Laulima got an upgrade over the winter break! Check out what’s new here and/or watch the recording of the info webinar hosted by our Instructional Designer friends at Kapiolani CC.
Author: rinake
Fall 2017 OER at Leeward CC
Once a month, the OER Campus Committee will share information about OER to raise awareness, promote, encourage, and support using OER at Leeward CC.
We are launching our first post, today, in the spirit of International Open Access Week (October 23 -29, 2017) to inform the campus about what OER is, why it matters, and what Leeward CC is doing.
What is OER?
Open Educational Resources (OER) are “teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use and re-purposing by others” (Hewlett Foundation). In other words:
- OER is free to use; no strings attached
- No permission is needed since the creator already grants it through a Creative Commons (CC) license
- You can retain OER indefinitely
- You can choose to modify OER to meet your teaching needs per rights granted by the license
Why does OER matter?
- Saves students money
- 25% of total college costs for Leeward students is for textbooks and supplies
- Half of community college students rely on financial aid to pay textbook costs
- 65% of these students use financial aid to pay for all textbook costs
- Grants access to more choices of materials
- Materials are publicly available for students to access before and after taking a course
- Flexibility to customize or mashup several OER to create custom resources for your students
What is happening at Leeward CC?
Leeward CC supports “Textbook Cost: $0” and using OER. We have an OER Campus Committee, workshops, fellowship program, and more to support using OER at Leeward CC. See the infographic below for information and statistics for “Textbook Cost: $0.”
Our numbers continue to increase regarding “Textbook Cost: $0” courses, students enrolled, subjects, and instructors.
Fall 15 | Spr 16 | Fall 16 | Spr 17 | Fall 17 | |
“Textbook Cost: $0” CRN (sections) (% of all CRNs) | 55 | 148 | 217 (19%) | 279 (23%) | 289 (27%) |
Students enrolled in “Textbook Cost: $0” classes | — | 2643 | 4194 | 5121 | 5371 |
“Textbook Cost: $0” different subjects | 12 | 63 | 69 | 111 | 91 |
“Textbook Cost: $0” instructors | 16 | 49 | 71 | 91 | 92 |
How can you get involved?
Be a part of this initiative to “Go Open, Go Free at Leeward CC” and use “Textbook Cost: $0” and/or OER materials in your classes. Contact the Library or EMC to get started. Also, visit our OER website for more information.
EMC’s Chromebook COW for Classroom Use
The following is a guest blog post by Junie Hayashi, Librarian, at Leeward CC.
Ever wanted to do an activity with your students that required everyone to have a computer (laptop, tablet, or smartphone) but didn’t have a computer classroom? Reserve the EMC’s Chromebook COW (classroom on wheels) that includes a set of 20 lightweight Chromebooks. The Chromebooks use Google Chrome browser for internet browsing and have both keyboards and touch screens. Although you cannot download software onto the Chromebooks, numerous apps are available from the Google Chrome Web Store.
I provide library instruction sessions for various classes including English, Speech, Psychology, and Women’s Studies. Using the Chromebook COW, I am able to provide sessions in the classroom instead of having the class come to the Library. This is especially helpful when we have multiple sessions during the same class period. In addition, my sessions often include group work which is very difficult to do in a traditional computer lab setting. Using the Chromebooks makes it easy for students to work together in a meaningful way. The COW is much smaller and easier to navigate than the previous one. Students have even told me that the Chromebooks were “cool” and way better than other laptops. Definitely check out the EMC’s new Chromebooks!
Looking to reserve/checkout the Chromebook COW? Visit the Intec window at LC 116 or request online. (Note: First time using the request form? Please contact the Help Desk so an account can be created for future reservations.)
Making your syllabus viewable in Laulima
The Syllabus tool in Laulima allows you to post your syllabus for your students to access.
To add the Syllabus tool:
- Log into Laulima.
- Click on your course site in the blue tabs across the top.
- Click on Site Info in the left menu of tools.
- Click on Edit Tools.
- Checkmark the Syllabus tool and click Continue and then Finish.
- Click on the Syllabus tool in the left menu and add your syllabus.
By default, the Syllabus tool is not published to students. To make it viewable to students, you’ll need to click the lightbulb icon ‘on’.
And now to check/preview as a student, click the drop-down menu, “View site as:” at the top-right of your screen and choose “Student”. You should be able to see it. When you’re done, go back to the drop-down menu and select “Instructor.”
Highlights from Tech It Out Day 2017
We had another great Tech It Out Day on August 14, 2017. Thank you for sharing part of your day with us in exploring how technology can enhance teaching and learning in the classroom and online. Sessions were a short 30 minutes to keep things light and fun, and spark interest and curiosity. Participants were able to “test drive” different tools and apps and see how fellow colleagues are using technology in their classes. We had sessions for formative assessment apps to make learning interactive, tools and ideas for communication and building community in your classroom, and even 3D printing.
Special thanks to the EMC and Library staff for facilitating sessions and helping at the event and the Leeward Staff Development Funds who provided funding for food.
View all photos here.
Participants commented:
This was the most accessible and most useful Tech It Out Day ever.
I always enjoy Tech It Out [Day] and learning from colleagues’ ideas and experience.
I like the small group learning environment and all the presenters were enthusiastic and encouraging. Another fun morning, thank you.
If you would like to follow-up your learning for more, please check the website for additional resources and the presenter’s contact information. See you next year!
