Navigating Blackboard Learn at Grand Rapids Community College: A Comprehensive Guide
Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) is committed to providing its faculty with the resources and support they need to create a dynamic and effective learning environment for students. A key component of this commitment is the use of Blackboard Learn, the college's learning management system (LMS). This article serves as a comprehensive guide to help GRCC faculty effectively utilize Blackboard Learn, also known as Canvas, to enhance their teaching and support student success.
Introduction to Blackboard Learn (Canvas) at GRCC
Canvas is an easy and effective way for professors to share course materials online, communicate with students, send and receive assignments, post grades and feedback, and more. Using Canvas contributes to student success and retention, saves time, reduces paper and printing costs, and provides links to a wealth of academic resources. Additionally, feedback from student surveys reveal that students consider Canvas extremely useful in helping them organize their work, get feedback, access grades, connect with their instructors, collaborate with their fellow classmates, and access course materials.
Accessing Blackboard Learn
To access Canvas, simply log in to MyGRCC with your campus username and password.
Support and Training Resources
GRCC provides extensive support and training resources for faculty to effectively use Blackboard Learn.
- Teaching, Learning, and Distance Education (TLDE): The TLDE department is the primary provider of faculty professional development opportunities for all full-time and adjunct faculty. TLDE is located on the third floor of Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall and provides instructional technology training, resources, and support for faculty. Additionally, TLDE provides training and support in the development and delivery of Online and Hybrid courses. The TLDE programs include professional development that focuses on traditional and innovative pedagogies, academic service learning, curriculum development, assessment of student learning, and other practices that support the scholarship of teaching and learning. TLDE also assists faculty in making community connections to guest speakers and other colleagues who seek opportunities for collaboration. Additionally, TLDE invites suggestions and requests for small-group and departmental professional development activities.
- Online Support Resources: A wide array of online support resources are available on the Help tab in Canvas.
- IT Media Technologies: If you are experiencing a technical problem, error messages, etc. IT Media Technologies offers a wide array of services to support student learning and promote college goals. This department provides exceptional solutions to media-related issues throughout the college.
- Distance Education for Students: Distance Education for Students is designed to work with students taking hybrid, synchronous or asynchronous classes.
- Technology Learning Center: The Technology Learning Center offers strategic support in the technologies used. Students are encouraged to take part in the workshops and videos provided to support the various technologies embraced at Grand Rapids Community College. Access to Canvas resources, including Zoom meeting rooms, are provided. Assistance with various technologies can be accessed on the Technology Resources page.
Key Features and Functionalities
Blackboard Learn offers a wide range of features and functionalities to facilitate effective teaching and learning.
Read also: Affording GRCC: A Guide
- Course Content Management: Canvas is an easy and effective way for professors to: share course materials online, communicate with students, send and receive assignments, post grades and feedback, and more.
- Communication Tools: Facilitate communication with students through announcements, discussions, and email.
- Assignment Submission and Grading: Streamline the process of collecting and grading assignments. Use the Canvas Grade Center to provide regular feedback (where appropriate).
- Gradebook: If you are not using the “gradebook” on Canvas, grade books are available from your Support Professional. Grades must be submitted via the Online Faculty Center. Grades for 14-week courses are due 60 hours from the end of the last scheduled exam. Early ending classes (e.g. 7, 10 and 12-week) grades are due within 72 hours. Please contact IT Help with password.
- Assessments: Create and administer quizzes and exams online.
- Collaboration Tools: Encourage student collaboration through discussion boards, group projects, and wikis.
Utilizing Blackboard Learn for Effective Teaching
Here are some specific ways faculty can leverage Blackboard Learn to enhance their teaching:
- Provide Course Syllabus and Faculty Contact Information: By no later than the second semester of teaching, each faculty member will, at a minimum, use the Canvas Learning Management System to provide students with the course syllabus and faculty contact information. Submit an electronic copy of your course syllabus to your Department Support Professional within the first two weeks of the semester and to Blackboard. Your students should receive your syllabus during the first class session. Advise your students of exactly what they can expect from you, and exactly what you will expect from them to achieve successful completion of the course.
- Share Course Materials: Upload lecture notes, readings, videos, and other resources to provide students with easy access to course content.
- Communicate with Students: Use announcements and email to keep students informed of important updates, deadlines, and changes to the course schedule.
- Facilitate Discussions: Create discussion forums to encourage student interaction and critical thinking.
- Collect and Grade Assignments: Use the assignment submission tool to collect assignments electronically and provide feedback to students online.
- Administer Quizzes and Exams: Create and administer online quizzes and exams to assess student learning.
- Provide Feedback: Provide timely and constructive feedback to students on their assignments and performance.
