Blinn College faculty demonstrate commitment to quality online courses
Ninety Blinn instructors earn internationally recognized Quality Matters certification
December 13, 2017
As Blinn College’s online courses become even more popular, faculty are demonstrating their commitment to quality online course design with an internationally recognized quality assurance program.
Ninety instructors across all four Blinn campuses recently completed the Quality Matters certification. Instructors underwent 20- 30 hours of training covering a variety of topics, including best practices in online learning, improving online instruction, and designing blended courses in which a portion of the traditional face-to-face instruction is replaced by web-based online learning.
“Our faculty’s accomplishments demonstrate their commitment to increasing student engagement and learning,” said Joyce Langenegger, Executive Director of Academic Success. “Quality Matters offers a powerful set of tools for faculty to use when teaching online, and the end result is a more satisfying learning experience for our students.”
Blinn faculty who have completed the training through November include: Tommy Adams, Heather Albrecht, William Allbritton, Deeanna Antosh, Madalyn Ard, Roxanne Berry, Kerry Bird, Katie Black, Mary Blackburn, Mark Bohlman, Thomas Born, Margaret Bruchez, Melody Carson, Katherine Cart, Karen Clarida, Vanessa L. Coffelt, Carey Counsil, Brian Cravens, Karin Dahmann, Chelsey Dankenbring, Joseph Denman, Kathleen Dubbs, Emily Erdmann, Brandy Ermis, Melissa Erskine, Bonny Ford, Victoria Fowler, Ashley Gage, Cynthia Gernhart, Gloria Giesenschlag, Patrick Gilbert, Susan Harte, Jonnathon Hicks, Cheri Hobbs, Debbie Horn, Kenneth Howell, Patrick Johnson, Amy Jones, Jacob Kidd, Amanda Kieffer, Minsu Kim, Kelly Kissane, Brian Klekar, Rhonda Lance, Angela Lawrenz, Julie Lewis, Carolyn Lowry, Dawn Marshall, Ruth Martin, Tracy Matthies, Tom McClung, Kristine McCoy, Ashley McKeever, Melissa Meek, Laurie Metcalf, Eric Miller, Bradley Myers, Erin Nelson, Robert Parr, Shelly Peacock, Doug Peck, Jay Pedregosa, Amanda Phipps, Todd Quinlan, Brandy Scholze, Jaime Schroeder, Sunil Segu, Hana Shoup, Steven Simcik, Lucy Slaton, Shawanda Stanford, Paul Stearns, Kristin Stoley, William Sweet, Andrew Syvyk, Larry Thomas, Amy Varon, Deborah Vavra, Anne Voelkel, Tim Weaver, Shonda Whetstone, Kwohn Whitaker, Benjamin White, Katherine Wickes, Amy Winningham, Greg Wise, Dana Wood, Rachel Woodrume Gallardo, and Margaret Woosnam.
In addition to professional development, the Quality Matters rubric provides an evidence-based approach to designing courses in ways that enhance student success. It is the most widely used set of standards for the design of online and blended courses at the college level.
Blinn’s online programs are fully equivalent and hold the same accreditation as its traditional face-to-face courses. Academic and student support are available to students who take online programs through the College’s online student portal, myBLINN. Blinn also offers a variety of resources for students considering online courses at www.blinn.edu/online including an orientation course, tips for taking an online course, tutorials, and frequently asked questions.
Regardless of whether students choose to enroll in online or face-to-face courses, they benefit from Blinn’s exceptional academic reputation. According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), Blinn’s academic transfer rate of 34.2 percent ranks second in the State of Texas and exceeds the state-wide average of 21.1 percent.
THECB data also shows that Blinn students who take 30 credit hours during the 2017-18 school year save $3,717, approximately 42 percent, in tuition and fees compared to state residents at the average Texas public university.
Registration for the Spring 2018 semester is available through Monday, Jan. 15. College officials encourage early registration for convenient scheduling and placement in high-demand courses. Registration for Blinn’s Winter Minimester, which runs Dec. 15-22 and Jan. 3-10, is available through Thursday, Dec. 14.
For enrollment or financial aid information, visit www.blinn.edu
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