Distance Learning

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Rena Yuzon was born and raised in Michigan. She was graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from Wayne State University and a Master of Arts degree in Education from the University of Michigan. Rena currently works as the Course Manager of the Liberal Arts, Social Sciences and Public Safety Training Complex disciplines in the Distance Learning office.

Rena Yuzon
Rena Yuzon, Course Manager in Distance Learning, with her family.

Hispanic Heritage Month means many different things to me. It is certainly an opportunity to learn, celebrate and engage in the rich and varied histories and cultures of Hispanic communities. It also offers an opportunity to look at identity in all its nuance.

I am a biracial woman who identifies as Hispanic. I was born to a white mother and a Hispanic father. I am a third-generation American on both sides. I was raised in a predominately white suburban community. I learned about my culture as all do – from my family, holidays, birthdays, weddings, funerals and the like. As I grew up, I heard a multitude of narratives about my ethnic and racial identity. I straddled two communities, always searching for my place in them.

In high school, I learned about the immense reach and influence of the Spanish Empire across the world. Through family tree projects, I got to learn about the early Latin American diaspora and how migration affected my own family. In college, I learned the details of the Spanish colonization of the Americas and the impacts on the indigenous and enslaved people and how new identifies were forced and shaped. These lessons helped me understand the significance of personal identity and allowed me to get more comfortable in my own.

After graduate school, I married a first-generation Filipino-American. Through this, I got to learn more about the Hispanic dimensions of Filipino history and culture, since the Philippines was a Spanish colony for more than 300 years. Now, we have a multiracial son named Diego. I’m excited to help him find his own identity in all this nuance.

As I was considering what to write about for Hispanic Heritage Month, I listened to Painting by Numbers, an interesting episode from the podcast Code Switch. One of the things that became clear to me was that I am far from the only one grappling with these issues of identity. My greatest hope for the Schoolcraft College community, metropolitan Detroit, the state of Michigan, and the country as a whole, is to understand that each one of us carries a unique, layered and fluid identity worthy of respect and dignity. My life’s work is to cultivate this understanding through teaching and learning. I’ve continued to pursue this work during my time at Schoolcraft College with many wonderful faculty and staff. I am proud of the hard work we’ve done together and look forward to continuing the work toward a more diverse and inclusive community.

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He’s an Associate Professor of Mathematics and also the new Faculty Forum President

Today for “Faculty Spotlight” we’re sitting down with Brad Stetson, who serves Schoolcraft College as an Associate Professor of Mathematics and is the new Faculty Forum President.

Schoolcraft College: Hello, Professor Stetson, and congratulations on becoming our new Faculty Forum President! To start out, could you please share a bit about your background and career at Schoolcraft College?

Professor Stetson: I’d be glad to, and thank you for taking the time to chat. I started my career at Schoolcraft College in 2005 as a part-time faculty member. I was teaching at four institutions with half of my classes online and half face-to-face. About a year after teaching part-time, a full-time position opened up. I applied and was offered the position.

Early in my career, I wanted to figure out my niche by trying different things. My natural fit ended up being with Distance Learning. I had experience teaching online while in graduate school at the University of Florida, and I had taught online at two other institutions while I was part-time. I love the modality because I can reach students that may not be able to come to campus to take classes otherwise. To me, that’s exciting.

Brad Stetson
Brad Stetson strives to make college more affordable for students through the use of Open Educational Resources (OERs).

Shortly after becoming credentialed to teach online at Schoolcraft, I started teaching the courses required to be credentialed to teach online. At that time, the courses were not ideal for preparing faculty to teach online. They were very theoretical, with a lot of “read the text, answer some questions.”  I redeveloped the courses to include more applied learning, where faculty could practice the skills they would be using when teaching or developing online courses. I have also developed (and redeveloped) three of our online courses in the math department. I’ve mentored many faculty and have assisted as a stand-in instructional designer on a few RTT (Ready To Teach) developments as well.

This work with Distance Learning has been my natural transition into work with the union as well. I served on the Online Instruction Committee for 12 years, for which I acted as a liaison between Distance Learning and the Faculty Forum. Due to my experience with Distance Learning, I was consulted in 2015 during contract negotiations, then asked to help negotiate in 2018, before serving as chief negotiator in 2021.

