{"id":5840,"date":"2023-10-16T08:24:43","date_gmt":"2023-10-16T13:24:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spsfaculty.commons.gc.cuny.edu\/?p=5840"},"modified":"2026-03-03T16:20:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T16:20:29","slug":"ofdit-newsletter-october-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/sps-faculty-community-hub\/2023\/10\/16\/ofdit-newsletter-october-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"OFDIT Newsletter October 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Dear Faculty,<\/p>\n

We hope the fall semester is going well for you and your students! Thanks to those who have volunteered to serve on school LMS transition committees to support all aspects of the move to Brightspace for our campus. In this edition of the newsletter, you\u2019ll find registration information about a funded opportunity to attend a UDL workshop, information about CUNY\u2019s fall professional learning opportunities for faculty and our upcoming OFDIT technical and pedagogical training sessions, along with a tip and OLC membership benefits to support your teaching practice.<\/p>\n

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Open UDL Workshop starts
\n<\/span>Monday, Oct. 23<\/span><\/h2>\n

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Registration<\/a> is extended through Wednesday, October 18, for this 15-day asynchronous workshop that covers best accessibility practices and the intersection of Open Pedagogy and Universal Design for Learning.<\/p>\n

Eligible faculty participants will be compensated with 7 NTA hours upon successful completion of the workshop. For more details, please see our Advanced Workshops <\/a>page. All faculty are welcome!<\/p>\n

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OLC Membership Benefits for all
\n<\/span>SPS Faculty<\/span><\/h2>\n

CUNY SPS faculty can take advantage of our school\u2019s membership in the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), one of the leading organizations for online educators.<\/p>\n

OLC\u2019s Quick Start for New Members:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Create your own OLC User Account\/Profile<\/a> – ensures member benefits are available to you<\/li>\n
  2. Sign up to receive OLC Today <\/a>(weekly newsletter) – this is our best means of communicating what’s new in the world of online learning and education.<\/li>\n
  3. Explore our Home Page<\/a> and check out free resources available to you (download from our Tools Faculty Playbook <\/a>or Communities of Practice in Higher Education<\/a> playbook, sign up to watch OLC Webinars<\/a> (live or recordings), explore the OLC Research Center<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  4. Rejuvenate: Take time to refuel – commit to a higher level of learning and involvement.\u00a0Explore OLC Online Teaching Certificate Programs<\/a> to advance your career.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    For Active OLC Members:<\/strong>
    \nOLC is here to support you with     resources<\/a> to help with your online teaching and learning goals and objectives.<\/p>\n

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    LMS Transition News<\/span><\/h2>\n

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    Progress is underway in our transition to Brightspace: core staff training began and the implementation committees have started to organize their work. In September, OFDIT staff attended train-the-trainer and LMS admin workshops. More advanced training continues, along with development of resources for faculty and student training. We are looking forward to getting access to our own SPS \u201cnode\u201d within the CUNY system, so that we can explore course and user management.<\/p>\n

    We’re also pleased to share that the four implementation committees \u2013 Communications, Technical, Training & Support, and Pedagogy & Practice\u2013 have kicked off and started to organize their work. It’s not too late to get involved and join a committee<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Please visit the Brightspace Transition site<\/a> or reach out to us at brightspace@sps.cuny.edu<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n

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    Engagement Opportunities for
    \nSPS Faculty<\/span><\/h2>\n

    CUNY\u2019s Innovative Teaching Academy will be offering the Learning Disruption and Recovery series<\/a> to provide an opportunity for all CUNY community members to deepen our understanding of learning disruption, and explore ways to proactively support students in and out of the classroom.<\/p>\n

    Topics include:<\/strong><\/p>\n