After a recent demonstration of CANVAS on campus, we received feedback revealing that certain features ... to all member
Peru State College Distance Education & Online Services
Monthly Messenger December 2016
8 Week Course Date Changes
Please note the following date changes going into effect this spring. The drop deadline for 8 week courses has been moved to the Sunday of week 1 and the no-show deadline to the Sunday of week 2. This now aligns dates within 8 and 16 week courses.
Blackboard Features Recap
After a recent demonstration of CANVAS on campus, we received feedback revealing that certain features in Blackboard might possibly be overlooked or forgotten with some users. This edition will focus mainly on these features in an effort to review some of he more basic functions.
Blackboard Calendar
The Blackboard calendar displays a consolidated view of all institution, course, organization, and personal calendar events. Your items can be viewed and categorized by upcoming and past events. Use your course calendar to provide students with dates for course-related events. Course calendar events appear to all members of the course. Common entries include upcoming tests, due dates for assignments, or special lectures and course items with due dates automatically appear in the course calendar. For more information, click here.
As an instructor, you want to be confident that your course is well designed and functions as intended—before your students see it. Use student preview to review the course content and validate the course behaviors, such as the availability of course content.
Adaptive Release
Adaptive Release can be used to selectively deliver course content to individual students based on certain criteria. For example, you can set a minimum grade on a specific assignment before a student is allowed to access a future assignment and/or folder. The following criteria can be used for creating Adaptive Release rules: date, membership, grade, review status. Contact our office for additional information or if you have questions.
Discussion Board: Post First Setting
When setting up your discussion boards, some instructors choose to make it mandatory for their students to create a thread before they’re able to view their classmates’ post. This practice is often used in an effort to reduce “group think”. If you’re interested in using this in your course, select the drop-down Options Menu for the desired discussion board, select ‘Edit’, choose ‘Participants must create a thread in order to view other threads in this forum’.
Student Preview Mode
Dec. 9 Dec. 16 Dec. 19 Dec. 21 Dec. 23 - Jan. 2 Jan. 6
Jan. 7 Jan. 9 Jan. 15 Jan. 20 Jan. 22 Jan. 27 Feb. 3 Feb. 4
Upcoming Dates
16 Week Course Evaluations End Senior Exit Survey Ends 16 Week & Term II Courses End 16 Wk & Term II Course Grades Due 16 Week & Term II BB Shells Close Peru State Offices Closed in Observance of Winter Break 16 Week, Term I, & 4W1 Blackboard Shells Open 4W1 Add/Drop Deadline 4W1 Courses Begin 16 Week & Term I Courses Begin 16 Week & Term I Drop Deadline 4W1 Course Evaluations Begin 16 Week & Term I No-Show Deadline 4W1 Course Evaluations End 4W1 Courses End 4W2 Courses Begin
Spotlights December 2016
Liz Kearney
School of Education
[email protected]
Taught this Fall:
EDUC402 Dev. Curriculum for Early Childhood Ed. EDUC438 Pro. Collaboration with Parents and Families EDUC540 The Master Teacher
Education:
Doctorate of Administration Master of Education Bachelor of Science in English and Psychology
Past Experience This is my 44th year in education. I have taught preschool, elementary , and secondary education. I was an elementary principal for 14 years; a ECE Executive Director for 7 years, and a superintendent for instruction for a school district for 4 years. I have been a professor in the School of Education for 13 years. I teach undergraduate courses in Early Childhood Education and curriculum and instruction courses in the graduate school. What is your teaching style? I like to assign projects in my classes that will be practical and applicable directly into the classroom. I want students to learn and discover as much about their skills for teaching as about the subject matter I teach. I want Peru State College to help develop teachers that will reach each and every student in their classrooms. Personal Information I live in Omaha and have been married for 30 years. I have two children. My daughter is 28 and manages a small business in Omaha. My son is a banker in Chicago. I don’t have grandchildren yet but I have one grand dog and one grand cat. I love to read and do so every chance I get. I also love to take pictures and to create presents for my family with the pictures I take. My husband and I love to travel and have been fortunate enough to travel recently to some very interesting places. We spent three weeks in Russia last year. This year we visited Greece and Turkey (before they recommended that Americans not go there due to the conflicts). Next year we are spending three weeks in China.
Jared Bartels
School of Professional Studies
[email protected]
Taught this Fall:
PSYC250 Human Growth and Development PSYC431 Psych. Tests and Measurements
Education:
Doctorate of Educational Psychology Master of Science Bachelor of Science in Psychology
What is your teaching style? I would describe my teaching style as flexible in that, to some extent, it depends on the characteristics of the class. Generally, I like to offer students a lot of opportunities to work in groups on problem-based learning activities and I like to give students numerous opportunities to apply theories from the course. Your tips & tricks that others may find beneficial: My best teaching tip is to be open to teaching tips. One of the first professional conferences I attended was a teaching of psychology conference in which instructors shared techniques that they had been successful in using in their courses. I was able to implement a number of these techniques in my classes and still find ideas to borrow whenever I attend this conference. Personal Information I consider myself an amateur foodie. I like to watch cooking and travel shows and whenever I have a chance to travel myself I like to try restaurants featured on these shows (though, admittedly, my first stop in Amsterdam last spring was McDonald’s). My newest food passion is charcuterie. I recommend the head cheese!
