE project) and China (LIA); International students sharing music, food

and culture from their home countries; Culinary Arts menu series of International dishes.)

• Invite the campus community to hear a classroom guest speaker on a global topic, or encourage your

students to arrange this as a class project. (Jere LaFollette – guest speaker from Ghana)

• Bring your students to a GlobalFest seminar or activity, or encourage them to attend on their own for

extra credit.

• Are you a club advisor? Suggest global themes for club projects during Global Fest. (Environmental Club

– Global Water Shortage; Calling All Colors Club – Mexican Bingo Night; Nursing Club – guest speaker

on international volunteer nursing)

• Reach out to AESL faculty to arrange a cultural/language exchange between American and International

students, or invite our Chinese exchange professor, Yan Ling, to speak to your class.

• Showcase your own International experience or interests. (Claus Svendsen – China’s Environmental

Crisis; Kathy Kuba – Refugees from Burma; Tom Tomeoka – Japanese Tea Tasting; Shen Pi – Chinese

Cooking Demonstration; Librarians – International book display)

• Enthused about a film or book with a global theme? Host a screening or reading and lead an informal

group discussion.

• Be creative! Have an idea nobody has thought of? Let’s talk! We are always open to new approaches and

themes to achieving greater global awareness and engagement through GlobalFest.

I am available any time to meet with you to brainstorm ideas, help with logistics (rooms, tables, advertising, etc.) or

whatever else it takes to make it feasible for you to be part of this. Please contact me!


SVC Employee Professional Development Schedule Date Time Room Training – See

information below Presenter

January 17, 2012

1:00 to 3:00 pm Multipurpose Room

Women Veterans Returning to Campus: Exploring the Military and Gender Transition Issues.

Webinar from Innovative Educators

January 24, 2012

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

WIC Studio A

Multipurpose Room

Disability and Differences

Lisa Forsythe and David Wilder

February 6,

2012

10:00am to Noon

And 2:30 to 4pm

Angst 125 Effective Meeting Management

Duane Collette

February 7

2012

2:00pm to 3:00pm

MV Studio A

WID TBA

Learning to use

Power Speak!

Elena

Bianco

February 9, 2012

1:00 to 3:00 pm WIC Studio A,

MV Studio A

Microsoft Word Forms

Kristi Spinnie

March 14, 2012 2:00 to 4:00 pm Student Services 102

Student Services

Multiple Fridays

TBA

Noon to 1:00pm

Multi Purpose

Room

Brown Bag Lunches-

Sharing E-learning tools

Online Education Group (OLE’)

Winter AVID Trainings: January: on-line tools for enhancing student engagement, February: Socratic Circle, what is it? March: Philosophical Chairs and how it works.

Jill FugatePresentations: • Duane Collette, “How Brain Science Affects Group Process”

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012; 2:40pm - 4:00pm, Lewis Hall, 65 • Trish Barnes, et. al., “An Hour of Readings: Published and In-Process Works”

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012; 2::40pm – 4:00pm, Lewis Hall, 65; Mount Vernon Campus

We do have library faculty here and available to provide research instruction for your students. The words at the fall in-service that caught our attention were OPTIONAL VS. REQUIRED. Often, we hear from classroom faculty that they are making library instruction optional as students tell them they already know how to “use” the library or the internet.

We end up seeing the determined students in those classes who realize they are struggling with finding the appropriate resources for their assignments. There is a huge difference in googling a topic and understanding that different assignments need different resources and how to locate, use and evaluate those resources. Library faculty would appreciate the opportunity to work with you and your students! Besides the traditional 50 minute orientation, we have worked with some faculty to provide in-depth instruction over several weeks and on the other hand have also provided 15 minute talks on one resource where appropriate.

We would also love to work with you on collection development in order to improve our print and non-print selections in your discipline areas. Please contact the library faculty at x7847 or [email protected] or simply stop in and see us in the library. If you are contacting us to schedule a class, please use one of the methods suggested above. This will ensure your message is received promptly as most of us are not here every day.

Thanks library faculty Margret Mills, Mindy Coslor, Elena Bianco, Linda Hendrick, and Susan Kent.

Library Tours for your Class

Important Fitness Question Answered: How can I lose weight?Beth Collins, MS, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer

Well, the answer to this question is simple, really: move more and eat less! That’s it! At the end of the day, if you have acquired a negative caloric balance [meaning you expended more calories (read: en-

ergy) than you consumed], you are on your way towards losing weight.

