Faculty Spotlight - Christopher Martinez

Faculty Spotlight - Christopher Martinez

Humanities Instructor Dale Mabry Campus “If I can do this, anyone can.” As a graduate of HCC (I show my students my AA degree), I tell them that as a solid C student I still excelled at HCC. So, if I can do this, anyone can. They just need to be tenacious.

Capital Course: I love teaching World Religions. The course touches on the personal lives of every student in the class, whether we cover their religion or religious background or upbringing. The students internalize the knowledge, recognizing it as familiar. Ideal Ideology: An advocate would best describe my philosophy of higher education. This advocate, interacting with the local community, guides students in their best interest. Higher education is the link between the aspiration of students and the community’s needs. The responsibility of this advocate is to anticipate the future needs of the community and general society and to tailor its educational offerings accordingly. This serves best both students and the community. The latter can be seen in the fields of distance education and multi-media training, no longer a future trend. Multi-media skills are needed in the careers of the present. HCC, as the student advocate, should offer this training. But multi-media training should not be just the goal, but also the delivery system. In the 21st century, students need access to more than just traditional, face-to-face instruction. Technology is the norm in society, and it should be that in higher education. Distance learning and multi-media training has been shown to exceed face-to-face instruction in certain aspects. This is why I have been involved in the e-textbook pilot at HCC. Teachable Moment: I’ve had two. One student’s last name was Singh. I asked her if she was a Sikh. She asked me how I knew. I told her Singhs have the title “Singh” in their name and they are Sikhs. She said she went home and her parents confirmed this, something she had never been told. Another student showed up for class wearing two rosaries around his neck. I asked to borrow one and then began reciting the prayers assigned to each bead. His eyes grew wide and said he did not know that was what a rosary was for. This reflects my teaching approach: a personal encounter with students so they internalize the knowledge in class and use it in cognitive reasoning. Student Success: I believe in “edutainment.” This is a combination of education and entertainment. Students, particularly the younger ones, consume large and fast quantities of entertainment through various electronic means. In the classroom, I use humor to hook the students (get their attention) and then teach an interesting topic, interspersed with videos, class projects and more humor. Humor makes me, as an instructor, more approachable, when a student is encountering difficulty inside or outside the classroom. Techno Tool: Blackboard is my primary techno tool. Everything is in the course template there: syllabus, PowerPoint and other documents, reviews for tests. This is the primary sources for my instructional content, and both instructor and student draws from it, so everyone is on the same page. Optimized Advice: It would be presumptuous to offer advice to any faculty member, including new ones, with one exception: encouragement. Remember, you usually always know more than the students. Love your teaching, enjoy your interaction with the students, and be passionate about the subject matter.

Faculty Spotlight - Bryan Shuler

Bryan Shuler

Humanities, Dale Mabry Campus

Course Range: (Traditional)

Quotable Quote:  When studying the Humanities, especially in my African Humanities course, “It’s all about “Culture,” and not about Colour.”

Capital Course:  HUM 2420- African Humanities; as one of only a handful of Africanists in the state, I take pleasure in bringing my fieldwork as a Fulbright Research Scholar and Cultural Expert for National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions to the classroom and sharing it with dedicated and curious students here at HCC.

Ideal Ideology:  I believe that only through hands-on in-depth research in the field can an instructor fully perceive, appreciate and explain the various aspects of their course topics, and therefore, present the insight our students desperately need in order to successfully compete in the global environment they are and will experience in their lifetime.

Teachable Moment- Student Success: As a Humanistic Anthropologist, I continuously place myself within the scenario of the culture being discussed, and honestly share my personal experiences and reactions in the moment to what was occurring around me, rather than observing the culture at arm’s length, keeping it in a glass museum case. The students will automatically perceive the difference in approach and will come to embrace the culture rather than allow it to remain 2-dimentional in a textbook. It is one thing to discuss health issues through published statistics; it is another to share my personal experiences and emotions interacting with lepers in the community in which I lived. Photographs of textiles in a textbook cannot even begin to match the same classroom experience as allowing students to adorn various cloth and costumes from a culture. In the end, these moments of sharing between students and instructor inspire them to engage in their own unique experiences which jettison them into a world of personal exploration. 

