CTL Blog
The Mesa Community College Center for Teaching & Learning is offering an exciting variety of learning opportunities planned to help you start your semester out right.
Our Start-Up Learning Guide:
See our Start-Up Guide Book for descriptions and dates for more of all of our upcoming opportunities. Check our calendar for updates.
A Registration System Designed to Track Your Growth:
CTL sessions use HRMS (Time & Labor) for our registration system. The system allows for an up-to-date attendance system that integrates with your employee record and allows for wait-lists for busy sessions. Each opportunity has a unique course and session number to make it easy to identify and register for. Please feel free to contact us, ctl@mesacc.edu, if you have any questions or concerns about how to register with this new system.
Register through HRMS – http://tinyurl.com/MCCRegisterNOW
Registration Instructions HRMS – http://tinyurl.com/hrmsregister
Learning Opportunities for August 22 – August 31:
Thursday, August 22, 2013
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. 10 Steps to Getting Started in Canvas (C.A.F.E. Credit)
HRMS Course #001839, Section #0004; CTL AS Building – Room 175
Did you know that Canvas can benefit any course format – face-to-face, hybrid and online? Learn how to communicate with your students, post course materials/syllabus, set-up assignments and grades within Canvas in just 10 easy steps.
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. What’s New in Canvas? (C.A.F.E. Credit)
HRMS Course #001826, Section #0003; CTL AS Building – Room 175
Explore the new features and updates to our learning management system, Canvas. Join us for a session dedicated to all things new in Canvas!
Friday, August 23, 2013
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Attending to Participation & Canvas Roll Call (C.A.F.E. Credit)
HRMS Course #001963, Section #0002; CTL AS Building – Room 175
How should we measure attendance in a course? Should it be based on a student’s physical presence, participation or a combination of both? In this session we will explore different pedagogical ways of monitoring attendance and how these may affect student success. Work with colleagues to draft an attendance policy and review the features of the NEW Roll Call tool in Canvas to help you implement it.
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. 10 Steps to Getting Started in Canvas (C.A.F.E. Credit)
HRMS Course #001839, Section #0005; CTL AS Building – Room 175
Did you know that Canvas can benefit any course format – face-to-face, hybrid and online? Learn how to communicate with your students, post course materials/syllabus, set-up assignments and grades within Canvas in just 10 easy steps.
Important Notices
- NEW Course Copy: The course copy process has been changed. It can take up to 2 hours for copies of courses from one semester to another to be completed (size and traffic determine speed). Feel free to leave the copy page or logout of Canvas while the copy is being made. Additionally, Canvas has added a copy error notice. Carefully review any errors reported and take corrective action. Errors will most often be related to broken links or empty pages found in the copy process. Please see our new copy guidelines to get you started.
- Course Publish: Don’t forget to publish your course to make it available to students. To publish the course find the publish notice dialog box on the course home page. Select Publish and follow the screen prompts. Once a course is published you can continue to make changes and updates as needed. Courses cannot be unpublished. Directions for publishing courses.
Canvas Update Cycle
Canvas is on a 3-week update-release cycle. The next beta (preview) release is on 8/12, production notes will follow on 8/19 with the release and documentation to follow on 8/19. For information about Canvas updates follow the release page.
Recent Updates
If you did not teach this summer you may notice that there have been lots of new additions and changes to Canvas. Here’s a list of highlights:
Attendance is on! Canvas now has an attendance-participation feature called Roll Call. Instructors can use this tool to take daily attendance-participation. Instructors can choose to assign points or simply use the tool to monitor and track student attendance-participation. Watch this brief video for more information and use the Quick Reference Guide to get started.
Chat is Back! Canvas has released a new Chat tool. Chat allows for real-time collaboration and discussion. Each course has one permanent chat room available. Instructors can enable or disable the feature in the navigation and view chat history at any time. To use Chat in a course instructors can leave the Chat area open at all times OR make it available for specific opportunities like online office hours, synchronous class discussions and more. Learn more about Chat.
Discussions are Better! The Discussion Index is now organized by category: Discussions, Pinned Discussions or Closed for Comments. Instructors can pin discussions that they want students to see at the top of the discussion page and rearrange discussions in each category. Discussions have been streamlined leaving more room on the page to view the conversation and added features make it easier for users to mark discussions that have been read. Additionally students and instructors can subscribe to discussions to stay in the loop even when they are not logged into Canvas. Learn more about Discussion Subscriptions.
