Author: Jamie Ackley (Page 1 of 3)

Kahoot! for Assessment (SSC Online Workshop)

April 5, 2024 /

Watch Workshop Video (39:22)

Above is a recording of this SSC Online Workshop presented by math instructor, Jennifer Medlen.

Original Workshop description:

See how a math instructor at SSC easily aligned the online scoring of a Kahoot! quiz to the SSC Critical Thinking Rubric for general education assessment. Ideas will be discussed for creating a similar type of alignment with other College rubrics. 

Questions: please email ssconline@ssc.edu.

Cengage Unlimited Textbooks and Learning Content

January 23, 2024 /

Cengage Unlimited textbooks and learning content integrates with D2L Brightspace courses.  Students must access their Cengage material through their SSC D2L courses.

Instructors and students can follow these easy directions should they have any trouble.

Instructors:

  • New to Cengage – create a new account (remember to use SSC email account)
  • First time integrating your Cengage learning content into D2L – Watch Video (4:09)
  • Already used Cengage in a previous D2L course – Copy D2L Course – Watch Video (2:53)
  • Only using Cengage eBook in your D2L Course – Watch Video (1:54)

The above videos require a login to Office.com (same as you use with SSC email or D2L).

Need help? 

Or Contact SSC’s Account Representatives

Jesse Hunt
Email: jesse.hunt@cengage.com
Phone: 869-657-4372
Book an Appointment

Sarah Osborn
Customer Success Manager
Email: sarah.osborn@cengage.com
Book an Appointment

Students

  • Start off by asking your instructor how they use Cengage in their courses.  Sometimes they can answer many of your questions.
  • Login to your D2L Brightspace course.
  • Find any Cengage material your instructor has posted in the D2L course and you will be asked for a one-time login.
  • Already have an account? Login with your credentials.
  • New to Cengage – Register for an Account – Watch Video (remember to use SSC email address)
  • Need help? Visit Cengage Unlimited Support – Select Student.

Open Education Resources (OER) at SSC

January 3, 2024 /

OER stands for “Open Education Resources” and is linked to an educational movement that began about 20 years ago and has become a global educational movement.  Instructors who use OER course material in their courses are using freely available, high-quality educational resources in order to bring textbook costs down for students.  OER, in essence, are freely available, openly licensed resources such as textbooks, media, videos, articles and more – that are useful for teaching, learning and accessing as well as for research purposes.

Interested in trying out Open Education Resources in your course?  Follow these easy steps to begin:

Step 1: Understanding the Benefits of Open  Education Resources

Using Open Education Resources in your course provides many benefits, but here are just a few to consider:

  • Equity to Students: Students will have access to quality learning materials that can be accessed repeatedly without any access roadblocks.
  • Saves Money: Students may save on the purchase of textbooks or course materials.
  • Scalability: Instructors can easily adopt OER material that can be distributed widely with little or no cost.
  • Enhancement of regular course content: multimedia, images and other resources allow for students to receive content in different formats that match with their learning styles.

Step 2:  Become Familiar with OER Licensing

Before finding OER material for your course, step two is becoming familiar with OER licensing and terminology, as faculty will have to cite the OER material and license used in their courses.  The person who creates OER content decides how the content they created can be used by other educators.  For example, they decide the following:

  • Content can only be Adopted = the OER resource can only be used “as-is”
  • Content can be Adapted = the OER resource can be revised, updated, and converted as long as the original source is cited.
Want to share your content with other educators? Faculty can create their own OER material and share with other educators.  In doing so, they would select how they wish to license their OER content (Adopted or Adapted).  Instructors can contact the Teaching and Learning Center or the SSC library to obtain a list of free OER platforms to publish shareable content.

When selecting an OER resource: Faculty must make sure the license for that content also allows for the use, modifications, and distribution. These are commonly known as the 5Rs – Retain, Reuse, Revise, Remix, and Redistribute. 

