El Paso Community College

Distance Education

EPCC FACULTY RESOURCES - ONLINE TEACHING

 

El Paso Community College uses Blackboard Campus Edition (formerly WebCT) course management software to teach online courses. The links on this page will help EPCC faculty enroll in training and get started using Blackboard with online, hybrid, and on campus classes. You are welcome to contact the DE office for information or assistance.  Distance Education staff contact information 

The Distance Education department provides training and support to  prepare faculty to use Blackboard CE. Once training is completed Faculty and students have access to a 24/7 EPCC Blackboard Helpdesk for support. The links below provide the information needed to get started.  If you are undecided, complete the online Blackboard Tutorial to see if using Blackboard will complement your teaching style. The online tutorial reviews the basic skills needed to use Blackboard CE 8. Blackboard Tutorial 

The Distance Education staff uses EPCC email to communicate with faculty. Remember to check your EPCC email regularly. You can also receive your EPCC email over the web using  Outlook Web Access OWA .


Online Teaching Certification
EPCC Faculty are required to complete a certification course to  teach with Blackboard. The course is online and Distance Education staff are available to help faculty who are enrolled in the online training course. If you have  questions about teaching online or  need assistance with an assignment during the course, let us know we'll be glad to answer your questions and help. On campus training events are optional and are announced in the Campus Announcements section in Blackboard.

You will receive a Certificate of Completion, and your course completion will be recorded in the EPCC Training Repository for you to use in Tenure Packets and to further your career goals. 

Blackboard Certified EPCC Faculty   Blackboard Certified EPCC Faculty listing

To enroll in the online training course, fill out the Online Teaching Training Request Form , and click the " Submit by Email" button in the upper right corner of the form. The Distance Education office will email to confirm enrollment, and contact you to schedule an  orientation to get you started.

Course Development and Online Teaching
The Distance Education office, the Technology Resource Center, and the Virtual College of Texas have licensed and made several software programs freely available to assist faculty prepare online content for use in Blackboard CE and to help teach online. Contact the Distance Education office for how and where to receive training and get started using the software listed below for online course development and online teaching.

  • Respondus - test creation software, a real time saver for online faculty
  • Respondus LDB - LockDown Browser™ is a custom browser that locks down the testing environment within Blackboard. When students use Respondus LockDown Browser they are unable to print, copy, go to another URL, or access other applications. When an assessment is started, students are locked into it until they submit it for grading.
  • SoftChalk Lesson Builder- If you can use a word-processing program, you can use LessonBuilder. Designed for teachers who don't have time to learn complex software, LessonBuilder is simple, yet powerful, with only the features you need to create exciting, interactive, content for your online course. SoftChalk training video
  • Dallas TeleLearning Digital Resource Repository - a vast library of video and other media-rich resources to the fingertips of faculty and course development

*New Pilot: Wimba software can be used synchronously and asynchronously in Blackboard

  • Wimba Classroom - A robust, virtual learning environment that includes audio, video, application sharing and content display – now with advanced MP4 functionality.
  • Wimba Voice Tools - An audio solution that supports traditional communicative styles of language learning for online learning – includes Podcasting and now with an integrated gradebook.
  • Wimba Pronto - The only instant messaging system designed for educators to advance and promote learning – now with a state-of-the-art whiteboard.

Available in Blackboard

  • SafeAssign - a plagiarism detection and prevention tool
  • Scholar - a social bookmarking service customized for faculty and students 


Additional resources are available below.

Principles of Good Practice Principles of Good Practice for Electronic Delivery of Courses 

Publisher Content for Blackboard
Many textbook publishers provide course materials that can be used with Blackboard. Inform textbook publishers that EPCC uses Blackboard Campus Edition version 8 (formerly WebCT). You are welcome to have your publishers representative contact the DE office for Blackboard information. 

Designed for use within the Blackboard platform, Blackboard e-Packs™ are text- and discipline-specific content solutions developed by leading educational content providers. E-Packs continue to be the content distribution format for all former WebCT platforms.  The term e-Pack will continue to be used when referring to content packages for Vista and CE platforms (formerly WebCT Vista and WebCT Campus Edition).

The Content Showcase continues to be the complete online destination for e-Pack search and fulfillment. If you plan on using a protected-access e-Pack, remember to contact your publisher sales representative to coordinate the sale of Student Access Codes.

Note: A protected-access e-Pack requires a Vista/CE (WebCT) validation code, not a key for a Blackboard Course Cartridge.  Confirm with your publisher sales representative that WebCT or Vista/CE-specific Student Access Codes for your e-Pack will be available in the EPCC bookstore. For select e-Packs, students can purchase standalone Vista/CE (formerly WebCT) access codes  online. 

Blackboard Login instructions  How to find your user name, password information and login instructions 

Blackboard Internet Courses Website EPCC Internet  courses website

Transferring Blackboard Course Content A 1 minute Windows Media Video which demonstrates how to move Blackboard course content from a development, practice, or previously taught course into a new semester course. 

Request Blackboard for on campus classes
Certified EPCC faculty can email a request to their Dean's office asking to have Blackboard added to on campus classes. After the Dean's approval a Schedule Revision Form is processed by the Registrar's office and Blackboard will be available to faculty and students. 

Blackboard Course Development Shell
Certified EPCC faculty can email a request to the DE office and request Blackboard Course Development Shell. Shells are set up for individual courses not sections. A development shell is not accessable to students and provides a place for faculty to work privately with online course content.
  

 

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