That brings us to today, where I have moved roles one more time into the role of President. I also enjoy teaching classes both online and traditional, as well as continuing to work on the courses required for Distance Learning credentialing.

SC: You have been one of our leaders in terms of integrating technology in the classroom – even before the pandemic. Please tell us about your strategy, best practices and how you try to find solutions that work for everyone.

Professor Stetson: Well, my approach to technology has always been the same: Let’s have technology do what technology is really good at and hopefully that will free up more time for humans to do what humans are good at. What that means in each classroom and each discipline may mean something different.

As an example, when I first started teaching, I would typically lecture for the entire class period. Students would rarely ask questions. My lectures would be similar from semester to semester, even with the same jokes. When I notice something that is repeated over and over, I think, “That’s what technology is good at – repeating the same thing over and over.” So I recorded my lectures, ask students to watch them at home, and use class time for more engaging activities.

As far as my strategy to find solutions, I think the biggest key is to identify when a solution is needed. That gets back to my original point about letting technology do what technology is good at. I think my biggest strategy is to always question the work that I’m doing and to ask, “Is there a more efficient way to do this?”

If the work requires repetitive tasks, binary decision-making, or simple information sharing – then I will think, “a human isn’t needed here.” Then I’ll identify what the purpose of the task at hand is, and start working through how to be more efficient by using technology. On the other hand, if the task at hand requires decision-making, personalized communication, empathy, or things of that nature – then a human is the right tool for the job.

SC: Could you please compare and contrast your teaching techniques in terms of the different modalities – Distance Learning vs. in-person instruction, for example.

Professor Stetson: The teaching techniques I use in face-to-face instruction and in Distance Learning aren’t really that different – just the tools are different. In either modality, I think technology can be used to deliver information and content. In either modality, I think technology can be used to assess students’ understanding of lower-level learning. In either modality, I think technology can be used to allow students unlimited practice and self-assessment.

Where the human element needs to come in is with engaging students, providing quality feedback, inspiring students, and assessing their mastery of higher-level learning. Where I may be able to engage and inspire an in-person student by sitting next to them and having a conversation, that may not be as easy in an online setting. I may have to work harder. I may have to reach out to the student. I may have to make a phone call, schedule a Zoom session, etc.

It’s similar when it comes to feedback. In a physical classroom, I can give a high five or a pat on the back. That doesn’t work online, but I can send an image of a gold star as a cheesy way to say, “way to go.” When feedback needs to be more constructive, I may sit and work with an in-person student, where that is harder online. I may have to write a little more in an email, I may have to record myself explaining something, I may have to set up an evening Zoom call or meet online over the weekend.

With the above examples, the big thing I try to remember is that teaching online takes effort and intention. While I could choose to fly under the radar and not make those efforts, that’s not what we’re about at Schoolcraft. We’re about going the extra mile for a transformational learning experience for our students – regardless of the modality they choose to take their classes.

SC: Another area that’s been important to you is helping to reduce costs for students by using Open Educational Resources, or OERs. First, can you briefly describe what OERs are? And second, can you highlight some success stories for Schoolcraft College students?

Professor Stetson: The definition from OER Commons is: “Open Educational Resources are teaching and learning materials that you may freely use and reuse, without charge. OER often have a Creative Commons or GNU license that state specifically how the material may be used, reused, adapted, and shared.”

Simply put, OER materials are those that are free (or extremely low cost) for our students. Here’s the thing. The internet is vast. There is a TON of information out there. Anyone in the world can choose to learn about any topic they want. So why are students paying a bunch of money to take a college class? They want a professional to guide them through the learning process. Let them know what information is good and what information is not. They want the professional to make sure they are understanding the material properly. With so much free information out there, and the students already paying for our expertise, it seems nearly criminal to charge them exorbitant amounts of money for more information in the form of a textbook. Sorry, I’ll get off my soap box.

At this time, every class that I personally teach has no cost for learning materials beyond that of a calculator. I use a homework management system that completely integrates into our learning management system. I use all OER materials and personally created materials for reference materials. I’ve had many students thank me for not requiring an expensive textbook.