Techno Tool:  I enjoy using the Power-Point presentations created using photographs taken during my fieldwork as it transcends a product made from “Clip-art” into a statement of personal point-of-view.

Optimized Advice:  Break out of the academic sterility; do not be afraid to expose one’s own emotions and experiences in your given field to the students, as this is the real basis for genuine honesty in the classroom.

HCC now has NROC!

NROC is the National Repository of Online Courses. So, why choose NROC?

• High-quality content is media-rich, adaptable and affordable.
• Mapped to state and federal standards.
• Content can be used with or without a textbook to enhance online, blended and face-to-face learning environments.
• Content can be used for co-requisite, remedial and/or modularized learning per Senate Bill 1720.



Available content in:

- Math (Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Statistics, and Probability)

- Natural Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth and Environmental Science),

- Social Science (History, Government, Economics and Religion)

• Instructors can modify their own HippoCampus site with custom Subject Displays, and Textbook Correlations, topic-level Annotations and Playlists.

For more about NROC, including information on how to login to HCC's portal page, click here.

What I Learned at the Florida Master Teacher Seminar

By Mustapha Lahrach

Imagine a completely immersive learning environment. Like the first day of any class, you are in a room with 34 people you have never met. You don’t know anything about their backgrounds, but if they’ve been assigned to your same class, you must have something in common. Imagine sitting in a dark room with this group of people watching a planetarium show as “The Dark Side of the Moon” plays in the background. Imagine sitting in a different room, facing each other, sharing the challenges we stumble upon from day to day. And finally, imagine spending four whole days with that same group of people.

This is true immersion.

The Florida Master Teacher Seminar brings teachers together in a comfortable environment to share their experiences of mastering their field and to help each other achieve excellence in education. This was accomplished through group discussions and by introducing excellent ideas that can be implemented easily and effectively. One example was the in-class activity, “One-Minute Motivator,” which balances a lecture with a visual aid to help focus students’ attention while they listen to the instructor. It could be an activity, a quick quiz, a magic trick, or a riddle that grabs attention or causes students to focus on a specific issue or topic.

Before arriving, each attendee was asked to bring a favorite, motivational book (mine was Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist), which was placed in a room for the duration of the seminar. This gave us the opportunity to skim through pages of inspiration between workshops and discussions. One of the inspirational presentations that supplemented the group discussions was titled “How to Succeed at Almost Anything, Almost All the Time.”

And the secret is

• Vision (know what you want to accomplish)
• Equipment (have everything you need to accomplish it)
• Preparation (be prepared with plan B)
• Mystique (don’t be predictable!)
• Participation (to get others involved, be involved)
• Execution (as Nike says, just do it!)

If we can incorporate these elements into our teaching and into our lives, we should be able to master the challenges we face with confidence and be a positive force for our students and each other.

In facing these challenges, we push ourselves to improve, and in order to reach a higher level, we must improve on what we do now, by revisiting and revising what we have been doing year upon year. At the end of the seminar, each attendee shared a 15-minute teaching demonstration; upon completion, the audience contributed only positive, constructive feedback on notecards that the presenter could keep. What better way to get and keep advice, recommendations, and feedback from a trusted group of experienced teachers! This sort of self-improvement activity could help all of us, even without attending a seminar… I can ask a trusted colleague to sit in my class for 15 minutes. What will he or she see? How can I improve my teaching?

This is what I learned at the Florida Master Teacher Seminar…

Important Info for Camtasia Mac Users

If you have a Mac computer and are currently running Camtasia, this blog post is for you!

If you have updated your Mac to the OS X 10.9 Mavericks operating system, then you must also update your version of Camtasia Studio.

To install the update:

1. Open Camtasia for Mac
2. Click Camtasia 2 > Check for Updates
3. Follow the prompts to install the update

TYCA-SE Conference 2014 Invitation and Call for Proposals—“Beacons of Light”

TYCA-SE Conference 2014 Invitation and Call for Proposals—“Beacons of Light”

Welcome to Sunny Florida—February 27-March 1, 2014! Pack your bathing suit and beach towel for the 49th Annual Two-Year College English Association-Southeast Conference hosted by Hillsborough Community College, Tampa, FL. The Tampa Hilton Airport Westshore has reserved a block of rooms for us about two minutes from International Mall Plaza and a few minutes from Tampa Bay.

