Welcome to Distance Learning
November 3, 2009
Janett and Jamie Join eLearning Team!
We're playing 'catch-up' on the staff changes in eLearning!
Jamie joined us this summer help to fill the void as Billy and Kristy completed their Pierce course work and no longer qualified for "work-study" awards. Jamie is planning to complete her degree in Geology and transfer to Western Washington University. The other 'big news' is her coming wedding to Sean in January, 2010!
Janett joined us this fall! She obtained an Associates in Business Management while living in California and was putting those skills to work in the region selling real estate. She so enjoys working with people, she decided to build on her business background by pursuing a bachelor degree in Ethnic, Gender and Labor Studies. She is picking up a few Math courses at Pierce on her path to the University of Washington Tacoma! She came to the United States at seventeen from Baja, Mexico and would like to use her fluency in Spanish in future careers, too. If you need a translator, she is always willing to help!
So, what became of Billy and Kristy? Well, Billy is attending WSU via their online degree program and picking up a few WSU work-study hours with us! Kristy is planning to continue her BA studies. She is currently continuing to work part-time on our office while she searches for a position that can 'pay the bills' and afford university expenses! We are so glad they both can keep working for us!
While addressing eLearning staff, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Ruthy! She joined us last Spring and worked through September! She is the craftiest person we have ever known! Here is an example of rose buds from Hersey's kisses and oragami-like roses. She dreamed-up and made these from scratch! Ruthy is continuing studies with Central Washington University in Accounting and is still considered one of our 'extended' eLearning family members since she gets to help online students through her part-time work in Pierce's Tutoring program!!
Don't forget, we are now in Sunrise (N119), so come by for a visit!
October 29, 2009
Results of Survey - Student eLearning Support/Success Workshop Needs
Tony Grace, the eLearning Student Success and Retention Manager, surveyed fall eL students to identify assistance needs and learned that while 54% had interest in workshops and most felt they could troubleshoot to find help when needed, there is a need for workshop-based training at Puyallup or online. Also learned was that almost two-thirds indicated they understand of the expectation for discussion participation, but a spot check in Angel showed the student average was much lower.
Here are some response details:
114 online students responded to the survey.
On the value they place on workshops as a strategy for improving their success,
- 46% indicated they do not feel attending workshops would help them to be a better student.
- 54% responded they felt there would be benefit from workshops, with 43% of that group preferred to attend at Puyallup , 34% preferred Online, and 23% preferred FS.
This may be an indicator of why there attendance rates at recent FS workshops has been low.
On their understanding of discussion forum participation,
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61% of the respondents recognize that they are expected to participate at minimum 3-4 days each week. 29% perceive participation expectations to be a minimum of 5-6 days a week.
- Forum participation was tallied for 3 randomly selected fully online courses during week 4 as a follow-up. The class average for weekly participation was 1.6 days per student.
There is clearly a disconnection between knowledge of expectations and complying with expectations. Faculty insight on participation will be explored with a goal of increasing the overall average.
When asked about website navigation, time management, and online communication,
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the majority of respondents indicated that they felt proficient.
- 44% of respondents indicated they can troubleshoot tech issues with good results. 41% said they couldn't troubleshoot well, but knew where to go to get help.
We apparently have help services that students can find and resources they need.
These findings will lead to some strategies for improving success. Stay tuned for announcment of coming activities here in the eL News!
October 16, 2009
Help eLearning Professional Staff Set Development Goals!
The annual review process for "Administrative Exempt" employees of the college includes a peer/co-worker feedback component. We decided we'd open the flood gate and invite the college community to share their experiences or comments on the key facets of our work! Here is the form! Feel free to submit the form for any or all three of the eLearning employees; Edward Bachmann, Jennifer King or Tony Grace! Thanks for your assistance in this important task!
October 14, 2009
Update: Changing Distance to "e" (with no hyphen)!
In an earlier post we asked you for your thoughts on changing our name from Distance Learning to eLearning and the feed back was largely in favor of making the change!
Of 63 respondents to our Web survey, 54 agreed (86%), 3 were ambivalent, 1 suggested an alternative and 5 disagreed (8%) with the proposed change. Comments reflected the currency and inclusiveness of that terminology, along with increase student recognition, as the respondent's rationale for agreement. This data was presented at the Fort Steilacoom Student Services Administrator's Group on October 7 and at the district-wide Instructional Administrator's meeting on October 14th, where the name change also received a favorable response.
