Volume 2, Issue 10--Published: Wednesday, February 8th, 2023

Getting to Know the Center:

Ahh...February–a time when the light returns (even if the groundhog retreats), we celebrate Black History Month, and reminders of love surround us.  At the Center, we know how much you love your students. It shows in your work to create classroom environments,  curriculum, and best practices that engage and encompass the experience of our wonderfully diverse students. The Center supports you as you support your students, so we’d love to connect with you–just let us know how we can help!

Our Work--The Center and You!

Friendly TAP Reminder:

As the back and forth of the beginning of the semester is starting to settle down, now may be  a good time to take action on your Teaching Action Plan (TAP).  More information on the TAP and suggested timelines can be found on The Center’s new website.

Chromebooks available to currently enrolled students to check out for the semester! Syllabus Template updates are available.

Chromebooks are available at MATC Libraries  to currently enrolled students to check out for the semester, on a first come first serve basis, while supplies last. Students are encouraged to call ahead for availability, and fill out the Library Equipment Agreement Form prior to pick up.

A Stormer Pass/MATC ID or other valid photo ID is required for checkout. Checkouts are for one semester only and must be returned by the end of the semester.  The charging cord will be checked out separately from the Chromebooks. No holds may be placed on the devices. No renewals are allowed on these devices. 

Other technology options available:

Students may use financial aid to purchase devices at the MATC Bookstore or other stores. There are other resources for students like the FAST Fund, which is available for students experiencing economic emergencies. Additional free or low-cost offers from internet service providers can be found on the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin website, as well as a map of public Wi-Fi locations in Wisconsin. Students can connect to the free, MATC Wi-Fi “MATCGUEST” while on campus. There are also free outdoor WiFi parking lots available at some MATC locations. Computers with Internet access and printing are available in the Academic Support Centers and MATC Libraries.

Help get the word out to students by creating an announcement in Blackboard! The following language has been added to the Syllabus Template:

If you need help getting a Chromebook, MATC has a loan program where students can check out equipment through the MATC library.

MATC Professional Development Opportunities:

MATC offers a wide-range of professional development courses in a variety of delivery modes and durations as part of our efforts to design meaningful professional development that provides just-in-time training opportunities for you to explore what you need when you need it. All of our offerings are free to MATC faculty and eligible for FQAS hours, so that you can plan and develop your own professional development goals and outcomes.  

Blackboard Ultra--Coming Soon to All Courses!

In Summer 2023, the college will update Blackboard to the ULTRA COURSE VIEW. All courses offered in Summer 2023 and in the future will be run as ULTRA COURSES, offering a streamlined user interface that provides a student-centered course experience with more efficient instructor workflows.

 Attend our 1-hour workshops or register for our new training course ZERD-190 "Introduction to Blackboard Ultra" to learn about Ultra Course navigation, content design, communication tools, and the Gradebook. Support resources for faculty are available at the Blackboard Faculty Support Website for Ultra. See our Understanding the Changes Guide for an annotated example of the new course layout and tools. Faculty who will be teaching in Summer 2023 can get started with their transition to Ultra by reviewing the Ultra Migration Guide and contacting the Online Learning Department to request either Ultra Course Preview Mode in a past semester course or a Ultra Personal Master Shell. Ultra Course student support resources are now available at the Student Support Website; additional training for students will be provided through our Online Readiness Module and Student Blackboard Orientations starting in late April. 

MATC Celebrates Black History Month

Throughout February, guest speakers will deliver inspirational and informational topics, weekly black history facts will be shared, there will be movie viewings, and much more.

 

Need COS Help? COS Reboot Workshop is coming up!
Are you a Developer for a Course Outcome Summary (COS) that needs to be reviewed and/or edited? The Curriculum Department is offering a Course Outcome Summary (COS) Reboot Workshop. This workshop is designed for COS Developers (those who create/edit COSs) who would like a refresher in learning the current requirements of a COS and the most efficient way to create/edit them. It is also designed for newly assigned developers. This workshop is scheduled so you can attend virtually (through Zoom) or in-person at the Center for Teaching Excellence (room M201 of the Downtown Campus). Upon completion, the COS Reboot workshop qualifies for 2 FQAS hours in the Student Success/Teaching Excellence category.
The Center is offering two sessions in February. Join us on either:
Thursday, February 9th from 11am to 1pm
--or--
Thursday, February 23rd from 2:30-4:30 

Collaboration Connection:

M3 Professional Development Day

MATC, UWM, and MPS teachers and faculty are invited to participate in the Sixth Annual M-Cubed Virtual Professional Development Day on Friday, February 17. 

