Academy News - August 15, 2022
Fall Opening Week: August 15-19
 
Fall Opening Week is here! There are a variety of events to check out this week. View the Opening Week Schedule.

A few Academy sessions to highlight:

Take a close look at Thursday, August 18: this day features a full range of faculty-focused sessions taking place on campus.

fall autumn
Fall Resources: Blackboard Course Template, Syllabus Template & Updates, and More

The Academy team has developed some resources to help you as you prepare for the fall semester, including a Blackboard Course Template and Syllabus Template with Updates.
 
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It's Here! Blackboard Base Navigation
 
On August 13, Blackboard was updated to incorporate the new Ultra Base Navigation. This new navigation has a sleek, modern look and feel and will save you time with simpler workflows and easier access to important information.

Learn more: 
information literacy
Register Now for Fall GECs
 
Register now for a Graduate Equivalency Course (GEC). All Harper faculty (full-time and adjunct) can register for GECs at no cost.

inclusive
Inclusive Teaching Practices
 
The Academy supports inclusive teaching practices that create more equitable learning experiences and outcomes. The Academy website now features an Inclusive Teaching page that highlights several of our resources and on-demand programs related to creating a more equitable learning environment.

technology
Need help with and ideas for integrating technology into your instruction?
 
The Academy is here to help you find creative and constructive ways to integrate technology into your instruction. The learning technologies listed on the Academy's Integrating Technology page are available across the institution and meet Harper’s criteria for cost, security, and accessibility. Choosing a tool supported by the College offers advantages, such as access to the full features of the tool and support for you and your students.

library
Try This Instead: Small Changes to Improve Research Assignments
 
Shared by Jennifer Lau-Bond, Coordinator of Library Instruction

Research assignments, whether an essay, a speech, or some other kind of project, are an important part of college. Small changes in wording, though, can have a big impact on student learning. Harper librarians see a lot of assignment descriptions when helping students; here are some common phrases we see, along with suggestions to get you thinking about how you can make your assignments even stronger.

academy support
Academy & Blackboard Support: How to Get Help

The Academy team is available on campus for drop-in support in Building F, Room F317, as well as available for remote support.


Not sure what to ask or where to start? We’re here for you! Just fill out the Academy Request Form, and an Academy team member will follow-up with you.
This video provides an overview of Harper's completion model, Flight of the Hawks Prepare to SOAR. Learn about the Search, Onboard, Advance, and Realize components of the model and see how they positively impact the student experience at Harper. You will also receive some tips and suggestions for supporting students and contributing to this model.

Supporting well-being on campus and beyond often consists of small things that can be done inside and outside of the classroom, which can truly help students not just survive college, but thrive. Use the link above to view an infographic with seven actions that faculty members can take to contribute to student mental health and wellness.

Your Harper ID card can give you campus benefits such as borrowing items from the Library, utilizing employee copy machines, authorized access to specific rooms on campus, and obtaining discounts at the Box Office. The ID card office is located in the Performing Arts Center. View hours and learn more using the link above.

If you would like to be involved in Shared Governance - the process to gather input and develop recommendations that may result in institutional policy and/or address campus needs - here's your opportunity. See vacancies for FY 2022-2023 and learn more using the link above.

Register now for Fall 2022 credit workshop (CEU) offerings. All Harper faculty (full-time and adjunct) can register for any of these offerings at no cost. Learn more and register using the link above.

View the professional development offerings that are available on-demand this semester. Watch the recording on your own time and complete an action plan by the designated date to receive CEUs.

This year's Adjunct Faculty Teaching & Learning Conference will be held in-person in the Wojcik Conference Center (Building W) on September 13 beginning at 5 p.m. Learn more using the link above.
Student Learning
pie
You Have Questions? We Have Answers and "PIE!"