Canvas Training
Canvas Training opportunities are available throughout August and September.Getting Started with Canvas in 10 Steps Did you know that Canvas can benefit any course format face-to-face, hybrid and online? Learn how to communicate with your students, post course materials/syllabus, set-up assignments and grades within Canvas in just 10 easy steps.
- Thursday, Aug 22 9:00 – 10:30am, Room 175 AS Building Southern & Dobson Campus; COURSE #001839, Session #0004
- Friday, Aug 23 3:00 – 4:30pm, Room 175 AS Building Southern & Dobson Campus; COURSE #001839, Session #0005
Register through HRMS Registration Instructions
What’s New in Canvas? Explore the new features and updates to our learning management system, Canvas. Join us for a session dedicated to all things new in Canvas!
- Thursday, Aug 22 3:00 – 4:30pm, Room 175 AS Building Southern & Dobson Campus; COURSE #001826, Session #0003
- Monday, Aug 26 9:00 – 10:30am, Room 175 AS Building Southern & Dobson Campus; COURSE #001826, Session #0004
Register through HRMS Registration Instructions
View our full calendar for more sessions.
Online Resources, Tutorials & Guides
- Canvas 101 is an open enrollment course that will walk you through the basics of setting up a new course in Canvas. To enroll, simply click on the “Join this course” button on the Course Home Page. There is no facilitator, but it is a good series of self-paced exercises.
- Canvas Guides – These guides cover all major features of Canvas by question topic. They are easy to navigate and mostly image-based walk thru demonstrations of how to use a particular feature.
Did You Know?
Canvas App Center
Canvas has improved the integration of teaching tools with the introduction of the App Center. Each instructor can enable specific learning tools in their course with just one-click. Apps include tools to:
Find content
- Khan Academy
- TedEd
- YouTube
Assess learners
- Quizlet
- Open Tapestry
- StudyMate
Collaboration
Learn More
Get Started
Get an A +! Success from Day One CTL Events
Explore a week of activities that focus on the MCC Success from Day One Initiative. From exciting new Canvas tools to engagement strategies, the Mesa Community College Center for Teaching & Learning is your support and resource for innovative education technology and pedagogy. Plan to start your semester with this fun and informative week of activities!
Register Now Registration Instructions
Questions? Contact us at: (480) 461 – 7331 OR ctl@mesacc.edu
Saturday, August 10
8:30a.m. – 12:30p.m. New Adjunct Faculty Orientation
HRMS Course #001830, Section #0001; CTL Workshop Room (AS175), Southern & Dobson Campus
Welcome to teaching at Mesa Community College! This session will cover all the little and big things you need to know about being an Adjunct Faculty Member for MCC. Contact the CTL for more information, (480) 461-7331.
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CTL Open Lab
CTL AS Building, Southern & Dobson Campus
Drop in during any time of the open lab to access resources and help with Canvas or building/planning your course! CTL Staff will be available to answer questions as you work on your classes to get started for the semester. Handouts and computers are available so that you can come in and work and ask questions as you go.
Monday, August 12, 2013
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. CTL Open Lab
CTL AS Building, Southern & Dobson Campus
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. & 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
A+ Achieving a Learning-Centered Syllabus (C.A.F.E. Eligible)
HRMS Course #001201, Sections #0008 OR #0009; CTL Workshop Room (AS175), Southern & Dobson Campus
Engaging students in the learning process begins with the syllabus. In this session we will explore how to construct a syllabus that not only conveys the required MCCCD/MCC policies and procedures of the class, but introduces students to the goals of the learning process. Discover how to build a syllabus that focuses on meaningful expectations, learning objectives and provides students with the resources to be successful from day one. Feel free to bring your syllabus to work on as the last part of the session will allow some time for participants to work together on syllabi.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. New Faculty Experience
CTL Conference Room (AS170), Southern & Dobson Campus
Welcome to MCC new faculty! We are glad you are here. The first-year experience of a full-time faculty member is marked by transitions: the teacher’s focus is continuously expanding to include aspects of the college community that were previously not within view. Mesa Community College ‘s New Faculty Experience, a series of dialogs and seminars, facilitates these transitions by providing information, activities, and interactions that integrate the new residential faculty member into the life of the college.
