From: Piper, Carla Sent: Friday, November 01, 2013 10:37 AM To: Haygood, Katherine; Ingram, Peggy; Stone,

Helen; Schmidt, Kenneth; Gladysz-Brown, Jennifer; Machado, Leisa; Murray, Teresa; Briggs, Kathleen; Bower, James; Leisa Machado (LMachado@turlock.k12.ca.us); martimaci@brandman.edu; Macias, Martin (MMacias@stancoe.org) Cc: Theuer, Kathryn; Piper, Carla Subject: Fall 2 - Week One Down...Almost!

Dear Online MS/SS Credential Instructors: Weve almost made it through the first week. I think almost everyone has held their first synchronous class in Adobe Connect. We definitely have had some snags with Adobe Connect as well as dealing with a very slow Blackboard! Please let me know if you had problems, questions, concerns, etc. or need to meet in Adobe Connect to go over anything. If its a Blackboard issue your academic technologist should be contacted bbed@brandman.edu. Dont forget to consult the Brandman CII YouTube Channel for all the new videos on Adobe Connect as well as Blackboard. http://www.youtube.com/user/BrandmanCII?feature=watch If you have inactive students you may want to let them know that they will be administratively dropped at the end of week two. Check your grade center to see when they last logged in. All students (and instructors) should log in 3-4 times during the week and not wait until the end of the week to complete everything especially discussions. The students who are typically not successful in online classes are procrastinators who have a million excuses for why they didnt meet the deadlines! Theres no point to going back to a previous discussion when everyone else in the class has moved on. If I see that someone hasnt logged in for 4-5 days, I send an email and ask if they need help. I would also remind them of the late policy. Youll want to stick to that policy. Please make sure that your Adobe Connect meeting room address obvious in course information and under the red virtual office tab. If it isnt there already, I suggest you make a direct web link to your virtual meeting room and move it to the top of that section. https://sites.google.com/site/bb9tutor/web-page-links Let students know that they should copy that address and paste it into their browser if they are having problems. Also remind them that if their Firefox isnt working, try another browser! One thing that can help is if you create an announcement the day of or day before your synchronous meeting every week. Include the URL and time and list the topics you are going to be covering. If you want students to view a PowerPoint of video before hand or explore a particular website, let them know. Then click on the email button so students get that information both in the shell and in their email. I think that will solve a lot of problems! https://sites.google.com/site/bb9tutor/create-awelcome-announcement Also send me your Adobe Connect room address to me if you havent already. I will also be collecting your Adobe Connect recordings at the end of the term for accreditation documentation. The attendance/grading policy for synchronous meetings was to allow one makeup only during the term. Use your own discretion if you feel students have extenuating circumstances or technology problems. But they should straighten out their Adobe Connect by week two. Directions for the makeup are in the folder under course information/instructor resources/Adobe Connect Synchronous

Meetings. Read through the Student Attendance at Synchronous Meetings item. Just so you dont have to hunt for that.here it is.
Make Up Assignment for Synchronous Meeting (at the discretion of the instructor) For extenuating circumstances instructors can allow students to "make up" one synchronous meeting (should be used for one absence only). Students would need to complete the following assignment to earn attendance/participation points: Review recording of the synchronous class meeting Write a paper that: a. Summarizes key concepts addressed in the synchronous class meeting b. Describes the connections between the content covered in the class meeting and other aspects of the course c. Addresses key insights gained from viewing the video

If you forgot to record, you might want to have them view one of the activities in the Learning Activities folder. Select a PowerPoint, video, or website resource and have them summarize key concepts and apply to their MS or SS classroom. You can also design a make-up of your own. The other option is to hold an extra synchronous session this weekend in order to give them another opportunity to attend. With all the technical problems, I think we owe the students the opportunity to do an extra makeup. One more important item: Remember that the ATs will look at all the live class shells at the end of the week and during week 2. Please be sure you are obviously present in discussion and in the grade center! I know you all have your announcements, contact info, and bio posted, but you will also want to grade quickly. I recommend grading discussion immediately. Journals and assignments may take a bit longer but be sure to show evidence that you are interacting with your students and providing constructive feedback. I think we are off to a great start! Let me know if you have questions/concerns. Carla