  • Retain – allows instructors to make, own, and control a copy of the OER resource (e.g., download and keep your own copy)
  • Revise – allows instructors to edit, adapt, and modify a copy of the OER resource (e.g., translate into another language)
  • Remix – allows instructors to combine OER content (include their own creation) to create something new (e.g., make a mashup)
  • Reuse – allows instructors to use original, revised, or remixed copy of the resource publicly (e.g., on a website, in a presentation, in a class)
  • Redistribute – allows instructors to share copies of original, revised, or remixed copy of the OER resource with others (e.g., post a copy online or give one to a friend)

Watch a short video explaining:

“OER Bootcamp 0: What OER’s are and why they are important” video by Sarah Morehead on YouTube  and licensed under CC BY 4.0 .

Step 3: Find a free OER resource to use in your course

There are a variety of OER repositories, collections, and directories and the list is endless.  Often the trouble lies with locating content that fits precisely with what the instructor is seeking.

Below are just a few resources to get instructor’s started.

Watch a short video explaining:

“OER Search” video by Amy Hofer at Open Oregon on YouTube and licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Need help citing the OER source you plan to use? If instructors use OER resources, make sure to properly cite your source.  Visit the free Attribution Builder – enter the source and license to generate an OER cite to post with your course material.  

Step 4: Calculate cost savings to your students?

If you are an instructor at SSC and plan to use Open Education Resources in your course, let the Teaching and Learning Center and SSC Library know by completing this short 4-question form.   Completing this form will allow us to calculate cost savings to students.

Need more assistance in getting started? Make an appointment with the Teaching and Learning Center and SSC Library by emailing ssconlne@ssc.edu.

Office 365 – Outlook and Teams

November 29, 2023 /

MISSED OUR LIVE TRAINING SESSION?

WATCH A REPLAY (SSC Username and Network Password Required)

How to Login and Access:

  • Visit: https://office.com
  • Username: Type in your complete SSC email address
  • Password is your same single sign-on (same as you use for D2L, etc.)
    • Multi-factor authentication is required (if you haven’t set this up already, view setup)

Outlook (email and calendar)

Teams

Need Help?

  • Email the Teaching and Learning Center at ssconline@ssc.edu

How to Post An Announcement in D2L

November 8, 2023 /

Announcements posted in D2L courses are an effective way to communicate with your students. Students will receive the announcement in their D2L course, in their Alerts (bell next to their profile name) and if they have downloaded the D2L Pulse mobile app, they will receive a text-like message.

Posting an Announcement

  • Enter your D2L course
  • Scroll down to the Announcement Widget
  • In the drop down arrow, select New Announcement
D2L New Announcment
  • Complete the Headline and Content
  • Select a Start Date, add a file (optional) and select Publish
  • Your Announcement will now appear in your D2L course shell

Note: Announcements can also be found in a D2L course under More, Course Admin

  • Under Communication, select Announcements
  • Creating an Announcement through the Course Admin, allows instructors the extra feature of Pinning the Announcement to always appear at the top

What’s New in D2L?

July 26, 2023 /

D2L is a cloud-based learning management system that updates each month with new features and improvements.  This page summarizes these monthly improvements to keep instructors up-to-date and provide information to improve course content.

November, 2023

Announcements

D2L implemented the ability to copy announcements to other courses.

Copy Announcements in D2L to other courses.

September, 2023

Synchronous Quiz

Instructors can facilitate quizzes where learners take their attempts simultaneously, which is convenient for in-class sessions.

When setting up the D2L Quiz, under Timing and Display, select Time Limits, then Synchronous.

Students will take their quizzes in-class, either in a computer lab or using their laptops. When students begin taking the quiz, they will all receive a pop up message telling them when the quiz will begin.

Synchronous Pop Up Quiz

Virtual Assistant Introduced

A contextual help tool is now integrated into D2L. Students and instructors can ask help questions anywhere in D2L.

