'High tech happy hour' showcases tech tools for Baker College instructors

Photo captions below article.

The faculty and staff of Baker College of Clinton Township and Baker College of Port Huron met for some high tech training recently at the annual faculty professional development session.

This year’s session was billed as a “High Tech Happy Hour” because it focused on incorporating technology into learning.

“The event demonstrated that Baker College’s dedication to real-world experiences is as applicable to professional development as it is to course instruction,” said Donald R. Torline, Baker College of Clinton Township president. “In order to meet the demands of current and future employers, we must be ready and willing to go beyond the traditional when it comes to professional development.”

More than 30 presentations by faculty and staff showcased technology tools helpful in the teaching and learning processes. Demonstrations included advancements in cloud computing and mobile applications. Some of the presentation topics were:

· Building a Study Guide in Google Drive

· Using Weebly for the Classroom and Beyond

· Using Poll Everywhere for Formative Assessment and Discussion

· Clickable Rubrics in a Lab Setting

· Flipping the Classroom with TED-Ed: Lessons Worth Sharing

· Get Organized with Evernote

“It was rewarding to see faculty members demonstrating a commitment to continuous quality improvement as it relates to their own teaching,” said Laura Treanor, Ph.D., vice president for academics at Baker College of Clinton Township and Port Huron. “We are fortunate to have such a forward-thinking and dedicated faculty at Baker College.”

Even the decorations and refreshments from Baker College of Port Huron’s Culinary Institute of Michigan (CIM) reinforced the technology theme. CIM-Port Huron students decorated an 18-inch-by-23-inch cake in the likeness of a smartphone, and they crafted ice sculptures that paid tribute to the Blackboard learning management system used by Baker College.

For more information about the career programs at Baker College of Clinton Township, contact Annette Looser in the admissions office at annette.looser@baker.edu or 586.791.3000, or visit www.baker.edu.

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is a not-for-profit higher education institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It serves more than 28,000 students on multiple campuses and online. Baker grants certificates and associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in more than 150 programs across diverse academic fields, including business, health sciences, engineering, information technology, education and human services. An impressive 97 percent of available graduates are employed. Every Baker graduate receives Lifetime Employment Assistance—free and forever. Baker is a pioneer in online education and offers students the option of completing a degree 100 percent online, without ever visiting a campus. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.

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1 Baker happy hour presenter: Frank Karasinski, Baker College of Clinton Township autobody faculty member, demonstrates tech tips on clickable rubrics in the lab setting for the third annual faculty showcase, “High Tech Happy Hour,” featuring technology to aid instructors in the classroom.

2 Baker smartphone cake: Chefs Thomas Recinella and Scott Twichell, from Baker College of Port Huron’s Culinary Institute of Michigan, arrange the cake that was skillfully decorated in the likeness of a smartphone for the “High Tech Happy Hour” faculty showcase.

3 Baker smartphone cake and 4 Baker ice sculptures: Even the refreshments for the “High Tech Happy Hour” reflected the high tech theme, courtesy of students at Baker College of Port Huron’s Culinary Institute of Michigan.