OTC earns recognition for eLearning

The Instructional Technology Council (ITC) has recognized OTC Mathematics Instructor Marylynne Abbott and OTC’s Online Blackboard Support for Excellence in eLearning.

ITC is an organization that advances distance education through research and collaboration and by sharing best practices among its member institutions.

OTC’s Online Blackboard Support is the 2014 award recipient for Outstanding Technical Support or Service. Online Blackboard Support assists students and faculty with using Blackboard, an online learning platform used in seated, hybrid and online classes.

“This award is gratifying because we work hard to solve technical issues for students and faculty and assist faculty in utilizing Blackboard to optimize student learning,” said Philip Arnold, OTC’s director of eLearning systems. “Since the summer, our office has offered students an online Blackboard orientation. That allows first-time online students to get comfortable with the software before they being their classes.”

Mindy Gomez, OTC’s coordinator of online instructional design and web development, who is presenting at ITC’s 2014 eLearning Conference, will accept the award for OTC. ITC’s eLearning Conference is Feb. 15-18 in Orlando, Fla.

OTC Mathematics Instructor Marylynne Abbott was nominated for the eLearning Faculty Award as a distinguished educator. Abbott is OTC’s lead online mathematic instructor and teaches seated and online courses. Though she did not win the award, Abbott and the other four nominees will all be recognized as Distinguished Educators at ITCs eLearning Conference in Orlando.