The keynote presentation applies to all faculty and staff.  Following the keynote are breakout sessions specific to English Language Arts (ELA), Science, and Math.  Those sessions are designed primarily for faculty who teach in those areas, but anyone is welcome to attend!

Inclusive Teaching Webinar with MATC DEI Read Authors  

Join  Professors Kelly Hogan and Viji Sathy, authors of Inclusive Teaching (a Fall 2022 MATC DEI Read), on Friday, February 17th at 11am for “Inclusive Teaching: Empowering All Students to Thrive.” The most effective teachers do more than simply communicate facts and information. They create a sense of belonging for every student—and empower them to explore, make mistakes and thrive in their learning environment. In this interactive presentation, authors and award-winning educators Professors Kelly Hogan and Viji Sathy will provide a framework for inclusive course design—one that can be readily implemented in any discipline or class size. You’ll also learn how structured active learning techniques foster equity and engagement. Plus, join the conversation as we crowdsource inclusive teaching approaches to improve learning for all!

Friendly Reminders:

OER Updates
 
The MATC Open Access Team welcomes everyone to the Spring 2023 semester and has created a new shared folder for faculty. This folder has the list of OER facilitators, OER resources, handouts, and more. Also, the Summer OER Faculty Grant Application is now open and due March 1, 2023.

Save the Date: Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Day of Engagement coming up on March 10, 2023!

Would you like to learn more about where MATC stands with HSI? Are you interested in contributing to this important initiative? Join us on March 10, 2023 from 8 am to 1 pm at the Milwaukee Downtown Campus. Guest speakers include Dr. Antonio Flores, President of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and Dr. Margarita Melendez, U.S. Department of Education HSI Program Specialist. This professional development opportunity is free!  More details and registration information will be available soon. This event is eligible for FQAS hours.

Keeping You Posted:

Our goal with Center Connections is to keep you informed, not only about Center’s work, but to help you navigate other college-wide initiatives that directly impact faculty.

Executive Vice President Search–Faculty Feedback Session

The college has partnered with executive search firm, Academic Search, to assist in our national search for Executive Vice President, Student Success. The firm is scheduling feedback sessions in order to obtain the relevant information needed to create the job candidate profile in preparation for critical and important recruitment. The faculty feedback session will be on Monday, February 13 from Noon-12:50 p.m. If you are unable to attend, sessions will be recorded and a link will be provided to submit your feedback.

Don't Forget to Vote!
 
Early voting for the 2023 Spring Primary began on
February 7th. More information regarding Early, Absentee, and In Person Voting on February 21st can be found at myvote.wi.gov

FAST Fund Helping Ukrainian Refugees

The war in Ukraine has been raging almost a year, and the FAST Fund has recently experienced a significant uptick in requests for assistance from Ukrainian refugees who are attending English as a Second Language (ESL) classes.

Additional Professional Development Opportunities:

This knowledge hub includes a curated listing of resources and readings related to the foundations of higher education community engagement and the breadth of work in the field.
Learn strategies for fostering a culture of care within the classroom—and how this leads to improved student engagement and success.
Is “digital natives” a problematic term?  A growing number of higher education experts certainly think so. They argue that the phrase makes it easy to ignore skill gaps, turn a blind eye to socioeconomic differences, and cut digital skills from college curriculums.

Inspiration, Research, and Best Practices

Part of The Center’s mission is to keep you informed about current best practices and pedagogical approaches. Each issue of Center Connections includes links that are meant to be engaging, thought-provoking, and applicable to various classroom environments. For information on MATC's free access to Magna Commons publications, please see The Center's website.   Enjoy the rabbit hole!

The National African American Read-In (AARI) is a groundbreaking effort to encourage communities to read together, centering African American books and authors.
Sometimes the history books just get it wrong - or provide a limited, one-sided viewpoint. University of South Florida education law professor and racial equity expert Dana Thompson Dorsey sees the evidence. In the past year, Dr. Thompson Dorsey has reviewed several social studies and United States...
The Mindful Learning Framework is an organized set of principles to extend thinking and expand learning in a tangible framework that can be applied to any college course. 

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