Highlights from the “Course By Design” Workshop During PRLS 2017
Each summer, the Educational Media Center (EMC) hosts the Pacific Region Learning Summit (PRLS) at Leeward CC, a week-long professional development opportunity for instructors. During this past PRLS (May 15-19, 2017), we offered a new workshop track, Course By Design. We were fortunate to have eight dedicated instructors who registered for our track:
- Christina Mende (Math & Sciences Division)
- Faustino Dagdag (Business Division)
- Darci Miyashiro (Math & Sciences Division)
- Eric Matsuoka (Math & Sciences Division)
- I-Chia Shih (Math & Sciences Division)
- Nolan Miyahara (Professional Arts & Technology Division)
- Reina Ojiri (Math & Sciences Division)
- Ross Higa (Business Division)
In this track, we guided the instructors through using our four-step course design process for in-person classes. This process helped them to systematically organize and structure their courses to align their course outcomes with appropriate learning activities. And then put together their lesson modules on a website. Doing so helps students to navigate through the course, identify the expectations, and identify activities they need to complete to be successful in the course.
During the week we led participants through our four-step process using a mix of methods and activities to:
- Identify student learning outcomes.
- Create specific learning objectives.
- Create activities to meet the learning objectives.
- Build your lessons on a website.
Participants used a planning document (Google Doc) and learning modules website template (Google Sites) which we designed and developed for the four-step course design process. Some started creating lesson modules for their courses, while others chose to create supplemental lessons and activities for their courses. By the end of the week, participants were able to go through one cycle of the process to create at least one lesson module on their website. Now they have the knowledge, skills, and tools to continue creating the rest of their lesson modules.
All participants earned the “Course Designer Creator” badge of achievement for planning out their course and creating at least one lesson module during PRLS. These badges are helpful to use as evidence in tenure/promotion dossiers.
Participants Have Said
“I learned how to design a google site and how to create pages with activities that focus on helping students meet the learning outcomes. After taking this workshop, I have a starting template that is ready to be used for my future courses. And that is a wonderful feeling! I would recommend this program to other instructors who wants to develop their course sites for face-to-face or online courses.”
“I learned about best practices for my lesson and activity planning; how to clearly connect them with our SLOs and Learning Objectives; and how to present them in a professional looking page!”
“As for advice, I would say the best thing a participant to do is to keep an open mind.”
Register for Course By Design (Fall 2017)
If you’re interested in re-designing your course, consider joining us in the six-week “Course By Design” workshop series which we adapted for the fall semester. It will be on six consecutive Tuesdays from Oct.10 to Nov.14. For more information and to register, visit: https://course-by-design-fall-2017.eventbrite.com
Rachael Inake and Brent Hirata
Educational Technologists
Educational Media Center
National Open Education Week
This concludes Leeward CC’s Open Education Week! Thank you for reading our blog posts and getting involved whether it may be in spreading awareness, inquiring for more information, using OER materials in your courses, or other things. Feel free to contact the friendly librarians on campus if you’re interested in utilizing open and/or OER materials in your courses.
If you’re interested in more, you can also check out how UH Manoa celebrated Open Education Week:
Lastly, if you’d like to get more involved, nationally, visit the Open Education Week’s website for other events – https://www.openeducationweek.org/events.
Mahalo, on behalf of the Leeward CC OER Committee!
Student Satisfaction with “Textbook Cost: $0”
Students benefit from “Textbook Cost: $0”!
“Textbook Cost: $0” classes are classes with zero out of pocket costs for textbooks, supplemental course materials, access codes, etc. can be designated Textbook Cost: $0.
Textbook Cost: $0 classes may incorporate Open Educational Resources (OERs), online resources, library resources, faculty-authored materials, or any combination of no-cost resources. Therefore, it is required to have Internet access to use these course materials.
Direct link to infographic: https://magic.piktochart.com/output/21051624-student-satisfaction-with-textbook-cost-0
Learn more about “Textbook Cost: $0” at Leeward CC, a list of “Textbook Cost: $0” Leeward CC courses, and FAQ: https://sites.google.com/a/hawaii.edu/oer/zero-textbook-cost-adopters.
Ross Higa Shares About OER
Welcome to Open Education Week at Leeward CC! The Leeward CC OER Committee is excited to promote Open Education Week and we hope you join us in raising awareness about free and open educational resources (OER). Look for our posters around campus!
This week, you will receive a daily email highlighting how OER are benefiting students and instructors at Leeward CC. “Open Education seeks to scale up educational opportunities by taking advantage of the power of the internet, allowing rapid and essentially free dissemination, and enabling people around the world to access knowledge, connect and collaborate” (Open Education Week).
Hear from one of our Leeward CC instructors, Ross Higa, Assistant Professor of Management, share how using OER has benefited his students and how he has become an advocate of OER by encouraging his peers and colleagues to use OER.
Video: https://youtu.be/qMMQdOTOhkg
Get ready for Open Education Week, March 20-24, 2017!
Join the Leeward CC OER Committee in celebrating Open Education Week from March 20-24, 2017! (We’re celebrating a week early due to Spring Break that week.) In the spirit of Open Education Week, on March 20-24, you’ll receive a daily email featuring an open education related story to promote and inform you about being open in education.
Open education encompasses resources, tools and practices that employ a framework of open sharing to improve educational access and effectiveness worldwide.
The idea of free and open sharing in education is not new. In fact, sharing is probably the most basic characteristic of education: education is sharing knowledge, insights and information with others, upon which new knowledge, skills, ideas and understanding can be built.
Open is key; open allows not just access, but the freedom to modify and use materials, information and networks so education can be personalized to individual users or woven together in new ways for diverse audiences, large and small.
– from Open Education Week at https://www.openeducationweek.org/page/what-is-open-education
Please help to spread the word and raise awareness about free and open educational opportunities during Open Education Week. You can also share on social media using #openeducationwk and #book$0. If you have something to share or would like to leave us a comment, please do so on our posts. Mahalo!