D2L Virtual Assistant

August, 2023

Announcements

When an instructor creates an announcement in their D2L course, that they want to stay at the top of their announcement list, there is now an option to “in it to the top”.

D2L announcement and pinning it to the top.

July, 2023

Quizzes

  • Students:
    • Students can elect to Hide the Timer when taking a quiz. This may reduce anxiety during quiz taking.
    • Warning are displayed at certain times to support awareness of time left.
      • 1 minute remaining on quiz.
      • 5 minutes remaining on quiz (only on quizzes with 10 minutes or longer time limit)
      • Half of the elapsed time (only on quizzes with 20 minutes or longer quiz time limit)
    • Submission View has been changed to Quiz Results Page. After students submits a quiz, they will see the Quiz Results Page.
The Quiz Results page shows learners the status of their quiz and their score.
The Quiz Results page shows learners the status of their quiz and their score.
  • Students can now see information about the quiz, while they are taking the quiz.
Quiz Information option on the quiz page to view instructions and other information. This does not leave the quiz.
Quiz Information option on the quiz page to view instructions and other information. This does not leave the quiz.

April, 2023

Discussions

  • Discussions have been improved to look similar to Assignments and Quizzes.
Example of New Discussion Look and Feel
Example of New Discussion Look and Feel

Quizzes

  • Previously, when a student accidentally exited a quiz, there was not a dialog or warning.
  • Students are now shown a context-based confirmation dialog message.
  • Students now see one of the following:
The Exit Quiz confirmation dialog for quizzes with no time limit, no end date, or a time limit that expires before the end date.
The Exit Quiz confirmation dialog for quizzes with no time limit, no end date, or a time limit that expires before the end date.
The Exit Quiz confirmation dialog for quizzes with a time limit and no end date.
The Exit Quiz confirmation dialog for quizzes with a time limit and no end date.
The Exit Quiz confirmation dialog for quizzes with an end date, no time limit, or an end date that will arrive before the time limit expires.
The Exit Quiz confirmation dialog for quizzes with an end date, no time limit, or an end date that will arrive before the time limit expires.
The Exit Quiz confirmation dialog for quizzes that have an end date in the past.
The Exit Quiz confirmation dialog for quizzes that have an end date in the past.

February, 2023

Quizzes

  • Instructors can now add quiz availability dates to the Calendar tool in the Availability Dates & Conditions menu in the new quiz creation experience.
  • Instructors can select the Add availability dates to Calendar checkbox when creating a quiz to add quiz availability dates to their Calendar.
  • Previously, only the Due Date was automatically added to the D2L Calendar.
  • Instructor have more options now on how many questions are presented to students; all questions displayed together, 1 question per page, 5 questions per page, 10 questions per page, or add page break after each section of questions.

January, 2023

Equation Editor

  • The Equation Editor has been improved with better rendering features.
  • When creating assignments, discussions and quiz questions, within any textbox, instructors can insert equations.
Example of inserting an equation into D2L
Example of inserting an equation into D2L
Example of inserting an equation into D2L
Example of inserting an equation into D2L

December, 2022

Assignments

  • Under Available Dates and Restrictions, Instructors can choose what students see of the assignment before submission using the visible with access restriction feature. See it in Action

November, 2022

Media Library Update

  • The new Media Library (assess is wheel icon next to profile name in D2L) now has a record video/audio option.
  • Videos uploaded to the Media Library or video/audio recorded by instructors can be used in multiple courses.
  • An example would be a welcome video recorded by an instructor and easily placed in various courses.

October, 2022

Pulse Mobile App

  • To help improve the flexibility of push notification, users will be able to choose which push notifications they receive. Previously, it was not possible to limit or control push notifications.

ReadSpeaker Text to Speech Technology

  • This option is now available in Discussions.

