Registration for summer classes started Monday, and classes start this coming Monday, May 17. Bulletins with class offerings hit the mail recently, or you can stop by the Glenwood Center, Lappala Center or Rifle Campus to get a bulletin and register.

If you haven’t taken a class in the past year, you’ll need to complete an application for admission.

New and exciting this summer are classes in using your digital camera, protecting your PC from viruses and pop-ups, and Flash MX, a Web design animation program. CMC also offers an intensive five-credit Spanish class. In addition there are a lot of outdoor physical activity classes, teleweb courses, and core classes.

Teleweb courses are conducted over the Internet and supplemented with instructional videotapes. CMC also has interactive video courses connecting campuses with real-time interactive video between students and instructors. Using this technology allows you to take classes offered at all seven CMC campuses.

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Distance, never distant! A faculty member of CMC recently received recognition as Distance Educator of the Year. Louis Beatty, professor of microcomputers, was honored during the TELECOOP annual conference in April in Colorado Springs. Beatty received the award for his work to make classes available to virtually anyone in CMC’s district through distance learning courses online offering Blackboard discussions between students and instructors.

Louis was commended for leadership at Colorado Mountain College in developing and delivering Web courses using Blackboard.

“Louis constantly revises and refines his course materials to make them challenging and engaging for students. He is particularly adept at distance education instruction because he invests the time and energy necessary to bridge the gaps of distance to orient and instruct students,” says Daryl Yarrow, division director of distance learning at CMC. “Louis believes strongly in the value and role of distance education within the community college setting, and he expresses that support whenever he has an opportunity.”

Louis teaches computer courses and provides courses for the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) program, available via distance learning.

TELECOOP is a coalition of public and private colleges, universities, K-12 schools, private sector businesses, and public television stations that enhance educational opportunities through distance education. CMC is a member of TELECOOP.

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On a related note, CMC faculty members who seek to create innovative learning opportunities for students will get a chance to make their plans a reality. Twenty faculty members will participate in the Faculty Innovators program. This is the second year for the program, which is open to active full and part-time faculty from across the CMC district.

The Faculty Innovators program will provide support, resources and training for creative teaching. Faculty members must describe a project they wish to undertake, such as a curriculum resource, a multimedia piece, or some other “artifact” that they would like to develop to enhance some facet of student learning. Those selected for the program will each receive a laptop computer, software to develop their project, and 12 months of activities and training to enable them to complete the project.