Faculty Professional Development

Panopto Videos for Teaching and Learning

Teaching online or in a hybrid environment? Video is a powerful way to engage students, strengthen instructor presence, and support different learning styles. By seeing and hearing their instructor explain course concepts, students can feel more connected and supported throughout their learning experience.

Our college provides access to Panopto, a video platform that integrates with both Canvas and Zoom. With Panopto, you can easily:

• Record lectures, demonstrations, and announcements
• Edit videos directly within the platform
• Organize and share video content with students
• Create a more engaging and accessible learning experience

Visit the CTOL Teaching and Learning Resources webpage and scroll down to the Panopto section. There you’ll find information on:

• Accessing your Panopto account
• Installing the Panopto application
• Getting started with recording and managing videos
• CTOL-created tutorials and training videos

Start with the Panopto Support Center

Panopto’s comprehensive Support Center should be your first stop for learning how to use the platform. It includes step-by-step guides, instructional videos, and answers to common questions.

Panopto Support Center: https://support.panopto.com/s/

After exploring the Support Center, be sure to check out the CTOL-created Panopto training resources below for guidance tailored to our college’s teaching and learning environment. You can also find all this great information on the CTOL Webpage: Teaching and Learning Resources | SPSCC

CTOL Panopto Training Videos

The CTOL has also created an SPSCC specific video list for you to view as well. Click the name of the video to read more about it and view the video:

• Introduction to Panopto
  • What Panopto does as video recording and editing software
  • Why use Panopto
  • Key Benefits of Using Panopto
  • Panopto Resources
• Recording to Panopto
  • Record videos to Panopto using Zoom
  • Record Videos to Panopto using Canvas
  • Record video in Panopto
• Finding Recordings in Panopto
  • Folder structure
  • Where to find Zoom videos in Panopto
  • Where to find Canvas videos in Panopto
  • Moving Videos between courses
• Editing Videos
  • Trimming and cutting videos
  • Enhancing Audio
  • Editing Captions
  • Adding Quizzes to Videos
  • Renaming Contents Section
• Settings and Management in Panopto
  • Change video name and folder location
  • Move video to another folder
  • Sharing Video Options
  • Finding Transcripts for Videos
  • Analytics Overview

Digital Accessibly New Tool

New in Canvas: Make PDFs More Accessible with DocAccess

DocAccess is now available in Canvas and provides an easy way to convert PDFs into accessible, screen reader-friendly HTML pages. With no extra uploads or formatting required, DocAccess helps students, faculty, and staff access course materials more effectively across devices.

How It Works

When viewing a PDF in Canvas, look for Request Accessible Version next to the file name (or the gray accessibility icon in the Files folder). Next, click the prompt to submit the PDF for processing. After approximately 5 to 10 minutes, the icon will turn green, allowing users to switch between the original PDF and an accessible HTML version. This feature is available to all Canvas users.

Key DocAccess Features

• AI-powered OCR for scanned and lower-quality PDFs, including support for handwritten content.
• Automatic generation of image descriptions and alt text.
• Improved accessibility for tables, mathematical content, and STEM materials.
• Built-in options for translation, text resizing, and high-contrast display.
• Immediate access to more usable reading formats for students needing accommodations.

As with any AI-powered OCR tool, users should review converted content for accuracy.

Resources

For a general (staff/faculty) overview of DocAccess, see the CTOL Accessibility website.

Student-facing training documentation is also available within Learning@SPSCC.

For faculty who would like to include DocAccess training materials for students in their course shells, see the SPSCC Course Template.

Questions or Feedback?

DocAccess is a new tool, and the CTOL welcomes your feedback. If you have any questions or feedback regarding DocAccess (or any other accessibility issue), please reach out to Lucas Wolf or the CTOL via email or webform.

Professional Development Funds

Got a conference you want to attend? A training course or workshop you want to do? There are funds to help you reach your professional development goals! The professional development activities that can be funded for 26-27 are limited to courses, conferences, and workshops. If interested in applying, discuss your idea with your Dean. If they approve you to put in an application, the application will open October 13. Watch for an email from Seth Braver announcing the opening of the application with a link to apply. If you have any questions, please contact Seth Braver or other members of the Faculty Professional Development Fund Committee with any questions. 