Important Policies and Procedures
- Attendance Policy: Attendance policies must comply with the 14-day absence rule as defined by Department of Education (Title IV administration). When a student has not attended a course during a 14 calendar day period, this absence is reported by faculty to the institution, and this report would initiate a withdrawal of that student from said class. Faculty do not need to report an absence when a student is in communication and there is a shared understanding on how that student is making progress in the course. You must take attendance at your first class session. Check your class roster often, especially the first day of class, on count date, and whenever a new student appears. No students should be allowed in your class if they are not listed on your class roster. Inform the student that he or she must go to the Associate Dean's Office, if they are not on your class roster. You may access your class list/grade roster via the Online Faculty Center at any time. Students on the class list/grade roster are the only students who have registered and paid for the class and therefore allowed to be in the class.
- Final Exam Policy: Faculty who teach day classes are required to be in the classroom during the designated final exam time as listed on the Exam Schedule, regardless if a final exam is administered. This schedule is given to serve our students. Faculty teaching evening classes are required to be in the classroom the last evening the class meets which is designated as the end date of the class, regardless if a final exam is administered.
- Copyright Policy: Code) govern the use of copyrighted materials and making copies or other reproductions of copyrighted material, including graphic images. Although we are a nonprofit educational site, the doctrine of “Fair Use” and/or the T.E.A.C.H. Act do not relieve you as the faculty member of the responsibility to obtain permission for each use. GRCC policy endorses strict compliance with the law, and GRCC provides resources to assist you with compliance.
- Disability Support Services: Grand Rapids Community College is fully committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities for students with disabilities as mandated by federal law. Please be aware that as a faculty member you are required to make and/or permit reasonable accommodations with regard to all aspects of the learning environment. Failure to do so could result in an Office of Civil Rights investigation or legal action. It is strongly recommended that the following statement be placed in your syllabus: “Students with disabilities who wish to request accommodations must be registered with the Disability Support Services (DSS) Office in Room 368 of the Student Center. You may contact them at (616) 234-4140 or (616) 234-4155 for more information. Once you are registered with the DSS Office, you will be given an Accommodations Agreement to present to me to verify your registration.
- FERPA: V. FERPA stands for Federal Right to Privacy Act. Please be familiar with this act as there is very little information you can give to a student's family, friends or other students.
Additional Resources and Information
- Faculty Touchdown Spaces: You have RaiderCard and/or key access to faculty touchdown spaces. These touchdown spaces are equipped with a copier/printer, phone, and computer(s). The touchdown spaces are located in: Cook Academic Hall Room 209 - This room has a copier, phones, large worktable, computer workstations, coffee maker, and microwave. Room 307 - This room has a copier, phones, large worktable, computer workstations, microwave, toaster, refrigerator, and a scantron machine. Room 411 - This room has a copier, phones, computer workstations, and a large table. Room 508 - This room is ADA Accessible. It has a copier, computer workstations, a large table, and phones. Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall Room 201 - This room has computer workstations and a large table. Room 234 - This room is only accessible with a key. It has a printer (no copier), computer workstations, and a scantron machine. Room 303 - This room has a copier, computer workstations, a large table and storage lockers for faculty. It also has a small interior room that can be used for student or small group meetings. Room 511 - This room has computer workstations and a microwave.
- Faculty Information Form (FIF): Please carefully review all the information on the FIF. The bottom of the page is where you will record your acknowledgement and approval of your faculty contract. Type your full name into the Name field, and click the checkbox that states you acknowledge the document to be correct. Finally, click the button at the bottom of the page that says Acknowledge & Approve in order to record your signature. The page will save, and your signature has been recorded.
- Leave of Absence: If you are going to attend meetings and other College-related functions off campus, including class trips, you must complete an application for Leave of Absence. We cannot approve requests for a leave of absence after the fact. If you are requesting an expense reimbursement, the approved Leave of Absence form must be on file; otherwise, the reimbursement cannot be approved. Expense reimbursements (especially if grant-funded) should be submitted within 30 days after the activity.
- Professional Expenditures: Full-time faculty have a professional expense allotment for approved expenditures. These funds provide support for faculty in their work: a. where the expenditure is for the professional development (professional activities, conferences, publications, dues) of the faculty member, or b. where the faculty member provides assurance that the expenditure is predominately for college or student benefit, not personal use or convenience. Home internet service will not be reimbursed. Some tangible items may be taxable. GRCC provides funds for adjunct/part-time faculty professional development. These funds are intended to provide support for adjunct/part-time faculty in their work for the College where the expenditure is for their professional development, including but not limited to professional activities, conferences, publications and/or professional dues related to their assignment at GRCC.
