Academic Innovation Blog

ACUE Teaching Micro-Credentials & Faculty Fellowship Opportunities

Daytona State College is excited to offer our full-time and part-time faculty members two new opportunities to engage in evidence-based nationally recognized graduate-level teaching certification. Furthermore, to support this initiative, we're also excited to introduce two new Faculty Fellows in Teaching & Learning opportunities. Download the application to serve as the Faculty Fellow in Teaching and Learning. Applications are due Monday, 8/29/2022.  Learn more about both below and apply today!

Daytona State ACUE Course Application

Daytona State College is excited to offer its faculty the opportunity to participate in and pursue a Certificate in Effective Online College Instruction, the only college teaching credential endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE).

Four micro-credentials (offered over the course of an academic year) prepare faculty with evidence-based teaching practices proven to increase student achievement and close equity gaps. The courses are also in alignment with our mission to:

• Emphasize student success,
• Embrace excellence in diversity,
• Foster innovation to enhance teaching and learning.

ACUE courses feature digital badging providing an easy way to document a commitment to instructional excellence. Badges can be added to your curriculum vitae, used in online teaching portfolios, and displayed on LinkedIn profiles or web pages as a sign of your achievement.

Structure of the Training

Modules (25 in total) are combined into four micro-credential courses. Once all four are completed, you will earn your Certificate in Effective {Online} College Instruction. Most of these different micro-credentials are either focused on the face-to-face classroom or virtual learning environments. The four courses are: 

• Promoting Active Learning
• Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment
• Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learning
• Designing Student-Centered Courses

For more information, please visit the ACUE micro-credential courses and content webpage.

Modality

The course will make extensive use of an online platform for the delivery of content and is presented asynchronously. During the course, faculty will think about their own course, attempt to implement new or expanded skills, and reflect on the effectiveness of those changes. ACUE estimates faculty will spend 2-3 hours per week on coursework.

Eligibility and Application

The ACUE enrollment period begins now! All full-time and part-time faculty will be eligible but there is a limit to the number of participants. You can (and are encouraged to) sign up for more than one course.

Enroll in ACUE Cohort

September 12 - October 23, 2022

• Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learners
• Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong [Online] Learners

October 24 - December 11, 2022

• Designing Learner-Centered and Equitable Courses

January 16 - March 5, 2023

• Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment
• Creating an Inclusive and Supportive [Online] Learning Environment

March 27 - May 7, 2023

• Promoting Active Learning
• Promoting Active Learning [Online]

Faculty Fellow in Teaching & Learning

Faculty Fellows in Teaching and Learning is a professional development opportunity and faculty designation that would complement the offering of the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) Effective Teaching Practices training. The Faculty Fellow in Teaching and Learning would provide faculty with peer mentorship through applying and adopting the ACUE teaching and learning principles in the face-to-face and virtual classroom to better support students' academic success. The Faculty Fellow in Teaching and Learning will work and collaborate with peer faculty members, ACUE facilitators, and other staff members within the Division of Online Studies and Department of Professional Development. This is a two-semester commitment in which the faculty member agrees to spend three hours per week working in the Faculty Innovation Center and/or meet remotely to mentor and train peer faculty while creating teaching resources for the face-to-face and online teaching environments.

Download the application to serve as the Faculty Fellow in Teaching and Learning. Applications are due Monday, 8/29/2022. Please direct any questions regarding the Faculty Fellows in Teaching and Learning to me.

Dr. Cheryl Kohen
Dean, Division of Online Studies
cheryl.kohen@daytonastate.edu
386-506-4305
Division of Online Studies

Fall 2022 Planning - Distance Learning Track

Fall Planning week is almost here, beginning Monday, August 22 - 26, 2022. Here is the full Fall 2022 Planning Schedule. You'll notice that many of the sessions are available virtually via Teams, though there are some face to face sessions, such as visiting the new Faculty Innovation Center location and HyFlex training. We look forward to seeing you all online and in-person soon!

Tuesday, Aug. 23

8:30 - 9:30 a.m. 

Online Studies and Instructional Resources Meeting, Dr. Cheryl Kohen & Bill Harrison

Audience: Faculty teaching hybrid and online courses

Location: Online via Microsoft Teams

Notes: This meeting is mandatory for all faculty teaching hybrid and online courses. Please join us to learn about updates, resources, and best practices for digital learning at DSC.

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Faculty Innovation Center Open House, Division of Online Studies

Audience: All faculty and staff (college-wide)

Location: Nunamann Hall (200), Faculty Innovation Center (2nd Floor) 

Notes: Mix and mingle in the Faculty Innovation Center! Refreshments of cookies, coffee, tea, and water will be served. Get help with your Falcon Online course shells and visit with peer faculty members.

2:30 - 3:00 p.m.

Workforce D2L Training, Aaron Sunday

Audience: Mandatory for all faculty and staff in the School of Workforce

Location: Nunamann Hall (200), Faculty Innovation Center (2nd Floor) 

3:30 - 4:00 p.m.