One big area of success with this approach is in the stories I DON’T tell. I am not going to tell you about the student who had to drop my class because they couldn’t afford the textbook. I’m not going to tell you about the student who failed the first exam because their financial aid hadn’t gone through yet. I’m not going to tell you a story about the entire class that was a week behind because the publisher’s website was down for a week, and they couldn’t access their online materials.

Instead, I can tell you about the student who was able to safely drive to campus because they got the brake job on their car that they had been putting off. I can tell you about the student who got to eat quality food instead of processed, because they had a few extra bucks in their pocket. I get to tell you about the mom who didn’t have to worry about how to afford diapers, because she had an extra $200 that she had budgeted for a book. These are all true stories I’ve heard, and I’ve heard more.

I’ve heard many faculty talk about it being hard to transition to an OER. They say it is going to take a lot of time. Let’s do some math to see if it’s worth it. The life cycle of a textbook is usually around five years. If you teach two sections of a class, twice per year, then how much money do you save students over the course of the life cycle of a textbook? Let’s use a lowball estimate of a $100 textbook.

  • 31 students * 2 sections * $100 = $6,200 per semester
  • 2 semesters * $6,200 = $12,400 per year
  • 5 years * $12,400 = $62,000 per life cycle

Is it worth your time to put together some good content for your students? At a lowball estimate of $62,000 that seems like a good amount of money to me. This becomes especially true when future tweaks to the content you put together are not going to be as in-depth, and you can keep making your materials better year after year. Or better yet, you share your content with a colleague or two, and start really increasing the money saved by huge factors.

Over the course of time, I end up with higher-quality content, because it’s personalized to what I’m teaching. This leads to more success for students. More success? Lower cost? Where do I sign up?!?! Oops, I think I may have gone away from answering your question and started making a sales pitch to convert to OER. Oh well, I stand by that pitch.

SC: You were recently elected Faculty Forum President. Please explain what that role entails and your goals.

Professor Stetson: I could give you a detailed list of my job responsibilities in my role, but I’ll try to sum it up in straightforward terms. I work with faculty and administration to make sure faculty have an appropriate voice in decision-making at the College.

Oftentimes the most evident presence of the union is in making sure the contract is being followed. While that is hugely important, in general the union advocates for faculty in every facet of what faculty do. We are proud of the fantastic faculty we have, and want to make sure the world knows how great we are. Whether that comes in the form of empowering faculty to be innovative, giving appropriate praise for jobs well done, or protecting faculty’s rights – we stand by our deeply held belief that Schoolcraft has the best faculty. As President, I see it as my job to make sure the above advocacy is happening.

SC: Thank you, Professor Stetson. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Professor Stetson: Thank you for your time, and I’m honored to be part of this Faculty Spotlight. I want to end by reminding everyone that we do work with the best faculty around. But that doesn’t come about by accident. It comes about from hard work. Hard-working faculty who are promoting their programs. Hard work in the classroom of constant improvement. Hard work by Facilities to keep our College operating and beautiful.

Hard work by Food Services, to keep me and others from reaching our goal weight (ha-ha!). Hard work by schedule builders to make sure our classes are staffed and offered at good times. Hard work by administrators to make difficult decisions and keep the College solvent. Hard work by Schoolcraft employees from all groups working together and always having a focus of student success.

My work in the union didn’t come about because I felt I had to make major changes. My work in the union came about because I was already proud of where I worked, and I wanted to keep it that way, and to improve on what was already there. I encourage others to do the same. You don’t have to step up because you want to see a major change. You can step up because you have a growth mindset, and you realize there is always room to continue improving.

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Today for our Staff Spotlight story we’re sitting down with Bernadette Bacero, one of our Instructional Designers, or IDs for short. She shares more about this important role and also gives us some insight into our Distance Learning team.

Schoolcraft College: Hello, Bernadette Bacero! Please tell us a little about your background and what led you to Schoolcraft College.

Bernadette Bacero: Hello! Feel free to call me Bee. I started my career as a secondary history teacher, teaching first at Mumford High School in Detroit and then my alma mater Divine Child High School in Dearborn. I loved sharing my passion for history and watching students grow throughout the school year. When COVID-19 arrived, I discovered I also had a knack for supporting my colleagues as we made the switch to online spaces. When the opportunity arrived to do similar work at Schoolcraft College, I leapt at the opportunity to contribute something new!

