Recently, CCC mathematics instructor Catelin Britt was awarded a certificate of completion from the Mississippi Virtual Community College (MSVCC). Britt successfully completed a series of classes through MSVCC Academy Course Development Program.
The program was implemented due to the increased interest in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the MSVCC website, the MSVCC Academy provides quality professional development services which enable community colleges to support a high volume of instructors. To accommodate the various needs of the consortium, the MSVCC contracts with trainers and course developers utilizing MSVCC funds to offer courses and webinars in a variety of formats, including live, on-demand, online, face-to-face, synchronous, asynchronous, self-paced, and various conferences and workshops throughout the year.
"The MSVCC Course Development Program consisted of four 3-week courses and one self-paced course covering the topics of course basics, objectives and assessments, accessibility, interactions, and instructional technology," said Britt. "They were very challenging, but not as time-consuming as the Quality Matters Teaching Online certification."
MSVCC cooperates with Mississippi's 15 community college districts and the Mississippi State Board for Community and Junior Colleges to provide internet-based courses statewide.
Britt was able to learn about various important topics related to teaching both online and face-to-face. She is confident that the skills learned will elevate her capacity to be more effective in the classroom and ultimately better assist her students in being successful.
"I learned how to engage students by providing more opportunities for them to interact with the material in my course, other students, as well as myself," said Britt. "I have gained pivotal knowledge about providing accessible content, not just for students with reported accessibility needs, but for all students enrolled in my courses."
Pushing towards her end goal, which was to successfully complete the program, was something Britt felt excited and proud about.
"I began the courses in February of 2022, hoping to complete them by that spring. However, I could only complete the first three due to time constraints and the business that comes with the end of a school year," said Britt. "I ended up enrolling in the last two courses this past fall and am glad I did and was able to complete the entire program."
Dr. Christa White, Instructional Design Specialist of the Mississippi Community College Board, found great joy in presenting the award to Britt, noting that Britt’s completion makes her a history-maker on the CCC campus.
"We are thrilled that Mrs. Britt has completed the courses to achieve this goal. She is the first person at Coahoma Community College to have this certification. We hope to have more in the near future," said White.
Britt believes that participation in the program and the competition of the coursework will act as a value add to any instructor who wants to be better equipped in the classroom.
"I would advise future professors to learn from my mistakes and space the courses out over more than just one semester," said Britt. "Other than that, I would encourage all CCC instructors to enroll in at least the Course Basics class and see how they enjoy it. The program is full of beneficial information and would be well worth their time".
For more information about the MSVCC Academy Course Development Program, visit https://www.msvcc.org.