Tag: CUNY

Posted on

New Media Tech: LaGuardia Graduation 2013

944375_10201348110923432_72276727_n

To the LaGuardia New Media Technology graduates of 2013:

When you came over to me at the end of the ceremony it brought it all home as to why I do this every day. Y’all made me cry! I LOVE MY STUDENTS! My door will always be open. It has been my honor to be your professor. I am so proud of all of you! Go out into the world and become true “digital disruptors”. Educate, inspire, keeping learning, and most of all, GET PAID!!!! New Media Tech represent!! Westsiiiiiiide!

p.s., Holla at me. On the real, I know of a really good B.A. program in Communication and Media over at CUNY SPS that some of you might be interested in attending. 🙂

Photos from the Event

Continue reading “New Media Tech: LaGuardia Graduation 2013”

Posted on

I am calm. No, really. I’m good.

Starting a new job always causes me a slight amount of anxiety. It has happened to me every time that I have made a transition to new responsibilities. However, I don’t have that feeling as I get ready to take over the Academic Directorship of the Communication and Media program at the CUNY School of Professional Studies. I find myself feeling excited but yet surprisingly at ease. Maybe it is because I don’t start until the Fall and September is a long time off. Or maybe it is because I have been ready for a new challenge for a while. However I think it maybe something very simple, like it just seems like a cool place to work.

Posted on

CUNY SPS here I come!

SPS Faculty and Staff

Not many people know this yet, but starting in the Fall of 2013, I will be taking over the Academic Directorship of the Communications and Media (B.A.) program at the CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS). It is a four year online degree program that offers an interdisciplinary focus on issues related to communications and the convergence between new and traditional media.

I had my first meeting today with the Deans and the other Academic Directors at SPS. In truth, I was a bit overwhelmed by the enthusiastic reception that I received from everyone. I was offered the position a few month back and jumped at the opportunity because I believe that online programs are destined to play a big part in the future of education.

I was very happy and excited to meet my new colleagues and I look forward to helping them enhance an already amazing series of programs.

Posted on

The Periodic Program Review, or I’m down with PPR!

PPR

Every five to seven years academic degree programs in the CUNY system have to undergo a process called a Periodic Program Review (PPR). The PPR is an in depth look at the academic major under review from a programmatic,  institutional, and industry wide perspective. The ultimate goal of the PPR is to begin an honest review of the program effectiveness which will then be used to help to guide the evolution of the major for the next five to seven years. Because I am the sole full time New Media faculty member, the research and drafting of the report for the LaGuardia New Media Technology program became  Continue reading “The Periodic Program Review, or I’m down with PPR!”

Posted on

LaGuardia Online/Hybrid Teaching Seminar

The above video is from a brief overview that I gave to some of my colleagues at LaGuardia Community College. I was asked to talk about some of the work that I am doing in converting my lectures from a traditional classroom environment to an Online/hybrid setting. This Online/hybrid seminar is a year long group discussion sponsored by LaGuardia’s Center for Teaching and Learning to assist faculty into making the transition to online instruction.

Posted on

Just look at what the CAT dragged in!

In the fall of 2008, Peter Katopes Vice President of Academic Affairs at LaGuardia Community College) appointed me to the CUNY wide Committee for Academic Technology (CAT). I was asked to act as LaGuardia’s representative on all issues pertaining to the use of advanced technology in support of pedagogy. This assignment required me to attend monthly meetings and frequent sub-committee sessions to vote on issues of how technology should be adopted throughout CUNY. In addition to helping to support CUNY’s overall vision, I acted as LaGuardia’s liaison  to the CAT committee to insure that LaGuardia interests were fully represented. My involvement as a member of the CAT group required me to serve as a member on the CAT sub-committees for Blackboard and ePortfolio. I would like to believe that my participation was extremely valuable on these sub-committees due to my experience as LaGuardia’s initial Director of ePortfolio and my work with vendors like Concord and Blackboard to link disparate systems to support ePortfolio.

Posted on

Presentation: The 4th Annual CUNY Gen-Ed Conference

Yesterday I presented at the 4th Annual CUNY Gen-Ed Conference as part of a group of faculty focusing on ways in which cross campus communication can be improved between community colleges and senior institutions. As part of the year long seminar with colleagues from LaGuardia and Baruch, we decided to share our research and discussions by presenting at the Gen-Ed Conference. I have previous discussed this faculty seminar in one of my earlier posts. The conference presentation was memorable for me in that it was the first time in which my wife and I were able to present together.

Posted on

Times are a’ changing!

 

change-roadsign

I just found out that LaGuardia is going to be reorganizing the Computer Information Systems (CIS) department by merging the existing CIS programs with other departments throughout the college. The purpose of the reorganization is to improve overall departmental efficiency. The plan hasn’t been fully explained yet, but it was made clear that the students should not be impacted by shift since the majors will not be phased out, merely repositioned to other departments. We were also notified that the existing faculty will continue working for the college, we will just be teaching our courses in different departments.

All I can do for now is to keep teaching and keep a positive attitude. Change is always difficult. I know that better than some. But just like I tell my students, as long as you keep your skills up and work hard, you should never have to worry.

Posted on

ePortfolio Conference Planning

ePortfolio Conference Planning

I am starting to stress out just a little bit. You see over the next couple of days I have a series of presentations that I am giving at a major national conference LaGuardia is hosting. The conference, “Making Connections: ePortfolios, Integrative Learning and Assessment“, is on the topic of ePortfolios and how they can be utilized to assess student and institutional growth. Continue reading “ePortfolio Conference Planning”