There was mention of how 'e-this' and 'e-that' has become trite. However, it was felt that the value associated with the term's general recognition would help to improve understanding and awareness of our efforts to incorporate online technologies and processes in teaching/learning activities at Pierce. At the rate technology changes, we'll probably be changing our name again before too long!!
September 16, 2009
PCOL/WAOL "Instruction Ends" Date Update!
If you download the Fall Class Schedule and look at the dates for PCOL/WAOL courses at the top of page 33 in the DL section, please note that the End of Instruction ought to be December 2nd, not December 9th as printed.
The dates listed as "Key Dates" in our online Welcome Letters are correct, so check back here if you need to review all important dates for this mode of online delivery! PCOL/WAOL course run on a Thursday-Wednesday cycle for ten weeks! Here is a quiz: what is the first day of online Instruction!
(answer: 9/24)
September 16, 2009
DL/eLearning Has Moved => N117
We are on the move again! Last summer we escaped the dust from Pierce College Fort Steilacoom's Phase One construction activities buy wheeling our computers to Sunrise and Olympic buildings like a roving band of rebel nomads! We are back at it again this summer, due to the start of Phase Two work at the north entrance to the Cascade Building. This time, we have no plans to rove! We moved almost everything from our offices and will reside in Sunrise N117/N119 until the end of Phase Two is complete. If the weather holds, we may have a patio party!! Unfortunately, you may have a struggle getting to us - there are construction fences everywhere you turn! The best bet, and easiest to describe, is to get to the ramp exiting the second floor of Olympic North, cross the walkway to Sunrise and then come down the hall to N117!
We don't expect to return to the Cascade building until the completion of our newly remodeled space on the third floor in spring of 2011!! So, come visit! We're lonely (but love the view of Mt. Rainier between satellite dishes on a clear day)!!
September 15, 2009
Should DL Change to "eLearning"?
We have been bucking the trend of most other colleges and universities, continuing to use the term Distance Learning for our program of online technology based courses. Our State Board for Community and Technical Colleges unit calls it self eLearning! Many colleges are calling their online administrators eLearning Directors. Students who take courses in this mode will tell you it is less about the "distance" from college and more about the flexibility and convenience they offer! Our program has also assumed responsibility for other online teaching technologies like the Elluminate web conferencing and Wimba Voice media systems, plus we coordinate use of online resources like PostCourse for end-of-term course evaluations and facilitate other shared resources for online tutoring and multimedia file storage. Fill out our short survey and tell us what you think!
September 14, 2009
First "All Angel" Quarter - Su09
Summer 2009 marked the first quarter that all online course modes were using Angel, the new platform adopted by the Community and Technical College system. It took us three quarters to make the migration. A group of 13 fully online courses moved in winter term, the rest of the online and hybrid courses were in Angel for Spring and Web-Enhanced courses completed the transition for summer.
The migration had a few glitches, but generally worked out well. For instance, many users followed the Windows prompts to upgrade to Internet Explorer 8 when if first came out and then had to view Angel in IE 7 "Compatibility" mode. Another hitch related to the several changes to faculty accounts which resulted in Angel Course Mail communication challenges. We believe the hard part of the migration is behind us and this year will be one where as all users grow in their Angel skills!
March 13, 2009
Pierce College Puyallup President Hasart Give Angel Help!
You know that Spring 2009 is the quarter when all Pierce College Online (PCOL), Hybrid, and WAOL courses make the move to Angel, right?! Well, your instructors are very aware of this fact as they learn how to work in Angel and move their course materials from Blackboard! They strated learning about and exploring the system Fall term, knowing they had to be ready! Some actually were ready for Winter, leading the effort to help the WashingtonOnline office staff test the new Angel system.
Faculty have generally reported that the migration is time consuming, but that it is like learning anything new. Those with more complex courses are feeling a bit more frustration as they figure out how to do the things they've been doing in Blackboard. In conversation with Dr. Tana Hasart about the size of the effort across the district, looking forward to helping instructors of Web-Enhanced courses who must move to Angel for Summer, she shared she has been teaching with angel for three years at Seattle University! She welcomes questions from faculty or students! If she doesn't have the answer, she'll explore along with you! She has grown in her use of Angel gradually over the last couple years and knows how important it is to have help from fellow Angel users, especially when you hit a roadblock and are facing deadlines! Next up, we'll have her staffing the Elluminate online office so she can share a browser window to help you out real-time!!
Students can also find getting started resources online! Check out the new Angel Week Zero tutorial classroom, download the handout with instructions and links to visual demos, or save this user's guide to your computer for ready reference!