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Problem-based Learning and the “Flipped Classroom”
Attend an interesting and interactive presentation exploring what problem-based learning is and how to start implementing it in your classroom. Presented by the authors of the highly acclaimed book: “The Practice of Problem-based Learning” Jose Amador, Libby Miles and Cal Peters from the University of Rhode Island.
Monday, July 22, 6:30p.m. – 8:30p.m. (Refreshments will be served.)
Southwest Reading Room, 3rd Floor of the Library
MCC Southern & Dobson Campus
Register Now!
Higher Education is under assault from a number of external constituencies:
• Student interest and student learning are significantly waning
• Employers are not satisfied with under prepared graduates
• Parents are frustrated with increased costs and unsatisfactory results
A solution to the above issues is making its way into more college classrooms. The “flipped classroom” as it is termed, is a learning model where students read and learn material outside of classrooms. The flipped classroom is designed to engage students in a real-world problem-based application where they actually do things with the material rather than using information to pass a test soon to be forgotten. Attend an interesting and interactive presentation exploring what problem-based learning is and how to start implementing it in your classroom.
Anyone is welcome to attend who may be interested in learning about Problem-based Learning and the Flipped Classroom. Please invite guests by sharing this registration information.
Sponsored by Benedictine University at Mesa and the Mesa Community College Center for Teaching & Learning.
The Mesa Community College Center for Teaching & Learning has planned an exciting July filled with learning opportunities just for you. From Adobe Photoshop to the latest in online presentation tools, there is something for everyone. Topics include: Photoshop, InDesign, Alternative Presentation Tools, Linked-In, Gmail and more. So come on in, the MCC Center for Teaching & Learning is Open for Summer!
Our Summer Learning Guide:
See our Summer Learning Guide for descriptions and dates for our upcoming opportunities. Check our calendar for updates.
Register Now, Via HRMS (Time & Labor):
Our registration system is through HRMS (Time & Labor). This allows for an up-to-date attendance system that integrates with your employee record and allows for wait-lists for busy sessions. Each opportunity has a unique course and session number to make it easy to identify and register for. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about how to register with this new system.
Register through HRMS – http://tinyurl.com/MCCRegisterNOW
Registration Instructions HRMS – http://tinyurl.com/hrmsregister
Learning Opportunities for July:
Adobe CS Suite, Photoshop Basic Series
Photoshop is the industry standard graphics and photo editing program made by Adobe Systems. Used by professional photographers, graphic designers and artists this amazing program is considered to be one of the top skills that any person should have on their resume. In this three part basics series you will learn how to navigate the interface, use the program tools, complete basic photo adjustments, work with selections, and correct and manipulate photos.
Pt.1 Interface, Tools, Cropping & Adjustments
Monday, July 8, 3:00p.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Course/Session#: 001753/0009
Tuesday, July 9, 9:00a.m. – 11:00a.m.; Course/Session#: 001753/0010
Pt. 2 Working with Selections
Wednesday, July 10, 3:00p.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Course/Session#: 001754/0005
Wednesday, July 17, 9:00a.m. – 11:00a.m.; Course/Session#: 001754/0006
Pt. 3 Correcting & Manipulating Images
Monday, July 15, 3:00p.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Course/Session#: 001755/0004
Thursday, July 18, 9:00a.m. – 11:00a.m.; Course/Session#: 001755/0005
Adobe CS Suite, InDesign Basics Series
InDesign is the industry standard design and layout program made by Adobe Systems. It is used to create a variety of publications including posters, catalogs, flyers, brochures and more. This amazing program is considered to be one of the top skills that any person should have on their resume. In this two part basics series you will learn how to navigate the interface, use the program tools, layout publications, work with images and text, apply styles, use master pages, create interactive PDF documents and more!
Pt.1 Settings, Layout & Printing
Monday, July 22, 3:00p.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Course/Session#: 001853/0004
Tuesday, July 23, 9:00a.m. – 11:00a.m.; Course/Session#: 001853/0005
Pt. 2 Styles, Master Pages & Interactive Elements
Monday, July 29, 3:00p.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Course/Session#: 001854/0004
Tuesday, July 30, 9:00a.m. – 11:00a.m.; Course/Session#: 001854/0005
Are you interested in just-in-time training for yourself or your students?
Lynda.com is the premier resource for online software training. Their comprehensive catalog includes a variety of software such as the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.), Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc.), Google (Gmail, Calendar, etc.) and much, much more!