Schoolcraft College: Can you please explain what an Instructional Designer does?

Bernadette Bacero: We partner with Schoolcraft College’s faculty to design and build the best possible version of our online courses. Faculty create drafts of their online courses, and then we work with them to polish the course into its first-rate final version. The Instructional Designers approach each development in two ways:

First, we go through the course as the stand-in student. Does the material flow in an intuitive way? Does it feel welcoming (especially if the students aren’t familiar with the subject matter)? Does the workload feel manageable? Does it feel like there’s a person on the other side of the screen?

Next, we put on our Instructional Designer hats. As IDs, we’re always keeping up with the latest educational technology trends and research-based best practices. We use this expertise to keep our online courses as up to date as possible, empowering our Ocelot students to take control of their learning using the latest tools in the best ways. We also work hard to ensure that all our courses meet accessibility standards so that all students are able to actively engage in their courses.

At the end of the day, if we’re doing our job well, most people won’t notice that we’re there.

Schoolcraft College: What does a “typical” day look like for you?

Bernadette Bacero: You can usually find me working in BTC 140, affectionately nicknamed “The ID Bunker.” I’ll start my day by going over courses that are currently in development. Faculty send me the first and second drafts for their online courses. I look them over to make sure they’re properly aligned with course competencies (i.e., Are students learning exactly what we want them to learn?) and meet accessibility standards (i.e., Will all students be able to interact with this course?). I’ll offer feedback and suggestions and then send the course drafts back to faculty. We’ll continue this process several times over the course’s development until it’s ready to be built in Blackboard.

My day will also include brainstorming sessions with the other Instructional Designers and sometimes the larger Distance Learning team. The IDs consistently work as a team to troubleshoot problems common to more than one course, and I’m incredibly grateful to be part of such an energetic think tank. If one of us doesn’t have the answer, Jason Kane or Kaylynn Mortensen (our other two IDs) will be more than ready to offer a helping hand. We work as a team as much as a possible, and we wouldn’t be nearly as effective without the level of trust and professionalism between us.

Schoolcraft College: What are some of the challenges for you and your team?

Bernadette Bacero at a computer
Bernadette Bacero, Instructional Designer, is part of the team that partners with Schoolcraft College’s faculty to design and build the best possible version of our online courses.

Bernadette Bacero: I think the most obvious challenge is that we’re working with a wide variety of disciplines throughout the college. I could start my day working on a course in Microbiology and after lunch change gears to Spanish. This variety is what makes our partnerships with faculty so important! Our faculty are experts in their fields, and they know what students need to learn in their classrooms. We meet in the middle and collaborate on the best ways to deliver the best learning experiences for our students. What will work well in French might not translate well into a class for Criminal Investigations. We do our best to learn from every successful course development but also tackle each new course in its own unique context.

I think another challenge that comes to mind is less of a challenge and more of an opportunity. Distance Learning is taking the lead as Schoolcraft College transitions from Blackboard to Blackboard Ultra. We’re very excited to make this update as Blackboard Ultra will offer students and faculty improved course design and navigation, and Blackboard Ultra’s mobile app has been redesigned to provide a better student experience overall. There’s plenty of work ahead of us in this project, but ultimately, I think it’s work that is incredibly necessary for Schoolcraft College to stay relevant and current in the education field.

Schoolcraft College: What are some highlights for you so far?

Bernadette Bacero: I came on board to Schoolcraft at the end of June 2020. It was still early(ish) days in the pandemic, and I was working entirely remote. It would have been all too easy to feel isolated from the rest of the Distance Learning team, but they worked hard to ensure that I felt included and supported as I grew into my role. I’m incredibly grateful to each and every one of them for reaching out to me, supporting my questions, and (digitally) showing an interest in getting to know me as a person.

I’ve also really enjoyed getting to know other members of the college, particularly through the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. It’s a topic I’m particularly passionate about as a first-generation Filipino-American, and getting to know colleagues outside of Distance Learning has made me feel an even stronger connection to the Schoolcraft community. 

Oh, and I can’t forget to mention my first meal at American Harvest. Just thinking about it makes me and my stomach happy. 