Think of it this way: a pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories. In other words, 3,500 excess calories con-sumed will equate to one pound of stored body fat. A reasonable weight loss goal is one pound a week. So to accomplish that, over the course of one week, you would need to obtain a negative caloric balance of 3,500 calories. Divided among seven days, this would work out to a negative caloric balance of 500 calories each day.

This can be achieved a few different ways: reduce caloric intake by 500 calories a day; increase physical activity to expend 500 additional calories a day; or (the

best way!) reduce caloric intake by 250 calories a day and expend 250 additional calories through increased physical activity (a brisk walk for 30 minutes)!

If your goal is weight loss, even making small adjustments to your current lifestyle can be beneficial. Adding physical activity not only helps you achieve that negative caloric balance (which is essential for weight loss), but also brings about numerous health benefits like reduced risk of chronic diseases, increased functionality of mus-cles, bones, and joints, reduced stress and depression, and increased self-esteem. Who doesn’t want that?


Chats with an Embedded LibrarianChari McRill & Bobbi Sandberg

Information literacy is one of the college’s General Education Learn-ing Values and is defined as “recognizing when information is needed and having the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information”. http://portal.skagit.edu/GenEd/default.aspx Many course outlines have identified Information Literacy objec-tives as learning outcomes for the course. This means the instructor is assessing the students for these skills. Is your course one of these courses and, as an instructor, are you helping students meet the objec-tives?

In the online environment it can be especially difficult for instructors to incorporate Information Literacy into their classes. For your students, this does not mean knowing how to use Google; as so many of them believe. After they graduate will they have the skills to locate, evaluate the information they need to make important choices in their lives?

An embedded librarian is a librarian who works with an instructor and his/her online class. I was fortunate to be embedded into Bobbi Sandberg’s CSS104 & SOSC 113 online classes this last spring and summer quarters. I was fortunate that as a librarian, I was able to work with students through online chat sessions to introduce them to information literacy without the students ever stepping onto campus.

Bobbi prepared for the sessions by first determining which week would be the best week for me to partici-pate in chats and forums with her students. She then developed a series of questions for her students to re-search and she provided me with the students’ assignments. It is especially important for librarians to review the assignments as we often complete the assignments in advance to evaluate which resources will most aid the student.

I gave Bobbi four scheduled times when I would be available for her CSS104 students. I was very curious to discover which times (morning, afternoon, or evening) might bring in the most students. Evening was the winner (no surprise). At one time I had as many as six students simultaneously chatting and asking ques-tions. Questions were wide ranging: Don’t ya just have books? (No) Can I use the databases from home at 2:00 am? (Yes) Did you always want to be a librarian? (No, 1st choice was a glaciologist)

Want to embed a librarian in your class? Here’s how:

1. To embed a librarian in your online class, arrange a time with one of the librarians. On the Mt. Vernon campus, the librarians are: Mindy Coslor, Margret Mills, and Elena Bianco. On the Whidbey campus it is me- Chari McRill, also supporting South Whidbey and San Juan centers.

2. Send your assignments to the librarian.

3. Set the dates/times for the online chats. 4. Notify IT that you wish to add the librarian to your Moodle class as a non-editing instructor.

5. Notify your students several days in advance of the chat sessions. Bobbi includes the chat sessions on her syllabus to ensure as many students as possible will participate.

6. Have a great time! Bobbi says embedded librarians are fun for the students, the instructor, and the library!


The Skagit Valley College Sustainability Committee sends you a big welcome back for another great year. We are hoping that you can help us get the word out to our students about on environmental mindfulness. As a teacher you play a critical role in empowering students to become involved and help protect our beautiful world. Below are listed talking points and activities that we are encouraging you to share with your students:

The Environmental Mantra: Reduce/ Reuse/ Recycle: • To reduce litter students can be encouraged to bring a metal or hard plastic beverage con-

tainer to school and to pack their lunch rather eating at a fast food restaurant- or bring a plate, fork for meals at the café, and a container to bring home any extra food.

• Please encourage students to actively reduce their paper use by leaving some things un-printed and sharing resources.

• By using cloth shopping bags they can reduce plastic and paper use.

• The backside of paper can be reused for notes, and plastic containers and glass jars can be reused for storage.

• Remind them to buy local when possible and support local farms by eating with the sea-sons and by eating less processed foods.

• Encourage them to plant trees and gardens.

• Inform them of the environmental and health benefits of biking to work.

• Ask them to consider buying and donating used materials/clothing at thrift shops.

• Please inform them on how to properly use the recycle cans that are located in each class-room.

• And finally, encourage your students to join an environmental group on campus and attend the SVC Sustainability Committee meetings. (They can follow the Sustainability Commit-tee news feed on our Skagit Valley College Sustainability Committee Facebook page.)