Spring classrooms open for week zero exploration on March 26th! Tune in early and often!
February 4, 2009
DL's report to the Pierce Board for this Month
- One fulltime administrative exempt and one fulltime classified position will no longer be supported by the Online Foster Parent Education contract. The positions were leveraged to provide critical support for the DL program. Official notice was received from DSHS indicating activities will end as of March 1st. There is no expectation for funding in 2009-10. Based on 08-09 expenditures through 2/28, this action represents a 37.4% cut in OFPE funding from $214,431 annual budget. Alternative funding is being explored through participant-supported workshops and other DL technical fee funds.
- What has Tony Grace, Distance Learning’s Student Retention and Success manager, been up to?
- He has launched an “Online office” using Elluminate (Web meeting tool where you can share documents, talk in real-time, etc.) to provide retention and online success resources and consultation. Students will find the graphic representation and link prominently on our DL Homepage
- He is building tutorials on success strategies that can be shared with students or viewed when he is not available to work with them in real-time in the online office.
- He continues to share DL student success strategies and offer training via the Fort Steilacoom “Student Success Series”.
- After “learning the ropes” of Distance Learning during Fall term, this Winter he began reviewing online student early classroom participation in the classroom. He has communicated directly with students who appear not to have promptly started! He continues to monitor classrooms on a 3-4 day cycle to identify student who have not logged in and contacts them to see if they need support!!
- He is participating on the newly formed district-wide retention team, composed of the three new retention positions and students development leaders. They will focus on district strategies to improve progress toward “momentum points” and state reporting.
- DL in Brief:
- New faculty contract language centrally positions department faculty in annual planning of DL section offerings. Their efforts kick into gear as divisions take a holistic perspective when considering 5/10/12% budget cut scenarios for the upcoming 2009-10 process. Here is the 08-09 DL annual plan
- Continued adoption of online technology for Web-Enhanced teaching is apparent. By Feb. 2nd, 57 faculty teaching 173 sections enrolled 3,333. That is a 38.5% increase over Winter 2008.
- DL is working with Department of Health to offer an online training course, “Stay Active & Independent for Life – A Strength, Balance and Fitness Class for Adults 65+” (SAIL). A “no-tuition” 10-week non-credit pilot, taught via WAOL Bb by Pierce’s part-time instructor Blake Surina, enrolled 28 students in a 2-day registration window with only ‘sneaker-net’ promotion! Steve Crain is preparing a two-credit version that would be an elective in the Diagnostic Health and Fitness Program. Sally York contracted with DOH to lead the grant project that researched and developed the curriculum. She has identified a national market for the train-the-trainer program in varied healthcare organizations that serve aging adults. More info is coming...
- In response to the fiscal crisis, reorganization of Extended Learning moves DL from under the Executive VP for Extended Learning and places it under the Dean for Library and Media Services. The impact on DL program mission, goals and activities has not been decided.
- Enter Cascade from the South parking lots at the 3rd floor level
- proceed to the green stairs or the elevator and go up to the 5th floor
- Walk to and cross the sky bridge to the Olympic Building
- At the end of the bridge take the stairs on the left (or use the elevator at the far end of Olympic) and go up to the 3rd floor of Olympic
- look for the 328/329 room numbers opposite the CWU complex - we are on the Sunrise Building side.
January 12, 2009
Visit Tony's DL Student Success Office in Elluminate
Discover our new help resource by visiting Tony's Online Office today. He is our DL Student Success and Retention Manager and is using this "office" to provide advocacy for college or classroom needs and tutorial "videos" on topics like effective discussion board postings or time management for the independent learner. Scroll down to the September 26th entry for more about Tony! The "office" is available at any time, but if he is not "in", post a question or send him an e-mail!
In the Elluminate Web meeting environment, you communicate using a computer's speakers and microphone or via text chat. Tony can more easily explain how things work in an online classroom by taking a look in your classroom using a Web tour tool. He can also work collaboratively with you on documents to help you understand how to approach doing your coursework. He won't be tutoring in specific subjects, but can provide a fresh perspective that will help you formulate an approach that works for you! Here is the link in case you missed it on the DL home page!
Click the image, enter your full name, click login and wait for the Java to load!
