For several years, I have been customizing the entry point / home page in my online courses that I’ve designed and taught in Blackboard Learn. In some courses, I’ve setup a course communication dashboard home page where I’ve aggregated various course communications and information items into a singular location. Most recently, I’ve shifted to utilizing a course welcome - start here page that provides my students with general overview information about the course, instructor contact information, and helpful tips for getting off to a strong start in the course. For those interested in developing their own customized course entry home page in Blackboard, I’ve recorded this video tutorial overview of the course entry home page template that I use in my Blackboard Learn courses, with step-by-step instructions for how to setup in your own course. The template home page HTML code is available in HTML or TXT formats. If you’d like to experience the custom course home page referenced in the tutorial within a course, the Blackboard course that I demonstrated is available for self-enrollment or to download as an OER package, more details here. If you found this information helpful, or if you have developed your own custom course home page template, I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and let’s connect.

Every year Globe University & Minnesota School of Business staff look forward to one particular day. This day is our yearly Community Service Day. On July 19th the online staff closed down the campus to go volunteer with two groups located in Minnesota. We are passionate about giving back to our communities and try to make an impact in each community where our campuses are located. The Ronald McDonald House Charities-Upper Midwest located in Minneapolis has been a location that our staff has enjoyed going to for different events throughout the years. RMC helps families who have children who need long or short term medical stays at a hospital. They offer a fully stocked kitchen, play areas, bedrooms and living spaces for families all free of charge so they are able to support their child while they may be hospitalized. They rely on volunteers to help cook, clean, drive, donate food and money. That is just naming a few ways volunteers help at RMC Associate Director of Career Services Denise Hodd cleaning at RMC. The online staff is a large group, and they were able to make a big impact at RMC. On this particular day, RMC asked us to do multiple jobs. The jobs ranged from cleaning the multiple kitchens from top to bottom. Distributing mulch to the flower beds.  The staff also cleaned the common living areas for guests to enjoy. Sara Warmbier, Director of Financial Aid shared a little about her experience at RMC. "This is my second time volunteering for the Ronald McDonald House and it is beyond rewarding. Some of us cleaned the kitchen and living spaces and others did outside work to the facility. The service that the RMC provides is essential to these families and it makes me feel really good to know that I have contributed, in some way, to their comfort." The second group of online staff members went to multiple different homes in partnership with Senior Community Services. Senior Community Services works to provide services to the aging community and give support to their caregivers. Online staff with a happy homeowner. 12 lawn bags filled! Staff went to three different homes with the same goal at each home. The team groomed gardens of the three homeowners. Some locations were more challenging than others, but they rolled up their sleeves and dug into some dirt! Each homeowner was left overjoyed with the amount of work that was done. Support provided by volunteers helps homeowners stay in their homes as long as possible. Globe University & Minnesota School of Business Staff truly enjoy helping out our communities. Brian Cronk, Associate Director of Admissions states it best, "I love being given the opportunity to serve our community, and love that we do it as a team! As is usually true with serving, in addition to making a difference in the lives of those served, we also received by giving back." The post Getting Dirty While Giving Back: Community Service Day 2015 appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Globe University-Woodbury campus is pleased to welcome 13 new faculty members for the 2015 Summer Quarter. Some of these faculty are new, some returning and some from other Globe University & Minnesota School of Business campuses. "I am beyond pleased with the talent and expertise these new faculty members will add to the campus and to the students’ overall educational experience," said Denise Radcliffe, dean of faculty at Globe University-Woodbury campus. "We feel so lucky to have such an amazing team built of both seasoned and new faculty teaching our students and giving them the skills needed to succeed in their programs." Welcome: Welcome new faculty! We are thrilled to have you on campus. You have chosen to join a superb community of industry professionals. It is an exciting time to be at this university. Architectural Drafting and Design Instructor, Jennifer Klein Architectural Drafting and Design Instructor, Nik Weller Librarian, Leslie Hunter-Larson Massage Therapy Instructor, Elli Ott Massage Therapy Instructor, Kaitlin Gelbmann Math Instructor, Jim Schofield Math Instructor, Megan Diediker Math Instructor, Will Roberts Medical Assisting Instructor, Carolyn Meyer Feyen Medical Assisting Instructor, Lynsie Ochoa Medical Assisting Program Chair, Michelle Galloway Veterinary Technology Instructor, Dawn Harvego Veterinary Technology Instructor, Jesse Freeman Our Faculty: Globe University has dedicated faculty to helping students succeed, but we know every now and then there are a few bumps in the road. If a student is struggling in a particular class, the important thing is to speak up. A student’s best resource is always their instructor. Each campus helps students a little differently, but the end result is the same: SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS! "It’s our goal to hire industry experts in order to ensure our students are receiving the highest quality education possible," said Denise. She continues by explaining that she is rigorous when she is hiring new faculty because she wants the best for our students. Again, welcome new faculty. We are pleased to have you! Employment Opportunities: If you have the skills and desire to provide top-quality student services, classroom instruction or department administration, we invite you to consider applying for employment with our organization. To find current employment opportunities at Globe University & Minnesota School of Business click here. The post Woodbury Campus Welcomes 13 New Faculty Members appeared first on Globe University Blog.

