Teaching & e-Learning Support
TeLS is the primary academic technical support and training department at Yavapai College.
We help teachers, students and staff create and utilize the online learning environment through multiple support channels. Fully online learning is currently 30% of all courses, and with most course delivery modes utilizing the Canvas LMS in some way, there are over 3000 students and 300+ faculty to support. Support channels provided by TeLS include our website, phone, email, video-conference and in-person.
Our offices in Prescott and Verde Valley have labs and workstations for group and individual assistance. We provide instructional design assistance for faculty, as well preparation workshops for students. In 2014, we began to implement the Quality Matters online course design program with over half our full-time faculty having completed at least one of the QM trainings, and have a dedicated QM Coordinator. In fall 2016, faculty senate approved the QM Rubric as a guideline for designing online courses.
We provide multimedia services including production, conversion, equipment loan and a green screen studio, along with the training to empower users in everything from building courseware to making videos. We maintain and support an in-house video system, Panopto, as well as Canvas and LTIs such as Turn-it-in, along with multiple publisher products. We provide access to technology including web cameras and other mobile devices.
In the area of professional development, TeLS provides training and innovative initiatives to faculty. We support innovations in teaching such as blogging challenges, tablets for teachers, the online course open house and visits, and websites to communicate and maintain dialogue with our community. At the end of each semester, TeLS organizes the Summer and Winter Faculty Teaching & Learning Institutes, conferences for faculty where they offer and receive training from their peers in a wide variety of topics around best practices in the classroom, educational technology, and many more. Keynote speakers from inside and outside the college also present.
TeLS staff is currently 1 full-time and 2 part-time employees, so we are cross-trained to cover multiple roles. We believe a strong way to support teachers and students is by teaching and learning ourselves, so staff usually teach as well as take online courses. We explore the pedagogical possibilities of technology such as social media. Empathy and close relationships with constituents is at the core of our successes - we are constantly asking, “What do you need?”. Faculty are now serving as members of the team in “Faculty Lead” roles, which will augment and enhance our capacity and outreach.
We also support staff initiatives with consulting, technical and multimedia resources, and work closely with Administration, Student Services, and ITS to monitor and plan infrastructure to develop strategies that align with our 5-year College Strategic Plan.