• Teaching for Belonging: Inclusive and Identity-Responsive Instruction — Shara Stone (DEI Toolkit Basis)
• Higher Education for Good – Teaching and Learning Futures — Edited by L. Czerniewicz & C. Cronin
• Between the World and Me — TaNehisi Coates
• So You Want to Talk About Race — Ijeoma Oluo
• The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love — Sonya Renee Taylor 

DEI Books Featuring Action-Oriented Frameworks 

• Diversity Gap: Where Good Intentions Meet True Cultural Change — Bethaney B. Wilkinson (2024)
• Reconstructing DEI: A Practitioner’s Workbook — Lily Zheng
• Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 Myths to Transform Your Workplace — Mita Mallick

• Building Sustainable Diversity, Inclusion, and Racial Equity in Higher Education 
  Published: March 13, 2023 
  Length: 1 hour 29 minutes 
  Summary: Keynote talk on building sustainable DEI and racial equity using critical frameworks and a “critical mentorship” approach to improve representation and engagement. [Useful for designing long-term DEI strategies.] 
  Worksheet for video (for self-reflection, does not need to be submitted).
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Research (Leadership Alliance Wednesday Workshop) 
  Published: June 28, 2023 
  Length: 1 hour 3 minutes Summary: Panel on DEI in research, importance of belonging, and voices from diverse backgrounds shaping inquiry and collaboration. [Good for mentoring and inclusive research cultures.] 
  Worksheet for video (for self-reflection, does not need to be submitted).
• Campus talks: Getting back to the basics of equity, diversity and inclusion in higher education  
  Published: January 15, 2026 
  Length: 1 hour 13 minutes  
  Summary: Two EDI experts discuss fundamentals and practical advice for protecting and advancing equality of opportunity in HE amid political and social challenges. [Foundational refresher with actionable recommendations.] 
  Worksheet for video (for self-reflection, does not need to be submitted).

The Community of Practice registration process is closed; however, you can email the facilitator(s) for the group(s) you are interested in joining and ask to be added as a participant throughout the year.

Incorporating Student Choice Without Overwhelming Ourselves

Facilitator: Jason Barnett

Description:  

Student Choice is an important but difficult part of UDL and this CoP will talk about how to balance student choice without overwhelming either the professor or the students, balancing cognitive load for students, and best practices for getting started. Mechanics of implementing choice, best practices for where to include choice, and discussing of our own experiences will be some of the topics included.

Modality and meetings:  

The CoP will meet for one two-hour session each quarter, yearlong, online synchronous (Zoom).  Will meet at least 6 hours per year.

Latest Research in STEM Pedagogy

Facilitator: Jim Chen

Description:

Focusing on current science pedagogy and open to all faculty interested in this conversation. Will include search and review of recent science-focused peer-reviewed educational literature and related media, with discussion of evidence promoting ongoing science educational and collaborative efforts. Emphasis on approaches prioritizing faculty self-care.  

Modality and meetings:

Yearlong, Once or twice per quarter. Meetings typically last 75-90 minutes each. Meet in-person (virtual option only as needed).  Will meet at least 6 hours per year.

Reading: A Pedagogy of Kindness.

Facilitator: Amy Tureen

Description:

This CoP will read Catherine J Denial's A Pedagogy of Kindness, a short book described as "part manifesto, part teaching memoir, part how-to guide" that "urges higher education to get aggressive about instituting kindness." Sessions will run 90 minutes in length and meet once in both fall and spring quarters, as well as twice in winter. Each session will focus on a single section of the book and proceed in order: Kindness toward the Self, Kindness and the Syllabus, Kindness and Assessment, and Kindness in the Classroom.

Modality and meetings:

Meetings: In Person, Fall: 1x1.5 hour meeting, Winter 2x1.5 hour meetings, Spring: 1x1.5 hour meeting. Will meet at least 6 hours per year.

Careers and Wages and Data, Oh My! - An intro to labor market information

Facilitators: Sarah Cabbage and Amy Warren

Description:  

Ever wonder which jobs are actually hiring, what they pay, or who local employers are? Would you like to be able to talk about local job prospects with students? Do you just like digging into a good spreadsheet? In this community of practice, we'll explore sources of local labor market information and discuss how these resources might be used with students, in your DAAPs, or wherever else you can think of. No experience needed, just curiosity.

