Super Staff Tuesdays
Super Staff Tuesdays provide dedicated staff with ongoing professional development opportunities tailored to personal, leadership, and technical skills. Whether mastering new technologies, improving communication strategies, or exploring innovative approaches to problem-solving, Super Staff Tuesdays offer a supportive space for growth and learning.
2/11 Harnessing the Power of Chat GPT – Generative Functionality
Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Instructor: Paul Miller
Description:
In this hands-on workshop, participants will dive into the world of Chat GPT, exploring its generative functionality and how it can be utilized to enhance productivity, creativity, and learning. Whether you’re a novice or familiar with AI, this session will provide practical insights into leveraging Chat GPT for various applications, including content creation, brainstorming, and problem-solving. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how this tool can be integrated into your workflow to streamline processes and inspire innovation.
Outcomes:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand the Core Concepts: Explain the fundamental principles of generative AI, with a focus on how Chat GPT generates content and interacts with users.
- Apply Chat GPT in Practical Scenarios: Demonstrate how to use Chat GPT for real-world applications, such as drafting documents, creating content, and facilitating brainstorming sessions.
- Implement Ethical AI Practices: Identify and apply best practices for using Chat GPT responsibly, ensuring ethical considerations are maintained in AI-driven interactions.
2/11 Career Coaching at MC
Time: 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM
Instructor: Richard Forrest
Description:
In this information session, learn how to leverage Career Coaching services at MC through engaging in a learning and development pathway.
Outcomes:
- Understand the difference between personal and professional goal-setting
- Gain clarity on the benefit of pursuing a Learning and Development pathway and how career coaching supports this goal.
2/11 Creating Accessible Fillable Forms and PDFs: Best Practices
Time: 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
Instructor: Gloria Barron
Description:
This session focuses on creating fillable forms and PDFs accessible to all users, including those relying on assistive technologies. Participants will learn about the technical aspects of form creation and PDF accessibility, with a strong emphasis on hands-on application. You’ll have the opportunity to assess real-world examples, apply best practices, and receive feedback on your work to ensure your documents meet the highest accessibility standards. Join us to enhance your skills in creating accessible forms and PDFs, ensuring they are usable by everyone in your organization.
Outcomes:
- Identify key accessibility features necessary for creating fillable forms and PDFs that are usable by all individuals, including those with disabilities.
- Apply best practices and tools to create or update fillable forms and PDFs, ensuring compliance with accessibility standards.
- Collaborate with peers to review and provide feedback on the accessibility of forms and PDFs, refining techniques for future document creation.
2/11 MCRPA Presents: Chats with Dr. Shinta Hernandez
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Instructors: Kimberly Bloch-Rincan
Description:
MCRPA invites a senior College leader each semester to speak about their professional journey. These leaders also share advice on how to navigate career progression and other priceless nuggets to encourage, empower, and support our members. Members have the unique opportunity to meet and interact with leaders outside of their normal role in the College.
Shinta Hernandez, Ph.D. is the Dean of MC Online and Academic Support at Montgomery College (MC), providing leadership in online education, open education, and the Digital Learning Center. From the time she started at MC in January 2007, she has helped to advance work in open education and open pedagogy, social justice and equity, inclusive curriculum, faculty professional development, international collaborations, online education, and the social science disciplines.
Outcomes:
- Participants will hear directly from a College leader about their professional journey and achievements.
- Participants may gain insights to support their future career planning and aspirations.
2/11 Library’s information Literacy Tutorials: Engaging, Empowering, and Interactive!
Time: 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
Instructors: Julie Loy and Niyati Pandya
Description:
With our new information literacy tutorials, the MC library is responding to students and faculty who want device-friendly, point-of-need access to our tutorials. Faculty will also have a simpler, seamless integration into Blackboard or Ultra. During this workshop, we will guide you through selecting the content that fits your needs and integrating the tutorials with gradebook-enabled quiz questions. We will also go over how to troubleshoot commonly asked questions.
Outcomes:
• Learn about the concepts covered in the library’s new tutorials
• Access and embed the library’s information literacy tutorials into Blackboard and Ultra
• Utilize the Completion Certificate option for the HTML version of the tutorials to track and confirm student completion.
2/11 Working with You is Challenging
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:15 PM
Instructor: Cynthia Mauris
Description:
It is not unusual that in a work environment there are some individuals with whom you don’t want to work because you don’t get along with each other. The reasons can vary: they don’t respond, they don’t meet deadlines, they are unprepared, they micromanage, or they challenge every decision you make. Learn how to unhook your emotions from this person and set boundaries. Take control of your own response.
Outcomes:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify the warning signs that you may be hooked.
