
Department Chairs
We’ve compiled useful resources available at Austin Community College (ACC) to support department chairs. If you would like to suggest additional resources please email tledwebsite@austincc.edu.
Faculty Values
ACC Faculty Values play a significant role in the professional development and programming of faculty development and more at ACC.
Request a Faculty Development Workshop
Department chairs can request a faculty development workshop for their departments. To request a workshop to be presented to your department:
- Review the list of workshops below.
- Submit the Faculty Workshop Request Form.
Please email the Office of Faculty Development for any questions.
Request a Faculty Development Workshop
Title & Brief Description |
Format/PD Bucket |
ACC Culture of Care
2 hours Knowledge can lead to change. In this session, we review student data and personas to have an understanding of who our customer is. Combining this knowledge, with the mission of our community college, and communication tips we have an interactive and engaging session where participants leave feeling motivated, inspired, and equipped with the tools to make a difference. Participants will come away with: |
F2F Virtual |
Building Community in the Online Learning Environment
1 hour Learn simple activities and tips to create a community with online learners. Participants will come away with: |
Virtual, #2 |
Classroom Management: Preventative Strategies and Practical Solutions
1-1.5 hours Consistently establishing and managing student expectations and behaviors to ensure a productive learning environment are among the most critical issues faced by both novice and experienced teachers. In this session, we will move beyond identification of classroom problems and suggest preventative strategies and practical solutions to the most common classroom management problems. Participants will be able to: |
F2F Virtual, #2 |
Creating Alternative Assessments
1 hour Think about assessment beyond the traditional exam and measure applied proficiency. Understand multiple forms of assessment, the impact of giving students options and support deeper learning. Participants will come away with: |
F2F Virtual, #2 |
Creating a Syllabus for ALL Students
1.5 hours So often we focus on your syllabus being a contract centering on compliance. Let’s change this perception and create an inclusive syllabus where we put emphasis on what students can do. Participants will come away with: |
F2F Virtual, #2 |
Dealing with Difficult Students
1-2 hours We have all had students who can be difficult, disruptive, even dangerous. They can turn your classroom from a learning community into a combat arena. Discover some of the best techniques for handling difficult students. What can you do in advance to reduce and even prevent difficult behavior in your students? Where do you draw the line between what is merely disruptive and what is potentially dangerous? How can you turn a confrontational student relationship into a collaborative one? Come prepared to share your experiences and best practices with your fellow faculty members. Participants will come away with: |
F2F, could be made virtual. #2 |
Designing For Digital Equity
1 hour This presentation will help instructors keep in mind the demographic of students who only have access to the Internet on their phone, without a dedicated connection to the Internet. Focus of the presentation will range from creating simple design presentations to aligning expectations of students from this demographic. Participants will come away with: |
Virtual, #2 |
H“app”y Hour
1-1.5 hours So many apps to choose from. Which ones work? Which ones are free? How can they be used inside and outside of the classroom? In this workshop, we will discover apps that have been used successfully for face to face classes, as well as online classes. Attendees will be encouraged to download the apps and participate in their uses. Attendees will also be highly encouraged to share what apps they have used. Participants will be able to: |
F2F Virtual, #2 |
Long Live the Exam
1 hour Not everything they say about exams being outdated is true. We will talk about when, why, and how using exams can be effective in-person and virtually. Participants will come away with: |
F2F Virtual, #2 |
Miro.com – Using Whiteboards and Escaping PowerPoints
1 hour The online whiteboard tool, Miro, offers a wide variety of tools that allows any remote classroom to become more engaging. The presentation focuses on giving an alternative to instructors who want to move away from standard Powerpoint lectures. Participants will come away with: |
Virtual, #2 |
Powerful Classrooms: It All Begins with the Hook
1-1.5 hours In this workshop, participants will get hands-on with practical strategies for implementing “hooks” in the classroom. Participants are also encouraged to share and engage in discussions about how to apply “hooks” in content specific disciplines. The conversation will foster new ideas and strategies all faculty can take back to their classroom. Participants will be able to: |
F2F, Virtual, #2 |
Powerful Presentations
2-4 hours Powerful Presentations is a comprehensive overview of public speaking skills, including audience analysis, speech development, visual aids, vocal variety, stagecraft, and anxiety management. This workshop gives students an opportunity to prepare and present a brief speech, and receive constructive feedback from both the instructor and from fellow students. Powerful Presentations can transform nervous, novice speakers into confident and polished presenters. Participants will be able to: |
F2F, #2 |
Speak Like a TED Presenter: Turn Your Lecture into A TED Talk
1-8 hours Have you started a class and had all of your students on their phones or staring at you blankly? How does the rest of class go? What happens when this occurs regularly? Participants will be able to: |