How clean is your kitchen? Are your cleaning products leaving harmful bacteria behind? Medical assistant students in the Microbiology class at Globe University-Madison East recently posed those questions to third graders at Cottage Grove Elementary School. The medical assistant students visited the third graders to discuss how bacteria can live on surfaces, how contact with these surfaces can cause illness and how to disinfect surfaces to prevent the transfer of bacteria and food-borne illness. The third graders acted as scientists, using scientific method to perform an experiment comparing the effectiveness of various disinfectants on surfaces that have contacted raw meat. They formed a hypotheses and conducted experiments to answer these questions. Each medical assistant student worked with a pair of third graders to collect bacterial cultures from a contaminated surface with or without various disinfection methods including: lemon juice and baking soda soap cleaning wipes vinegar bleach Medical assistant student Jenny Zeimet works with two of the third graders. A week later the medical assistant students returned to the third grade class with the bacterial plates and photos of the growing bacteria. The third graders were able to observe the amount of bacteria growing on the plates through microscopes and compare the appearance and the amount of bacteria that grew after various methods of disinfection. As expected, disinfecting the contaminated surfaces resulted in fewer bacterial colonies than the control, which received no disinfectant. The most effective disinfectant was bleach, followed by cleaning wipes, vinegar, lemon juice/baking soda, and soap. "We were impressed by the third graders’ knowledge of how to avoid food poisoning and their enthusiasm for learning more about how microorganisms cause food-borne illnesses," said Medical Assistant Instructor Michelle Cotroneo. "The medical assistant students loved working with them!" Through this project, the medical assistant students were able to apply the knowledge learned in their Microbiology class, as well as use their patient education skills, to work with the children. The post Medical Assistant Students Breed Bacteria to Educate Third Graders appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Toby Mulvihill gives a chair massage at TedXFargo. On  July 23, 2015, Globe University-Moorhead massage therapy faculty, students and alumni took the TedxFargo event by storm! Not only did they perform nearly 300 massages in total, but they were a clear-cut highlight of this major community event. More than 1,800 people attended Fargo’s 5th annual TedxFargo event last Thursday, and Globe played a major role. The overall theme for the event was "Wonder," and Globe University stepped up to host the "Relaxation Space" and offered free massages to the attendees, aiding in their ‘wonder’ful overall conference experience. Hundreds of TedxFargo participants lined up throughout the day to get an incredible massage that was not only technically and professionally executed, but was raved about by each participant. Even the presenters who came from all corners of the United States waited in line for what they said was one of their favorite parts of the conference. Students, faculty and alumni give Thai mat massages at TedXFargo. This was Globe University-Moorhead’s first sponsorship of this type at this conference, and it really added to the already forward-thinking and positive atmosphere at the event. Toby Mulvihill, massage therapy program chair, and Randi Olson, massage therapy adjunct instructor, led the way with their expertise and used this opportunity to further educate their students. Olson used the event as a field trip for her Thai Massage class, and Mulvihill took the time to teach his students several ‘tricks of the trade’ in real time with real clients. All in all, this was a phenomenal event and a great way for Globe University to make a positive impact on the Fargo-Moorhead community, and educate people about their bodies and how to live a healthy life. Visit the Globe University massage therapy program page to learn more. The post Globe University Massage Therapy Program Provides Relaxing Environment at TedxFargo appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Jason Garza, Massage Therapy Instructor. Globe University-Sioux Falls is excited to welcome massage therapy graduate Jason Garza to our faculty this summer quarter. Jason graduated from the massage therapy program in the winter of 2014. Tell us about yourself: I have been married for five years to my wife Stephanie. My wife and I do foster care and have been licensed for two years. I work full time at a call center, part time massage therapist out of my home and play in a volleyball league in the summer and basketball league in the winter. I also enjoy staying in shape by going to the gym four times a week.   What do you enjoy most about the profession? Jason Garza, as a student, gives a massage to a client. The best part of the job is when you get done working on a person and the first thing they say is how they already feel better. It always amazes me how much a little stretching and massage can help a person and how grateful they are when they feel the benefits instantly. Why did you want to teach at Globe? I enjoy coaching, training and teaching and find this a great solution for a possible career that keeps me in touch with my degree and allows me to bring what I know to others. Tell us one interesting fact about yourself. Probably the one that most people don’t believe is how I wasn’t always the tallest kid in my class. Up until the summer before my junior year in high school I was only 5 ft tall, in the 3 month break I grew to 6’6″! Yes it was painful. The post Massage Therapy Graduate Returns to Globe University-Sioux Falls as Instructor appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Students produce PSA regarding pet safety during summer months The students in Jeanette Abeyta’s VT106 class at the Appleton campus were given the rare opportunity to prepare a radio spot regarding pet safety during the summer months. The students met with station managers at 95.3 WSCO in Appleton during the Spring Quarter as part of their applied learning project. The spot advised listeners of pet safety around lakes, ponds and swimming pools during the summer months. The spot also advised against leaving your pet in the car while on vacation or in hot weather. Abeyta wanted the students to learn about different modes of advertising and fundraising and decided on a PSA spot. She said that "I had the students write the PSA. We went into the studio and each student read a line from the script we had written." VT106 students record PSA regarding pet safety around water during summer months She went on to say that "the students seemed nervous at first, but were given pointers and feedback and they really opened up." VT106 students recording PSA regarding pet safety The PSA played on WSCO during the months of June and July. About WSCO: For over ten years AM 1570, 95.3 FM The Score has worked to provide a low cost, high frequency alternative in radio advertising that produces profitable results for local, regional, and national advertisers. The Score is the exclusive home for NASCAR, Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette basketball, and also broadcasts Fox Cities Area high school games. The post Vet Tech Students Create Radio Spot on Summer Pet Safety appeared first on Globe University Blog.