Modality and meetings:

Meetings will be a combination of in-person and online synchronous, 1-2 meetings per quarter, 1.5 hours per meeting. Will meet at least 6 hours per year.  

Beyond production and toward dwelling: Fostering human connection and intelligence in an age of climate disruption and artificial intelligence.

Facilitators: Kathleen Byrd and Matt Ito

Description:

In this year-long COP, we will consider our classroom spaces, online and in person, as places that can foster human connection and intelligence in meaningful ways. We’ll consider the work of Stanford Professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans and their book “How to Live a Meaningful Life” as well as other texts. We are interested in helping create learning environments that invite students to dwell in experiences or problems to cultivate creativity and community in these times.

Modality and meetings:

Meeting will be in-person held once or twice a quarter for 1.5 hours with a 1/2 day end of year meeting. Total over 6 hours in a year.

The Habit Lab: Change one meaningful habit in your life using a science-backed approach in a warm and supportive environment.

Facilitators: Ross Artwohl and Brandy Brennan  

Description:

A structured and encouraging CoP designed to help participants make one meaningful change in their lives—whether that’s building a new habit or letting go of one that no longer serves them. Meeting twice per quarter for a total of six, 60‑minute sessions, it combines the practical tools of the book “Atomic Habits” with a warm, community‑oriented approach that emphasizes progress over perfection.

Together, we explore how small steps, thoughtful design, and compassionate accountability create sustainable change. Participants are guided through identity-based habit planning, simple environment and routine adjustments, and strategies for staying grounded when life gets busy or challenging.

Modality and meetings:

Meeting will be in-person, Twice per quarter for a total of six, 60-minute sessions. Will meet at least 6 hours per year.

Hands-on Practice with AI

Facilitator: Heather Maye  

Description:

In the CoP, we will practice using AI tools and learning what they can do with a focus on working more efficiently in a higher education environment.

Modality and meetings:  

Meetings will be for one hour, twice each quarter, on Zoom.  Will meet at least 6 hours per year.

Faculty Leadership, Shared Governance, and Current Issues in Higher Education

Facilitators: David Hyde and C.J. Dosch

Description:

This Community of Practice will cultivate faculty leadership skills while familiarizing participants with college structures and examining current issues in higher education. It supports the range of college core themes by providing participants with the skills and knowledge to engage with various higher educational issues while learning the processes particular to South Puget Sound Community College.

Modality and meetings:

Meetings: In Person, two 1-hour long meetings each quarter for a total of 6 in-person hours, as well as additional online discussions and resources.  

Faculty Leadership, Shared Governance, and Current Issues in Higher Education

Facilitated by CJ Dosch and David Hyde

This Community of Practice will cultivate faculty leadership skills while familiarizing participants with college structures and examining current issues in higher education. It supports the range of college core themes by providing participants with the skills and knowledge to engage with various higher educational issues while learning the processes particular to South Puget Sound Community College. 

The CoP will address three primary areas: 

Leadership skills development—Includes techniques and practices (facilitation, communication, research, using your voice, committee participation, starting campus initiatives, funding, etc.) for faculty to fully participate in and contribute to shared governance activities. 

College organization—Explores and reviews college and inter-collegiate structures and processes including campus organization, strategic planning, collective bargaining, shared governance, faculty organizations, and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. 

Current issues—Examines “hot topics” in higher education practice and policy (DEI, federal policy, pathways, student financial aid, funding, etc.) Participants will examine multiple “sides” and stakeholders on these issues, with an emphasis on how faculty leadership can be applied to engage with these topics. 

Who is it for: Any and all faculty who would like to be more involved in college governance, planning, and decision-making; would like to learn more about college structures, systems, and organization; would like to improve their leadership skills; or would like to discuss “hot topics” and current events in higher education practice and policy. 

The CoP will meet 6 times over the year for an hour each time, near the beginning and end of each quarter. 

As a textual resource for this CoP, we’ll seek to obtain a college library subscription to the Chronicle of Higher Education for participant use.

