SYLLABUS

LCTS 1111 Teaching in the Learning College

Facilitator: Karen Cowden

407-582-1970

Technical Help Available 24/7:

Online Technical Support (24/7)

Online Help at 407-582-5600

Email

Course Description

This scenarios-based courseintroduces the Essential Competencies of a Valencia Educator and provides faculty with tools and resources to become more effective, learning-centered instructors. Note: This course is required for Associate Faculty Certification and is only offered in a hybrid format.

Course Outcomes
Participants will

  • Acquire strategies to effectively implement the following Essential Competencies of a Valencia Educator:
  • Assessment
  • Inclusion & Diversity
  • Learning-centered Teaching Strategies
  • LifeMap
  • Outcomes-based Practice
  • Design strategies to successfully engage students
  • Develop a learning-centered syllabus
  • Examine their comprehension of the five Essential Competencies to create a personal development plan

Online Course Components:

  • Syllabus – including course description, requirements, learning outcomes, and expectations of participants
  • Course Calendar with due dates
  • Web links for required, online reading
  • Threaded discussions
  • Scenes, resource material and learning activities
  • Final Course Project assignment
  • Course e-mail for participant communication
  • Online course evaluation

What Facilitator Expects from Participants:

  • Have access to computer equipment necessary to run course delivery platform (Blackboard)
  • Active engagement in all course activities, readings and discussions
  • Complete all learning activities on time
  • Provide substantive feedback to peers
  • Develop/refine materials you can use in your courses
  • Practice professional ethics
  • Observe the Rules of Netiquette
  • Provide feedback- Complete an online evaluation of this course

What Participants Can Expect from the Facilitator:

  • Prompt responses to your questions and emails, within 24 hours
  • Daily monitoring of course website
  • Thoughtful discussion facilitation (involvement may be limited to encourage discussion with course peers)
  • Prompt action on technical problems within facilitator’s control, such as broken links, file size, discussion settings, etc.
  • Respect for participants’ area of expertise, as well as ideas and opinions

How Participants Will Be Evaluated:

  • You will be evaluated in terms of your participation in and completion of the assignments as outlined in the course calendar. Valencia requires 100% completion of the following activities to receive credit for this course:
  • Attend the required Orientation and Wrap-up meetings
  • Post substantive, original comment(s) to each discussion board
  • Read as many of peer’s original comments as possible for each discussion board
  • Reply to a minimum of three of your peer’s original comments for each discussion board
  • Submit the Final Course Project (see details below)
  • Complete post-course survey
  • Check in regularly to review the responses of your colleagues and facilitators, posting follow-up comments whenever applicable and contributing to a rich and deep discussion. Participants who do not post in a timely manner according to the course calendar will not receive credit for the course.
  • The course project is twofold:

1.You will develop a learning-centered syllabus. The goal is to create a clearer, more precise document to act as a learning contract between professor and student. You will work on this project throughout the course; please see the following milestones:

  1. Discussion 1.5:2
  2. Peer Review of an Existing Syllabus
  3. Wrap-Up: Each participant should bring three hard copies of the revised Learning-Centered Syllabus for sharing and peer review.

2.You will create “My Development Plan.” This activity will allow you to analyze your learning about each of the Essential Competencies examined during the course and help you identify courses and/or resources that you can use to enhance your professional practice of each competency.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How is an Online Course Different from a Face-to-Face Course?

  • It can feel overwhelming—especially in the first week. You’ve probably forgotten how ill-at-ease you felt when you first went to high school, but taking an online class for the first time is very similar. It takes a while to learn your way around the “virtual campus.” It fits more easily into your schedule. However, since you will do most of your work at home, it requires more self-discipline in setting aside time to study and participate in the course’s learning activities.
  • As in any course in which you want to do well, this course will take more time than you expect. All reminders of when things are due are electronic. If you don’t access the course regularly, you may miss key assignments and due dates. You will collect, reflect on, and respond to information that you have gathered. In an online course, responsibility for learning rests equally on participants and facilitators. It works best when you enjoy using technology and interacting with others online.

