While students are facing tuition increases to offset dwindling state support for higher education, they’re still dealing with other costs of going to college, like books.

To help with those textbook costs, the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges on October 31, 2011 launched the Open Course Library, a collection of educational materials for 42 of the state’s highest-enrolled college courses,. The materials, which include textbooks, syllabi, activities, readings and assessments cost $30 or less per student and are available online at no cost under an open license for all Washington colleges and universities as well as anyone worldwide.

“The idea of using the OCL is really twofold,” Director of eLearning Ann Garnsey-Harter said. “Students can afford to purchase the textbooks and other class materials required for all courses and faculty will find high quality course materials readily available.”

Philosophy Prof. Paul Herrick is one of three Shoreline instructors who developed courses and accompanying materials for the OCL.  He says that the wealth of available resources provided by the OCL classes is something instructors might want to consider.

Teachers all know the amount of time it takes to research and build a resource library for our classes.

“We spent a year building it,” Herrick said about the course and supporting materials. “Finding the time to build something this comprehensive…that was the hard part.  But our OCL logic course offers a wealth of digital resources in modular form and covering every branch of logic.  In addition, each part can be adapted to fit the needs of specific instructors.”   

Herrick worked with Mark Storey, his counterpart at Bellevue College, to develop an Introduction to Logic course.  The collaboration resulted in 118 videos, 25 PowerPoint presentations, 50 lectures, 60-70 exams and quizzes, and another 60-70 practice quizzes added to the online library. 

Oxford University Press, who published Herrick’s 750-page textbook in hardback form, agreed to reprint a new edition in both a paperback form and in an e-text version.  Herrick declined all royalties on the e-text edition of his book.

“It took three months for them to decide,” Herrick said, adding that his was the first e-text ever produced by the publisher.  Herrick thinks Oxford officials were persuaded by the OCL connection.

Herrick’s students had the opportunity to try out the e-text version during Fall Quarter 2011. In the class of 20, 18 students said they preferred the $29.99 online version to the book, which cost $100 in the original hard back form and $59.95 for the soft back version. 

Shoreline instructors Linda Khandro and Federico Marchetti also developed courses and materials for the OCL. Khandro developed an Introduction to Oceanography course and Marchetti built an Introduction to Statistics course.

The project could save students nearly $43 million a year if adopted at all state community and technical colleges, according to an informal study by the Student Public Interest Research Group released and released by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges,.

The OCL, funded with state money and a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant, is available to anyone at any time at no charge. Because all materials are digital and open-source, books and other course materials can be adapted to be used for any class.  SBCTC contributed $750,000 for the project and the Gates Foundation matched it.

“It really is a revolutionary idea,” Ann Garnsey-Harter said.  “You have to be open to looking at and sharing educational resources from a different perspective…it really is a win-win situation for everybody, students and faculty.”

Herrick says that he and Storey will both use their OCL program for Winter Quarter 2012 as will an instructor at Spokane Falls Community College.  “I know that a couple other colleges plan to use it, too,” Herrick said.

The "Open" aspect of the OCL appeals to me," said Khandro, "as open courses can increase access to basic science literacy locally and around the world."

Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs John Backes and Director of eLearning Ann Garnsey-Harter joined Phase 1 instructors Paul Herrick and Linda Khandro and Phase 2 instructor Shana Calaway (and Khandro) at a luncheon at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue on January 24, 2012. Instructional Designer Kathleen Chambers joined the Shoreline team.  The luncheon was to recognize and celebrate the work of the faculty, instructional designers and librarians who made Phase 1 a success and to welcome the Phase 2 paraticipants. Calaway will develop Business Calculus 148 and Khandro, Intro to Astronomy (101).   

Following the lunch, Phase 1 participants spent the afternoon sharing their insights and experiences of course development with the Phase 2 instructors. 

Use your lifetime of experiences to make a better world. 

Do you want to be a part of solving challenging problems in your community?  Do you want to help yourself, or others, aspire to great things?

Evolve: Re-ignite Self & Community is a six-month leadership development course that will help you discover your unique path to making a contribution, build your skills, and re-ignite your energies.

Shoreline Community College and the Northwest Center for Creative Aging are collaborating with RSVP (The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program), Senior Services, Full Life Care and other organizations to offer an eight session, six month course at which participants learn leadershiip skills and how to design a project that fits their passion and meets community needs.

Beginning January 6 and ending on June 15, 2012, classes will be held at Shoreline Community College.  The cost is $750 and scholarships are available.  Learn more at:
www.evolveleaders.org, call 206-382-3789 or email jan@nwcreativeaging.org.  

