Category Archives: Professional Development

01.07.21

Tech Tip: Manage your LLCC voicemail with Teams

While some of us are working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may find that you need to update the voicemail greeting on your LLCC extension (not a department phone number with Response Group Configuration). While on campus, this is done so with the phone, but did you know that you can manage your voicemail greeting using Teams and a computer microphone or smart device?

Open the Teams app on your computer workstation, Teams within Office 365 or the Teams app on your smart device. Each will work the same and allow you to record a greeting and set voicemail parameters.

  • Select your picture or initials in the upper right corner.
  • Select Settings
    • Select Calls.
    • Call Answering Rules — Determine the action taken when a call is received on your extension.
    • Configure Voicemail — Record a greeting, set call answer rules, text-to-speech customized greeting option and actions to take with out of office greeting.

In addition to setting voicemail parameters, you can access your voicemail messages from within Teams.

  • Select the calls icon on the left.
  • Select Voicemail.

Remote Access Knowledge BaseFor additional information, see the document Manage Voicemail With Teams.pdf found on the Employee Portal > IT > Remote Access Knowledge Base.

12.11.20

Save the date for ILLCO Conference

Illinois Community College Online (ILCCO) will host its annual Growing Online Learning Conference on Feb. 16-18, 2021. The theme this year is “TLC: Teaching, Learning, and Caring.” Registration will open in January. This is a free online conference for Illinois community colleges.

Conference Details

Keynote

COVID Fatigue: A Trauma-Sensitive Approach to Moving Forward
Elgin Community College, Heartland Community College, McHenry County College, & Prairie State College
We have been living and working in unprecedented unique circumstances. As students enter our classrooms—in person or virtual—they are bringing with them the sustained trauma of a global pandemic. And guess what? So are we. We will discuss the effects of trauma on the brain and body, how those effects may manifest in ourselves and our students, and how we can help. This presentation will help us frame our own experiences, while we consider the ways we can support our students, our colleagues, and ourselves, as we move forward.

Conference Sessions

Feb. 16, 10 a.m.
COVID Fatigue: A Trauma-Sensitive Approach to Moving Forward
Elgin, Heartland, McHenry & Prairie State

Feb. 16, 2 p.m.
Designing for Kindness
Kona Jones
Richland Community College

Feb. 17, 10 a.m.
How to Encourage Student Interaction in Zoom Meetings
Susan Nugent
Lake Land College

Feb. 17, 2 p.m.
Active Learning through Service Projects in a Digital Learning Environment
Mary Carlson
College of DuPage

Feb. 18. 10 a.m.
Introduction to Universal Design for Learning – UDL
Sarah Goldammer, SIU Edwardsville
Aimee Julian, Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support

Feb. 18, 2 p.m.
Authentic, Meaningful and Engaging Assessments
Anna Catterson
Heartland College

11.20.20

Reminder about mandatory training

In accordance with Board Policy 1.7 and recent amendments to the Illinois Human Rights Act, all active employees, including adjunct instructors, student workers and other contractual and/or temporary employees, are required to complete sexual harassment prevention training on an annual basis. Training is administered online to provide a flexible format in which employees can complete the training and still accommodate their busy schedules. The course contains content that is certified to meet training requirements as required in the Illinois Human Rights Act. As such, all employees are required to complete this course even if you may have recently completed a similar training.

Because this is a mandatory training, we ask all supervisors to work with their staff, including student workers and other part-time, temporary or contractual employees, to find time within their work day, as appropriate and/or applicable, to complete the training. Please follow-up with your employees to ensure that they received the training link and have completed as required.

On Nov. 2, all active employees were sent an email to their LLCC email account, from the college’s training provider, SafeColleges, with a unique link to complete the course. You must have an active LLCC account to log in into SafeColleges. If you have not activated your LLCC account, please contact the helpdesk at 217-786-2555 or helpme@llcc.edu for assistance. Since it is an internet-based training, you can access the program 24 hours a day anywhere that you have internet access. It takes approximately 40 minutes to complete the course. Completion of the course must be done within 30 days of receipt of the training email.

If you have any questions, please contact nicole.ralph@llcc.edu.

11.17.20

IRIS Fall 2020 Community College Master Teacher Institute

In celebration of International Education Week 2020, the Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is sponsoring four talks for community college instructors on teaching international studies through film. Over four afternoons in November, they will feature guest speakers discussing how to teach international and regional studies through film, with special emphasis on South Asia, Japan and West Africa.