Schoolcraft College: The COVID-19 pandemic put an even greater focus on Distance Learning. This is an area Schoolcraft College has excelled at for many years – in fact, we’re celebrating 40 years of Distance Learning. What are your thoughts about this milestone and what’s next for Distance Learning? 

Bernadette Bacero: In my mind, Schoolcraft College has always been a positive fixture of the community, and so much of that can be credited to the work Distance Learning has accomplished in the past 40 years. From mailing coursework to students to broadcasting faculty lessons on public TV stations, Distance Learning has earned its reputation as a leader in the field. As a member of the Livonia community and now working here as an Instructional Designer, I can confidently say that the spirit of Distance Learning has been a combination of enthusiasm to try new things and the expertise to ground these new ideas in solid pedagogy. I hope that this attitude will continue to drive Distance Learning forward for another 40 years, and I’m thrilled to be part of it. 

What’s next for us? I mentioned that Blackboard Ultra is on the horizon. We’re elbow-deep in converting current and future courses to the new format and working on the next season of Distance Learning’s award-winning series What’s Your Problem?

Schoolcraft College: Thank you, Bernadette! Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Bernadette Bacero: I’m looking forward to getting to know more of my Schoolcraft Colleagues as we transition to a post-COVID19 world. Feel free to stop me in the hallways to chat or pop by the ID Bunker in BTC. I would be very happy to show off my office plants. (I’m very proud of them.)

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She looks to build upon a well-respected and important department at the College

Today for Staff Spotlight we’re sitting down with Lori Timmis, who recently joined Schoolcraft College as Dean of Distance Learning. Lori comes to us from Siena Heights University in Adrian, where she served for nearly 20 years in a variety of roles.

Schoolcraft College: First of all, welcome to Schoolcraft College! We’re happy to have you here. How have things been going so far?

Lori Timmis: Thank you for the warm welcome! I’m happy to join the creative and hardworking Distance Learning team and work with Schoolcraft’s dedicated faculty, staff, administrators and other key stakeholders. Since starting my position in mid-August, Schoolcraft employees continue to enthusiastically welcome me to the college. I appreciate becoming acquainted with faculty and staff across departments, many of whom maintain longstanding service to the college, understanding their important roles and the common threads we share in our higher education careers. The Schoolcraft community integrates daily the college mission in fostering a transformative learning experience for students. Likewise, Schoolcraft students reflect distinct generations with unique, evolving needs, representing first-generation students and returning students. 

During this time, I continue to gain knowledge of people, systems, processes, and initiatives to inform intentional and thoughtful planning for continued distance learning program growth.

Schoolcraft College: How did you get involved in higher education and why did you decide to pursue a career in higher education, specifically with a focus on Distance Learning?

A portrait of Lori Timmis
Lori Timmis, Dean of Distance Learning

Lori Timmis: A favorite quote, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, reflects my higher education journey: “Do not go where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path, and leave a trail.” My journey comprises winding paths that, simultaneously, situated my commitment to serve in higher education and distance learning. 

As a first-generation college graduate, I achieved my associate degree while a full-time student and working adult. Consequently, this progressed my interest to serve in higher education. I transferred to a bachelor degree completion program at Cleary University. This was my first exposure to distance learning through a hybrid cohort model, a setting I thrived in and one that propelled my passion for distance learning. Upon graduation, I started my higher ed career at Siena Heights University. 

My nearly 20-year career at Siena brought encounters to build and sustain quality online and hybrid learning initiatives. I completed my master’s degree with a thesis focus on developing a blended online program that I applied directly to my work. I served as the founding director of the university’s distance learning programs, as an online adjunct instructor and developer, and in various leadership roles with oversight of distance learning initiatives. Within these roles, I collaborated closely with faculty and staff peers. At the core, our professions reflect cultivating engagement with others, and our efforts to deliver quality online learning largely derive from shared collaboration.

Schoolcraft College: Is there anything in particular that appealed to you to pursue the Dean of Distance Learning position here?

Lori Timmis: Yes. Several aspects spoke to me in applying for the Dean of Distance Learning position at Schoolcraft. It would allow me to come full circle honoring my educational roots, as a community college graduate, and serve at a well-regarded community college. Likewise, I could serve in a successive leadership role to champion, in partnership, a continued vision of flexible learning experiences delivered through adaptable modalities, distinct services and resources, and emerging instructional models. 