September, 2022

Assignments

  • Instructors who teach multiple courses can now copy assignments to other courses. To copy assignments, select the down arrow next to the assignment name and select “Copy to Other Courses”.

Quizzes

  • “No Time Limit” is now a quiz timing option and has become the default time setting (previously default was 120 minutes). If a time limit is desired, instructors must manually select the desired time.

August, 2022

Display Personal Pronouns

Grading

  • When evaluating student assignments using D2L’s annotation feature, instructor can now use the new undo/redo button. Previously, the only way to remove the annotation was to use the eraser tool.

Media Library Updates

  • Early updates shown below provide information on the new streaming Media Library.
  • Under Insert Stuff, the Media Library is now an option. This allows instructors to upload video in multiple places in D2L.

Quizzes

  • Instructors now have the ability to restore a quiz they may have deleted in error.
  • Under Quizzes > More Actions > There is now a restore option.

May, 2022

Video/Audio and the New Media Library

  • Under the advanced editing option on any video uploaded to D2L, there is now an optimize for streaming button.
D2L Streaming Media

Pulse Mobile App

  • Brightspace Pulse users can now use @mention push notifications. Originally, @mentions came through the LMS but were only visible if the user opened Pulse and viewed their Subscriptions tab under Notifications. Now, the new functionality sends a push notification to the user when they are @mentioned.
  • Updates and subscriptions in the Pulse App are now aligned to show the same items as the Alert Bell in D2L.

April, 2022

Intelligent Agents

  • The Create Agent page has a new modernized user interface.
  • Subject line of intelligent agent emails now supports 128 characters.

March, 2022

Announcements

  • Course announcements now have a copy feature.

New Media Library

  • A streaming media library is now available for D2L courses. New videos posted to a D2L course will be placed in this streaming media library. Videos previous uploaded to D2L will not be automatically transferred to this new media library, so instructors will have to manually transfer.

Workflow improvements for Media

  • When creating new video and audio, instructors no longer must wait for the uploaded media file to process. While the media file remains unavailable during processing, instructors can navigate away to work on other tasks. When processing is complete, instructor will be notified.

February, 2022

Content – Print and Download Buttons

  • The Print and Download buttons are now better positioned when viewing content within a module.
Print and Download
Print and Download

January, 2022

Video/Audio and New Media Library

What improved?

  • Table of Contents: Instructors can apply meaningful segments to larger videos.
  • Audio Generated Closed Caption: Instructors can select language, with the ability to edit.
  • Video Editing: Minor video editing is available – Seek, Mark and Cut.

How to implement?

  • Within a module in your course, select Upload/Create, then Video and Audio.
  • Video will take a few minutes to process after uploading.
  • Select Advance Settings after the video uploads to gain access to these new features.
  • See Full Directions (SSC uses Classic Content).

Outcomes Assessment – Rubrics at SSC – General Education and Course Level

March 27, 2023 /

What are General Education Institutional Rubrics SSC?

SSC Rubrics Image
  • General education outcomes assessments demonstrate how SSC students are performing on important, institutional skills throughout the General Education class requirements for associates degree programs.
  • General education outcomes assessment is one of the stated Goals for the college and it is required by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) for accreditation.
  • General Education Institutional Rubrics are pre-designed and ready for instructors to use in D2L.  Instructors just have to attach the D2L Rubric to an assignment and then grade an assignment based on that rubric.
    • Here is a list of the current General Education Institutional Rubrics in D2L:
      • SSC Oral Communication Skills Rubric
      • SSC Problem-Solving Skills Rubric (Assessment of Effective Use of Critical Thinking Skills)
      • SSC Technology Skills (Assessment of the use of Technology)
      • SSC Written Communication Skills Rubric
      • Coming Soon! SSC Multiculturalism Rubric

What are Course Level Rubrics SSC?