Learn more about Lynda.com for campus learning solutions.
This trial will help Mesa Community College determine if Lynda.com can meet our just-in-time needs for software training including supplemental tutorials for students and more.Trial participants will be expected to provide feedback to the college on their experience with Lynda.com via a survey. The trial is expected to last 2 weeks and may be extended.
Contact the Center for Teaching & Learning for more information, ctl@mesacc.edu.
CIS 236 & 237 are Now Offered as Open Entry
Interested in teaching online (or hybrid), but never taught these formats before? The CIS 236 and CIS 237 series, now offered as open enrollment, may help you get started in teaching & learning online. Experience the ‘student’ perspective in CIS 236 and then explore course design and content creation in CIS 237. If you have difficulties registering or have questions about these courses, contact the instructor(s) listed below.
Tuition Waivers may apply for Spring / Summer I faculty: http://www.maricopa.edu/publicstewardship/resources/tw.php
Melanie Kroening (mkroening@mesacc.edu) – CIS236
Helice Agria (helice.agria@mesacc.edu) – CIS237
CIS 236: Web Based Teaching & Learning I (2 credits)
Experience using a web-based learning environment from an online student’s perspective. Use communication tools, submit assignments, use evaluation tools, and navigate an online-learning environment. Introduction to the basics of online pedagogy. Hands-on experience with a web-based learning environment. Prerequisites: CIS133CA or CIS 133DA, or permission of instructor. Contact instructor for override code.
- Offered fully online during Summer I (Open Entry/Open Exit)
CIS 237: Web Based Teaching & Learning II (3 credits)
Discuss theories, methods, and best practices for designing, developing, and delivering an online course. Create an online or hybrid course module using a web-based learning environment. Prerequisites: CIS 236, or permission of instructor.
- Offered fully online during Summer I (Open Entry/Open Exit)
Get Ready Campers! Camp Innovate is Almost Here!
Monday, May 20 – Thursday, May 23
The Mesa Community College Center for Teaching & Learning will be holding its 4th Annual Camp Innovate training camp Monday, May 20 – Thursday, May 23 on the MCC Southern and Dobson Campus. Jump start your summer with this exciting week of activities to support teaching & learning at MCC. The week will consist of sessions that address excellence in education, technology, teaching and learning.
Schedule of Events
Topics will include Designing for Canvas, Digital Tools, ePortfolios, YouTube Essentials, Microlecturing, Lesson Design, Quality Feedback, Library eResources, Self-Graded Assessments, Accessibility, Photoshop and more! See the Camp Innovate Full Week Guide for a day-to-day listing and description of all events. All sessions are C.A.F.E. Credit eligible.
All sessions will be hosted in the CTL Workshop Room, AS Building; Southern & Dobson Campus. All MCCCD faculty and staff welcome. Attend one session, attend one day or attend all, we hope to see you there! Space is limited, so register soon.
Is Camping Gear Required?
No! We won’t actually be camping. Just bring you and maybe a friend or two to enjoy the learning and community. Provisions will be provided at the Lunch N Share event on Thursday, May 23, 12:30 – 1:30pm. Register for the lunch event.
Earn a Digital Badge for Participation and More
“Campers” can earn digital badges for participating in sessions, bringing guests and evaluating the event. These digital badges can be added to your professional portfolio. The MCC Center for Teaching & Learning will track and award badges based on the individual badge criteria.
1st Time Camper Badge – Attend 1 Session
Avid Camper Badge – Attend 3 or More Sessions
Camp Inspector – Submit Evaluation for Week
Happy Camper – Bring a Friend to Camp
Learn more about using digital badges in education.
Register Now!
Register through the HRMS (Time & Labor System)
Registration Instructions
Having Trouble? Call us at (480) 461-7331 and we will register you. Questions? Send us an email at ctl@mesacc.edu.
C.A.F.E. (Cafe = Colloquy for Adjunct Faculty Experience) is an Adjunct Faculty Development program sponsored by the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Coordinated by the Center for Teaching and Learning.
Who is Eligible for C.A.F.E.?
You must a adjunct faculty member currently teaching at Mesa Community College to be eligible for the C.A.F.E. Program. You must also submit the C.A.F.E. Program Form.
