Contact:  Melissa Potter
June 30, 2006

Local Teachers Receive Technology Training at MECC

In today's ever-changing classroom, more and more educators are seeking out special training to stay up-to-date on new forms of technology used for instruction.  Four area teachers taking action to learn some of these additional technical skills are Mountain Empire Community College adjunct faculty member Lee Mumpower and Scott County dual enrollment instructors Fred Richards, Steve Shockley, and John Smith.  On June 15, they participated in a Blackboard training session, hosted at MECC and facilitated by instructional technologist Jeff Burleson and sociology professor Ken Tucker. 

According to the company website, Blackboard, Inc. was founded in 1997 with a vision to enable educational innovations everywhere by connecting people and technology.  Blackboard is now a leading provider of e-Education software applications and services, including technology for online learning and a network that enables faculty to teach students beyond the classroom. 

The use of this technology is especially important for programs like dual enrollment, which offers students the chance to earn college credits while still in high school.  Students may access Blackboard over the Internet for faculty-posted syllabi, assignments, additional study materials, and class messages.  For dual enrollment teachers, it is a method to keep busy high school students connected to demanding college-level courses, and improve their chances for success.

Burleson sees a number of potential benefits from the use of Blackboard in area schools.  "Training of this nature can be valuable to educators and students in the public school systems by increasing their ability to web-enhance courses not only offered as dual enrollment, but also for web-enhancing all of their classes," he says.  "Who knows?  Someday this may be a solution for absenteeism and lost snow days."

The session at MECC marks the first time the college has offered training in Blackboard for local high school teachers.  As Burleson explains, the seminars are designed to aid teachers in finding new ways to enhance their classes through online instruction and interactive multimedia.  He says he hopes to conduct more training seminars for area educators in the future.  "It would be nice if we could open the training up to teachers in other counties, as well."

For more information about Blackboard training sessions at MECC, contact Burleson at (276) 523-2400, extension 314 or jburleson@me.vccs.edu.

Local educators met at Mountain Empire Community College on June 15 for technology training in Blackboard, a leading provider in e-Education software applications and services.
(Front row, left to right) Steve Shockley, John Smith, and Lee Mumpower
(Back row, left to right) Ken Tucker, Jeff Burleson, and Fred Richards
 

Scott County dual enrollment instructor Steve Shockley trains with MECC instructional technologist Jeff Burleson in Blackboard, a leading provider in e-Education software applications and services.

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