F2F Virtual, #2 |
Student Engagement Techniques
1 hour With so many distractions present in today’s world it may seem impossible to have students engaged during your class. Let’s make it possible by first understanding the impact of engagement and how to get them hooked before the semester even begins, to the last day of classes. Participants will come away with: |
F2F Virtual, #2 |
Supporting ALL Students: Veteran Classroom Communication Needs
2-3 hours Presenter: Chelsea Biggerstaff According to the Department of Veteran Affairs (2014), the number of veterans who continued their education rose from 500,000 in 2009 to 1,000,000 in 2014, and that number is still rising. Although many new resources have been put into place to support their transition, veterans do face unique challenges, and faculty face challenges trying to instruct our veterans. Some of the stresses and adjustments of veteran students are readily observable and even typical for many new students; however, others may be more specific, subtle, and complex (Sportsman & Thomas, 2015). The purpose of this workshop is to inform faculty of the benefits of implementing three principles voiced by student veterans at Texas State University: structure, awareness, and integration. In doing this, faculty can increase the likelihood of academic success for all students. Participants will be able to: |
F2F Virtual, #2 |
Think Like a Game Designer
1-2 hours Can we make learning as engaging and addictive as a good game? Jeff Johannigman, former computer game designer, will share techniques of professional game design and ways to apply them to both online and classroom learning. In this workshop, you will learn how professional designers create board games and computer games that are fun and addictive. Discover the resources that game designers draw from, the steps that they take to turn a real-world setting into a game simulation, the factors that are considered during implementation, and the process used to tune a game’s playability to high levels of engagement and addictiveness. Learn how to apply these same approaches to any topic, whether it is taught in the classroom or by online delivery. Participants will be able to: |
F2F, Virtual, #2 |
Turning Work Into Play
1-2 hours Work is work and play is play, or so our parents taught us. But does that still hold true in an economy where creativity is the primary competitive driver? Combining over twelve years of experience in game design with current research in motivation, Jeff Johannigman will present ways to improve your productivity, innovation, and fulfillment by turning your work into play. Participants will discover: |
F2F, Virtual, #3 |
Using “The Five Languages of Appreciation” to Strengthen Student Engagement
1-3.5 hours Presenters: Chelsea Biggerstaff & Jeff Johannigman Discover secrets to tapping into your student’s motivation in the classroom. Through the lens of the languages of appreciation and motivational theory, we will examine strategies and techniques that can be used in and out of the classroom to enhance engagement and success. Participants will be able to: |
F2F, Virtual, #2 |
Using VoiceThread to Build Community Asynchronously
1-2 hours Turn traditional discussion boards into a visual and engaging interaction to increase student connection. Learn from my research best practices and lessons learned. Participants will come away with: |
F2F Virtual |
When Mindfulness Meets the Classroom
1-1.5 hours A growing body of neuroscience and other research on mindfulness suggests an array of benefits relevant to higher education—individual benefits like increased attention and creativity as well as communal benefits like the promise of more inclusive environments by supporting students more fully. In this workshop, participants will get hands-on with practical strategies for implementing mindfulness practices in and out of the classroom. Participants will be able to : |
F2F Virtual, #2 |
Zoom Best Practices
1 hour Zoom offers a variety of video conferencing capabilities that can be overwhelming at first glance. However, this presentation will provide a hands-on approach for attendees to feel more comfortable using Zoom as a video conferencing platform. Participants will come away with: |
Virtual, #2 |
TLED Website Tours Available
The Office of Faculty Communications is available to give virtual tours of the Teaching & Learning Excellence Division (TLED) website at department meetings.
This robust resource is tailored to give faculty all the resources they need to be successful in a one-stop-shop.
Department Chair Events
For the latest events and training, please visit the TLED Calendar and choose the “DeptChair” tag to view a list of available offerings.
Instructional Leadership Data Workshop
For those who were unable to attend, these are resources and forms shared during the Instructional Leadership Data Workshop. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Susan Thomason (sthomaso@austincc.edu).
Provide feedback on the Departmental Snapshot to Dr. F.C. Caranikas: Submit Form
Required: You must be logged into your ACC Gmail Account to access the form.
Labor Market Information Training
Department Chairs can request a meeting with Daniel Chupe-O’hanlon to receive training on Labor Market Information data.
Required: You must be logged into your ACC Gmail Account for access.
Note: The LMI meeting request is a calendar. Please click to a future week to find an open slot.
Resources
-
- Equity-Minded Leadership (.ppt) – Dr. Luis Ponjuan
- Department Snapshot (.ppt) – Soon Merz Flynn
- Data and Leadership Decisions (.ppt) – Dr. Tuesday Stanley
- Labor Market Information (LMI) Resource Page – This site is where you will be able to find and access ongoing LMI materials from reports, trainings, research, and more.