- Open Educational Resources (OER): Do I know how to access Open Education Resources? Open Educational Resources (OER) are course materials that students can access for free or very low cost, that do not have copyright limitations for their use. OER can range from full, peer-reviewed textbooks like those available from Openstax to a course resource that a faculty member elsewhere in the country put together and made available in one of the many repositories for this kind of content. Lauren can meet with you one on one or schedule time to meet with larger committees or departments to discuss OER options.
- Library and Learning Commons (LLC): The Library and Learning Commons (LLC) offers college-level collections and services. Librarians will teach in-person: in your computer-equipped classroom in a college computer lab at area high schools for Middle & Early College classes. Librarians will teach online in Zoom, Meet, or with a pre-recorded presentation. Librarians can be embedded into your Canvas classes for Discussion Boards, etc. Librarians can create print and virtual instructional materials with sufficient notice. (Tip: When submitting multiple similar sections, after submitting the first request, click the [Back] key, edit section details and resubmit subsequent section requests.) Please submit requests at least one week in advance. Within one business day, your request will be confirmed with a Google Calendar appointment OR you will receive a message that your reservation is being processed. If you do not receive either, your request has not been received. Upon receipt of the Google Calendar appointment, check it for accuracy and click [Yes] to accept it.
- Textbook Information: Information regarding ordering textbooks, course packs, instructional materials and supplies can be found at Textbook Material. The Bookstore's hours of operation and textbook return information can be found on their webpage. You may want to inform students, particularly those in the evening, weekend, and off-campus classes, that they may order their books online. Please review the proper videos before you register and place an order. You are asked to not make more than 25 sheets of paper per project on the office copier.
- Classroom Scheduling: There are three ways to check your scheduled classroom: You can view a photo of your classroom by logging into 25Live: Open 25live in your browser. Log in with your GRCC network username and password Locate the "Quick Search" module on the Dashboard tab Enter your classroom (e.g. ATC 113) in the "Search Locations" field Click on the name of the location to view images and details about that location. Capacity Cards are located in all classrooms indicating the number of seats for the room.
- College Vehicle Use: Any staff member who wishes to use a college vehicle to transport students or other college employees to an off-campus destination must submit a College Vehicle Driving Form to receive clearance to drive the vehicles. The form can be obtained online at grcc.edu/police. Please plan on submitting the form 30 days prior to your departure date. These forms are sent to the Michigan State Police for clearance.
- Faculty Responsibilities: The GRCC faculty member: l. Maintains current content knowledge. Demonstrates current knowledge and practice in the discipline. Shares knowledge to help students anticipate future trends. ll. Promotes an environment conducive to learning. Uses the learning environment to promote faculty-student and student-student interaction. Adapts the environment to meet the needs of the course. Maintains an environment that cultivates respect, care, and rapport among students. Creates an environment in which students are comfortable asking questions, stating opinions, challenging ideas/content. Understands their student’s background, culture, needs, aspirations and goals. Manages conflict and differences of opinions. lll. Designs courses to promote learning and success for students. Incorporate available information about student’s initial knowledge and needs into the course. Clearly defines the course objectives and expectations for both faculty member and students. Teaches to course objectives. Assesses student achievement of outcomes and/or experience. Provides timely feedback to students. Provides opportunities for student feedback to faculty member. Considers teaching practices in light of current research and best practices. lV. Establishes a professional relationship with students and between students. Demonstrates authenticity in his/her interactions with students. Encourages students to be authentic and able to express themselves. Demonstrates compassion and encourages students to demonstrate compassion. Accepts others and their viewpoints and lifestyles in the learning environment. Knows his/her own strengths and areas for improvement. Encourages students to recognize their own strengths and areas for improvement. Recognizes strengths of students and helps them capitalize on them. Cares about students and their success in the classroom and in life.
- Office Hours: Teaching faculty (full time) must be on campus a minimum of five (5) office hours per week (for student consultation) in addition to the faculty member's normal teaching load. modules and in locations accessible to your students. Please list your office location and office hours on your syllabus. Please also provide office hours to your APSS. To best serve our students, office hours should be scheduled in units of no less than 30 minutes in length.
- Sandbox Course: Notice that you have a sandbox course already created for you. Add content by clicking on the + in the top left hand corner. You can add thinks like new content areas (content and information are examples of this). Next we’re going to look at some of the course management menu options. Don’t forget to test some of these features in your sandbox course. Part of the course management menu is the control pane. This is what is used to make the content engaging or enhance the course appearance. This will make your course more aesthetically appealing. Go ahead and look at some of the teaching style options that are available to you. Note that you can see a sample course menu and examples of how each one can be used. If you choose to add one of these to your course, it will change the look and there is no way to go back to a blank course shell without deleting everything from the course menu.
- Academic Calendar: The academic calendar can be found online at grcc.edu/provost.
Read also: GRCC Tuition Deadlines Guide
Read also: Learn about Blackboard Learn at UD
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