2. What do Participants Need to Be Successful?

  • Access to a computer with a high-speed connection
  • Basic computer skills, such as the use of word processing software, sending email with attachments, uploading and downloading files from external sources
  • A preference for visual or kinesthetic learning, because online learning is very visual and very “hands on the keyboard” (If you don’t know your preference, take the online version of the Barsch Inventory to find out.)
  • An open-minded attitude, personal honesty, and a willingness to share your knowledge and ideas with others
  • The belief that online learning is more convenient, but not easier than face-to-face learning
  • The belief that quality learning can happen anytime and anywhere
  • An interest in self-reflection

(FromThe Virtual Student by Palloff and Pratt)

3. What Makes a Good Discussion Posting?

  • Substantial- thoughtful, original, relevant and contributes to the overall learning of the group
  • Thought-provoking- stimulates thinking and reasoning
  • Timely- post early to give your peers time to respond, this contributes to a rich discussion
  • Logical, concise and grammatical
  • Conveys “your presence”- reinforce your conclusions with real life and professional experiences

4. What are Some Additional Tips for Success in This Course?

  • Install the Firefox browser (recommended for Blackboard) before the course begins.
  • Print a copy of the course syllabus and calendar. Keep it by your computer.
  • Work offline if you prefer: print your assignments and read them offline; use a word processor to compose your work before posting them to the course.
  • Check the course website and course email regularly.
  • If you have a question, post it on the “Ask Your Facilitator” discussion board. Often a colleague will have a good answer for you.
  • Set aside specific times each week to complete class activities. If not, your other work will expand to fill all the time you have.
  • Expect electronic glitches/power outages and plan ahead. Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your work.
  • Maintain back-up copies of all of your coursework on a flash or jump drive.

5. Who Do I Contact If I Have Questions?

  • Course Issue - Contact me via course email, or if you would like to talk to me, you can call me at 407-582-1970.
  • Technical Issues – Call the Helpdeskat 407-582-5600, contact Online Technical Support (24/7), or email .

Resources and Copyright:

All of the resources within the workshop are intended for the use of the participant during the course and may be used personally after the course is completed. However, all resources are the property of Valencia Community College and its cooperating authors, and may not be offered via the internet or other means to persons not having completed this workshop, for profit or any other informational use.

Teaching in the LearningCollege
Calendar of Course Activities

Required Orientation: 9/4/2014

Required Wrap-Up: 10/16/2014

Date / Topic / Task
Week One
September 4-10 / Welcome and Getting Started / Read Welcome and Getting Started documents
Prologue / Read Story at a Glance and Character Profiles
Introduction / Post initial response to discussion
Scene 1.1 / Read Scene
1.1.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
1.1.2 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
Scene 1.2 / Read Scene
1.2.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
1.2.2 / Upload My Development Plan
Week Two
September 11-17 / Scene 1.3 / Read Scene
1.3.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
1.3.2 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
1.3.3 / Upload My Development Plan
Scene 1.4 / Read Scene
1.4.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
1.4.2 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
1.4.3 / Upload My Development Plan
Week Three
September 18-24 / Scene 1.5 / Read Scene
1.5.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
1.5.2 / Upload syllabus to discussion
Review 2 peers’ syllabi
Scene 1.6 / Read Scene
1.6.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
Scene 2.1 / Read Scene
2.1.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
Week 4
September 25- October 1
Scene 2.2 / Read scene
2.2.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
2.2.2 / Upload My Development Plan
Scene 2.3 / Read Scene
2.3.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
Scene 3.1 / Read Scene
Scene 3.2 / Read Scene
3.2.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
Week Five
October 2-8 / 3.2.2 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
3.2.3 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
3.2.4 / Upload My Development Plan
Scene 3.3 / Read Scene
3.3.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
Scene 3.4 / Read Scene
3.4.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
Scene 3.5 / Read Scene
Week Six
October 9-16
October 12
Wrap up: October 16th
6:00-8:00 PM / Scene 4.1 / Read Scene
4.1.1 / Read resources
Post initial response to discussion
Respond to 3 peers
Final Course Project / Submit Final Course Documents: Learning-Centered Syllabus and My Development Plan as an assignment by 11:59 pm on October 16th.
Bring two print copies of your revised Learning-centered Syllabus to the Wrap-up on October 16th.
Course Evaluation / Submit online by 11:59 pm on October 16th, 2014. This course evaluation gives me valuable feedback for improving the course next term.
Thanks for your input!