Shared by the Learning Assessment Committee

Classes will begin soon and now is the time to focus on Student Learning! Join us this week for the following session:

You Have Questions? We Have Answers and “PIE!”
Wednesday, 8/17, 11-11:50 a.m., D154 (add to calendar)

Visit the Planning and Institutional Effectiveness (PIE) drop-in session as we showcase ways to get the information you need when you need it! Stop by our stations to learn how to access dashboards and interactive reports on your own or know who to contact if you have questions or additional needs. We will address questions such as:

  • How do I access data?
  • Are our students learning what we say they are learning?
  • What are IEMs, and where can I learn more?
  • How engaged are our students? Do they feel like they belong?
  • How can I become more data literate?

Stop by this event to get some answers and have some pie!
assessment conference
Register Now for the Assessment Conference & Share Fair

Shared by the Learning Assessment Committee

Registration is now open for the 14th Annual Assessment Conference & Share Fair. This in-person professional development event will feature an engaging poster session; a keynote session "Reset to Re-engage: Assessment for Community Building"; additional breakout sessions, and more. Attendees can earn up to 0.4 CEUs.

Faculty Experience
faculty reads
New Faculty Reads Display: Self-Care and Wellbeing

Shared by Jennifer Lau-Bond, Coordinator of Library Instruction

Have you visited the Library’s Faculty Reads display outside the Academy (F317)? The display highlights notable books related to teaching, learning, faculty life, and more. The newest display spotlights books about self-care and wellbeing. Start this academic year off with new ideas for caring for yourself, avoiding burnout, and incorporating self-care practices into your life. We’ll be adding more books to the display as the semester continues, so stop by to browse any time.

Can’t make it to the Library to get these books? Our display is available both on campus and virtually! Our Faculty Reads guide has a list of the current and past display books, including links to ebooks you can read from anywhere. If you have questions about the materials, or if you have suggestions for future displays, email Jennifer Lau-Bond, Coordinator of Library Instruction.
hyflex
HyFlex (Hybrid-Flexible) Learning Pilot

Submitted by Stephanie Whalen, Academy Chair, English & Interdisciplinary Studies

During the Spring 2022 semester, the Academy for Teaching Excellence hosted a “Building Capacity for Flexible Learning” series developed and facilitated with Dr. David Rhoads, Director of Teaching Excellence and Digital Pedagogy at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California.

Faculty explored the principles of hybrid-flexible (HyFlex) pedagogy and completed reflection assignments for each session as well as a capstone project designed to prepare them for the pilot and provide Academy partners with the information they need to provide individualized support. Each faculty member who attended the sessions and completed the assignments were provided a stipend and will be compensated for piloting HyFlex courses of their own design, which will include participating in related meetings to support the program and assessments for gathering data.

Online Learning
online
Tips for Starting Strong Online in Fall 2022

Whether you are teaching online or blended, these tips will help you to start the semester strong!

  1. Provide a clear structure in Blackboard for organizing materials and assignments. Providing a clear structure in Blackboard can help your students easily access resources and assignments. If you’d like a head start, the Academy can provide you with a pre-built Blackboard template for Fall 2022 that includes orientation activities and a weekly folder structure. The template is built out for the entire semester.
  2. Send a clear welcome message to students by August 19 via a Blackboard announcement. Welcome students and provide clear instructions on how to access materials and engage in learning activities before the first week of class to have a strong start once classes begin on August 22.

Upcoming Professional Development Credit Opportunities
September 6 - December 9 (GECs: 3) register by: August 23

September 12 - September 25 (GECs: 1) register by: August 29

September 13, 5 p.m. (CEUs: 0.3)

September 16, 10 a.m. (CEUs: 0.4)
What's Happening @ Harper?
Academy for Teaching Excellence | 847.925.6174 | Building F, Room F317
Monday - Thursday, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
The mission of the Academy for Teaching Excellence is to create a vibrant teaching and learning culture for full-time and adjunct faculty that cultivates professional development in support of student success.
Accessibility: Individuals with disabilities who would like to request an accommodation or who have questions about physical access may contact the event host or Access and Disability Services at ads@harpercollege.edu, 847.925.6266, at least two weeks in advance of the event date.
Harper College enriches its diverse communities by providing quality, affordable, and accessible education. Harper College, in collaboration with its partners, inspires the transformation of individual lives, the workforce, and society.