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Welcome back and a happy 2025 to you all! We hope everyone had an enjoyable and a restful holiday break. Whether you are returning or starting your first semester here at Reynolds, we hope everyone's start to the new year and semester goes as smoothly as possible. This semester, we’re excited to offer a variety of new opportunities to support your teaching and professional growth. Highlights include extended 1:1 assistance available throughout January, special in-service sessions crafted directly from faculty feedback, and the launch of a dynamic new panel series. Stay tuned for more details!
Warm regards,
Brianne L. Jackson, Ph.D.
Dean of Teaching & Learning
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The Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning is here to help support faculty in their pursuit of quality in teaching and learning, through evidence-based learning opportunities, individual and group consultations and pedagogical resources that assist in strengthening the strategic priorities of Reynolds Community College.
Do you have a question, Canvas issue, or workshop collaboration idea? How should you contact us? Please use the above graphic to determine which email to reach out to (cetl@reynolds.edu or canvas@reynolds.edu), or whether a 1:1 consultation best meets your needs. Please give us at least 24 - 48 business hours to respond.
We look forward to the opportunity to work with you in order to inspire, support, and empower your work to help support students reach their educational goals and realize their economic mobility.
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REMINDER: CETL Drop-In Hours Support | |
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Please note that the virtual Drop-In Zoom link in the image above is not clickable.
You can find the link immediately after the text below.
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We know the start of a new semester can bring a mix of excitement and stress, so we’re here to support you. This week, CETL continues to offer our extended drop-in hours support to meet your beginning of the semester needs, both on the Parham Road and Downtown Campuses. A CETL staff member will be available at each location (pending campus open status) to assist faculty with Canvas and course-related support.
Additionally, for the remaining of January, instead of our usual Faculty Learning Opportunities (FLOs), CETL is focusing on personalized 1:1 support to help you kick off your semester with confidence. Swing by CETL in Burnette Hall 162 on the Parham Road Campus, or Tutoring Services room 329 on the Downtown Campus for drop-in support. You can also join us virtually via our Zoom link. Be sure to check our schedule before dropping in. If you prefer, you can also request a consultation with a CETL staff person, virtually or in-person, to schedule a time convenient for you.
Our regularly scheduled FLOs will resume in February, but CETL’s 1:1 support is here for you throughout January and beyond, all semester long. So please take advantage of these support opportunities. Whether you need help fine-tuning a course, exploring new teaching strategies, or designing engaging learning activities, we’re just a visit or click away. Let’s make this semester a great one together!
**Week of January 6 inclement weather schedule**
CETL will continue to offer virtual drop-in support this week as long as the college (or a specific campus) remains open virtually. Please note that there will be no on-campus drop-in hours when the college (or a specific campus) is closed. Please stay safe, and don’t hesitate to reach out to us online for support with your teaching needs!
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Remember to Publish Your Canvas Course | |
If you are teaching a course that starts on Monday, January 13, you must publish your course before midnight (or by 11:59pm) on Thursday, January 9. This ensures your students will see your course on their Canvas dashboard. Please consult this text-based guide or video tutorial if you need a reminder on how to publish your Canvas courses. | |
Faculty Reading Corner: "Creating an Effective Online Environment" | |
"Creating an Effective Online Environment"
Creating effective online learning environments is essential for supporting adult and developmental education students. This article highlights strategies for fostering engagement, such as building strong instructor presence, designing interactive course activities, and ensuring accessibility. It also emphasizes the importance of clear communication and structured course design to help students navigate online learning with confidence. Explore practical insights to enhance your online teaching practices and better support your learners.
Jaggars, S. S., Edgecombe, N., & Stacey, G. W. (2013, March). Creating an effective online environment. Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University.
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In Case You Missed It: Title II Accessibility Updates | |
Changes are here to help make online learning more inclusive! As of July 1, 2024, Title II accessibility updates expanded to include all online course materials—not just public-facing websites. This means ensuring your materials meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards by, for example, providing alt text for images, captions for videos, transcripts for audio, and making third-party content accessible. Don’t worry—we have two years to make these adjustments, and CETL is here to support you every step of the way. Check out our video for an overview of these changes and how we can help. Let’s work together to create courses that are welcoming and accessible for everyone! | |
Teaching Tactics: Ensuring Regular and Substantive Interaction in Online Courses | | |
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Engaging students in online courses requires consistent and meaningful interaction, as outlined by the standards for Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI). This month, we’re sharing a practical checklist to help you enhance communication and build an interactive learning environment. From setting clear expectations in your syllabus to providing timely feedback, facilitating discussions, and leveraging collaboration tools, the checklist offers actionable steps to ensure your course meets RSI guidelines. Explore these strategies to create a more engaging and supportive online experience for your students!
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Spring '25 Equity Reading Group | |
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CETL's Equity Reading Group is a faculty-led initiative where participants read books together throughout the semester to discuss strategies to cultivate inclusive and equitable approaches to teaching and improving student learning and success.
This year's 2024 - 2025 Equity Reading Group set out to explore books with an emphasis on evidence-based, high-impact strategies and concrete steps that can be implemented immediately into online and in-person classrooms. Last semester we read Promoting Belonging, Growth Mindset, and Resilience to Foster Student Success by Amy Baldwin, Bryce D. Bunting, Doug Daugherty, Latoya Lewis, & Tim Steenbergh. This upcoming spring semester we will read Transforming Online Teaching in Higher Education by Steven Goss, Robin E. Hummel & Laura Zadoff.
Dr. Stephanie Daniel is leading this spring semester's sessions. Upcoming meetings will be held in Zoom on February 6, February 27, March 27, and April 17. If you have any questions or would like to participate, please email sdaniel@reynolds.edu to receive a copy of the book (supplies limited) and the links to participate in the Zoom sessions.
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Transforming Online Teaching in Higher Education
by Steven Goss, Robin E. Hummel & Laura Zadoff
Drawing on their years of experience leading transformative online classrooms in higher education, the authors present an approach for teaching online that is both engaging and effective. This practical book provides an overview of essential approaches, bolstered by examples from various instructors who are teaching online courses. The authors examine how progressive practices are useful for instructors new to the online classroom as well as for experienced online educators seeking to enhance their existing practices.
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The CETL team is always here to support you, but we understand that sometimes you need Canvas assistance right away. That’s where the Help menu in the Canvas Global Navigation Menu comes in! Faculty and students can access live chat and phone support, report a problem, explore the Training Services Portal, watch webinars, and connect with the Canvas Community. These resources are available 24/7 to ensure you have the help you need when you need it most.
As always, you can reach out to CETL at canvas@reynolds.edu or 804-523-5612 to request Canvas assistance. Please note that our inbox and phone is not monitored outside of business hours or on weekends.
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TILT & Growth Mindset Support | | |
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CETL would like to remind faculty to reach out to Jennifer Hitchcock with any questions about applying TILT or growth mindset strategies in your courses.
For more information on TILT and growth mindset strategies, please check out the following CETL curated resources:
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LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor Webinars | |
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Date/Time
Description
This comprehensive training webinar is intended for instructors who plan to use LockDown Browser and/or Respondus Monitor with online exams. The session provides a detailed demonstration of both applications, including enhancements that make Respondus Monitor even more effective and easy to use.
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