ThunderBbolt FAQs
- When was the ThunderBbolt initiative started?
- Do I have to take these classes if I am already teaching online?
- Can I take these classes out of sequence or seek a waiver if I already have the knowledge?
- What if I just want to enhance my classroom with technology, do I have to take all of these training sessions?
- What if I teach an approved online class with a purchased license agreement from a vendor that does not require all the components of Blackboard? Am I still required to take all four classes?
- Where can I find the schedule of ThunderBbolt classes?
- Where do I find the course descriptions?
- How are these classes tracked?
- Where are these classes taught?
- Is other training offered after the Master level when there are upgrades in eCampus or other software supported by the District used for online teaching?
In fall 2005, under the leadership of Jean Conway, Vice President of Student Learning, the ThunderBbolt task force was organized comprised of Richland faculty to enhance our standards of excellence for teaching online. The ThunderBbolt members are faculty that taught online for many years. Through their combined experiences, they developed and designed four classes about the most current uses of Blackboard, (eCampus), and the best practices of pedagogy. With an emphasis on student centered teaching, the classes will improve the quality of using the technology -- and it will also bring better teaching practices for online classes.
Instructors who want to teach online, online partial, or online/classroom credit courses will need to complete the four eCampus courses. Audra Barrett will issue a certificate of completion upon attendance of the final course, Master. *NOTE: If you have taken training through the LeCroy Center instead of ThunderBbolt training you will need to be assessed. A waiver will be granted based upon knowledge and demonstration of skill. No instructor gets a waiver passed the Master level course.
Instructors that are currently teaching online will need to finish this series by the end of spring 2007. Any instructors who desire to teach online, online partial, or online/classroom eCampus online components after the 2007 spring semester will need to complete the classes prior to approval for teaching a distance course at Richland.
Courses are taken in order: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, and Master. In addition, courses are not self-selected. If instructors feel they need to bypass a ThunderBbolt course, then, they will need to contact Audra Barrett for Blackboard assessment and a possible course waiver. Note: Waivers can be given only for the first three courses; attendance at the Master level is necessary.
Email: audrabarrett@dcccd.edu Office phone: 972-238-6396 Office: A105
If you just want to enhance your current classroom setting with eCampus/technology, you may choose the course you want. Be aware, if you go into Advanced and do not know how to logon, the instructor is not going to teach the basics. All instructors who are teaching an online, online partial, or online/classroom courses will need to go through all levels of training or obtain a waiver from Audra Barrett. Any instructor wanting access to an eCampus shell will be required to finish Basic ThunderBbolt training or receive a waiver.
You will need to contact Audra Barrett for information on this topic. She will assess the course you want to design and determine if ThunderBbolt courses are necessary.
Please use this link to see the schedule. Registration instructions are provided at the top of the schedule on the web page associated with this link:
ThunderBbolt Training Calendar
The courses are: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Master. Course descriptions are provided in the attachment below and on the web page accessed by clicking this link
The classes are considered professional development and attendance at each class is entered into Colleague to make them official records. These classes will then appear on an instructor's transcript accessed through eConnect.
They are taught on Richland's campus in a classroom setting. Each class will have 4-10 persons enrolled, so you will be given live instruction from faculty who taught for many years. The rooms are listed on the schedule that is referenced above.
SoftChalk is software supported by DCCCD that has many features for online presentation of class materials that go beyond Blackboard. These classes, course descriptions, and schedule will be announced at a later date through email. SoftChalk is yet another way to enhance your course delivery through eCampus. The features of SoftChalk allow for HTML coding, but made easy.