This academic year the eLearning department at NCCC is focusing on providing training and workshops to support our new Online Course Observation/Effective Online Teaching Behaviors self-evaluation guide. Each month we will focus on one of the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education with a specific focus on Online Teaching. We will start this series off this October by providing resources, tools and strategies to support Principle #1 which is to “encourages contact between students and faculty.”

In the guide you will see evidence  that can show you meet this principle.  Examples are detailed and frequent announcements,  timely responses to messages and email,  a great narrated screen cast that welcomes students to your online course and that provides an overview of the course and the student learning outcomes.  The students should be able to see a picture of you or (use a web cam) and hear your voice.  In addition, you could communicate with students through email, free text services like remind, and provide online office hours through web conferencing tools like Zoom.  We will also send out tips of the week through the Blackboard eLearning faculty group to help you enhance your teaching skills with Principle #1.

During October the NCCC eLearning department invites you to join in to listen to our lunch time webinars, register for our campus workshops, and view the additional resources in Magna and Atomic Leaning to help you enhance your online teaching skills for Principle #1.