Professional organizations
You can improve your online teaching by participating in professional organizations. Portland Community College is a member of the following organizations:
- Quality Matters (QM)
PCC has subscribed to QM since it started in 2003. The course design rubrics we use are based on the QM Standards for Course Design. QM offers numerous workshops that are available to PCC faculty for professional development. Here is the link to create an account to access QM services. QM also offers an opportunity for faculty peer review of courses and programs. For more information about QM, Greg Kaminski is the QM Coordinator for PCC as well as the lead QMC for the Oregon Community College system. - Online Learning Consortium (OLC)
OLC offers numerous workshops that are available to PCC faculty for professional development. Here is the link to create an account to access OLC services. - Oregon Community College Distance Learning Association (OCCDLA) is a group of online educators from the 17 community colleges in Oregon.
- The Instructional Technology Council (ITC) is a nationwide group of educators – mostly from community colleges – who are involved with the use of technology in education.
- NW eLearn is comprised of educational institutions in the Northwest. It’s mission is to promote a community to share ideas and provide support in the use of technology for the advancement of teaching and learning. Many PCC faculty have participated in the NW eLearn annual conference.
- The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) is comprised of member institutions large and small, two-year and four-year, primarily in the western United States.
- The WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET) was founded by WICHE to meet a growing need to integrate distance learning and educational technology into the academic services of higher education institutions in the western region.
- Northwest Managers of Educational Technology (NWMET) is a regional group focused on the use and support of technology in higher education.
- The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) promotes excellence in teaching, learning, and leadership at community and technical colleges. PCC is a member. Here is the link to create an account to access NISOD services.
In addition to these, there’s an alphabet soup of other professional organizations out there, e.g., AECT, ATD (formerly ASTD), The e-Learning Guild, and others.