MyGRCC
Menu

TLDE Resources and Recorded Sessions

In addition to coordinating workshops and special events, the Teaching, Learning and Distance Education department  is in the process of compiling a variety of "self-help" resources on a variety of topics of interest to faculty. These include other websites, how-to guides, tip sheets, etc.

These links provide direct access to the different resources we have compiled: 

Resource information

First Day/Week Activities

First Day/Week Activities

Below are some resources for icebreakers and first day/week activities for starting your semester:

Flipped Classroom

What is a Flipped Classroom?

In a flipped classroom the traditional method of lecturing in class and assigning homework for students to complete at home is reversed. Students listen and watch lectures via video on their own time outside of class, and use the time in class to complete homework, work through problems, collaborate with others and the instructor, discuss advanced concepts and other more engaging or interactive activities.

"Information is not instruction." — David Merrill. Utah State University

The Benefits of the Flipping

The flipped classroom maximizes the face-to-face time for discussion where students are able to ask questions and interact in real-time with their instructors and fellow classmates. In other words, rather than being alone at home when working through complex topics or homework questions while studying, students benefit from the instructor's presence, coaching and guidance. The ability to shift the lecture outside of the classroom time allows time for increased active learning and engagement through the professor's expertise, facilitation and guidance.

Are you interested in flipping the classroom at GRCC?  Let us know at dlit@grcc.edu as we would be happy to assist you with technological and instructional design aspects of this teaching modality!

Because face to face time is limited, flipped classrooms can also provide the ability to cover more material during the semester.  Students can also take their time to complete their notes, reflect, pause, replay and re-listen to the lectures to spend time digesting complex lecture based topics by watching the lectures online, outside of class. Students are able to better prepare for classroom discussions — and engage in them — through being better informed of the main topics and concepts before coming to class.

The goal of the flipped classroom model is to maximize the limited face-to-face time that students and the instructor have while on campus.

Who is flipping their classroom at GRCC?

At GRCC, a few instructors have been using this model for some time now.

Here are just a few examples:

  • Garry Brand, Business Law Professor, has been recording his lectures with Camtasia Relay and hosting some class sessions.
  • Marie Burns, Professor in Nursing, has worked on classroom flipping and even presented on it at the Trends in Occupational Studies conference in 2013.
  • Lisa Gloege, Economics Professor, is planning to move toward this concept this fall, where through a hybrid course, students will watch lectures (and do a variety of other activities) outside of class. Class time then will be for discussion and group problem-solving. Clickers will also be used during class for discussion and engagement activities.

Helpful links

Student Career Learning Experiences

“Opportunities to enhance the student experience”

What exactly are Student Career Learning Experiences?

Student career learning experiences come in various shapes and sizes at GRCC. In an effort to inform faculty of the many opportunities that could be incorporated into their curriculum, this resource page was created. By reading this page, you will visually see the outline for these opportunities. The below career learning opportunities are listed from the least invasive projects and trips to full-blown experience programs!

Start small! Start with a class project.

Any faculty member is encouraged to incorporate real-world projects into their course. If you have an industry contact that is willing to partner with your class to bring a current project to your students please do so! Be sure to complete a Classroom Speaker Request if individuals will be visiting to your class. 

Get your feet wet with a field trip!

Field trips are highly encouraged. This short-term student learning experience is a great way to dive into providing enhanced student learning experiences. If you are taking your class on a field trip, please fill out a Leave of Absence for that day.

Feeling adventurous? Align your learning outcomes with service opportunities!

Service Learning involves a teaching methodology in which faculty purposefully align course learning outcomes, involving a range of learning activities, to meet identified community needs in a meaningful way. Each semester, faculty elect to integrate service learning into their classes. Students gain real-world experience and receive a service learning designation on their transcript.

Why integrate a service learning activity into your curriculum?