The Globe University-Woodbury campus is pleased to introduce the new campus librarian, Leslie Hunter-Larson. Leslie has her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from the University of Minnesota and received her Master’s in Library and Information Science from St. Catherine University. Professional Background: Leslie worked at Target Corporation in archive/special collections, where she cataloged everything from fashion to a Joe Mauer statue. Prior to that, she worked as a senior project manager for a testing company, as well as managed a retail store and served as a community programs manager for the Guthrie Theater. According to Leslie, it has always been her goal to become a librarian and eight years ago she decided to take the plunge. "What I love most about being a librarian is the broad range of skills you need and the people you serve," said Leslie. "My passion is information and the need to make it accessible to everyone." Her goal is to show students and faculty how amazing our campus library is. "I’m here to help you find the information you need whether you’re a student or instructor or simply curious," said Leslie. Fun Fact: Leslie is a yarn junkie. She is a knitter and she is proud of it. Her ‘stash’ is to embarrassingly large to talk about, but she explains that she only has herself (and possibly her mother) to blame. Librarian Campus Hours: Leslie is in the office Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. She does note that she is available for evening class instruction on research and APA. Just ask! Feel free to stop by the Library during Leslie’s office hours and introduce yourself. Welcome Leslie! The post Meet the New Globe University-Woodbury Librarian appeared first on Globe University Blog.

Growing up the second eldest of five siblings in Nigeria, information technology program chair Tunji Akanbi learned the importance of taking care of others. He uses that same philosophy in his classroom at Globe University. "I see my students as my younger siblings in a way," says Akanbi. "We all look out for each other. I’m both an instructor and sometimes a parent, friend or mentor." That’s likely why a student, who didn’t even know Akanbi, reached out to him in a time of need. "I came to you with my laptop that was not working. It was full of viruses causing it to freeze up and [was] bombarded with pop-up ads," the student says in an email to Akanbi. "Prior to that, the stress of being a new student with no technology background was overwhelming me already. Then when my computer ‘crashed,’ I was ready to throw in the towel. That’s when you came to my rescue!" Akanbi says it’s every member of the faculty’s willingness to help students that makes Globe University special. "The We Care attitude is really emphasized, especially at the Woodbury campus. We like to go above and beyond to make sure students enjoy their experience here," Akanbi explains. "That career focus is critical; not only are we helping students who want to get ahead in life, but we support them in any way we can." Support from Akanbi is exactly what helped this student go from almost dropping out to committing to stick it out for the rest of her education. "Just knowing that you cared enough about every student’s success was enough for me not to give up," she continues in her note. "You truly went above the call of duty. If it were not for you, I probably would have given up on going back to school. It will be easier … knowing that there are staff members at Globe, like yourself, who really want to see others succeed." For Akanbi, this value again goes back to his childhood. "I learned this from my dad: ‘Every good I wish for me, I wish for you,’" he says. "I know what it feels like when you ask for help and don’t get it, and I know what it feels like to get it - that appreciation you feel." On why Akanbi was so willing to help the student with her computer, he says he didn’t think twice. "I want to help people overcome an obstacle that’s keep them from achieving their goals. I didn’t feel obligated and wasn’t looking for appreciation, I just felt it was the proper thing to do," he explains. "The students’ success is always in my best interest. When you succeed, I succeed." Visit the Globe University IT program page to learn more. The post Globe University IT Program Chair Demonstrates ‘We Care’ Mission on a Daily Basis appeared first on Globe University Blog.