Alternative Grading Strategies – AKA Ungrading

Facilitated by Heather Maye

This CoP will start out with learning alternative grading strategies and techniques, then will be guided by the group's interest in discussing, planning, and possibly implementing alternative grading in their own courses. Discussions will be around how alternative grading could work in a class, support on creating a plan, and how to implement alternative grading.  

Yearlong, 5 to 6 meetings total, 1 – 2 meetings each quarter with in-person meetings for 1 – 2 hours each.  Will meet at least 6 hours per year.

Art and STEM Integrated Assignments

Facilitated by John Schaub and Joe Batt

Get outside your comfort zone by collaborating on unique assignments with someone outside your discipline. Learn new and unexpected ways of connecting with students about your subject area....

Will be in-person, at least mostly, but can be flexible. Will meet at least twice quarterly for an hour equaling at least 6 hours per year.

Building Equitable Classrooms: Reading and Application Group

Facilitated by Patti Poblete

This CoP will be reading Diana Ma’s “Anti-Oppressive Universal Design for Teachers: Building Equitable Classrooms” and discussing ways to implement the ideas in the classroom. The idea behind Ma’s text is not to build a “one size fits all” pedagogy (which is impossible), but rather to structure the classroom to seek student input and tailor things in accessible but manageable ways. In the first half of the year, we will read and discuss the concepts of the book. In the second half of the year, we will attempt to implement small changes and discuss how things work out as they go.

Will have two one-hour meetings per quarter for a total of 6 hours per year. Meetings will be in-person with a hybrid option if needed.   

Decolonial Ecologies: Pedagogies of Attunement and Reciprocity

Facilitated by Kathleen Byrd and Matt Ito

This Community of Practice is a continuation of last year’s reading and discussion of Daniel Heath Justice’s Why Indigenous Literatures Matter. In the thread of thinking ecologically, we invite participants to bring their own experiences, texts, ways of thinking, and ways of being to attune to the ever-shifting currents of our classrooms. 

Teaching, like so many other practices that underscore our daily lives, is about building relationships. How do we build relationships with our students? How do we attune to their needs, their learning styles, their communities, their literacies? How might our classrooms be a space to invite and integrate these lived experiences, literacies, and knowledges? How might we practice reciprocity in lieu of these attunements—in the classroom and beyond?

In the scope of this Community of Practice, we will continue turning to relationality as understood by Justice and alongside other Indigenous scholars from the North American continent and the Pacific as a way to think through our own ecologies, as well as those brought into our classrooms. In doing so, we hope to empower fellow faculty members to visualize and work toward their own specific acts of care in their classrooms, communities, and beyond informed by the literacies and relationalities of our students. 

Texts (or excerpts from texts) for consideration include but are not limited to: The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Truth About Stories by Thomas King, As We Have Always Done by Leanne Simpson, The Seeds We Planted by Noelani Goodyear-Kaʻōpua, and Kaiāulu by Mehana Blaich Vaughan.

Meetings: In Person, 1-2x/quarter, 1-2hr/meeting (depending on member's schedules, availability, etc.). Will meet at least 6 hours per year.

Developing Trends in Generative A.I. in the Workforce

Facilitated by Jennifer Wortman and Ryer Banta

In this CoP we will review and discuss developing news surrounding generative A.I. with a specific focus on how it is being integrated into different industries and work environments. The intent of this ongoing conversation is to help us as instructors and facilitators be more strategic in how we incorporate AI in our classrooms to best prepare our students for life beyond SPSCC. There are required article reading before the meetings. Information sharing and collaboration between meeting times will take place in Teams. This is in direct support of the Strategic Plan Core Theme One of Student Achievement, Goal 3: increase job placement for workforce education students.

Will meet for 2 hours per quarter for a total of 6 hours per year. Meetings will be in-person with a hybrid option if needed.  

Latest Research in STEM Pedagogy  

Facilitated by James Chen  

Focusing on current science pedagogy and open to all faculty interested in this conversation. Will include search and review of recent science-focused peer-reviewed educational literature and related media, with discussion of evidence promoting ongoing science educational and collaborative efforts.  

Yearlong, 5 to 6 meetings total, in-person (virtual option only as needed).  Will meet at least 6 hours per year.  