Beyond the balmy “winter” weather, the 2014 TYCA-SE conference offers opportunities for a rejuvenating exchange of ideas through stimulating concurrent sessions on a variety of topics:

• Composition and Rhetoric
• Technical Writing
• Literature
• International Studies
• Speech/Listening
• Technology
• Film Studies/Media
• Assessment
• Creative Writing
• Pedagogy
• Developmental Writing/Reading
• Curriculum

We’re eager to hear your experiences and your ideas. To submit a proposal at the conference site, click here. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, 10 November 2013.

Register soon to avoid late registration fees. The deadline is Wednesday, 5 February 2014. The link for the registration form is on the left navigation bar of the conference Web site: click here.

For additional information, contact Diorah Nelson, Diorah Nelson; Sylvia Holladay; or Teresa Galloway.

For a printable PDF that includes information on the keynote speaker, conference sessions, accommodations and events, please click here.

Dealing with a Diverse Student Body

By Johana Melendez

Dealing with a diverse student body

Would you like to hear more about 4 core principles that all students long for? Regardless of their background, ethnicity, language, gender, religion, age, and all differences you can name, I believe these are core principles that if you embrace them, it can advance your connections with students that could eventually lead to improvement in their academic progress. If you want to hear more about it and some practical strategies to use in your classroom when dealing with a diverse student body click in the link to read more.

Dealing with a diverse student body

We all know very well that our students are different in many ways: physically, ethnically, culturally, socially, economically, emotionally, by age, gender, religion, level of intelligence, etc… So, how can we teach and reach out to all of them? Is it even possible? I personally think it is possible, however, it will be challenging because it all begins with “Me”, the teacher. In reading different publications about this topic and reflecting in my own personal experiences, I have come to the realization that most of the things that we want to change about our students may not be possible to change. But we can always change ourselves, our perceptions and expectations and educate ourselves so we can better deal with those things we cannot change. No matter how diverse your classroom is, there are principles that are common to all human beings and if you understand that, and embrace it, it will help you reach out to all your students and be a more effective teacher, regardless of their background and differences. Here, I list some of those core principles that we all long for with some ideas on how to apply them in your classroom.

1. Students want to be accepted and respected for who they are: Never assume, do not generalize. To better understand their behaviors, try to understand their home culture and family values and beliefs. The first day of class you can ask questions about what they think of education, their expectations of your class and you, as their teacher. Ask them if those ideas come from their family or the society they live in. Clarify your expectations that you have of them from day one, so they know where you stand and what you expect of them. Acknowledge that there may be differences in opinions and explain why you value your methods and philosophy of teaching. Always use a tone that demonstrates respect. After all, they are adults, just like you.
2. Students appreciate being thought of as if they are “smart and capable." We all enjoy being told how smart we are and love being able to achieve challenging things. People like challenge. Nothing feels better than being able to say: “That was hard, but I did it”. Don’t assume they are lazy and want and easy class. They may be anxious and feel lost, but with guidance and respect they are more likely to get inspired and start believing in themselves. Make your class challenging and always keep high standards but be sure to help them by providing them with structure and guidance on how to study the material. Many of them don’t know how to study. And then praise them when they achieve results. Demonstrate high expectations, but make sure you are available to help them achieve. The more practice and challenging discussions happen inside the classroom, the more they master the material and become confident outside the classroom and during the tests. If it’s too difficult, be flexible by offering them different alternatives to the same assignment. For example, if it’s a microbiology project, ask them to pick the diseases they want to research, instead of you making the decision for them. Give them periodic reviews, prompt feedback and frequent tests or practice tests so they have a chance to master material before final test. Give them the opportunity to drop a low grade. If they know that it is realistically possible to achieve a good grade, they will be more motivated to work on your class. If they know their whole grade depends on just a few tests, they will feel insecure and hopeless, and may give up.
3. Students want to know that you care: Everyone needs and wants to be loved. Showing that you care is a sign of love that goes the extra mile. Allow students to share their personal dreams, goals, concerns and hopes. Remember the saying: “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care." Get them involved with community projects. Service learning is a great way to do that while they learn class material because they get to help the community and feel part of something. That will help you connect with the students in the class and outside the class. Attend SGA events to celebrate with students and thank them for their involvement in extracurricular activities.
4. Students love to share their life stories with the class and you: Tap into students' backgrounds to enhance learning. Students' self-esteem and motivation are enhanced when teachers ask them to share their experiences by creating class discussions and validating what they say. Students are more likely to be interested in your class when they can relate the concepts to their own life stories and experiences. So, do your homework and get to know them on first day so you can be prepared with ideas and examples that touch each of them.

