Fall 2023 Opening Week
- President's Collegewide Meeting
- Provost's Meeting
- Faculty Opportunities for Collaboration and Support
- Flex Learning at Harper College: Embracing the Present, Empowering the Future
- Ally for Everyone: Enhancing Accessibility and Usability
- Teaching in the Age of AI: Problems, Potentials, and Possible Futures
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Fall Resources: Blackboard Course Template, Syllabus Template, and More
The Academy team has developed some resources to help you as you prepare for the Fall 2023 semester, including a Blackboard Course Template and a revised and streamlined Syllabus Template.
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Register Now for Professional Development Credit Offerings (GECs & Workshops)
Register now for Graduate Equivalency Course (GEC) and credit workshop (CEU) offerings for the fall semester. All Harper College faculty (full-time and adjunct) can register for any of these opportunities at no cost.
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Removing or Adding Students in Blackboard
During the first few weeks of the term, you may notice that once in a while your Student Information System (SIS) roster does not match your Blackboard roster. The system usually makes these updates so the rosters match, but in case something is missed, you can manually add or remove a student if needed. After comparing your SIS and Blackboard rosters, if you find a discrepancy, then view the following video for steps to add or remove a student from your Blackboard course.
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Calling Ally Advocates!
Become an Ally Advocate Coach and help empower your fellow faculty members to enhance the accessibility of their course content through Blackboard Ally. As an Ally Coach, you will guide and support your peers through the process of using Blackboard Ally to make their course materials more accessible. Not only will you have the satisfaction of making a positive impact, but you'll also receive a stipend.
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Creating Media Content with New Technologies: Getting Ready for the Fall Semester
As you prepare your course(s) for the semester, try something new and explore the various technologies available to Harper faculty. The Academy offers two recording studios equipped with technology for creating engaging media content. The studios include a Lightboard for creating interactive videos, a podcast microphone for recording audio, a green screen, and Camtasia editing software. The Panopto video platform is also available for instructors to record and edit videos, with features like automatic captioning, quizzes, and analytics.
Continue reading to see how faculty have used some of these technologies, learn how to reserve the recording studios and how to get started creating, and more!
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Introducing ReadSpeaker: A Text-to-Speech Tool for Students in Blackboard
ReadSpeaker, a text-to-speech technology, is now available as a new tool in Blackboard. The ReadSpeaker Suite of Learning Tools instantly creates an audio version of course content in line with Universal Design for Learning concepts. This means that students will have the option to listen to their course materials (including tests!) instead of reading them, which can be especially helpful for those who have reading or learning difficulties. Additionally, any student can benefit from using this tool.
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Academy & Blackboard Support for Faculty: 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.
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There are two sessions available for New Adjunct Faculty Orientation this week - an on-campus session on August 14 and a virtual session on August 15. Learn more using the link above.
Access and Disability Services (ADS) proudly celebrates 50 years of providing the Harper community with programs and services that promote inclusivity and accessibility to individuals with disabilities. Please join ADS for reflection, appetizers, and celebrating our great history. Learn more and RSVP using the link above.
Please consider sharing the following resources and links with your students in a Blackboard announcement:
The Academy supports inclusive teaching practices that create more equitable learning experiences and outcomes. Visit the Inclusive Teaching page on the Academy website to learn more about resources and on-demand programs related to creating a more equitable learning environment.
Please contact the Service Desk with any technical issues or questions: 847.925.6199, servicedesk@harpercollege.edu. You can also visit the Service Desk HIP page for information about Office 365, take-home software, Employee Technical Skills Training information, to Live Chat with the Service Desk, and more.
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 more. View hours and learn more using the link above.
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.
Register now for the 10th Annual Adjunct Faculty Teaching & Learning Conference on September 14 from 4:30-8 p.m. Learn more using the link above.
Use the link above to view important deadline and due dates from the Registrar's Office.
Harper has partnered with Kognito to provide an interactive role-play simulation training that builds awareness, knowledge, and skills about mental health and suicide prevention and prepares users to lead real-life conversations with students that build resilience, strengthen relationships, and connect them with support. Learn more using the link above.
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Register Now for the Assessment Conference & Share Fair
Shared by the Learning Assessment Committee
Registration is now open for the 15th Annual Assessment Conference & Share Fair. This in-person professional development event will feature an engaging poster session; a keynote session - Building Responsiveness and Serving Our Students: For Integrity, Efficacy, and Equity; additional breakout sessions, and more. Attendees can earn up to 0.4 CEUs.
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Collaborative Equity Literacy Project Boosts Awareness, Supports Vital Conversations
When it comes to communicating about important and complex topics in education, it helps to have a shared lexicon. Just as auto mechanics need to know what a gear differential is, educators and students need common terms and definitions to discuss equity and inclusion.
At Harper, a collaborative of area educators have been working since 2017 to develop the Equity Literacy Project, an initiative to help students and teachers “speak the same language” to engage in meaningful dialogue and accelerate progress toward addressing school inequities. The group of more than 30 educators from Harper, Northern Illinois University, Township High School Districts 211 and 214, and Barrington Community Unit 220 School District established the initiative to build toward an environment in which students and educators can thrive.
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Tips for Starting Strong Online in Fall 2023
Whether you are teaching online or blended, these tips will help you to start the semester strong!
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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 2023 that includes orientation activities and a weekly folder structure. The template is built out for the entire semester.
- Send a clear welcome message to students by August 15 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 21.
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Create a short welcome video to introduce yourself and the course. Record a short welcome video to introduce yourself and reiterate important first steps for students. Let them know how they can get engaged with the course in the first week. If possible, share your screen and provide a walkthrough of critical course resources.
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Register Now for a Teaching Online Successfully Course
Register now for a Teaching Online Successfully course taking place this fall. There are three options to choose from based on your needs: Create, Facilitate, or Enhance. Each course is two weeks, fully online, 1 GEC, and there is no cost.
Please note: Completion of either the Create course or Facilitate course fulfills the professional development requirement for new online/blended instructors at Harper.
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Upcoming Professional Development Credit Opportunities |
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September 11 - September 24 (GECs: 1) register by: August 28
September 12, 1 p.m. (CEUs: 0.1)
September 14, 4:30 p.m. (CEUs: 0.35)
September 22, 11 a.m. (CEUs: 0.2)
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What's Happening @ Harper? |
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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.
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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. |
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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.
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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. |
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