  1. Brings greater visibility to the practice of service learning at GRCC and allows us to better document the benefits of this pedagogy to students, the community and faculty
  2. Research shows a positive correlation between student success and service learning
  3. Ensures risk and liability practices are in place
  4. Promotes good service learning practices.

How do I find out more information?

Visit the Department of Experiential Learning website or the Director of Experiential Learning at (616) 234-4180.

Join the West Michigan effort! Create an environment for local collaboration.

GRCC is part of a local consortium called the West Michigan College and University Group. This group’s focus is to encourage entrepreneurial efforts in West Michigan. The annual student business plan competition is designed to create cross collaboration between students that span across several universities from West Michigan. Through the MWest Challenge, entrepreneurially minded students are able to develop and grow new ventures based on their own ideas.

Which colleges are involved in MWest?

MWest involves eight West Michigan colleges and universities, representing 75,000 students from: Grand Valley State University, Kendall College of Art and Design, Davenport University, Aquinas College, Calvin College, Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids Community College, Kuyper College and Hope College.

All disciplines are encouraged to participate. To find out how to get your students involved, visit mwestchallenge.com for the next competition opportunity.

Equip your students with professional, career-related experience!

An internship is a course which is a supervised, professional experience, guided by learning outcomes. Internships build on and enhance previous coursework and allow students an opportunity to make connections in the professional fields they are considering for career paths.  Ideally internships are a culminating experience for the student in his/her chosen career path.  Internships do not have any theory coursework required when the student is taking the course.

Internships are supervised by a faculty member teaching the course.  The expectation is that all faculty will conduct two verified on-site visits per student per course and one evaluative meeting with the supervisor and the student near the end of the course. Exceptions are granted when the internship is conducted out of the Grand Rapids area.

Are you interested in creating an internship course for your program?  Contact the Curriculum Specialist at (616) 234-2278.

Do you want a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your students? Choose Study Away.

Study Away involves a specific credit-bearing course specifically designed and approved around a short-term travel experience which is faculty-led. Study away courses can either be domestic or international, but all must be approved by the Study Away team.  

To find our more information, visit the Study Away webpage or contact the Director of Experiential Learning at (616) 234-4180.

Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles for curriculum development that is intended to minimize or eliminate barriers to learning with a focus on increasing access to course information and providing all individuals equal opportunities to learn.

Campus Resources Related to UDL

  • Disability Support Services – GRCC's Disability Support Services provides academic support to qualified students with documented disabilities. The DSS office provides several services to students such as alternative text, sign language services, note taking and more.

Valuable Web Resources on UDL

The National Center on Universal Design for Learning

  • A set of guidelines to assist in the development of instruction that is accessible to all learners.
  • A repository of examples and resources illustrating the checkpoints for each guideline.

The ACCESS Project at Colorado State University

The DO-IT Center at the University of Washington

  • A Checklist for Inclusive Teaching. This resources takes both the principles of Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning (which applies specifically to curriculum) and applies them to all aspects of instruction.

ACCESS-ed - Promoting Universal Design in Higher Education

  • Distance Learning and Online Courses. A series of resources that focus on distance learning and online courses. There is an online course AUDIT as well as information about closed captioning, creating an accessible syllabus and more!

University of Washington – Universal Design of Instruction

  • Principles, guidelines and examples for working with students with disabilities.

WebAIM – Web Accessibility in Mind

  • A wealth of articles and resources for designing web accessible content.

CAST – Universal Design for Learning

  • Why is UDL necessary? There are two online modules (Introduction to UDL and Applying UDL to Lesson Development) available to learn more about UDL principles.
  • Examples, guidelines, resources and checkpoints of universal design and more.

Universal Design Education 

  • A collaborative effort of North Carolina State University, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, and the Global Universal Design Educator's Network on the principles of UDL.

CUNY Academic Commons

  • A website on Universal Design and Access from the City University of New York.

Recorded Session Links

View additional sessions and recordings for past workshops.

Additional Sessions

2020 Fall Semester Workshop Recordings

Additional faculty resources

Transfer