Curriculum and Programs
Program Review
Austin Community College’s Program Review process for instructional units provides a framework to guide the reflective evaluation of the content, quality, and effectiveness of program curriculum, an essential part of academic stewardship. Program review enhances and ensures the quality of teaching we provide and learning we expect from our students.
Resources
Course Schedule
Use the public course schedule to browse upcoming course sections by academic discipline, campus, instructor, and other categories.
Resources
Guided Pathways
The Guided Pathways website contains:
-
- Information on the history of Guided Pathways
- Program Maps process
- Program Maps for each Area of Study
- Online form to request a Program Map update
For questions about the program maps process, please contact:
Georgia Branch, Specialist
Email: gbranch@austincc.edu
Phone: (512) 223-7091
Instructional Materials
Open Educational Resources
Open Educational Resources (OER) are low-cost or free resources in the public domain that are used for teaching, learning and research. They include a variety of content and formats under Creative Commons or open use licensing, from textbooks to simulations to assessment tools. OER are an option for faculty to teach their courses. OER offers reduced or zero cost to students when it comes to course books and other materials.
ACC Copyright & Fair Use
The Copyright & Fair Use site provides information to understand and comply with the United States Copyright Laws.
Contact:
Courtney Mlinar (ACC Copyright Officer)
Elgin Campus Library
Email: courtney.mlinar@austincc.edu
Phone: 512-223-9433
Master Syllabi Repository
The Master Syllabi Repository maintains a listing of all master syllabi for ACC courses listed by department. Also, includes information on developing your syllabi and templates for syllabus creation.
Textbook
The Adoption & Insight Portal (AIP) is Barnes and Noble’s textbook selection software (B&N manages ACC’s brick and mortar bookstores). It offers a more streamlined integration between ACC’s textbook selection process and B&N’s order management system. Using AIP will also help students view the correct information (textbook and associated costs) when they click on the ‘Textbooks’ links provided in ACC’s online Course Schedule and ensure that B&N has the correct books/materials available for students.
Access the NEW Adoption and Insight Portal
Need help? Contact the Office of Academic Technology by submitting this request form.
All staffed sections are required to have materials/textbooks ordered by the first day of registration for each semester.
For specific instructions on ordering textbooks, please contact your department.
Important
Faculty Enlight is no longer used for textbook selection. The AIP replaces Faculty Enlight as of Spring 2021.
Faculty Evaluation
The Office of Faculty Evaluation establishes timelines, and procedures to help ACC complete evaluations for faculty counselors, full-time/adjunct faculty, and faculty librarians. Faculty evaluation is conducted annually.
Course Evaluation
The course evaluation process is lead and supported by the Office of Faculty Evaluation. Course evaluations are conducted every semester and it is required for each course. A Course Evaluation FAQ page is also available for reference.
Transfer
Access ACC’s page with university-specific information, including transfer and equivalency guides with links to help students with planning transfer toward a bachelor’s degree. A complete list of all the articulation agreements between ACC and university partners can also be found on this page.
Contact
Director: Dr. Mary Jane McReynolds
Phone: (512) 223-7677
Email: mmcreyno@austincc.edu
Location: Highland Business Center, Room 604.8
ACAPS
Austin Community College District is committed to meeting the needs of business and industry by preparing students to be competent and employable upon completion of an ACC Associate Degree or Certificate program.
ACC uses a process called the Austin Competency Analysis Profile (ACAP) to systematically determine the skills and competencies required for entry into a field of study. These competencies form the basis for curriculum in several programs.
The Austin Competency Analysis Profile (ACAP) is a process for conducting an analysis for a targeted area of study. Eight to ten Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) work with a team of trained facilitators to determine the competencies needed to become proficient in the field of study. The product of the ACAP process is a report detailing the competencies or outcomes required in the field.
The ACAP Report can be used in several ways. The main purpose of the report is to provide a basis for developing, validating and revising the curriculum for programs to meet current needs in a field of study. Because the ACAP Report defines Units, Competencies, and Competency Builders, it provides a clear transition into course/program curricula.
Courses can be aligned quickly and easily using the competencies identified in an ACAP Report for program areas. ACC instructional designers have worked with several programs to make this alignment. The process takes only a couple of hours. If you have an ACAP Report for your program area and would like to make this alignment, or if you would like to request an ACAP for your program, please visit the Teaching Consultations and Support page to schedule a consultation.
ACC Human Resources
ACC Human Resources serves ACC employees in a variety of ways and offers a wide range of institutional programs.