January 1, 2009
Online Courses Piloting New System - ANGEL
All WAOL courses and a select set of "Pilot" PCOL (Pierce College Online) and Hybrid courses are migrating to the new online course system for Winter 2009. You can identify the courses using Angel Winter 2009 by looking at the "Current Courses" links from our Welcome Letters listed below. ANGEL sections are flagged with a red "(Angel)" label. If you enrolled in more than one course, you may have an active course on both the old Blackboard and the new ANGEL systems!!
Everything works essentailly the same. You will have to figure out how to move around in the new environment! Here is a handy Microsoft Word document to download that provides resources to assist students in learning to use Angel.
For Winter, you will still login to the old Blackboard system following the "How to Login" instructions in our Welcome Letters. However, for those courses now on ANGEL, you will see just an Announcement screen telling you where to go to login to the Angel System. The first screen you see when you are at ANGEL (http://angel.waol.org) will provide the Username and Password examples to follow. As a heads-up for those using ANGEL, the Username will no longer include "waol" in front of your SID number!
December 31, 2008
PCOL and WAOL Classrooms Open for "Week Zero" 1/2/2009
Due to the New Years Day holiday falling on Thursday, the Week Zero classroom opening will occur on Jan 2nd for Winter Term! Noramlly, Pierce online courses start on a Thursdsay and run on a weekly basis through the following Wednesday evening. That schedule continues for a 10 week cycle after the first day of instruction (1/8/209 this Winter term). The Week Zero period that gives students an opportunity to get oriented to their new online classrooms also follows this same pattern. For this term, however, the first chance students will have to login and look around will be Friday, 1/2/2009. Happy New Year!
December 19, 2008
Faces Changing at the DL Office
For most of Fall term, many of you have had the pleasure of working with Billy Jacobs, our new part-time Work-study DL Assistant. Billy has taken many of our online courses in pursuit of his ALCDA program! Please come by and welcome Billy as you begin your Winter term activities!
Another change to report, for which we have mixed feelings, is Kristy Ryan's imminent departure for her 'study abroad' program for the winter months! If you want to follow Kristy's travels, check out her newly created "blog"!!
Lucky for her, the Austrailia and New Zealand destination will be bathed in summer warmth which I am sure she will greatly appreciate! Lucky for us, she will return in Spring, having completed her degree!! Yeah! We plan have her continue working in our office for the balance of the school year!! Safe travels, Kristy!
September 26, 2008
Help us Welcome Tony Grace!!
Tony is our new DL Student Retention-Success Manager!! Tony comes to us from the University of Phoenix where he worked since 2001 as a Student Service Coordinator, Acting Operations Manager and most recently an Enrollment Advisor. He is nearing completion of his BS in Human Services/Management with a recent refocusing on Public Administration.
On the personal side, Tony tells us he is married with two young children, a son and a daughter. On another front, besides working, finishing college and being a husband and parent, Tony is an aspiring musician!! He is "studying the bass guitar”, is a songwriter and performs in the group Citizen Ave! Come by and chat about their current project "Definitive Stampede" when you visit Tony in Fort Steilacoom's Cascade 342 or Puyallup's Advising Center!
It is great to have Tony's outgoing personality added to our team! His focus on strategies for the success of our DL enrollees will be a huge benefit for students. He will also take on some of the support that Mary, Earl and Ed provide and will allow the program staff to be available at Puyallup. He will his work with the two other new retention specialists at each college as they implement plans to meet state targets for student success! Welcome, Tony!
September 19, 2008
We're back!! Find us in Cascade 340-3!
We've dusted our furniture, installed air purifiers and are ready for the rush of fall activities! While we really enjoyed the beautiful views of Rainier (mountaing and the new building) and wide open spaces of a classroom-as-an-office, we are happy to be back in the middle of the bussle and ready for Fall! We hope you will all come by and say hello as you meander the construction zone!
July 8, 2008
DL Office is On The Move...Literally!!
If you wander throught the Cascade Building at Fort Steilacoom looking for our C340-343 offices in the middle of the construction, you will find what appears to be a ghost town! The dust got to be too much for us, so we rolled our computers to a temporary location in the Sunrise Building! We found a computer lab that was not in use during the summer, but then had to roll to our next temporary home when the boxes of new computers were ready for installation. We are spending the month during the summer break in Olympic 328 and 329! Since there are no other places we can camp out once classes resume, we are planning to return after the dust has settled, with the goal of being back in our offices before the start of classes this Fall!
If you need to visit us during the break, here is my recommended path:
We have placed white signs all along the path at every possible turn. It may be a good idea to call us at 253-964-6244 before you visit the office to see if we've moved again, or if you find yourself lost!