If you would like to read the article about the leadership program in the RSVP Experience in Action newsletter, it is located at:   http://www.solid-ground.org/GetInvolved/Volunteer/RSVP/Documents/EIAFall2011.pdf 

It is also provided below.

Evolve: a leadership program for seniors 50+
by Jennifer Gahagan

As the placement coordinator at RSVP I have increasingly encountered volunteers who have the energy, drive and skills to take on major leadership roles but who are struggling with next steps. Thanks to a grant from the New York Life Foundation, Minnesota-based Vital Aging Network is offering a unique service and leadership opportunity. Evolve is an 8-session, 6 month course that teaches participants about leadership and helps them design a project that fits their passion while meeting community needs. Participants work together to build a network of support to increase their leadership and create meaningful projects.

   ‘Cathy’ had a successful career in public accounting and had been involved in a variety of community efforts. After she retired, she says, “I wanted to zero in on a passion that would keep me active in my community.” Evolve: Re-igniting Self & Community helped her achieve that goal. “Our class was full of such talented individuals and, in the class, we learned how to give our talent ‘legs’.” Cathy’s project (helping to secure refrigeration for food banks) allowed more than 200 families to have access to more fresh foods.

RSVP is partnering with Northwest Creative Aging, Shoreline Community College, Senior Services, Full Life Care and others to bring this opportunity to Seattle. Several RSVP volunteers are working on the steering committee and have brought good ideas and energy to the project.

John B., a 67 year old retired university dean, created a reading project for an elementary School. Recognizing how critical it is to help children develop their skills in the first and second grades, John connected seniors center participants and first and second graders. The children read to the elders and the elders read to the children. “I have 21 kids calling me Grandpa John. There is nothing like the feeling.” 

Kwangja K. expanded culturally competent services for immigrants in a supportive housing program. Services included meals, home chore services, nurse visits, activities, and medication setup to low-income elders.

Jim B. worked for 33 years in electronics but, as the economy turned downward, he took a job in the mortgage industry. “My current career is not my passion; I am a technical person not a paper pusher,” says Jim. His Evolve project was to create a website with products, services, and information that help people reduce their energy consumption. As a result of the self-discovery done in the class and the focus it brought to his life, Jim has been hired in a new job in an alternative energy company.

Evolve classes will start this January and run through mid-June. Classes will be held at Shoreline Community College one or two Friday’s each month. The cost is $750 dollars. Scholarships may be available. Registration must be made through Shoreline Community College by November 30th. For more information go to http://evolveleaders.org or contact Jan Frederick at the Northwest Center for Creative Aging, (206)382-3789, jan@nwcreativeaging.org.

Reprinted with permission by RSVP Experience in Action

A view of Oujda, Morocco (above, Mohammed University (below).

Maybe not exactly like Bing Crosby and
Bob Hope, but Susan Hoyne and Janos Szablya are off on the road to Morocco.

Hoyne, the Dean of Science at Shoreline Community College, and Szablya, an instructional technician at the college,
left Sept. 16, 2011, for the University of Technology of Oujda, Morocco, affiliated
with Mohammed University of Oujda

“This is a train-the-trainer opportunity,” Hoyne said before the trip. “This is coming to us because of federal grant funding and our partnership with NC₃ (National Coalition of Certification Centers) and Gateway Community College (Wisconsin) and Francis Tuttle Technology Center (Oklahoma).”

Along with Snap-on Tools, the colleges are working with NC₃ to develop an automotive diagnostics training program for Morocco. Shoreline’s Professional Automotive Training Center leads the nation in new-car automotive technician training.

“We know how create training programs that work for the students and industry. We’re going there to share that expertise,” Hoyne said. Oujda is about 40 miles from the Mediterranean Sea, near the Algerian border. “This is just the first visit of what we hope will be an ongoing relationship.”

Hoyne said Szablya will stay in Morocco for the week-long trip, working with Moroccan educators. Meanwhile, Hoyne and other administrators from Gateway, Tuttle, Snap-on and NC₃ will head to Madrid, Spain, for initial talks with a university there.

“They want to do the same thing, build an automotive technician training center,” Hoyne said. “We’re happy to help.”

International Programs, one of the two top strategic initiatives for Shoreline Community College, is in the hands of Diana Sampson.

“I’m pleased that we have Diana as executive director to lead this important part of what we’re doing here at Shoreline,” President Lee Lambert said. “Better understanding the world we live in is critical for our students. One way we can help all of our students, international and domestic, is to bring them together here at Shoreline to learn from and about each other.”