• If we all do a little, we’ll all accomplish a lot!Thank you!

From the SVC Sustainability Committee

Sustainability Tips


Tai Chi Yanling (Lucy) Gong

I’d like to announce the time and place for Taiji class. We will start the class on the second week of the quarter and end the week before the final exam, the specific dates are

Jan. 10(Tues.)/ 11 (Wed.) to March 13 /14, 10 weeks)Time and place for the parallel classes:

Tuesday Class 12:30—1:20 Hodson 24 (Jan. 10 – March 13, 10 weeks)

Wednesday Class 10:30 – 11:20 Gym (the basketball court) (Jan. 11 – March 14, 10 weeks)

Come, find inner peace.

Questions? Contact the CLT - [email protected] or contact:

Yanling Gong <[email protected]>

Sloan – C Online Workshops through March 2012: Go to http://sloanconsortium.org/workshops/2012schedule for full descriptions(Seats are available to be used for these online workshops contact the CLT for more information)

1. Cheat Sheets: Academic Integrity in Online Education 1/18 – 1/27 2. Challenges and Rewards of Effective Online Feedback 1/18 – 1/27 3. What Faculty Need to Know About Blended Teaching and Learning 1/18 – 1/27 4. Going Beyond Google and Bing 1/18 – 1/27 5. The Seven Futures of Online Education:

Strategies for Moving from Access to Quality 2/1 – 2/10 6. Pedagogy in Second Life 2/1 – 2/10 7. Blended Learning - Part 1 of 3: Designing Courses and Building a Community 2/1 – 2/24 8. Impact Assessment: So What? 2/15 – 2/24 9. So Sue Me: What You Need to Know About Copyright Compliance 2/15 – 2/24 10. The Equation: 2/15 – 2/24 11. Be the Master of Your Moodle: Create Vibrant Online Courses 2/15 – 2/24 12. Getting Started: The First Steps Toward Online Teaching 2/29 - 3/16 13. Online Education Retention Strategies 3/7 – 3/16 14. Collaborating Works: Using Teams to Produce Knowledge 3/7 – 3/16 15. MERLOT 101: Teaching and Learning Materials with The Online Community 3/7 – 3/16 16. Sound & Vision: Enhancing Distance Learning with Audio and Video 3/7 – 3/16 17. Blended Learning - Part 2 of 3: Delivering Content, Fostering Student Interactivity, and

Assessing Learning 3/7 – 3/30 18. Fair is Fair? A Closer Look at Fair Use and the TEACH Act 3/21 – 3/30 19. Improving Student Engagement in Online Courses 3/21 – 3/30


Thanks to funding from the Student Tech Fee, the library has added Powerspeak Languages to its list of licensed databases. You must

access the instructional program from the library web site (http://library.skagit.edu). If you are off campus, you will be asked to enter your network name and password as if you are at work. Be sure to click on the button for employee. Languages offered are Spanish, French, German, Mandarin, and Ingles (English as a Second Language).

Not only is this a great professional development opportunity, but you might consider forming conversation partners or groups to support each other with a particular language. Look for a resident expert to sit in on a group meeting. Read a foreign language book together to discuss in that language!

I am excited about the possibilities for students and employees to have access to this resource. Students may find this program is a great supplement to their language courses. Let us know how you like this new program!

Want to learn Spanish? Mandarin?Now you can from the comfort of your desk! Or home. Or smartphone (yes, it works on my Droid).

The “Welcome to our Community Project” and Center for Learning Teaching (CLT) works with Student Clubs

and Dorms to help spread the diversity message and make our college a more welcoming place.

Operational Plan for the Implementation of an Exceptional Faculty Award Directed Toward the Celebration of Diversity and a Welcoming

College Community

Last spring Lou Labombard, Barbara Martinez-Griego, Sean Howard from the SVC CLT, and Jere Lafollette applied for a

faculty grant to work with student organizations to build the spirit of community on SVC campuses. While other groups and organizations

contunue to join this project, we bagan with Calling All Colors, Rainbow Coalition, Human Service Club, Campus Village Students, and Early Childhood Education Club, and Campus Christian Fellowship. Lou Labombard is working with groups on the Whidbey Island campus to identify and involve groups there. The project will be providing funds to these organizations to develop and implement special activities that involve students on our campus that are directed toward the accomplishment of the two goals noted below.

As described in the attachment, the project has two major goals: (a) work toward the celebration of diversity among staff and students at Skagit Valley College and (b) encourage the development of a supportive college environment where each SVC student feels appreciated and welcomed on our campus.

