What+New+Faculty+Should+Know+About+Distance+Learning+and+Multi-Media+Services

=Distance Learning=

As a new instructor, it is important to be informed of the resources that available to you. This document contains general information about Distance Learning (on this side) and Multimedia Services (on the reverse side). This information includes Blackboard resources, Multimedia Services information and, most importantly, the contact information of all the people who are here to help you during your tenure at TCC. A lot of the information in this e-mail can also be found on the [|Distance Learning page] at Tacoma Community College’s website. The first step for a new faculty member is to get a TCC email address/network account. The instructor's Division Assistant is responsible for submitting an email account request through his/her department. The request is sent to Information Systems. Once the email request is processed, the instructor will receive an email with temporary login instructions. If you would like to use Blackboard for your course(s) at TCC you must first get Department Chair and Division Dean approval during the schedule planning/creation time of the quarter. Once this has been done the Division Assistant will put the appropriate coding into the registration system and the course will be automatically created in Blackboard and your account will be added as an instructor. Blackboard is accessed through the portal. The portal uses the same user name and password as your TCC e-mail. A link to the portal is on the main TCC homepage or can be accessed directly here: https://my.tacomacc.net/portal/main.html I would suggest you book mark this link for easy access. Once you are in the portal, you then click on the “Distance Learning” tab. This takes you to another page where you will click on “Log-in to Blackboard” and it will authenticate you into Blackboard. You will not need to enter a name and password because it is getting that info from your portal log-in. If you were given a temporary account, instructions will be sent in a separate email. Once you are logged in, you will want access the “Quick Tutorials” that Blackboard has provided. When you access Blackboard, you will see the list of courses that you are teaching. Click on one of these links and enter the course. In your course, click on the “Control Panel.” In the “Help” section of the control panel, you will notice a “Manual” link and a “Quick Tutorials” link. These are the two most important links on this page, the Quick Tutorials show you what to do and why, the manual shows you in a detailed, step-by-step fashion, how to do something. There are a number of ways to use Blackboard to manage your course and create course materials (tests, assignments, discussion forums, etc.) What you do as a teacher and how you decide to use Blackboard will determine how you organize your course. TCC has an instructional designer you can meet with (Geoff Cain 253-460-4350) who can help you make those decisions and discuss some of your options. Tacoma Community College has implemented a policy called "Week Zero" that requires **TCC Full Online and Hybrid Online** classes to be open one week before instructions begins. A Week Zero button is installed in the online classroom and houses tutorials for students to work through before the quarter starts. This helps students become familiar with Blackboard prior to the first week of the quarter. Andy Duckworth Distance Learning and Media Services Coordinator (technical help) 460-3958 Geoff Cain Instructional Designer (course design) 460-4350 Donna Brain Distance Learning Program Specialist (technical help) 460-3989 [|Christopher Soran] Distance Learning Program Specialist (student help) 460-4446 Judy Foster Multimedia Supervisor (for multimedia questions) 566-6058
 * Welcome to TCC!**
 * Obtaining a TCC Email Address/Network Account**
 * Teaching A Course Using Blackboard**
 * Accessing Blackboard**
 * Learning to Use Blackboard**
 * Designing Your Courses**
 * Week Zero**
 * Our Contact Information:**

=Multimedia Services=

Welcome.
> During your tenure at Tacoma Community College, you may need to use multimedia equipment or you may need assistance in preparing or presenting multimedia material for your class. We are here to assist you with your multimedia needs. We are located in [|Building 7], Learning Resource Center, which is located in the middle of the campus.

**Equipment**
> Multimedia Services provides portable video and digital equipment support for our non-multimedia-equipped classrooms, and assistance with multimedia presentation, video and podcast production. Our goal is to assist faculty, staff and students in achieving success in their presentations. > 25" TV/VCR-DVD player on Cart. > Transparency Projectors (overhead projector - //limited supply//) > We offer assistance with capturing your class lectures for audio podcasts, converting analog video (VHS video) to digital streaming formats for use in online classes, and post-production assistance with editing and preparing video material for DVD presentation or streaming video presentations. We also will scan your documents into electronic format for uploading to your online classes. Our staff can also work with you in learning how to edit and produce your own video for digital presentation. > Our department has a small video editing lab with a G5 Macintosh Computer, 20" screen, scanner, and VHS-DVD player for your use in media production. You may reserve this lab by emailing Donna Brain or Judy Foster. Our multimedia services staff is also available to assist/train you in the use of this equipment. > You may reserve equipment through email, phone, or by filling out out a reservation form at the circulation desk. Starting fall quarter 2007, we will have an assistant at the library circulation desk to take your requests and answer your questions. When emailing your requests, please include the following information: >> * Date(s) of use >> * Time class begins and ends >> * Equipment >> * Building and Room where class will be held. > You may pick up your reserved equipment at the library circulation desk. This would also be the place you will return the equipment for Check In. Our assistant will be there to answer any questions you may have about use and operation of our equipment. > Multimedia Services are available during the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer Quarters. > During the breaks we have limited services, as staffing permits. Our hours of operation are: >> **Fall / Winter / Spring:** >> * 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday thru Thursday >> * 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday >> * We are CLOSED Saturday and Sunday >> **Summer Hours** //(Please check online for most current summer hours)// >> * 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday thru Thursday >> * CLOSED Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. >> For more information please visit our website at: http://www.tacomacc.edu/facultyandstaff/multimediaservices.aspx. > Judy Foster - Multimedia Services Supervisor //[phone: 253.566.6058]// > Thanh-Binh Nguyen - Multimedia Specialist (Evening) //[phone: 253.566.5095]// > Robert Segura - Multimedia Specialist (Morning) //[phone: 253.566.5095]// > Work Study Assistants - ( Morning / Evening) //[phone: 253.566.5095]//
 * Our department provides the followng portable equipment for your use.** //(This equipment is available for you to pick up and return)://
 * Multimedia Projectors (for use with Table PC computers)
 * Tablet PC computers
 * Digital Still Camera
 * Digital mini-DVD disc Camcorder
 * Tripod Stand (for use with camera and camcorder)
 * Macbook (Intel) Computer
 * Podcast Equipment
 * Boom box (for playing cassette/CD disc)
 * Elmo Document Camera
 * Multimedia Cart (Projector, Notebook computer, VCR-DVD, Cart)
 * Snowball (USB) Microphone (for use with notebook computers when doing voice over PowerPoint presentations & Podcasting)
 * TV/VCR-DVD unit (for presenting VHS and DVD video to students in non-multimedia classrooms)
 * A limited supply Tablet PC's running the Linux operating system
 * We deliver to non-multimedia classrooms the following equipment:**
 * Production Services**
 * Production Labs (LRC/LAB)**
 * Reserving Equipment:**
 * Checking Out and Returning Equipment:**
 * Hours of operation:**
 * Contact Information:**