Renton Technical College
Instructional Improvement
August 2006
Volume 4, No. 11
The second word in our title is faculty and the focus is on items of interest in the technical college classroom. This
includes what faculty are doing well in their programs, timesaving tips, and proven resources. We encourage articles
from faculty and will help you present an idea if writing isn’t your cup of tea. So don’t hide your light under the
proverbial bushel, let it shine. Contact us to share news we can all use.
Copyrighted materials
Laura Staley, Media Librarian, in the RTC Library recently offered an informative workshop on copyright
issues. The handouts are posted at (http://www.rtc.edu/library/CopyrightHandouts.htm .) You can also check the
college’s policy in Procedure 22022.
Here is a well done interactive tutorial on using copyrighted media in your course.
http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/tutorials/copyright/
On-line Learning Activities
Many faculty members have been creating Learning Activities on QUIA. If you want to get set up on the
college’s site license and receive some individual coaching on QUIA, contact kloreen@rtc.edu There has
recently been interest in Flash based learning games, see if there any that would help your students at
http://www.flashlearninggames.com/ or at the University of Minnesota site http://flashgames.umn.edu/
There is a whole article on flash based learning games with additional links to examples at:
http://www.campus-technology.com/news_article.asp?id=18909&typeid=156
Student motivation
What elements go into making students want to learn? This study
http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentID=11666 (free registration) discusses a simple tool to
determine which challenges students face, so they can be addressed through referral, information and
coaching.
Rubrics for soft skills
It is much easier to create rubrics for industry skill standards than for soft skills. Microsoft has sample rubrics
on their site that can get your started.
http://www.microsoft.com/education/competencies/allcompetencies.mspx
“This course may make you uncomfortable”
An economics instructor shares the challenges of asking interesting questions in his class.
http://insidehighered.com/views/2006/05/30/harrington
Webquests
Webquests have been described as a controlled scavenger hunt. They are great for
familiarizing students with sites that will be important resources in their professional
field, and helping them to learn to navigate sites to get the information they need. Many
know you can create a Webquest on QUIA, here is another site with a free template.
http://www.teachnology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/computing/web_quests/
New Horizons for Learning
This website offers a vast amount of information organized into seven sections: Teaching and Learning
Strategies, Perspectives on the Future, Transforming Education, News from the Neurosciences, Special
Needs/Inclusion, Lifelong Learning, and Student Voices. Get details at:
http://www.newhorizons.org/nhfl/about/history.htm#how
Use chat effectively in your on-line classroom
Craig Smith focuses on chat, a common way for online instructors to replace classroom discussion. He
provides a protocol to keep discussions focused and productive, helping teachers realize the potential
usefulness of an easily accessible technological tool.
http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=246
Technology tools
The 4 teachers site will help you integrate technology into instruction. It features various
tools for teachers: one for creating quizzes that students can take online, another for
organizing and annotating Web sites, a third, Rubistar, for developing rubrics, and more.
A Webzine presents brain games, Web lessons, and stories about teachers and students
using technology. http://4teachers.org/
Plagiarism
How can have instructors modified their plans for research assignments as the web seems to “fuel”
plagiarism?
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fi-termpaper17jun17,1,7993472.story?page=1&coll=laheadlines-frontpage
Got Passion?
What makes good teaching? In the article "Good Teaching: The Top Ten Requirements," Richard Leblanc of
York University (Ontario) sets passion at the top of his list:
http://www.stenhouse.com/rdgoodteaching.htm
Instant Messaging
Are your students are “IM-ing” constantly, and you’re not quite sure what it’s all about? How can you use
Instant Messaging for educational purposes? To learn from this article in Educause
:http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7008.pdf
Are your students cyber natives or a cyber immigrants?
What are the characteristics of either status and their implication for the classroom?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2101-2256968,00.html
Are you a Trapeze Artist or a Lion tamer?
In a humorous but all-so-true article, an instructor compares his day to life in the circus.
http://insidehighered.com/views/2006/07/07/zimmer
Being an on-line student
Writer’s son grades Seattle Pacific University on their use of Blackboard in hybrid or web-enhanced classes,
with encouragements and cautions for instructors:.
http://www.campus-technology.com/news_article.asp?id=18864&typeid=155
Quote of the Month
“We think too much about effective methods of teaching and not enough about effective
methods of earning.” John Carolus S.J.