- Use a four-prong unhooking technique
- Establish one or more boundaries to help you work more effectively
2/11 Three Steps to Elevate Your Presentation Skills
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Instructor: Angela Lanier
Description:
This interactive workshop will help participants build confidence to prepare an engaging presentation. We will explore honing your purpose, using relevant narratives to connect the audience with the topic, and selecting strategies that promote audience participation.
Outcomes:
By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
- Plan a presentation with a clear goal for a specific audience
- Explain the benefits of storytelling in a presentation
- Identify at least two interactive techniques to engage the audience
2/11 Microsoft Excel Essentials
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Instructor: Megan Calvert
Description:
This hands-on, small-group workshop will provide a solid foundation in the basic use of Microsoft Excel. Whether you want an overview of the basics or are hoping to fill in gaps in your knowledge, you will leave better prepared for more effective use of this essential software. Even more experienced users can benefit from exploring newer features and learning valuable tips and tricks for better efficiency.
The workshop will be conducted via Zoom. To fully participate, it is best to join from a device with two screens or from two side-by-side devices so that you can follow the instructor’s demonstrations. See the Microsoft Essentials website https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/offices/elite/microsoft-office-essentials.html
for more details on technology requirements.
Outcomes:
Outcomes will be adjusted based on a participant survey.
By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
- Navigate and customize the latest Excel interfaces of both the web and desktop
- Perform basic workplace tasks, including creating, saving, editing, formatting, printing, and collaborating on workbooks and spreadsheets
- Manage data in spreadsheets using basic formulas, freezing, sorting, filtering and formatting data into tables
2/11 Resilience and Thriving: The Secret Power of Stress
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Instructor: Megan Cooperman
Description:
This workshop applies evidence-based research to explore, reflect and encourage participants to apply proven approaches to reducing stress.
Outcomes:
- Learn easy-to-use and practical skills for identifying and reducing stress at home and work.
- Increase your ability to effectively evaluate and address stress in your life.
- Understand how to use stress as a positive resource for resilience and thriving.
- Increase recognition of internal resources (healthy habits) to keep stress from building up.
2/11 Creative Design with Adobe Express
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Instructor: Gloria Barron
Description:
During this one-hour session, you’ll navigate the Adobe Express dashboard, explore its key features, and work with templates to create professional-looking designs. You’ll also learn how to customize your projects with text and images and discover practical tips for sharing and collaborating. By the end of the session, you’ll have the skills to design engaging content for teaching, marketing, or personal projects.
No prior design experience is necessary—just bring your creativity!
Outcomes:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Create visually appealing designs using templates, text, images, and colors.
- Use AI to create unique images from textual descriptions.
- Save, export, and share designs for various purposes, including teaching, marketing, and personal projects.
- Demonstrate practical applications of Adobe Express aligned with institutional branding.
2/11 Excel Open Lab: Conditional Formatting
Time: 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM
Instructor: Anna Donohoe
Description:
This open lab session will introduce a set of specific features and tasks (listed below) in the first half of our time together. The second half is structured as open office hours for participants to practice using the skills introduced and/or ask questions about anything related to Microsoft Excel.
Outcomes:
By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
- Identify different use cases for conditional formatting
- Use conditional formatting rules to highlight specific text and numeric data
- Answer FAQs about conditional formatting applications
2/11 Leadership Dynamics: Exploring the Art of Managing Managers
Time: 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM
Instructors: Richard Forrest
Description:
Participants will engage in discussions and peer-to-peer learning to explore the complexities of managing other managers. This session will provide an opportunity for attendees to share insights, challenges, and best practices. Through guided discussions, case study analyses, and collaborative problem-solving exercises, participants will learn from one another and increase the skills needed to support and lead their management teams effectively.
Outcomes:
Attendees will:
1. Gain valuable insights by sharing experiences and strategies with peers, leading to a deeper understanding of effective management techniques.
2. Work together to analyze real-world scenarios, developing solutions that they can apply in their own management contexts.
3. Foster connections among participants, creating a network of peers who can continue to support and learn from each other beyond the training.
2/11 Blackboard Learn Ultra – 10 Key Tips & Tricks
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Instructors: Anna Donohoe and Paul Miller
Description:
Join the MC Learn Ultra Transition team for a tour of 10 key things everyone needs to know about Blackboard Learn Ultra. From accessibility and setting up overall grades to copying content and scheduling announcements, we will walk you through the highlights of this upgraded system. We will also have time for Q&A at the end of the session.
Outcomes:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify at least three features of Ultra to emulate in their courses
- Access and navigate Ultra resources at MC
- Answer FAQs about our transition