  • Course level rubrics are usually created by the instructor in D2L (unless they’d like to adapt a general education rubric above). The instructor then attaches their D2L rubric to an assignment and grades the assignment based on that rubric. 
  • Course level assessments begin with Student Learning Outcomes listed on the syllabus of each course and those outcomes are then aligned to a rubric for a particular course assignment.

How to implement in your D2L course:

General Education Institutional Rubrics (Created by Outcomes Assessment Committee)

Attach a General Education Rubric to an AssignmentHandoutWatch Recording (02:16)
Insights Reports – View Institutional Rubric Data Collected in D2LHandoutWatch Recording (03:17)

Course Level Rubrics (Created by the Instructor)

Create Your Own Rubric in D2LHandoutWatch Recording (02:58)
Within a Course – View Course Level Rubric StatisticsHandoutWatch Recording (02:16)
Within Insight Reports – View Course Level Rubric StatisticsHandoutWatch Recording (03:17)
Share a Rubric with a Colleague or Copy to Another D2L CourseHandoutWatch Recording (02:10)

Benefits of Using Rubrics

Benefits of Using RubricsHandoutWatch Recording (01:51)

Grading an Assignment that Uses a Rubric

Grade a D2L Assignment that Uses a RubricHandoutWatch Recording (02:50)
What Happens after the Instructor Grades an Assignment?HandoutWatch Recording (01:04)

How Students View Rubrics (Before and After Assignment Submission)

See How Students View RubricsHandoutWatch Recording (01:00)

Alternative Methods of Using Rubrics

Using Two Rubrics on One AssignmentHandoutWatch Recording (01:43)
Attaching a Rubric to an Observe in Person Assignment or Stand Alone Gradebook ColumnHandoutWatch Recording (03:52)

Teaching and Learning Center Training Session

TLC Training Session on Rubrics at SSCHandoutWatch Recording (30:53)
Attend a Live D2L Rubrics Training SessionVisit the TLC Training Calendar

Need further help?

  • Request one-on-one virtual training by emailing: ssconline@ssc.edu.
  • Email a question to the Outcome Assessment Committee at: outcomecommittee@ssc.edu.

More Resources from the Outcome Assessment Committee:

Introduction to Quality Matters

August 19, 2022 /

What is Quality Matters?

Quality Matters (QM), is an internationally recognized, standards-based program, which offers faculty quality assurance in online and hybrid course design with a focus on continuous improvement.

The Quality Matters program is rubric-based. The 43 standards are specific to higher education, backed by research, and are nationally recognized as a means to improve course design.

South Suburban College has a paid membership with Quality Matters.

Membership includes various resources, research and professional development opportunities.

How other Institutions Use Quality Matters?

Numerous national and local institutions use Quality Matters as a measure for quality courses. See Chicagoland institutions using Quality Matters.

Official course reviews can be completed in two ways:

External:

  • For a fee, the institution pays Quality Matters to review each course independently.​
  • 3 certified QM peer reviewers from other institutions review each course with a turnaround time of 3-6 weeks per course.

Internal:

  • The institution pays for QM peer review certified training for SSC faculty and/or staff.
  • These internal certified QM peer reviewers review courses for quality.

Course (and complete programs) that are Quality Matters certified are listed on the QM website. Institutions can promote these courses as well to demonstrate to their commitment to high quality courses.

How can we leverage SSC’s Quality Matters membership?

  • Create your Quality Matters faculty account. Visit Quality Matters.
  • Select Higher Education Tab.
  • Sign up for free training webinars or professional development sessions.
  • Self-enroll in the free, self-pace course “Elements of Quality Matters“.
  • Remember to send your certification of completion to: ssconline@ssc.edu.

Self-evaluate your own course using SSC’s quality course checklist.

D2L Course Copy – Copy Previous Course Content to a New Term Course Shell

August 8, 2022 /

Great news! You do not need to recreate your course content every semester. It is easy to roll it over from a previous term.