Earning C.A.F.E. Credits & Payment Information
Participants may earn up to just shy of $300 per academic year (a maximum of 11 credit hours) based on attendance at C.A.F.E. approved sessions offered by the MCC Center for Teaching & Learning. Funding is limited and priority will be given to first-time C.A.F.E. participants until funding for the year is exhausted. Payment for accumulated credits will be made toward the end of the fall and spring semesters. Attendance at eligible workshops will be verified via the CTL and/or District online registration systems and signup sheets. You must sign-in attend an entire session to receive credit. Learn more about the Program.
Applying for the Program
Persons interested in earning C.A.F.E. credit must submit a form to receive payment based on the eligibility criteria. Forms submitted after the deadlines above will not be considered for credit. Credit cannot be carried over from one semester OR academic year to another. For the Spring application, sessions designated as C.A.F.E. from January 4 – May 3 may be included. Repeat attendance will not be considered for funding. Applicants must be currently teaching as adjunct faculty at MCC to receive payment under the program conditions. The deadline for C.A.F.E. program forms for the fall semester is Monday, May 6, 5:00PM.
To be considered for C.A.F.E. Program funding you must complete the C.A.F.E. Credit Form by Monday, May 6 at 5:00PM.
You can view your training summary (training transcript) in HRMS (Time & Labor). Any training you have taken with the CTL is listed as part of your Learning & Development Training Summary under Self-Service. Verify your training is designated as C.A.F.E. in the CTL Schedule. Only sessions attended from January 4 – May 3 will be considered in the Spring application cycle.
Roundtable Discussions
The Mesa Community College Center for Teaching & Learning is hosting a series of Roundtable Discussions the weeks of April 22 – May 3. Join us for 15-20 minute presentations on various topics presented by your colleagues followed by an engaging dialog.
Register through HRMS (Time & Labor System)
Registration Instructions
Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in PreSchool
presented by Kris Bliss, Manager Children’s Center
Wednesday, April 24, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – CTL Workshop Room; Course#001898, Session #0001
Most of us have heard of the book Everything I Needed to Know About Life I Learned in Kindergarten. I propose that for many of us, these skills were actually learned in preschool. This short session will provide insight into what important life skills those of us who attended preschool learned. We will also learn and/or discuss how to look at the world from a child’s perspective – allowing us to think differently.
Special Education (SPED) Students: The Transition from High School to College
presented by Joseph DePinto, Adjunct Faculty Social Work
Monday, April 29, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – CTL Workshop Room; Course #001898, Session #0002
Many SPED students enter the community college system as their first foray into post-secondary education. They are coming from a setting with comprehensive support services and sometimes feel lost in the self-directed world of a college campus. How can we help these students make a smooth transition?
HackerSpaces
presented by Paul Hickey, Enterprise and Applications Intelligence
Thursday, May 2, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – CTL Workshop Room; Course #001898, Session #0003
Come down and speak with Paul Hickey, board member of Arizona’s largest, most successful hackerspace. You’ll get a peek at what kind of activities and events happen at the hackerspace and maybe get some ideas of how you can participate and work on your own projects there.
Upcoming EOLT Sessions at MCC
Special Saturday Session: Career Development Trilogy
Do you feel like your career is at a crossroads and you don’t know which direction to turn? Or, are you desiring something new and different? Whatever your situation, we have some resources for you!
Saturday, April 27, AS Building – Room 191
Career Connections, 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Course#000793, Session #0027
In this workshop you will learn how to keep your career at Maricopa satisfying and meaningful through an interactive session of self-discovery. Explore your personal definition of success based on your values, skills, and priorities and use your findings to develop a career action plan.
Cover Letters, Resumes & Portfolios, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Course#001307, Session #0020
This interactive workshop is designed to provide participants with the basics on what to include in a cover letter, what format to utilize for their resume, and what types of information to include in a portfolio so they are better prepared for finding a position within Maricopa Community Colleges.
Interviewing 101, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Course#001157, Session #0025
This interactive workshop is designed to provide participants with interview basics. You will learn about different types of interviews, how to market yourself, how to prepare for an interview, the types of questions you could be asked during an interview, and what you should do after an interview.
Mark Your Calendars for Camp Innovate, May 20 – 23!
Join the Center for Teaching & Learning for our 4th Annual Camp Innovate, a week of fun and engaging learning sessions to close out the academic year. Sessions to be determined in April so stay tuned! Have any suggestions? Looking for a specific training, we want to know ctl@mesacc.edu.