Registration is free through Eventbrite, and participants may attend any or all events. To register use links below:

Sponsored by UW-Madison’s IRIS, Center for East Asian Studies, African Studies Program and Center for South Asia. These events are co-hosted by the Midwest Institute for IIE, Guttman CC and Borough of Manhattan CC.

11.16.20

This week’s AIeL workshops

LLCC Academic Innovation & eLearning Fall 2020 Workshop Schedule
LLCC Academic Innovation & eLearning fall 2020 professional development workshops cover both pedagogy and instructional technology tools and will also include special opportunities to learn to use the new Canvas learning management system. This week’s workshops include:

  • Canvas Overview and Open Discussion, Nov. 16, 2-3 p.m. (Live – Zoom) – This session will provide an overview of the Canvas learning management system and its features. The college’s transition from Blackboard to Canvas will also be discussed, including timeline information. Members of the Canvas faculty pilot group will share their experiences with using Canvas in spring 2020. Time for questions and answers will be included. Register for Nov. 16 workshop. Note: Current online faculty participating in the Online Proficiency Program can receive one point for successful completion of this workshop
  • Virtual Open Lab on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2-3 p.m. (Zoom link) – During open labs, you can meet with Academic Innovation & eLearning staff to ask specific questions, discuss your instructional technology needs, or get help working through an instructional idea or problem you may be having.

Additional sessions and registration information are available on the Workshops and Training website (follow link under sessions descriptions to register for workshops).

11.13.20

Interactive webinar: ADA accommodations for hybrid and online learning

PaperClip Communications is hosting an interactive webinar on hybrid and online learning ADA accommodations on Monday, Nov. 16, 1-2:30 p.m. (CT). If interested in attending, please email becky.parton@llcc.edu. The cost of the session will be covered by LLCC Academic Innovation & eLearning so there is no need to register separately.

The presenter, Rob Duston, higher ed legal expert and litigator, will offer crucial actionable takeaways on how to address various types of accommodations in the classroom, hybrid and online courses, and more. He will also address the types of accommodations that have been triggered by COVID-19 specifically for both students and faculty. Learn more about this webinar.

11.10.20

SoftChalk Short Courses in November

If you are interested in learning more about SoftChalk and how it can be used to enhance your courses, please see the additional short-course training opportunities, free for LLCC faculty, listed below. Each live, one-hour webinar highlights SoftChalk Cloud and Create tools and activities. Participants will also be given an opportunity to ask the instructor questions.

Upcoming Short Courses in November:

  • Getting Started 1: An Overview of SoftChalk Cloud
  • Getting Started 2: An Overview of SoftChalk Create
  • ToolTips, Images and Hyperlinks
  • Navigation Features and Sidebars
  • Embedded Media
  • Quizzes and SoftChalk ScoreCenter
  • Interactive Presentation Learning Activities
  • Interactive Scoring Learning Activities
  • Using the SoftChalk Create ThemeBuilder

Visit the Short Courses page for details and to register.

11.06.20

Complete cybersecurity training yet today

As a reminder, the cybersecurity training deadline is today, Nov. 6. If you have not done so yet, please go to https://llcc-il.safecolleges.com to complete your training.

Per board policy “10.4 – Employees’ Role in Security,” cybersecurity it is the responsibility of all users. It is strongly recommended that you complete the training.

Thank you and please do not hesitate to contact the IT Helpdesk at 786-2555 or helpme@llcc.edu should you experience any technical difficulties accessing the training.

11.04.20

AIeL virtual open lab Nov. 5

LLCC Academic Innovation & eLearning Fall 2020 Workshop Schedule
LLCC Academic Innovation & eLearning is holding a Virtual Open Lab on Thursday, Nov. 5, 3-4 p.m. (Zoom link). During open labs, you can meet with Academic Innovation & eLearning staff to ask specific questions, discuss your instructional technology needs, or get help working through an instructional idea or problem you may be having.

LLCC Academic Innovation & eLearning fall 2020 professional development workshops cover both pedagogy and instructional technology tools and will also include special opportunities to learn to use the new Canvas learning management system. Additional sessions and registration information are available on the Workshops and Training website (follow link under sessions descriptions to register for workshops).