In conclusion, I believe that teaching students here at HCC can be challenging because of the diversity of students we have, but if we embrace it, we can also learn from it and enjoy it. Although everything I wrote here comes from my heart and beliefs, I gathered ideas from the reference below to write this article and if you want to learn more, visit the link or read in the book “Educating Everybody's Children: Diverse Teaching Strategies for Diverse Learners, Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition Edited by Robert W. Cole; Chapter 2. Diverse Teaching Strategies for Diverse Learners written by Marietta Saravia-Shore. http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/107003/chapters/Diverse-Teaching-Strategies-for-Diverse-Learners.aspx

Jeremy Bullian and Alicia Ellison Published in the Journal of Web Librarianship!

Join us in congratulating HCC Librarians Jeremy Bullian and Alicia Ellison.

Their article, "Building a Low-Cost, Low-Labor Library Web Site at Hillsborough Community College," is now published in the Journal of Web Librarianship.

Here is the abstract page.

Jeremy and Alicia will also present their article as panelists at the Internet Librarian 2013 conference in October.

Accessing and Utilizing SmartBook

"SmartBook provides an adaptive and interactive reading experience, allowing students to engage with course content and study efficiently." Interested in accessing and utilizing SmartBook Assignments?

Then, check out a great video by John Bacheller to learn more!

John Bacheller teaches in the Biology department at the Dale Mabry Campus.

Faculty Spotlight - Ron and Dori Ingersoll

MacDill Campus
Course Range: Traditional, Online, Hybrid

Ron and Dori Ingersoll are adjuncts at the MacDill Campus. They are also consultants in the area of enrollment and student success and have just completed the editing of a book titled "Strategic Enrollment Management: Transforming Higher Education:" Published by AACRAO the American Association for Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. They currently are associated with Educational Systems Inc. and are working on current methods of managing and improving enrollments.

Capital Course:
Ron: I like environmental science because it is easy to get people interested and it is very practical. It turns out to be a good course for on-line.

Dori: My only course at HCC has been Public Speaking, both face2face, hybrid, and online.  I do enjoy teaching it face2face most since I can develop a stronger relationship with the students there.  I also have a chance to clearly set the safe boundaries of the classroom to allow them to grow.  In the online course, it is more difficult to develop relationships since that takes more time.  Students take an online course for the most part to get a course completed by tucking it into their busy schedules.


Ideal Ideology:
Ron: I believe that everyone has a good chance of doing well. I do not believe in looking only at the number grade but at the process by which the student came up with a response. I believe in hard work and I am getting used to students coming in and saying they have to have an A.

Dori: I believe in creating an environment in which students can develop their communication skills by working with others and me in the activities of the course. Theory and text material are included as subtext for them to use in the development of their own ‘voice’ as speakers. They are asked to interact with others in their process instead of hiding out and learning on their own. This will help them as they move on into the world to work with others and keep growing.

Student Success:
Ron: I use videos and articles in my course. I find that the students get a little confused because they are not used to analyzing something. Instead of reciting back what they heard in class, one thing I try to do is have them distinguish facts from opinions. It takes a while for them to do that on a regular basis.

Teachable Moment:
Dori: I believe my work with students as they give speeches, providing immediate feedback to them, have given me many ‘teachable moments’. Students have opened themselves up to the class sharing life events that one would not assume they would be telling in a public arena. The acceptance and feedback to them dictates how the rest of the class goes. My students know I don’t allow hurtful feedback. I also require them to put the best they can into their speeches and the work they complete for me.