HyFlex Training, Instructional Resources

Audience: Faculty teaching hyflex and online courses

Location: Nunamann Hall (200), Faculty Innovation Center (2nd Floor) and Online via Microsoft Teams

Notes: This training will cover how to use Hyflex equipment in the classroom. It will cover the technical requirements, as well as some best practices. This training will be available both face to face and online. 

Wednesday, Aug. 24

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Class Discussions on Sensitive Topics, Dr. Amy Locklear

Audience: All faculty and staff (college-wide)

Location: Online via Microsoft Teams

Notes: Faculty are encouraged to attend this session for guidance and discussion on leading class discussions on sensitive topics in the era of intellectual freedom. 

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Information Technology Listening Session, Roberto Lombardo & Information Technology Representatives

Audience: All faculty and staff (college-wide)

Location: Online via Microsoft Teams

Notes: In this session, Information Technology (IT) wants to take a moment and listen. This is a structured feedback session. We will focus this listening session on ways that you’re using technology and, on the strategies, to improve this experience.

2:15 - 3:15 p.m.

Library Services and Open Educational Resources (OER), Anibal “AJ” Delgado Gonzalez

Audience: All faculty and staff (College-Wide)

Location: Hosseini Center (1200), Madorsky Theater and Online via Microsoft Teams

Notes:   Join this session and learn about all the amazing services and resources offered by the Daytona State College Library Services Team. Participants will learn about open educational resources (OER), InfoGuides, the library’s collections of print and electronic books, journals, and other media as well as the many services offered like course embedding, adding the Library chat to a course shell, content specific workshops tailored to a course, developing Open Source and OER resources, hosting course materials, and developing a course-specific InfoGuide. Participants will leave the session with a new or renewed friendship with a DSC librarian.

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

eMentor Meeting, Dr. Cheryl Kohen

Audience: Members of the eMentor Committee

Location: Online via Microsoft Teams

Notes: The Division of Online Studies invites members of the eMentor committee to discuss additional updates and committee recommendations with Falcon Online, and join a discussion with Aryn Davis, Associate Professor and Assistant Academic Chair, who will lead an evidence-based discussion on ways to increase the transfer of training into practice for Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and accessibility in our online courses.

Friday, Jan. 14

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Peer Reviewer Meeting, Dr. Cheryl Kohen and Dr. Ericka Tillman

Audience: Members of the Peer Reviewer Committee only

Location: Members of the Peer Reviewer Committee will receive this Microsoft Teams link directly

For additional questions or one-on-one help, please contact us in the Faculty Innovation Center. You may book a face-to-face or virtual appointment, contact us via email at fic@daytonastate.edu, or call 386.506.3485. FIC office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM now located on the second floor of Nunamann Hall (building 200). If you found this to be enlightening and useful, please subscribe to our blog! We look forward to seeing everyone virtually and in-person!

Dr. Cheryl Kohen
Dean, Division of Online Studies
cheryl.kohen@daytonastate.edu
386-506-3405
Division of Online Studies

In the age of Amazon Prime and Uber Eats, we've come to appreciate having the things we need delivered to our door. Have you ever wished that getting personal assistance with your course shell, or developing professional-grade videos, was as easy as ordering a pizza? If so, then do I have news for you -- FIC on the Go is back! Starting with the Fall 2022 semester, members of the Division of Online Studies and the Instructional Resources Media Team will be on our regional campuses according to the schedule listed below, to help you with your course development needs. Want to record a welcome video from the comfort of your office? Check. Is your grade book not reporting as you expected, and you would like us to take a look? Check. Would you simply like another set of eyes on your course shell, looking for ways to improve it? Great, we can do that too; and with FIC on the Go these services (and more) are available at your location.

Of course, you're still welcome to visit us on the Daytona Beach Campus on the Second Floor of Building 200; and you can still Schedule an Instructional Designer for personal assistance anytime. But with FIC on the Go you now have an in-person option that is easy and convenient. If you plan on taking advantage of the FIC on the Go program, we recommend using the above link to reserve your preferred spot. Our dedicated staff is looking forward to working with you from the comfort of your local campus.

* Dates, times & locations are subject to change.

Download a copy of our FIC on the Go Informational Flyer for an easy way to keep track of the dates and times we'll be available on your campus. 

Christopher Smith
Instructional Designer, Division of Online Studies
christopher.smith@daytonastate.edu | 386-506-4277
Online Studies | Faculty Innovation Center (FIC)

What's New With Substantive

Good news, DSC has been ahead of the curve with our regular and substantive interaction (RSI) training and log. The goal of the federal regulation (34 C.F.R. § 600.2) is still to promote quality teaching, learning, and assessment in distance education. The definition of distance education has been updated to provide more consistency and clarity among institutions in regards to online, hybrid, and hyflex modalities. These updates include the types and amount of interactions that qualify as substantive as well as additional guidance on expectations regarding regular.