Service Learning (SL) CoP

Facilitated by Sanjay Lanka and Parakh Hoon

The SL CoP aims to promote experiential service learning opportunities for both faculty and students at SPSCC through mutual engagement in teaching, learning, and service. Social justice is the guiding principle with a focus on real-world education for future community leaders strengthening SPSCC’s role as an engaged community member while providing our students an educational experience that integrates service, reflection, and academic learning. 
One of the focus areas for the CoP is a discussion of existing and potential community partnerships including the identification of local organizations that would be good partners for existing courses and look at ways to establish mutually beneficial relationships with these organizations. 

The focus in the first quarter will be on a discussion of these existing relationships with a focus on ways to incorporate these into existing classes at SPSCC. This reflection and assessment of existing community engagement is aimed to provide an opportunity for effective transparent evaluation of program impact with regards to social justice. One of the key outcomes of the CoP at this stage will be resource sharing and sharing of best practices. 
In the second quarter, the CoP will focus on discussion of the program structure and curriculum for the participating faculty members looking at ways to integrate into the existing curriculum service-learning components. This will build on the existing community partnerships that we discussed in the 1st quarter and look for ways to integrate them better into existing courses. 

In the final quarter, we will focus our discussion on interest in developing new service-learning specific courses. This will build on discussion of current student learning objectives and ways in which we can improve existing courses to develop our students as "Multicultural Community Builders". The goal of this process will be to update our courses to enable our students to acquire enhanced knowledge, skills, and attitudes for diverse society engagement that will foster a commitment to public and community service among our students.

The CoP will meet for one two-hour session each quarter, yearlong, in-person.  Will meet at least 6 hours per year.

Mind Over Monsters: Supporting Youth Mental Health with Compassionate Challenge by Sarah Cavanagh

Facilitated by Sally Sharbaugh This CoP will focus on reading the book Mind Over Monsters: Supporting Youth Mental Health with Compassionate Challenge by Sarah Cavanagh. She was the keynote at the recent ATL conference and her keynote speech was highly recommended.

The goal for the CoP would be to read the book together over the course of the year and discuss ways to implement “compassionate challenge” in the classroom and use the information in the book to inform instructor policies. Also to use the time to talk about what policies and strategies are working for faculty and which aren’t.

Asian American Inclusion and Visibility at SPSCC

Facilitated by Bin Zhang and Lily Kun

We will share and reflect on Asian American biases and invisibility within society, professional environments, and higher education, and develop thoughtful strategies to address, support and improve the inclusion and visibility of Asian American groups, particularly at SPSCC community.

Latest Research in STEM Pedagogy

Facilitated by James Chen

Focusing on current science pedagogy and open to all faculty interested in this conversation. Will include search and review of recent science-focused peer-reviewed educational literature and related media, with discussion of evidence promoting ongoing science educational and collaborative efforts.

Open Education and Showcasing Student Work

Facilitated by Ryer Banta

Join this community of practice to explore open educational practices and tools that can be used to showcase student work. This community of practice will be shaped by the interests and needs of the group. We will also explore ways in which open education intersects with diversity, equity, and inclusion for increased student success. Participants can expect readings, discussions, and time to talk through challenges and successes of implementing open education in their courses.

Open-Source Digital Media Symposium

Facilitated by Joe Batt, Michael Gray, Matthew Ito, and Aki Suzuki

This group will meet two to three times in Fall 2024 to plan class projects which integrate open-source digital media (such as Audacity and Inkscape) in meaningful ways with course content. During Winter 2025 we will support each other to complete these projects in our classes. All are welcome to join us for this project. There will be a culminating presentation of the results at a campus-wide event.

Reading Group - "Retelling" and (Re)presenting Canonical Novels

Facilitated by C.J. Dosch

This will be a year-long reading group meeting twice per quarter or as scheduled by the group. Participants may choose to take part in one or all three quarters as each quarter will focus on a different novel. The group will be exploring how contemporary writers "retell" and reposition our relationships to canonical narratives to push boundaries of identity and experience. We'll begin in Fall 2024 by reading the new Percival Everett book, James: A Novel. This novel is a retelling of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of the runaway slave Jim (James). Winter and spring quarter selections will be chosen by the group from a list of highly acclaimed novels that use this alternative perspective approach to retell classic narratives. Options may include but are not limited to Wide Sargasso Sea, March, Hamnet, The Red Tent, Circe, or Demon Copperhead.