HCC Learning Communities Initiative

As Faculty Technology and Teaching Specialist for 2013-14 my primary project for the year will be the development of sustainable, effective interdisciplinary Learning Communities at HCC. These collaborative and interdisciplinary classrooms--both live and online--intend to provide a diverse instructional environment for both faculty and students.

Watch for upcoming information regarding the methodical creation of these Learning Communities that enhance student learning outcomes and increase student engagement.

For more information, contact:

Steve Johns,
Faculty Technology and Teaching Specialist
CITT, Rm. 211 (813)-253-7152
sjohns2@hccfl.edu

HCC at NISOD Conference

Recently, some HCC faculty and staff went to the NISOD Conference in Houston, TX.

Travis Meek presented at the conference. "It was a great experience to be honored with the Excellence award at NISOD. The honor was intensified from being able to share it with HCC colleagues and a fellow Excellence award winner Mike Rabaut. Austin was an exciting city filled with music all around and bats flying overhead. To be honest the conference started off a bit slow for me because of so low attendance at sessions including the one I presented. By Wednesday it had all turned around with some innovative presentations on ideas I plan to implement in my own courses in varying amounts, such as flipped classrooms and collaborative testing." - Travis Meek



Mike Rabaut was HCC's NISOD Award Winner. "I found the experience interesting and was honored to receive the award especially with my school mate Travis Meek, a fellow Excellence award winner. The conference was enlightening and full of pleasant surprises, and of course there were the night time activities. I would like to extend my thanks to Dana Livesay and the CITT group for their hard work and dedication to helping faculty with their technology needs as well as allowing me to attend the conference. I especially enjoyed the evening dinner and accompanying Jam session that was punctuated with the talents of the attendees." - Mike Rabaut



HCC had a table at the conference:



Mike Rabaut and Dana Livesay:



Mike Rabaut and Travis Meek:

Etruscan Metalworking Project: SUCCESS!

This past year, professor Travis Meek embarked on an Etruscan metalworking project with his Honors Humanities class. The students carved votive figures, built a furnace and casted and bronzed their figures. Click here to read the entire story.

Professor Meek and his Honors Humanities Class


Bronzed Figure

Faculty Spotlight - Suzanne Campbell Crosby

Art Instructor, Program Manager
Ybor Campus

http://www.suzannecampcrosby.com/

“Most students say that they have learned to “see” and have become visually super aware of the wonderful visual things that go on all around us every day without notice. ”

Capital Course:
I like working with the more advanced students because they have usually begun working with their own visual signature; however, I would probably teach only photography I (if I could only choose one class).  The students in Photography I grow so rapidly,  and it is very enriching to see these students become “visually aware”. Sometimes taking this course changes their life in some major or minor way, and that is always a joy to a faculty member.

Ideal Ideology:
I expect a great deal from the students, and they get back a great deal from me. My attitude is that you get the most from any class if you really throw yourself into it fully. I am not easy, the course work is not easy, but it is very satisfying and rewarding when you successfully make a great photograph.

Teachable Moment:
When the students have their first day in the darkroom, it is magic. If you love that experience, you will always love being in the darkroom; if not, you may only enjoy taking pictures and not darkroom work….it is very demanding.

Student Success:
Stay up-to-date with the assignments and don’t get behind. Shoot lots of film so that you will have many choices and selections for the projects. The more you shoot and print the better you get; there is no easy or quick “fix”.

Techno Tool:
All art classes are visual experiences; therefore, I continually show the work of photographers who will hopefully stimulate imagination and creativity. I also show good examples of excellent student work done by their peer group. I encourage students to use technology to look up photographers and techniques that interest them personally. I require the students to attend at least three photography related events during the semester and write about what they have seen. I stress being able to verbally discuss their own photography as well as the work of others.

Optimized Advice:
Show your passion for the subject that you teach; demand excellence and encourage taking risks in creativity and imagination.

Faculty Spotlight - Jody Weaver

Adjunct English Instructor
Ybor Campus

“Every interaction whether it’s talking, reading, or listening develops a writer.”

