ELITE Digest – February 2024

Volume 3, Issue 5   |   ELITE Digest   |   February 2024

A warm welcome back as we embark on the spring semester! We hope your break was relaxing and fruitful, setting you up for this semester’s stimulating challenges and opportunities.

We’re delighted to share the success of our recent professional development day. Despite the weather, we offered over 45 dynamic virtual sessions/topics; the event was a significant achievement, attracting an impressive attendance of around 400 colleagues. This turnout is a testament to our academic community’s dedication and enthusiasm for learning.

Our ELITE professional development team is dedicated to assisting you in these endeavors. We are equipped to offer the resources and opportunities you need to enhance your expertise. Explore these options in our Spring Professional Development Catalog.

To add a fun element to our semester start, we’re excited to offer more MC gear than ever for our monthly H5P challenge winners. Here’s how you can participate:

  1. Complete the ELITE Interactive Game for this month.
  2. Email us your completed answers by 5 pm on Friday, February 9, 2024.

We’ll draw two lucky winners, who will be notified on February 12, 2024, for an extra entry, “like” our February ELITE Digest post on the Montgomery Employee Facebook page by the aforementioned deadline.

We are truly grateful to work with such an exceptional group of higher education professionals. The ELITE Professional Development team is eager to support your journey towards professional excellence this semester and beyond!

featured professional development

At-a-Glance – November

Raptor Central Experience

Learn how the three Raptor Central offices support prospective and current students, families and College visitors. Get a visual walkthrough of each campus location and meet the staff. Foster ways to enhance collaboration across units at MC; discuss how your unit coordinates with Raptor Central at your campus or satellite location; and learn how and when to make referrals. Learn more and register

Faculty: Technology Integration Badge Approved

This semester marks the exciting launch of a cutting-edge badge through a dynamic online program designed to revolutionize how faculty integrate technology into their teaching methods. This innovative microcredential is meticulously crafted to empower educators to select and utilize technology with precision and purpose, ensuring it aligns with their learning objectives. It transforms the educational landscape, moving far beyond the traditional approach of merely presenting slides and occasional video clips. This program emphasizes the deliberate and thoughtful application of technology, seamlessly weaving it into the fabric of the curriculum, thereby enhancing the learning experience for students. Gone are the days of passive tech use; this is the era of intentional, impactful technological engagement in education. Learn more and register.

Make It Stick Book Circle

Join this exciting new lunch-and-learn series to grow your knowledge of the science of learning through an enjoyable read, connect with colleagues, and discuss practical ways to implement the surprising research in Brown, Roediger and McDaniel’s Make It Stick.  FREE hardback copies of the book will be provided to those who 1) register on Workday and 2) complete this application form.

Spring Academy for Teaching Transformation

The Spring 2024 Academy for Teaching Transformation is just for you! Three inter-connected sessions will provide you the opportunity to exchange experiences with your MC colleagues while examining and discussing college teaching and learning. Learn more

Spring 2024 Microsoft Essentials Workshop Series

Visit Microsoft Essentials to register for our free spring 2024 workshops on Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel, and Teams!

virtual campus banner

The Virtual Campus: Empowering Students through Increased Online Education and Open Education Opportunities

Online education has been reshaping the academic landscape for many years. Montgomery College continues to expand its reach and improve access by offering more online credit and non-credit programs to students.

Learn more

For more information, please contact Dr. Shinta Hernandez, Dean of the Virtual Campus

multicultural moment

What Does it Mean to be Indigenous?

This issue of Multicultural Moments will explore the meaning of the term Indigenous and the different ways we can learn about what it means to be Indigenous, including learning about the land and hearing about the culture through Indigenous tourism.

Learn More about Multicultural Moment.

teaching tip of the month

Theme: Experiential Learning – Concrete Experience

Experiential Learning is learning through experience or learning by doing. Kolb’s Cycle of Experiential Learning presents four components: Concrete Experience, Reflective Observation, Abstract Conceptualization, and Active Experimentation (Institute for Experiential Learning, 2024). Each issue of Teaching Tips of the Month for Spring 2024 will focus on one of these components.

Learn More about Teaching Tip of the Month.

teaching technology tip of the month

Using Gamma AI to Create Presentations  

What is Gamma?

Gamma AI is a web-based tool that uses Artificial Intelligence to create presentations with beautiful designs, layouts, and images in minutes.

Why Use Gamma for Teaching?
Use Gamma to create educational content for your students with visuals, charts, and other interactive elements

Learn More about Teaching Tips with Technology.

return to work tip of the month

Introducing MC’s NEW Technology Integration Program

Faculty: Technology Integration Badge Approved! This semester marks the exciting launch of a cutting-edge badge through a dynamic online program designed to revolutionize how faculty integrate technology into their teaching methods.  Learn More

Innovation Leadership

Do you want to learn more about leadership but the professional development classes either don’t match your schedule or you have already completed them?  You might want to consider taking an outside class. With MC’s drive toward innovation, the following class may be of interest.  For only $49 plus a book (total cost under $100), you have access to Bill George, an innovative leader and CEO, author, and now professor at Georgia Institute of Technology. Learn More

Examining best practices for implementing ‘Feedback for Success’: The Start, Stop, Continue Model

The idea of providing feedback at work to improve performance and development as something to be done regularly as opposed to only at times of performance management discussions is gaining credibility as a game-changing behavior. Learn More

FOCUS ON: The Valuable Employee Learning Pathway

Did you make a New Year’s resolution or have a goal to participate in more professional development opportunities?  Yet, do you have difficulty finding the time?  This month’s focus showcases a learning pathway of e-courses, classes you complete on your time, 24/7. There is no excuse to not engage in professional development! Learn More

highlights from our partners

HRSTM

Hands-on CPR Saves Lives, in Person and on Zoom 

Hands-Only CPR can help gain precious time for a person experiencing a cardiac event. Learn and review the basics of Hands-on CPR with Professor Beth Ridings on February 20, 2024, at 12:15 p.m., in person at CT BOT S108 or on Zoom. Beth will show you how to use an AED and allow you to practice your skills on a CPR manikin. This class is not a certifying course. While drop-ins are always welcome, we suggest you register ahead of time by emailing Megan.Cooperman@montgomerycollege.edu.

To join on Zoom, use (Passcode: CPR) https://montgomerycollege.zoom.us/j/91943302700?pwd=ZnpQMHc1TWFVU29LL0VoNStQTUt4dz09

Office of Equity and Inclusion

Safe Zone

Safe Zone is an informative and experiential full-day training. It runs for 6.5 hours. Participants will be able to explore their assumptions and understanding of LGBTQ+ people. Core concepts about LGBTQ+ identity development, stereotypes and stigmas, homophobia and heterosexism, the coming out process, respectful vocabulary, common LGBTQI+ student needs and concerns, and resources for continued learning and sharing will be presented. How to be an ally–how to support LGBTQ+ staff and students who may seek your support and how to respond to incidents of discrimination and harassment will be explored through various activities.

If you have taken Safe Zone training before, you are encouraged to enroll in this workshop, which contains newly updated information.

Sponsored by MC Pride and Allies, Office of Equity and Inclusion, and Office of E-Learning, Innovation, and Teaching Excellence.
Register for Safe Zone workshops

ELITE H5P Activity

montgomery college graduation

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