May 8, 2008
More New Faces in DL!
Based on the series of postings here, please don't think we are mean to our employees!:-) They just have a lot of "change" in their busy lives! Fortunately, we are lucky to keep finding great part-time staff to help keep the office rolling! Welcome Kristy and Peggy!!
Kristy and Peggy are both online students in their second year at Pierce College, bringing that first-hand experience to bear when they take your calls and requests! Please welcome them when you call or visit!
February 1, 2008
Nora is "Snatched" by the Library!!
How could she leave us to accept a new job offer in the Library?! Oh, yes, more money and the benefits of a FT position, like health benefits! We are very happy to see the level of success she has achieved and know she will excell in her new position! She is still part of our DL Team, in spirit, if not in daily work activities! We know where to find you, Nora!! Thanks for all your hard work in DL!
August 27, 2007
More Staff Changes in DL Office!!
Lisa and "Z" have already moved on to other pursuits, but fear not, there are still staff in the office to respond to your questions and provide services! Please welcome Jim and Nora! Wait, Nora is not new!! What's up?!
For those who've been taking classes or working at Fort Steilacoom, you'll recognize Nora as one of our own! She has been a student at Pierce for a couple years and worked in the office for the past year. Now she graduated this past Spring and we've managed to wrestled her into submission! She is continuing her studies with WSU via DL and working for us part time on an hourly basis! Yeah! I'm afraid, however, she'll be snatched up for one of the many full-time campus openings!
Jim is presently a work-study student, studying in the Alcohol and Chemical Dependency program. For all you students having questions about your online courses, Jim is your man!! He has been taking online courses for the past year. You may recognize his voice on the phone...he worked in radio around the Puget Sound for 15 years! He is also been known to kick a soccer ball on occasion!
Come by or call to put them both through their paces this Fall!
Don't tell them I've done this, just wander by and tell them, "Gee,
you look familiar! Are you New to DL?" Then Welcome them heartily!! They've both been here a few weeks and are learning the ropes quickly.
Call in or bring your DL questions when on campus and put them to the test!
May 25, 2007
New Faces in the DL Office!!
Ambrozya (or "Zya" or "Z") Dae is in her first year
at Pierce and is studying in the Human Services program. Lisa Purkey is
just completing her first year and has the benefit of having taken a number
of online courses! In her other "job", she is an E5 in the National
Guard, working in Human Resources. For those few of you who may not know
the classifications, we respond to her with a snappy salute, "Yes,
Sergeant Purkey!"November 1, 2006
If you want to see an example of a video distributed on the Internet via a mobile phone, then click the link below! You can see if there is a real-time video from my camera phone, or look at the list of recorded videos! (Windows Media Player required)
June 4, 2006
Welcome to Mary Davis, Distance Learning Program Support Supervisor I!!
Mary's knowledge of district processes, her work with faculty and division staff, plus her current familiarity with DL offerings, made her a natural choice. We are really looking forward to her great ideas and work fostering the DL program”s continuous improvement.
Stop buy and see her at Fort Steilacoom's Cascade 343. She starts officially on Monday, June 5th!
Also, give a great big "Thanks" to Mollie, Christine, Diana, Earl and the student staff who have learned or created new procedures this last few months. They have kept the DL ball rolling during our transition. We expect them all to be with us for some time to come!
I want to add my appreciation for the college community. Everyone has been very kind and supportive, making our daily challenges much easier to bear! Special thanks goes to the screening committee members who supported a whirlwind process; Valarie Nelson, Patty Nelson, Rick Hogan, Julie Anderson, Earl Sallade and HR's Patty Petersen!
March 13, 2006
Peter Hartman Math Book Fund.
Deadline varies each academic quarter.
This is a great opportunity for DL or other students who will be taking a math
classes and who will have a hard time paying for their math book.
Books are checked out to students for the quarter or as long as they need it.
DONOR: The family of Peter Hartman, beloved math instructor and tutor at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, established the Hartman Book Fund to honor Peter's memory and to ensure students have resources to participate fully in math courses. The Peter Hartman Book Fund will be funded through contributions to the Pierce College Foundation.
WHO MAY APPLY: Pierce College Fort Steilacoom students enrolled in a Math class.
CRITERIA:
Enrollment in a math course at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom.
Financial Need
Completed Application
Contact Paula Henson-Williams (phenson@pierce.ctc.edu)
for more information, application forms or a flyer to distribute!
This page was last updated on November 3, 2009 and the site as a whole was last reviewed on August 16, 2006.