Book Discussion: Understanding Generational Culture

Facilitated by Chandra Miller-Starks and Ross Artwohl

We would read chapters from the text Generations by Jean Twenge. SPSCC is home to four generations: iGen/GenZ (11-28 y.o.); Millennial (29-43 y.o.); Gen X (44-58 y.o.) and Baby Boomer (59-77 y.o.) and Gen Alpha/Polars (1-14 y.o.) that will be in our classrooms in a couple of years. The oldest were born when “computers” were actual people employed for their math skills. The youngest arrived with pocket computers that surpass the combined power of ALL the computers used in the historic Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. The former generation could connect across vast distance only with expensive long distance phone plans or letter writing and the latter connect almost for free with millions of people worldwide in an instant via social media. A literal printing press in every pocket! Older generations primarily expressed gender as a binary to younger generations who overwhelmingly see gender on a continuum among other worldview differences. Such differences create diversity in cultural norms and values. These often show-up on campus providing both opportunities and sometimes friction as generational cultures encounter each other. Here we hope to help us better “see” these cultural “waters” that we’re swimming in.

3D Printing and Modeling for Instruction

Facilitated by Adam Waters and Chad Bacon

The C.O.P. would offer training on SketchUp (software) for modeling purposes, slicer software and operations of 3D printers. modeling/prints content that could be relevant to their classrooms. Meetings held at Lacey 3 once a month, possibly tapering down to two meetings a quarter. We would help facilitate faculty on modeling their projects and prints throughout.

Decolonial Ecologies: Daniel Heath Justice’s Why Indigenous Literatures Matter and Reframing our Relationalities Across Disciplines

Cofacilitated by Kathleen Byrd and Matthew Ito

For this community of practice, we will read and discuss Why Indigenous Literatures Matter, by Cherokee scholar Daniel Heath Justice, and consider ways of incorporating relationality into our teaching and learning practices. Justice uses the concept of kinship and being a “good relative” to illustrate understanding relationality as an ethic. Justice suggests that “to be a good relative, to be fully kin, we must put that relatedness into thoughtful and respectful practice, individually and collectively, and take up our responsibilities to one another and to the world of which we’re a part” (86). He continues this thread by referencing Robin Wall Kimmerer’s work in Braiding Sweetgrass and her turn to reciprocity as an expression of healthy relationalities grounded in responsibility, gratitude, and mutually beneficial exchange. We will use the concept of relationality as understood by Justice and alongside other Indigenous scholars from the North American continent and the Pacific as a way to think through our own ecologies, as well as those brought into our classrooms. In doing so, we hope to empower fellow faculty members to visualize and work toward their own specific acts of care in their classrooms, communities, and beyond informed by the literacies and relationalities of our students.

Generative AI & Student Success

Facilitated by Jennifer Wortman

We will discuss and reflect on the shift away from 'policing' generative AI and move towards integrating assisted AI into classes. In addition, we will consider AI information literacy skills students will need to navigate the evolving world of AI. The goal is to think through ethical use of AI for students (and possibly instructors) and strategize ways to educate students about the potential benefits and problems of generative AI.

Strategies for Closing Equity Gaps

Facilitated by Amanda Ybarra and Jennifer Gilliard

There will be a different topic each quarter that revolves around the idea of closing equity gaps in teaching. We will hold one session a quarter for two hours and let people drop into a single session or sign up for the whole year.

Peer Coaching

Facilitated by Heather Williams and Heather Maye

This is an opportunity for instructors who want to improve their skills in giving and receiving formative feedback with the goal of improving instructional practice. Research has shown that teachers benefit from a collaborative observation process - one that allows them to be in dialogue with peers and seek feedback on their specific concerns. In fall quarter, we will meet twice to walk through the three stages of observation, consider the relationship between feedback and trust, and identify best practices for communication during the observation process. Participants who wish to proceed will be paired and complete peer observations during winter and/or spring quarters.