A few changes worth noting are two interactions are required, with the content and length of the course in mind, to be substantive as well as actively monitoring student engagement and proactively reaching out as part of regular. Chances are you are already meeting these requirements. For example, two forms of substantive interaction could look like your scheduled office hours, where you are initiating an opportunity to provide information or answer questions, and providing predictable feedback that students can use to improve. Furthermore, monitoring student engagement is also a best practice by checking Grades or Class Progress to ensure students are not falling behind.

Wondering what to do next to make sure you're interactions are considered RSI? We've got you covered!

Leveled Up Log

For the faculty that have already completed RSI training, we recommend using the newly remixed RSI log. We have taken this resource to the next level by incorporating additional guidance from the regulation and examples straight from our own DSC faculty. The RSI log now serves as a built-in guide and an easy-to-use template.

Loyal readers of our blog may remember a blog post a few months back about an HTML template to help you track your RSI. The steps to add the HTML template to your course are the same:

1. From a module in Content, click the Upload/Create button.
2. Create a File.
3. Add a title and click the checkbox below the title to "Hide from Users."
4. In the drop-down menu next to the title box, select Substantive Interaction Record.
5. Save and Close.

Refreshed RSI Training

Are you looking for a more in-depth understanding? As a result of these updates, we are rebranding and refreshing our internal training to align with the amended federal regulations. First, we are following the industry trend to weave the two essential ingredients, regular and substantive, into one easily recognizable acronym - RSI. Second, we are wrapping up the RSI training redesign, which includes new content and activities built to provide opportunities to recognize the details and identify examples that qualify under the regulation. Finally, the discussion area has been purposefully designed to serve as a community of practice between DSC faculty.

This refresh includes all new video content, featuring the following faculty who graciously provided valuable testimonials into how they have infused RSI into their hybrid and online courses:

• Bettye Parham, School of Computer Science
• Dr. Donald May, College of Education
• Donna Mixon, School of Humanities & Communication
• Dr. Ericka Tillman, School of Business Administration
• Gabi Booth, School of Mathematics
• Dr. Harun Thomas, School of Humanities & Communication
• Dr. Jessica Kester, School of Humanities & Communication
• Dr. Katheryn Csonka, School of Nursing
• Kelly Brooks, School of Mathematics
• Dr. Margie Hensler, College of Education
• Marion Pasricha, School of Social Science & World Languages
• Dr. Shirish Lala, School of Health Careers
• Dr. Taryn Brown, Hosseini College of Hospitality Management
• Vincenzo Piazza, School of Humanities & Communication

Preview & Pause for Applause

Back by popular demand, Dr. Ericka Tillman shares the guiding STAR to help faculty when creating RSI.

Direct link: STAR (3:48)

Think of substantive interaction in the spirit of the law as opposed to the letter of the law...what am I doing to make this course feel personal and accessible to my students instead of what do I have to do to make sure that I check this box.

-Dr. Kester

I couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you to all the faculty as well as the amazing folks in Instructional Resources and the Division of Online Studies for their collaborative efforts to make this a meaningful update for new and existing faculty.

Next Steps

All faculty can access the new RSI Log HTML template in Falcon Online. New faculty will be enrolled in the refreshed RSI upon its release later this semester. Existing faculty interested in completing this training are welcome to register on the FIC Training webpage. For specific questions regarding your RSI, we encourage you to connect with your chairperson. As always, please make sure you're subscribed to ensure you are up-to-date with the latest tips and tricks from the FIC!

Jasmine Checchi
Instructional Designer, Division of Online Studies
jasmine.checchi@daytonastate.edu | 386-506-4278
Online Studies | Faculty Innovation Center (FIC)

By now, you may have heard that I’m leaving. When people leave it’s because they’re searching for bigger and better things. What could be better than being a Falcon, and what could be bigger than helping our students succeed?! It’s true that as of Fall 2022 I will no longer be in the Faculty Innovation Center as part of the Division of Online Studies; but it’s because I’ll be on the New Smyrna Beach campus of Daytona State College, serving as an Assistant Professor within the School of Biological & Physical Sciences.

Like everyone with whom I’ve had the pleasure serving alongside here at DSC, the staff remaining in the Division of Online Studies are talented, professional, and great at what they do. You’re still in good hands whenever you need assistance with online course development or have a technical question regarding Falcon Online. Or if you simply need a quiet place to work and collaborate on ideas – so come visit them on the Second Floor of Building 200 on the Daytona Beach campus (please, this space and equipment, along with their expertise, is FOR YOU).

While you’re at it, come visit me on our beautiful South Campus if you’re yet to see what our regional campuses have to offer. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. You may even run into FIC On the Go, where the Online Studies staff bring their expertise to you (more details about that coming soon – be sure to follow this blog for updates).

Christopher Smith
Instructional Designer, Division of Online Studies
christopher.smith@daytonastate.edu | 386-506-4277
Online Studies | Faculty Innovation Center (FIC)