This site, divided into "Events" and "Publications," contains information on current educational technology initiatives.
Instructors are encouraged to send Distance Learning Staff (mxccdistance@mxcc.commnet.edu) course syllabi, outlines, schedules, and other documents to be uploaded into their Fall Blackboard Vista course shells. Please include in your email the CRN for the course(s) in which you'd like the files posted.
We are currently using the Blackboard Vista platform. Blackboard Vista training sessions will be provided throughout summer. Click here for training information.
The most notable feature of the myCommNet “portal” is the “single sign-on” ability. You’ll be able to sign on once and be able to access the Banner self-service product, Blackboard Vista, and the library databases. Instructions on how to log in to myCommNet are posted at www.mxcc.commnet.edu/distance/mycommnet.shtml.
All registered students can see a link in their course list called “MxCC Virtual Campus.” We originally created this “course” to help students learn to use Blackboard Vista. Since then, we’ve seen students interacting on discussion boards, reading announcements, and viewing the calendar.
Because of this, we’re redeveloping the course to create an MxCC Virtual Campus. To date, we’ve added to the calendar events from Career/Counseling and Student Activities, a PDF version of The Flying Horse and have sent campus announcements. If you’d like to be enrolled in the Virtual Campus so you can see what’s going on, please contact the Distance Learning department and provide your Banner ID so we can enroll you.
If you have upcoming events you’d like posted on the Virtual Campus, please contact Distance Learning at mxccdistance@mxcc.commnet.edu.
Chinese Delegate Visit
June 27, 2006
Thirty three visitors from China’s TV Universities came to Middlesex Community College to participate in a discussion forum on distance learning, at all community colleges. These visitors are university presidents from the local TV Universities in Hunan, Jiangxi, Hehan, Xinjiang, and Beijing. These TV Universities majorly offer TV or Internet based online programs for distance learners, serving students in an equivalent way as all Community Colleges around the United States.
Dr. Nieves greeted the visitors with a warm welcome. He expressed his interests in visiting their universities in two years.
Dr. Yi Guan-Raczkowski, Director of Distance Learning, made a presentation on the growth of MxCC’s online distance learning program, design principles of online classes, and services provided to online students. The visitors learned that the focus of MxCC online courses is on students’ active participation; while in China, is on the rich resources provided to students. They are impressed with the extensive resources such as PowerPoint presentations, exam question banks, exercises, animations, and videos provided by the textbook publishers in the US, which can serve the major resources used in online classes. The presentation was followed by discussions on addressing various issues encountered by online students such as rate of student drop-out, student authentication, credit transfer, technology reliability, and funding for support.
The visitors love the MxCC’s beautiful campus, praising that MxCC has the most beautiful campus among all the community colleges they have visited during their trip.
The delegation will invite more visitors in the future coming to MxCC for such an exchange opportunity in distance learning at all community colleges.
Spring 2008 Educational Technology News, edition three
Spring 2008 Educational Technology News, edition two
Spring 2008 Educational Technology News, edition one
Quality Control of Online Learning: From Design to Student Services by Yi Guan-Raczkowski, Director of Distance Learning. The presentation was done on April 16, 2008 at the Telecoop Distance Learning conference in Brickenridge, Colorado.
Distance Learning at MxCC- PowerPoint presentation for the Chinese TV University Delegates by Yi Guan-Raczkowski, Director of Distance Learning
2007 Archives
The Flying Horse, November 2007 edition, featuring an article on myCommNet by Erin Mason and CCC staff
Fall 2007 Educational Technology News: Special Edition, myCommNet, edition 3
Fall 2007 Educational Technology News, edition two
Fall 2007 Educational Technology News, edition one
The Flying Horse, edition one,
The Merits of Online Learning, an opinion piece by Erin Mason
Spring 2007 Educational Technology News, edition three
Spring 2007 Educational Technology News, edition two
Spring 2007 Educational Technology News, edition one
2006 Archives
Fall 2006 Distance Learning News, edition three
Fall 2006 Distance Learning News, edition two
Fall 2006 Distance Learning News, edition one
