The Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) is living up to its name through excellent programs and services that drive student success by training faculty and staff towards the future of technology and supporting students in their academic technology needs.
With a broad scope of responsibility, the CAE oversees professional development for faculty and staff, online course development, and student academic technology support. The center also manages key academic technology platforms like Blackboard Ultra, Navigate360 and Blue course evaluations.
Individualized support is a cornerstone in assisting QCC students to succeed. Academic Tech Coaches and the recently instituted Peer Tech Coaches are available to help students navigate their online courses, access course materials and software, and utilize tools such as Zoom, The Q, and Microsoft 365 apps.
For students who need foundational support, the CAE offers the Northstar Digital Literacy program, which covers basics such as logging into a computer and using the keyboard, as well as more advanced topics like using technology for a career search and accessing telehealth appointments. To further assist students requiring basic computer and online skills, the CAE launched a two-day workshop over the summer designed to help participants feel more confident with both general technology and systems specific to QCC.
Beyond building skill sets, the CAE recognizes the importance of human connection in online learning environments. At the start of the Fall semester, they will host the first Online Academic Meet and Greet, where students in online and/or remote-blended classes will meet with their professors on Zoom to build relationships and learn about available support services.
"We have a lot of students who, not knowing where else to turn, could get frustrated, not do well in their course or simply disappear," said Executive Director of Distance/Online Learning and CAE Brooks Winchell, who added that through their efforts, the achievement gap between online and in-person students has been steadily closing.
According to Professor of English and Academic Technology Facilitator Amy Beaudry, one of the CAE's strengths is its collaborative and innovative approach. Programs like Northstar Digital Literacy and the Peer Tech Coaches grew from the CAE's formation of the Tech START Committee, in which members from across the college work together to assess students' technology needs and implement creative solutions.
For QCC faculty and staff, the CAE provides comprehensive support through academic professional development, Blackboard training, ongoing pedagogical workshops and more. Be sure to check out the CAE SharePoint site for a wealth of information on the services and programs, complete with calendars and links to essential resources.
Department Info
Location: The Ahlfors Building
Number of Employees: 12 full-time employees and several evening/weekend administrators
Basic Functions and Services Offered: The Center for Academic Excellence assists with online course development, provides professional development for faculty and staff, and offers academic technology support for students. The CAE also manages learning platforms such as Blackboard and EAB Navigate.
What is the mission of the department? To enhance the overall learning experience and increase student success by providing faculty and staff with professional development on distance learning, technology, pedagogy and digital literacy. We support our educators by providing a safe learning environment where they can step out of their comfort zone to:
- Learn best practices
- Try new technologies
- Connect with their peers
- Build a teaching and learning community
What is the best way for students, staff and faculty to get in touch with the department? Email CAE@qcc.mass.edu. Students can contact the Academic Tech Coaches by texting or calling 508.854.7455 or emailing AcademicTechCoaches@qcc.mass.edu.