Honors and Recognition

LEGO Education/Carnegie Melon NXT Pilot Program Participant (2006)

The purpose of the Pilot Program is to get the NXT hardware, software, and curriculum into the hands of passionate and innovative teachers and their students. LEGO Education is offering such early adopters a reduced price in exchange for evaluation and feedback on the LEGO MINDSTORMS Education curriculum. LEGO Education will then use the teachers’ feedback to guide future software and curriculum development. In the future, pilot classrooms may also be featured as model classrooms for educators who are interested in using LEGO MINDSTORMS Education NXT in their schools. [info] [blog]

Cerro Coso Special Services Teacher Certificate of Appreciation (Spring 2006, Fall 2006)

Chosen by students in appreciation for teachers who have made an impact on their learning experience that semester. I consider this to be one of the highest honors because it is selected by students.

Hayward Award for Excellence in Education Nomination (2005)

• Academic Senate nomination for excellence in teaching the include the following criteria:
  1. The candidate should be committed to serving students, either within the classroom as an instructor or outside the classroom as a librarian, counselor, or student services faculty member. The philosophy statement and supporting letter from the local senate should reflect this commitment.
  2. The candidate should be committed to the fundamental principles of the California Community College mission. There should be evidence of support for open access and for helping students succeed. The candidate's papers should reflect a commitment to the college at which the candidate works, perhaps through suggestions of ways the candidate has helped to improve the educational environment.
  3. The candidate should be committed to serving the institution through participation in professional and/or student activities. There should be evidence of participation with the academic senate, department, or student groups.
  4. The candidate should be committed to education. There should be evidence that the candidate maintains currency in the discipline and communicates to students and colleagues an enthusiasm for the discipline and for education in general.
  5. The candidate should be committed to serving as a representative of the profession beyond the local institution through service in statewide and/or national activities. There should be evidence of activities that reveal a broader scope of interest, perhaps through publications, participation in community groups, or participation in state or national organizations.

@ONE Carnegie Scholarship Finalist (2005)

• The @ONE Carnegie Scholar program supports research on using technology to improve student learning in California Community Colleges. Faculty members conduct research in their own classrooms, using a research approach created by the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
• Application not supported by campus administration, therefore could not be accepted.

California Virtual Campus Region 4 (CVC4) Advisory Board member (2001-04)

• Help plan the direction and focus of the California Virtual Campus grant project for Region 4.
• Work with board members to coordinate mentor meetings, conferences, and other activities.
• CVC News Final Edition - recognized by CVC4 Director for service to the project. [pdf]

CVC Certified Trainer - Blackboard course management system (2002)

• Certified to lead Blackboard faculty training workshops on campus and online.
• Training includes: educational content, building community, learning styles, multimedia, site construction and design, universal accessibility, administering a course, course evaluation, and assessment issues.
• Pedagological training includes: online teaching methodologies, engaging multiple learning styles, nonlinear vs linear course structure, best practices in online teaching.

CVC4 Fast Track Coach (2002-2003)

• Selected as a faculty coach to mentor new online instructors during the conversion of exisiting on-campus course to an online course.
• Provide guidance and support in initial offering of course.
• Fall 2002 - Mentored Ellen Medley in development of Personal Finance course.
• Spring 2003 - Mentored Jim Carson in development of Introduction to Computers course.

CVC4 FastTrack Showcase Course (Spring 2002)

• Internet Research class selected as an example of best practices in online course design.

CVC4 FastTrack program participant (Spring 2001)

• Selected to develop an online course working with a faculty mentor.
• Converted Internet Research class in online mode.
• Offered initially in Spring 2001.