Capital Course: I enjoy teaching ENC 1101. Students often enter ENC 1101 terrified; however, once they realize that the course is only a small step in their journey as a writer, they begin to explore and discover themselves as writers.

Ideal Ideology: Learning is not necessarily about wrong or right; it is about the process and the experiences. Students must be engaged in learning, and to do that, they must realize that every aspect of a course is an opportunity to learn. Their interaction between peers, instructor, text books, and their own work are all part of their learning experiences. I strive to create a course that provides opportunities for this interaction to occur.

Teachable Moment: Discussions are vital to student exploration in the classroom. One particular discussion focused on a short reading assignment. I presented the class with several questions to answer. As we began to review the questions, students discovered their answers varied. One student asked who was right. Instead of answering, I asked students to provide more thorough explanations to their answers. Through this experience, students were provided with different perspectives on the same topic. At the conclusion, the student who asked the question realized that there was no right answer since the meaning relied on the audience. The student told me that he never approached reading or writing in terms of the audience. He laughed and stated it changed his entire approach to writing. Student Success: The instructional strategy I implement in the classroom is learning groups. This technique has been very successful for students to interact with each other during peer review workshops, where students share their work. In addition, learning groups have also provided better understanding of reading assignments. Students ask each other questions and receive different points of view.

Techno Tool: I use the discussion forums in Blackboard. This tool has increased the interaction among students. They discuss course related topics, and again, their interaction only reinforces what is discussed in class.

Optimized Advice: New adjunct faculty members must learn about the resources available. The resources will only enhance the faculty’s experience in the classroom thereby enhancing the students’ experience as well.

Faculty Spotlight - Janet Willman

English Instructor SouthShore Campus “Memorization is what we resort to when what we are learning makes no sense.”

Capital Course: I enjoy teaching ENC 1101 the most. I enjoy having students tell me that my instruction is helping them succeed in other courses. I also know that I am making a difference when a student tells me that he or she wishes my class was taken first because what I am teaching would have helped. Ideal Ideology: Learning occurs when students feel safe, when students are not afraid to give answers even if the answer might be incorrect. As an instructor, it is my job to provide that safe atmosphere. Once that atmosphere has been established in my classroom, learning can occur. In this environment, I provide students with instruction that will help them succeed in any course and in the business world where oral and written communication is a necessity. Teachable Moment: I had a student in my ENC 1101 class who plagiarized a paper. I talked with her, and she admitted it was a student’s paper from an earlier class of mine. I gave her a zero for that assignment, and advised her to do all of her own work in the future. I was very surprised to find that she signed up for my ENC 1102 class this semester. On the first day of class, she told me that she had signed up for me again because even though she had done the wrong thing in the previous class, she was completely comfortable with me. I had treated her with the same respect I had before she had cheated. She said she knew I didn’t hold grudges and would not hold it against her in this class. I think this demonstrates the safe environment I referred to early. She felt safe enough to return to me even though she knew I would be checking everything she wrote. Student Success: In my ENC 1101 class, on the first or second day of class, I give students a topic for a sample essay. I make comments on them just like I would any other essay written in that class. But I keep them. Near the end of the semester, I give the students the same topic again as an in-class writing. Once I grade them, I staple them to the first one they wrote and hand both back. The students are thrilled to see their progress. There are such drastic differences in the two pieces of writing. I have so many students thank me for doing this because they say it really shows their progress and it builds their confidence for future classes. Techno Tool: I use Blackboard to post PowerPoint presentations, missed notes, tips of the week for writing assignments. The students complain when I forget to post. Optimized Advice: Be active in the course. When I teach an on-line course, I am in the course shell five days per week. I have a discussion board every week which forces students to be active weekly. Because I am present in the course on a regular basis, fewer students are skipping out on assignments. If there is nothing for me to grade or respond to, I find out who has not logged in that week, and I send them a friendly email. Many instructors will put complete responsibility on the student. But I find myself encouraging students in my face to face classes to be on time, participate, be timely with assignments, and online, is no different in my mind.

Congratulations to Dr. Susan Miletta!

Please join us in congratulating soon to be retired professor, and League for Innovation award winner, Dr. Susan Miletta! Dr. Miletta has been selected to speak at the Innovator Spotlight Virtual Conference!

