The mission of Technology Mediated Instruction (TMI) is to encourage the appropriate use of educational technology by faculty, both within the classroom and in distance learning modalities, to promote student success and enhance access in accordance with the college’s mission and values.
TMI supports all the District’s instructional programs in the use of the Learning Management System (LMS). This includes enhancing traditional courses with online resources, as well as distance learning through online courses. TMI is a vital component in the student learning process in its efforts to increase the number and quality of distance learning offerings and the use of technology in and beyond the classroom. TMI provides comprehensive faculty training in online course development and works closely with the Distance Learning Committee to ensure quality in online course offerings. TMI also encourages peer mentoring among faculty, and holds annual campus events focused on the sharing of best practices in the use of educational technologies. TMI offers support to faculty and administration, and specifically the Distance Learning Committee and Academic Technology Committee, in helping to promote "best practices" for students success. TMI implements its program through giving dozens of campus workshops geared toward helping participants not only understand the use of the campus LMS, but also guide them in choosing the appropriate tool for student success. Workshops for students were also implemented. In addition, TMI staff have spent hundreds of hours in consultations with faculty/developers to ensure that the use of the LMS in classrooms as well as online meet Butte College, state and Federal standards. Supplementing one-on-one consultations, the annual half-day TMI Symposium (August) and Canvas Crossroads (January), with faculty presenters and updates on the campus LMS, help users develop community in a shared, collaborative environment. During 2016, TMI was focused on training and supporting faculty in the use of the Canvas LMS. TMI remains busy with retooling faculty training, and creating options for participants to be trained in real-time about teaching in the online environment.
SoftChalk (site license)
50 faculty activated the site-liscence, and to date, 26 are activley using the product to create course content that is superior than the native content creation tools within the LMS. We are wishing to extend the pilot of this software for one more year to see if more usage will further increase the value of this add-on for Canvas.
Respondus Software (site license)
80+ faculty are utilizing this site-liscence software to import/export quizzes and question banks, b/t courses in the LMS, as well as using the Respondus Test Bank Network and import word processing files into the LMS in a Quiz format.
While TMI is not directly involved with student achievement standards, a primary department function is providing assistance to faculty in the design and development of effective and appropriate online content for both fully online and face-to-face classes. Class materials that are well designed and easy to navigate provide an overall benefit students, and increase their chances of success and attaining their degree and certificate goals.
TMI activities and responsibilities align with the following Strategic Direction and Priorities for 2017-18:
By guiding faculty in the most effective use of the learning management system (LMS), TMI encourages the use of technology, both in the classroom and online, to improve student access to course content, supplemental materials and resources, as well as grades and progress tracking. (4)
TMI is continually exploring and evaluating new technology tools and services that can improve both teaching and learning, including methods of delivery, assessment and communication. (1d)
Use of the LMS provides highly effective ways for faculty to supply course content to students outside the classroom, making it available from any desktop computer or mobile device, thus improving student access and accountability. (4)
By encouraging faculty to make their syllabus, course content and assessments available online, TMI supports the effort to reduce printing and paper use. The model of sustainability is often used to educate faculty about the benefits of increasing their use of the LMS. (5b)
TMI conducts an annual unit plan which serves as its Program Review.
- Expand training modalities to accomodate demand for webinars.
- Continually investigate new technologies to augment the LMS.
- Support administration's strategies for expansion of online course offerings.
Strategy 1 - Continue to provide LMS training for faculty
Provide traditional and online faculty training sessions, in order to respond to the asynchronous & synchronous needs of instructors use of the District's Learning Management System (LMS), including:
Effectivley trained faculty can best use the school's LMS to ensure course content delivery that encourages student success.
Strategy 2 - Support the use of online course design rubric and standards
Continue to collaborate with the Distance Learning Committee in encouraging the District's online course design rubric and standards (used to review online and hybrid courses) as faculty/designers are now responsible for showing evidence that each criterion has been satisfied.
Documentation of online course reviews will align with the "culture of evidence" mandated by accrediting standards and will encourage faculty/designers to become more actively involved in the review process from start to finish.
Strategy 3 - Continual evaluation of new educational technologies
TMI will continue to facilitate reviews of new educational technologies related to the LMS, by collaborating with the Senate's Academic Technology Committee, and other groups, to set up campus demonstrations and initiate campus-wide discussions.