  • In D2L, enter your current course.
  • Go to Course Tools (or More) →Course Admin →Import/Export/Copy Components.
Course Tools Course Admin
Import/Export
  • Choose “Copy Components from another Org Unit” and select “Search for offering”.
Course to Copy
  • Type in your course ID you want to copy “from” (for example: BIO) and Search.
Course Copy Search
  • From the search list choose the course you want to copy “from”, then select “Add Selected”
Copy Selected Course
  • At the bottom of the screen, you have two options: Copy All Components (entire course) or Select Component (perhaps you just want to copy a few quizzes).
Copy all or selected

  • If you choose Select Components, select what you’d like to copy then Continue.

    • Copy Select Components

  • Course content should then copy from a previous course to a new course shell.

    • D2L Course Copy – Share Content with Another Instructor

    August 1, 2022 /

    There are times when instructors may want to share their course content with another instructor or create a backup of their course for future reference.  This is done by exporting your D2L course as a Brightspace course package (zip).  This package (zip) can then be shared with another instructor to import into their course or saved in a secure location as a course backup.  

    Step 1: Export your course as a Brightspace package

    • In your D2L course, go to the Course Tools > Course Admin.
    Course Tools > Course Admin
    • Select Import/Export/Copy Components.
    Course Admin > Import/Export/Copy Componets
    • Select Export as Brightspace Package > Start.
    Export Bright Space Package > Start
    • Select Components to Export > Continue.
    • Select Components to Export > Continue
    • Important! – Under Additional Components to Export, select Include course files in the export package > Export.
    Additional Components to Export, select Include course files in the export package > Export.
    • The Export will start.  You’ll be notified on the Updates Alerts icon in D2L when the export is ready to download (orange dot indicates new notification).
    the Updates Alerts icon in D2L when the export is ready to download.
    • Select Export Finished in the Updates Alerts to download the Export Package (zip).
    • Select Export Finished in the Updates Alerts to download the Export Package
    • Click to download the Export Package (zip).
    download the Export Package
    • Save zip file to a secure location.
    • Send this zip file to the instructor you are sharing your course with.
    • That instructor will now go to Step 2 for directions to import the zip file into their course.

    Step 2: Import the Zip file into a new D2L course

    • In your D2L course, go to the Course Tools > Course Admin.
    Course Tools > Course Admin
    • Select Import/Export/Copy Components.
    Course Admin > Import/Export/Copy Componets
    • Select Import Components from a course package > Start.
    Import Components from a course package > Start.
    • Under Import Course Package, select Upload then browse to the zip file shared with you.
    Upload then browse to the zip file
    • When the file upload is complete, select Import All Components.
    Import All Components
    • Based on the size of the course content being imported, this process may take a few minutes.  When complete, select View Content.
    View Content

    Once the course is imported, there are a few cleanup items you will need to check:

    • Syllabus:  Remove the old course syllabus and upload the new course syllabus.
    • Announcements: delete any old announcements that was in the previous course (Course Tools > Course Admin > Announcements).
    • Modules: Review the content within the weekly modules to determine if content is in the proper order and is visible to students.  Hide or delete any content you do not wish to use.
    • Assignments: Review and edit assignments.  Double check the scores of each assignment to make sure they match with your syllabus.  You can also change due dates individually or bulk edit to change due dates for all assignments.
    Bulk Edit
    Change Assignment Due Dates
    • Discussions and Quizzes:  Just like with assignments, edit dates, scores and review content within the discussion forums and quiz questions.
    • Grades: Select Grades > Manage Grades to determine if the gradebook is set up properly and matches with your new syllabus.
    • Dual Delivery Course?  If teaching a dual delivery course, set up your virtual classroom meeting dates in advance.  Select Virtual Classroom > Plus sign (lower right hand) to repeating virtual meeting dates.
    Virtual Classroom
    Create Virtual Classroom
    Virtual Classroom

    If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to contact the Teaching and Learning Center team by emailing:  ssconline@ssc.edu.

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