Sampson has a background in international student recruitment with Shoreline and was an advising and counseling faculty member. She has lived in China and traveled extensively throughout Asia. Sampson was recently named to head a team focused on student recruitment in China. Sampson is now accountable for the overall program, responsibilities that were previously with Thalia Saplad, who is leaving the college.

“I’m excited to be able to help students and to have an impact on what I believe is the most important issue of our time, global understanding,” Sampson said.

Shoreline now has about 600 international students from 34 countries, primarily Pacific Rim nations. Sampson will oversee the effort to grow that number to 1,000 and expand the number of countries from which students come.

Lambert said that the strategic initiative covers three years. “I’ll be working closely with Diana to monitor our progress,” Lambert said. The college is also investing in additional staff to support the effort. “Shoreline is recognized around the world as leader in higher education and we will continue to build on that reputation.”

Lambert said the global perspective is core to the college.

“Our vision statement says ‘We will be a world-class leader in student success and community engagement,’” Lambert said, noting that the other strategic initiative for the college is to expand online classes and services, making quality education available anywhere, anytime. “You can’t be a world-class leader and not include the world.”

SCC/Jim Hills

When Gloria Anderson wants to talk to her Health Information Technology students, she heads to the Coding Café, virtually.

“Grab a drink and sit down so we can chat,” the Shoreline Community College instructor says each week via her computer to medical coding students that are spread across the U.S.  “Meet me at the Coding Café.”

Technology is making it easier to deliver information anywhere and anytime. For schools like Shoreline Community College and instructors like Anderson, that means it is easier for students to access their coursework and complete degrees from wherever they can find an Internet connection.

"Gloria really works hard to engage her students," Ellen Caldwell, Director, Health Informatics and Information Management at Shoreline said.  "Building a sense of being in an "actual" classroom is really important to many of our students.  We all have different tools by which we learn and the virtual teacher needs to be open to using all the tools they can.  Gloria is definitely a trend setter here at SCC."

While the online convenience is helpful, Anderson also uses the technology to make sure students don’t lose out on opportunities for real-time interaction with her and their classmates.

“Virtual is almost becoming non-virtual,” Anderson said.  Using the latest computer programs from Blackboard, Elluminate and Skype, Anderson and her faculty deliver the Health Information Technology AAAS degree and the Medical Coding and Reimbursement Specialist programs completely online.

Through technology, Anderson ensures that her students have the flexibility of online education plus the opportunity to communicate with herself and with each other to create the experience of “being in the classroom.”

“It’s important that our students can interact with not only me as their instructor, but with each other.  They’re with us two years or five quarters so they form relationships along the way,” Anderson said.

One way instructors and students interact is with a software program called Elluminate.  Andserson says it is the ideal venue for the weekly meetings she hosts for her medical-coding students who are scattered from Shoreline to the East Coast and all points in between.

Students Marci Luke and Michelle Zona say they look forward to the Wednesday evening meetings. Both appreciate that they can ask questions and get answers immediately rather than having to wait for e-mail responses.

“It really makes you feel more engaged,” said Zona, who lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. “You have the opportunity to ask your instructor any questions you might have had that week from your readings or her pre-recorded lectures.”

Zona said she also likes that she has the opportunity to learn from comments and questions from other students in the café:  “It’s really like being in the classroom – you just don’t see each other.” 

Luke, a Renton resident, said she likes the option of not turning on a computer camera or microphone. “Everybody types their questions or comments,” Luke said. Besides being able actually go to class in PJ’s, typing also allow students to go back and re-read earlier statements and comments made by their instructor and students.

“What’s really neat about the café is that is where I often have my ‘a-ha’ moments,” Luke said. “It really puts more of a classroom element into it.” 

While visiting the Coding Café is not mandatory, Anderson says a majority of students go to the chat room each week. The sessions are recorded, Anderson says, and posted on Blackboard for those students who could not attend the session or for those who would like to "revisit the information."

Anderson also uses Skype, as do about 50 percent of her students. When she works from home, Anderson uses the video chat service so that she and individual students can have a hands-free conversation. 

“I used to encourage them to meet at the library.  Now, I encourage them to meet on Skype,” Anderson said. “It’s like it takes the place of office hours.”  

Students also like to use Skype to communicate with each other.  Luke says she is on Skype every day; so is Zona, who says it has become one of her main tools for interacting with her instructors and other students.  

“I love sitting in my living room on the East Coast and going to school with ‘West-coasters,’” Zona said, adding she was thrilled to find the program she wanted completely online.  “This is an extremely valuable resource.”