Welcome to another issue of the T&L Tea! As the spring semester comes to a close, it’s important for us to take some time to reflect. This is a great opportunity to evaluate what went well and what could use improvement, both in terms of individual teaching experiences and overall departmental goals. Take time to assess your course(s), view student feedback, and plan time to make updates.
However, we understand that faculty’s lives may be busy and course design takes a lot of time. If you still want to participate in development opportunities this summer, consider setting aside time for personal and professional development. This could be attending conferences, participating in online workshops, or simply taking some time to read and research new teaching strategies. By dedicating a little of your time to design and development, you can set yourself up for an energized and improved fall semester.
If you’d like to continue learning with the CTLE over the summer, visit our Course Catalog for self-paced opportunities. And, as always, please reach out to us for assistance at ctle@cpcc.edu. We look forward to working with you in the fall!
Welcome back to another month with The T&L Tea! This month, we’re going to talk about a tool called Read & Write.
Read & Write is a literacy support tool that offers help with everyday tasks like reading text aloud, understanding unfamiliar words, researching assignments and proofing written work. This resource is available and free to use for all Central Piedmont faculty, staff, and students. The toolbar can be downloaded and used on a variety of platforms from Chrome, Windows and Mac to Android and iPad. Read & Write can help students further develop their literacy skills, become better at note taking, and can even make studying more efficient. Whether a student is highly proficient in their literacy and wants to expand their knowledge or is in need of supplemental assistance, Read & Write can help. Read & Write also has a revision function to assist with revising text for improved phrasing and readability, making it a great tool for anyone!
To learn more about Read & Write, play the video below!
Related Trainings
To continue learning about the Read & Write toolbar and what it has to offer, review the resource links below:
The Parr CTLE offers training courses on the best practices for incorporating the Read & Write toolbar in your course and helping students in it to support their learning. Be on the lookout for the self-paced Read & Write training coming to our Course Catalog very soon, and future in-person and/or virtual training dates by subscribing to the Parr Center Calendar of Events. If you’d like some assistance, feel free to reach out to the CTLE at ctle@cpcc.edu.
In this month’s blog post, we’re going to discuss the differences between two of our partially online-based course offerings: Hybrid and Blended.
Here at Central Piedmont, we offer a variety of ways that students can further their education on a schedule that works for them. One of the most convenient ways that students can learn is through the use of online learning. We offer three types: Online, Blended, and Hybrid. Online means it is 100% online. In addition, you may also see the terms blended and hybrid used interchangeably, and while there are similarities, there are some differences between them.
Our hybrid learning courses have between 51 and 99% percent of their content online on Brightspace, which can give students a chance to complete coursework at their own pace, while giving opportunities for students to still attend class face-to -face. This class structure can be appealing to students with busy schedules and circumstances that might limit their ability to regularly attend traditional classes, but still want some sort of regular interaction with their classmates and instructors to support their learning.
Our blended learning courses have between 1 and 50% percent of their content online on Brightspace. Blended learning courses have students mostly attending class regularly in-person, while supplementing the instruction with online learning activities. This might look like students participating in online discussions or completing other online activities that are directly related to the topics being covered in-class. This structure can help reinforce concepts, and provide a more comprehensive learning experience by giving students space and time to review and explore the content more outside of class.
Play the video below to learn more about how hybrid and blended learning compare.
Related Trainings
To continue learning about this topic and how to build engaging activities in hybrid and blended learning environments, the Parr CTLE offers a self-paced training course:
Piecing Together Digital Learning Environments (1 hour PD credit)
Visit our Course Catalog to complete the course and explore some of the other training sessions that we offer. If you’d like some assistance, feel free to reach out to the CTLE at ctle@cpcc.edu.
In this month’s post, we’ll be discussing an important aspect of any course: accessibility. Digital accessibility is the design of digital resources and websites that are accessible to disabled individuals with or without the use of assistive technologies. At Central Piedmont, our goal is always to create an inclusive learning environment where students can thrive and ultimately succeed, both online and in the classroom.
Not only is accessibility a matter of equity, but it is also required by federal law through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Both of these acts prohibit the discrimination of individuals with disabilities in education. Watch the video below to learn more about the impact of these acts and how they create equal opportunity for students.
Now that you’re more familiar with digital accessibility, let’s put it into practice. Here are a few strategies that can help improve your course’s accessibility:
Provide alternative formats for texts and readings such as audio recordings or videos.
Use accessible technologies and tools that are compatible with assistive technologies such as screen readers.
Design inclusive and/or alternative assessments.
Use inclusive language.
Communicate with your students about their needs and accommodations.
Related Trainings
This was just an introduction to digital accessibility. To dive in and learn more you can register for training from the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. Visit our Events Calendar to register for current sessions or visit the Course Catalog for self-paced training options. Or, if you have any questions or need additional assistance, please reach out to us at ctle@cpcc.edu.
Digital Accessibility 101
Introduction to SCULPTing Online Accessibility: Word Basics