Every year the League honors outstanding innovations through the presentation of its Innovation of the Year Award. These innovations represent significant achievements at member colleges and the continuing renewal of the spirit of innovation and experimentation upon which the League was founded. Award-winning innovations, along with other best practice projects and Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC) grantees, will be presented in collaboration with Teaching Colleges and Community (TCC) by some of the brightest minds in the community college world.

Dr. Miletta’s Winning Innovation: Online Lab Review Materials for Biology and Anatomy + Physiology

Conference Date/Time: Wednesday, September 19th, 2012
*Dr. Miletta will present at 1pm

For more Conference Info: http://www.league.org/innovatorspotlight2012/

Faculty Spotlight - Kristin Heathcock

Librarian, Plant City Campus

Techno Tool: iPads in the Classroom/Library

Ideal Ideology:
Technology plays an increasing role in our lives. In the library realm, technology is a tool that makes many things easier and more complicated simultaneously! For example, students have access to more information today than ever before. Though they have this access, they are frequently unaware of how to access information in an efficient and effective manner. Instead, they are overwhelmed by information. Their instructors often bring them to the library for library instruction, yet my instructional area is a standard “Smart Classroom” – so I do not have any computers for students to use during the instruction.

My dean and I explored the idea of a mobile classroom, and eventually decided to go with an iPad Classroom. This classroom is mobile, easily stored, and fun!

Teachable Moment:
I am my best with students when we are working collaboratively together to solve a problem. The iPads in the classroom allow me to do just this. Rather than being the sole person in the room doing a “show and tell”, the students and I work together to locate information, troubleshoot and more. The iPads allow us to do it all at the same time.

Librarians often work one-on-one with students, and the iPads allow me to do just this. Rather than addressing one student’s question or problem with the entire class, students are able to work independently on their iPads. I rove around the room assisting them as they need help.

Instructional Collaboration:
Librarians and classroom faculty are ideal partners. I’ve had tremendous success in collaborative efforts that focus on addressing the research needs of students.

One English faculty member and I collaborate on the research and writing components for her course each term. This allows the faculty member to have an assignment that meets the needs of the course, while ensuring that the library has the required resources for students to successfully complete the assignment. Additionally, it ensures that students are provided library instruction that truly addresses the requirements of the assignment.

Another faculty member allows me to participate as an embedded librarian in her online courses. This allows me to have direct contact with the students in the class, access to their assignment instructions, and a discussion board for library related questions.

The library databases are the very best resource that we have in the library. There are over 100 databases available at HCC. Many of the databases provide access to more than just printed materials – several have videos and audios! These are such a great resource for faculty to use, as they can show them in their classrooms, require them for student assignments, and direct students to them for additional assistance.

Technological Success:
The classroom set of iPads that I have in the library are very popular. I use them as the “hands-on” component of my library instruction sessions. This allows students to get an active learning experience, while also ensuring that they know and understand how to use the library resources. Students are excited to use them because they’re cool; faculty are excited for them in class because it allows students to use and interact with the databases; and I like them because I find that students really do use them to do in-class research! The recent classes I’ve had use them have stayed in the library instruction area long after the instruction was over – because students were still using the iPads to do research!

Fall Full-Time Faculty In-Service: Call for Presenters

The theme for this year's Fall Faculty In-Service is "The Completion Agenda." We are soliciting proposals from instructors, administrators and staff for presentation topics related to the theme. Topics addressing the following are especially encouraged:

• Teaching strategies or class activities supporting student success
• Classroom methods that help students' reach their goals
• Services and resources that help students complete programs or degrees

Proposals for a limited number of presentations on topics in other areas will be considered.

Please complete the HCC Faculty In-Service Presentation Registration Form at:http://citt.hccfl.edu/inservice_fall/presenter.cfm

Introducing CITT Interact

CITT Interact is a brand new message board tool was developed to give HCC faculty an opportunity to share ideas. HCC faculty can post messages after logging in, using their HCC NetID. There are 6 forums in which to browse information.

Forums Include:

• Announcements
• Assessment
• Miscellaneous
• MyHCC
• Teaching and Learning Strategies
• Technology

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