I. Project Summary: Welcome to our Community is a project directed toward the accomplishment of two key objectives: (a) the Celebration of Diversity among staff and students at Skagit Valley College and (b) the Development of a Supportive College Environment where each student feels appreciated and welcomed to the SVC college community.

This project is geared towards supporting SVC policies reflecting our diverse community and our Teaching and Learning Newsletter, Fall/Winter 2011,12 17 CONTINUED ON PAGE 18


WELCOME TO OUR COMMUNITY (cont.from 17) commitment to serving diverse student populations. We believe it is important to cultivate an environment that encourages diversity and support learning for all members of the college community. Welcome to our Community is also consistent with the goals of Achieving the Dream, a national initiative in which SVC participates.

While enrolling students is an important objective we must also insure that students, once enrolled, are retained. To this end, we believe that students that feel welcomed and supported – in the class room as well as in other college venues – will remain to complete their studies at SVC.

Key activities of this project include close cooperation with student organizations that serve diverse student populations. These organizations, as outlined below, will be provided resources to develop and implement activities available to the wider campus community which (a) recognize and support diversity and (b) build a welcoming campus environment. In addition to their individual projects, campus groups will work together through training and mutual support.

II. Key Elements of this Project: The SVC community is home to a number of student organizations that include an appreciation of diversity as part of their mission. This project will provide a $800 Diversity and Community Building stipend to each of six of these organizations. These funds will be used by these student groups to create, develop, and implement, a special project that celebrates diversity on either the Mount Vernon or Whidbey Island Campus. These special events can include speakers, films, or other activities. Student groups will be given wide latitude in terms of creating a plan and event that accomplishes their activity. Creativity is encouraged.

Three students from each of the six organizations will serve as representatives of their association and compose a Student Support Steering Committee. Members of the Steering Committee will be responsible for:• Leadership within their individual organization to develop and implement their organization’s special

activity.• Participation in three quarterly meetings (fall, winter, and spring) which will feature training and

communication activities to insure that each of the six organizations can provide optimal support and encouragement to one another.

• A final assessment and evaluation of their individual projects and of the Welcome to our Community effort as a whole.

I would like to invite all faculty and staff to the Center for Learning and Teaching (CLT) for Moodle mentoring.

Linda JordanTuesday:11:00 AM to 7 PM

(email for an appointment after 5:00 pm)

Ellen Michael: Monday: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm Wednesday: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Stop by the CLT any time to find answers to your questions and/or to utilize

your center for meetings, planning, or technological needs.And remember, there is always a snack waiting for you!


Blackboard Collaborate TM. Getting Started for Moderators Quick Reference Guide Blackboard CollaborateTM gives you the functionality you need to support a 21st century teaching and learning environment, such as two-way audio, multi-point video, interactive whiteboard, application and desktop sharing, rich media, breakout rooms, and session recording. Educators and students can engage as if they were in a traditional classroom, with as good as, or even better, outcomes. Tips on Conducting a Sessions Preparation Design sessions to include interactivity and include variety of content and interaction in your session. Provide opportunities for participants to interact and collaborate with each other. Create quizzes or surveys to use during your session. Create customized Clip Art collections in order to load images easily during the session. © Blackboard Collaborate Materials License Practice before leading your first session. Become familiar with the session content. Open web pages, applications needed for application sharing and screen captures before session begins. Load multimedia content and File Transfer content. Find a comfortable place with no distractions to deliver the session. In-Session Tips Greet participants as they join your session. Remind your participants to use the Audio Setup Wizard in order to test their microphone and speakers. Speak clearly and don’t rush. Ask questions and provide opportunity for interaction. Poll the class at various intervals to obtain their feedback. Remember to clear responses after each poll. Animate your delivery. Look at the whole screen, not just the whiteboard area. For example, watch the Chat window for text messages and the Participants window for new participants joining the session. Encourage participants to respond and to raise their hands when they have a question or comment. Poll the participants at various intervals to obtain feedback. View the polling summary as needed. Consider sharing the results when appropriate. Clear responses after each poll. Use the whiteboard tools to assist you in your delivery. For example, use the pointer to call attention to specific regions on the screen. Include features such as application sharing, web tours, video, multimedia, quizzes, and breakout rooms to assist you in delivering your content

Teaching & Learning is a newsletter of professional development activities at Skagit Valley College. Editor, Sean Howard; Layout & Design, Ellen Michael; Reproduction, Vivian Koetje (Mail & Copy Service Lead) 2405 East College Way, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 (360) 416-7600.


Learning and Teaching Newsletter W2012

Documents

Transcript of Learning and Teaching Newsletter W2012