This set of modules is for anyone offers presentations as part of their job.  The three 1-hour modules below will give you success strategies that will positively impact the presentations that you give.  The first module devotes attention to 3 critical steps in preparing for a successful presentation – analyzing your audience, organizing your ideas, and selecting an appropriate presentation method. The second module gives you insights on how to make the key parts of the presentation – the introduction, support content, and conclusion – memorable and effective. The third module helps you learn how to manage yourself and your nerves and provides you with tips for how to use your voice and your body to deliver your message effectively.  You will also learn in this module how to set the right environment for the presentation through the lighting and room set-up and covers how to handle audience questions in a way that preserves your professional credibility.   Take all three to ensure your next presentation is a success!

•    Planning a Presentation     Course Number:  comm_33_a01_bs_enus
•    Creating a Presentation     Course Number:  comm_33_a02_bs_enus
•    Delivering a Presentation   Course Number:  comm_33_a03_bs_enus
•    Visit the UMBC SkillSoft website (link to: www.umbc.edu/skillsoft) for a Quick Start Guide, FAQ’s, and the link to log in to SkillPort.  This module is Course Number: TEAM0214

VisitUMBC SkillSoft website for a SkillSoft Demo, FAQ’s, Quick Start Guide, and the link to log in to SkillPort. 

See the attached flyer for more information about the Business Exploration Series courseware.

To schedule a department presentation about using SkillSoft for professional development, call ext. 5-6262 or e-mail hrtraining@umbc.edu. 

As previously announced, DoIT will be upgrading the Blackboard (Bb) production system on Thursday, December 22 starting at 10 pm. Though final grades are not due until January 4, all FA2011 faculty are encouraged to back up their Bb gradebook by downloading it to Excel, before the upgrade starts. This is just a precautionary step as no problems are anticipated with the upgrade. DoIT staff will be available in ENGR 025 from 12- 1 pm on Dec. 13, 14, 20 and 21 to provide assistance, should faculty have questions about downloading their grades.

Bb course shells for Winter and Spring 2012 courses will be auto-created on Monday, December 26. Prior to that date, faculty can develop content using older course sites, and then use the export/ import process to move that content once the new shells are auto-created. However, given the start of Winter Session on January 3, DoIT will manually create Winter 2012 shells upon request, with the understanding that faculty who do so need to use a published work around if they encounter the broken links problem the upgrade is meant to resolve.

This upgrade is necessary in order to fix a growing number of web browser incompatibilities, and a known issue of broken links occurring in an imported course. There is no longer a convenient window of time when upgrades can occur during the academic year, but we have reviewed this decision with an informal advisory group of active Bb instructors in several disciplines, as well as the Faculty Senate’s Computer Policy Committee at its 9/16/11 and 10/7/11 meetings. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to improve the campus’ use of Blackboard.

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This is an Honors University. On your honor, before commenting on this thread, watch the video below. Otherwise you have no position from which to either criticize or approve of this post.

Animal Trip

·         To expose participants to various efforts being made in and around Baltimore to improve the welfare of many different kinds of animals (not just dogs and cats).

·         To encourage participants to think about how their food choices (buying animal products from humane farmers as opposed to from factory farms, etc.) are related to animal welfare.

·         To encourage participants to take part in discussions about animal welfare initiatives and the advantages/disadvantages of methods being used in the area.

To encourage participants to take part in efforts to improve the welfare of animals after the trip and to give them a foot in the door for doing that by having them become trained BARCS volunteers and exposing them to other organizations that they can volunteer with. Also by exposing them to organizations and efforts that they can work with after the trip.

Click on the Media tab to view our video and the document tab to download the trip participant application.

Day in the Life:

The alternative school break, a day in the life is a homelessness immersion experience. Students will be living in a homeless shelter for the week so that they can see for themselves what it’s like to be homeless in the city of Baltimore. Students will get to know a few people who are staying at the shelter and hear their personal stories. Students will also meet with various agencies that specialize in helping the homeless in order to fully understand the daily struggles that the homeless population in Baltimore goes through.  Students will give back to the homeless population through various forms of service during the week. After learning about the political, social, and legal complexities surrounding homelessness, developing personal connections with persons whom are experiencing homelessness, and getting a taste of what it’s like to be homeless themselves; students will collaborate to brainstorm ways  that they can help end homelessness. 

Click on the media tab to view my video and the documents tab to download the trip participant application.

Learn more about this issue at:

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/projects/awareness/awareness.html