My research and progressing through the interview process highlighted the college’s longevity, over a multi-decade period, with and commitment to quality distance learning for students, embraced by dedicated faculty and staff. These and other unique aspects highlighted an exceptional opportunity to me and why Schoolcraft holds a respected position as a forward-thinking institution in the community, state, and nationally. 

“No longer is distance learning an ‘alternative’ model, but part of a flexible and transformative learning experience.”

Lori Timmis, Dean of Distance Learning

Schoolcraft College: The importance of having a strong Distance Learning department has been magnified by the pandemic. What are your goals for Distance Learning both in the near future and long term?

Lori Timmis: Schoolcraft’s Distance Learning Programs maintain a distinct history over the last several decades with a growing portfolio of online degrees, certificates, and courses. The infrastructure encompasses a conscientious quality assurance framework for online course design and delivery. This foundation and the efforts of the Schoolcraft distance learning team, faculty, and staff allowed Schoolcraft to quickly respond to the shift in remote and online learning in the pandemic’s onset. Nevertheless, the pandemic continues to uncover additional needs and provide lessons to move us forward, which requires research, planning, and implementation. 

Short-term, I seek to build internal cross-departmental and program alliances and external alliances to support student and institutional success. It takes an extensive base to coordinate quality-driven instruction, student learning and student success, and faculty support and development. Likewise, I plan to incorporate evidence-based decision making from institutional and other scholarly data to drive long-term DL strategic planning. Distance Learning also will embark on numerous goals this academic year including a phased-shift to BB Ultra, new and revised RTT courses including SC’s Professional Development Series, and continued adoption of OER, accessibility, and inclusive practices and strategies. These short-term goals will springboard in creating a shared purpose and vision for distance learning in concert with SC Momentum 2021.

Faculty responded to massive change in a short time during the pandemic. Looking ahead, new and evolving technologies and their associated pedagogies will necessitate ongoing faculty support and development. Faculty, as subject matter experts, work closely with our instructional designers and course managers to develop and teach high-quality online courses. Distance Learning will continue to support faculty, in collaboration with the Center for Academic Innovation, with relevant instructional professional development and recertification pathways to inspire interactive and authentic distance learning design and delivery.

As national trends continue to show, students desire more flexible options through online, hybrid, and remote modalities, and Schoolcraft is positioned to respond with additional programs, courses, instructional models, and modalities. We also must stay well informed of the evolving landscape including trends, research, regulations, technologies, and competition. Correspondingly, the pandemic identified gaps and needs for students that we will continue to examine to support effective and engaging student learning, one that promotes comprehensive interaction and active learning. This requires long-term agility in designing accessible, equitable, and innovative approaches.

Distance learning can offer more students access to higher education to boost their professional and personal endeavors. No longer is distance learning an “alternative” model, but part of a flexible and transformative learning experience. This coupled with a robust community college education, such as through Schoolcraft’s comprehensive academic portfolio, brings opportunities for future unique learning and workforce contributions.

Schoolcraft College: You are currently pursuing your doctorate in Global Leadership and Change from Tiffin University. How is that coming along?

Lori Timmis: Thank you for asking. I’m halfway through my coursework in Tiffin’s Ph.D. program. The program format encompasses rigorous 7-week online courses, three residencies, and a dissertation with a curricular emphasis on global leadership and change and cultural awareness competencies. Today’s workforce environment incorporates cross-cultural characteristics. While our work may bring a local, physical context, our professions should espouse a global mindset, which celebrates a rich cultural diversity that contributes to successful work.

As a working adult student, the online program accommodates the needs of my schedule. I value the flexibility coupled with the faculty and student engagement in the program to build active learning communities. We can deliver this in any modality with thoughtful planning and humanized pedagogy. My online student experience strengthens purpose in creating a collaborative infrastructure that meets the needs and capabilities of our students, develops active and meaningful learning, and advances professional development for our faculty and staff.

Schoolcraft College: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Lori Timmis: I look forward to continued interactions, idea sharing, and collaboration with the Schoolcraft Community. I’m excited to build connections with the community to champion a vibrant future for online teaching and learning at Schoolcraft College.