Elaine McCullough, a member of the online teaching and learning committee, indicated she is working to bring several student representatives to the fair to talk about their experiences with online classes.
McCullough said, “In an email to me, one of my online students stated that she had taken 14 online courses at Ferris. My reaction was ‘I haven’t even seen 14 online courses, other than my own, and I certainly don’t have the detailed knowledge that my student has of 14 online courses!’”
Since Ferris is currently in the process of switching from Ferris Connect to Blackboard 9.1 (Learn), fairgoers can compare the two systems. Trainers for Blackboard 9.1 will be available to answer questions about the system.
At the fair, 16 faculty members will have a table set up indicating what classes they have taught online. They will have a tri-fold poster giving more information on the topic. Five general information tables will be integrated in the fair.
“Every year Ferris experiences growth in online enrollment and in the number of its online courses and programs,” McCullough said. She went on to say that the fair will “help publicize these important matters; it will also show not only the pride we take in our online offerings but also the value Ferris places on online instruction.”
The Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning is responsible for teaching faculty how to teach online. The fair is to give faculty and students an overall view of what online classes are like and what faculty are currently doing in their virtual classrooms.
“I hope it [the fair] will be seen as a celebration of what we do online,” McCullough said.
The Online Courses Fair will be held on Friday, Oct. 28 from 3-5 p.m. in ASC 1006 and 1008.