This strategy helps implement decision-making regarding the review, consideration, and adoption of new technologies for the LMS, and helps ensure a consistent, campus-wide response involving all relevant stakeholders; ultimately students benefit.
Strategy 4 - Partnership for LMS authentication and SIS data
TMI will continue to collaborate with IT Systems to ensure ongoing SIS data flows, authentication, and network security of the LMS, as well as the implementation of external tools and integrations.
A collaborative work environment between the Office of Instruction and IT is essenital for the success of the institution and our students.
Strategy 5 - Professional development opportunities
TMI staff will continue to pursue opportunities for professional development, including conference attendance and memberships in professional organizations, in the area of educational technology.
TMI staff need to stay abreast of changing industry trends in the area of the LMS, online collaboration, video conferencing, and other educational technologies.
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N/A (other than OEI)
| Original Priority | Program, Unit, Area | Resource Type | Account Number | Object Code | One Time Augment | Ongoing Augment |
| Description | Supporting Rationale | Potential Alternative Funding Sources | Prioritization Criteria | |||
| 1 | TMI | Equipment | $19,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Employee Training Lab Upgrade (LB 216) | The primary use of the LB 216 lab is by employees. Technology Mediated Instruction (TMI) holds workshops year-round in the use of the District’s LMS. The lab is also used by Professional Development and Information Technology Support & Services. This lab is the only dedicated space for training staff and faculty, and has not had any updates (hardware or otherwise) in over eight years. The primary objective of this augmentation is to replace the instructor podium and display infrastructure. *The lab computers themselves are on ITSS' refresh cycle. |
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| 2 | TMI | Operating Expenses | $2,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Custom LMS URL | This augmentation will renew for 2 years the institution's vanity URL of "canvas.051857.com" |
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| 3 | TMI | Operating Expenses | $6,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| LMS admin training | TMI staff have an annual need to stay aware of the dynamic nature of the CCC's new LMS, Canvas. The LMS is a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform and as such is in a continual state of change (updated monthly). Attending specific pro dev events are instrumental in staff determining all aspects of the LMS' configuration, such as: SIS data flows, reporting data, integrations with external systems, best practices in use of core LMS tools, and innovation in online teaching. |
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| 4 | TMI | Equipment | $1,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Display Monitor for SC 102 | TMI's nine year old projector is almost end-of-life. New display capabilities for joint use of SC 102 (w/ AUTO) are needed. ITSS staff recommend a wall-mounted monitor and wireless controls. |
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| 5 | TMI | Equipment | $1,800.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Laptop (workstation replacement) | Replacement of seven year-old desktop computer with portable laptop, to accommodate increased mobility at multiple locations (Employee Training Lab, CHC, SC, GCC). |
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| 6 | TMI | Operating Expenses | $500.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Adjust-All date management software | Adjust-All is an external tool for the LMS that provides the ability to adjust all course dates and settings in a single location, dramatically improving efficiency for instructors. |
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| 7 | TMI | Equipment | $13,186.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Video and Screen Capture Software - Site License (TechSmith Camtasia & SnagIt Bundle) | This site license would allow all 600+ BC faculty to have access to state-of-the-art video and screen capture and editing software. Video editing is currently the most labor and time intensive component in the development of online course content. This software will significantly enhance productivity and creativity. TMI will provide training and support. |
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| 8 | TMI | Operating Expenses | $5,500.00 | $0.00 | ||
| SoftChalk content authoring software | A site license provides for unlimited use by online and face-to-face instructors to deliver content to students, and there is a provision to create SoftChalk lessons that connect with the LMS grade book for up to 2500 students (which would cover most of our online enrollment). The site license also includes training. |
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| 9 | TMI | Operating Expenses | $10,800.00 | $0.00 | ||
| ReadSpeaker accessibility software | ReadSpeaker provides easy-to-use text to speech (TTS) functionality directly within the LMS. TTS enhances access to any course content, and benefits a wide variety of students, including auditory learners, ESL, elderly, and mobile users. |
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| 10 | TMI | Operating Expenses | $2,100.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Respondus Assessment software | This would provide continuity of service for the use of the assessment authoring platform, used in conjunction with Canvas to provide efficient import and export of question databases and assessments. TMI projects an ongoing need for this software license. |
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