Lake Superior College Earns National Ranking for Technology

“We are very proud of our staff’s efforts to provide service and technology to our college community,” explained Barry Dahl, LSC’s vice president of technology and the e-Campus.  “LSC continues to invest the time, expertise and resources needed to acquire the technology to provide an excellent learning environment.”

Schools were placed in three categories based on size of enrollment, with college officials providing information from the 2008-09 academic year. At the survey’s conclusion, the top 10 in each of the three categories were named.  The survey addressed multiple areas in digital technology, including online registration; distance learning; tutoring and advisory services; technology training for students and faculty, and Web 2.0 social and collaborative capabilities.

View the full list of winners at www.centerdigitaled.com or www.convergemag.com.

Marina Leight, vice president of the Center, said, “Community colleges, year after year, impress us as forward-thinking and quick to adapt. Our survey results show overwhelmingly that community colleges are fast embracing cyber technologies used by “First Digitals” fostering collaboration in learning by using tools students are familiar with. Those institutions chosen as this year’s top community colleges are exceptional examples of this investment in learning.”

The Center for Digital Education is a national research and advisory institute providing education and industry leaders with decision support, research and educational services to help them effectively incorporate new technologies in the 21st century.  The Center is a division of e.Republic, Inc. a national publishing, event and research company focused on information technology in the public sector.

For more information on the Center visit www.centerdigitaled.com.  For more information on the Digital Community Colleges Survey, please contact Janet Grenslitt at (916) 932-1363.

Hutson teaches popular online courses in digital drawing/painting and digital photography via LSC’s Connect e-Campus, as well as web-enhanced drawing courses.  She was recognized for her innovative use of technology online and in the classroom.

Because of her selection, Hutson was also advanced as LSC’s nominee for a prestigious national award.  She was recognized on Wednesday, April 15, 2009, at the 20th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning in Jacksonville, FL.

“Congratulations to Victoria,” said Barry Dahl, LSC’s vice president of technology and the Connect e-Campus.  “She has worked long and hard to utilize technology to advance learning.  Her students experience great teaching and are exposed to applications of emerging technologies in her art classes.”

The LSC award was established in 2006.

With more than 2,200 students enrolled and 166 course sections offered during the current semester, the Lake Superior College Connect e-Campus has a full-time equivalent enrollment of 897, making it larger in total enrollment than four of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities campuses and the largest two-year online learning program in that system.

Students will take courses in Cisco Networking, Microsoft client and server administration, Linux administration, security, database administration, and more – all in an online environment. Students will also be offered practical experience through capstone projects and internships.

Courses will be delivered with online lectures and exams.  Virtual server technology will enable students, regardless of their location, to work with advanced servers and networks. All that will be needed is a computer with a high-speed connection to the Internet and a desire to learn.

“New technology, available through LSC’s Connect e-Campus, will make it possible for anyone, regardless of their location and schedule, to access these courses and earn their degree,” explained Tom Tonkin, LSC’s dean of business and industry.

According to Thomas Gustafson, an LSC faculty member who has been developing courses for the new online program, “Virtual server technology is rapidly being adopted throughout business and industry.  Exposure to this emerging technology will greatly benefit students enrolled in the courses.”

The classes are being offered through LSC’s Lake Superior Connect e-Campus, www.lsc.edu/connect.  For more information, contact LSC student services at 218-733-7601 or enroll@lsc.edu.

Lake Superior Connect is Lake Superior College’s e-Campus.  With more than 2,200 students enrolled and 166 course sections offered during the current semester, the Connect e-Campus has a full-time equivalent enrollment of 897, making it larger in total enrollment than four of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities campuses and the largest two-year online learning program in that system.

“We are thrilled to be recognized for our efforts to provide service and technology to our college community,” explained Barry Dahl, LSC’s vice president of Technology and the e-Campus.  “The ranking is a testament to the dedication and skills of many members of our staff.”

Schools were placed in three categories based on size of enrollment, with college officials providing information from the 2007-08 school year.  At the survey’s conclusion, the top 10 in each of the three categories were named.  The survey examined areas of technology ranging from online admissions, student access to transcripts and grades, information security and infrastructure to weather and campus security alerts and online library capabilities.

View the full list of winners at www.centerdigitaled.com.

Marina Leight, vice president of the Center for Digital Education, said, “Our revised 2008 digital community college survey showcases the best utilization of digital technology. Community colleges continue to be the place to look for innovation.”

The Center for Digital Education is a national research and advisory institute providing education and industry leaders with decision support, research and educational services to help them effectively incorporate new technologies in the 21st century.  In addition to the Digital Community College Survey, the Center conducts Digital School Districts, Cities, Counties and States Surveys – all national studies that serve as benchmarks for excellence in IT applications and initiatives.

For more information on the Center visit www.centerdigitaled.com.  For more information on the Digital Community Colleges Survey, please contact Janet Grenslitt at (916) 932-1363.

According to Barry Dahl, LSC’s vice-president of technology and the E-Campus, the courses offer students a chance to get a head start on their college careers.  “Individuals who weren’t ready to make a commitment in August, but are ready now, can use this opportunity to take care of required courses and electives, rather than wait for the start of spring term.”

In addition, the courses are offered on an accelerated schedule.

“That means that course material will be covered in less than half the time,” Dahl explains.  “Completing six credits in the shorter time span will require the same daily work load as a 15-credit commitment during a standard semester.”

The late start courses include:

First session:  Mon.  Sept. 15 – Fri. Oct. 24

• ALTH 1410 – 65  Medical Terminology
• COMM 1105 – 65  Interpersonal Communication
• GEOG 1120 – 65  Physical Geography
• HLTH 1430 – 65  Personal Wellness
• PHIL 1130 – 65  Ethics
• PSYC 1135 – 65  Lifespan Developmental Psych

Second session:  Mon. Oct. 27 – Fri. Dec. 5.

• ALTH 1440 – 65  Medical Ethics & Law  (end Nov. 21)
• ENGL 1106 – 65  Composition
• GEOL  1110 – 65  Intro to Geology
• HIST 2110 – 65  Minnesota History
• HLTH 1210 – 65  Nutrition
• SOC 1100 – 65  Intro to Sociology

Students who have been admitted to LSC can register using the LSC Web Services portal. New students will find information on how to register at www.lsc.edu/recordsandregistration/.

For more information visit www.lsc.edu/connect. For help with enrollment issues, contact LSC’s Student Services Office at enroll@lsc.edu or 218-733-7601.

(Duluth, Minn.) — Desire2Learn Incorporated, a leading provider of eLearning solutions, recently announced the winners of its 2008 Desire2EXCEL Award program. Three awards, in the categories of Teaching and Learning, Program and Community Service, were handed out at the FUSION Desire2EXCEL conference in Memphis, Tennessee.

In the Program category, Barry Dahl, vice president of technology and the e-campus at Lake Superior College, received the award for his work with the Online Student Mentor program, a first of its kind in higher education. The program has successfully employed 120 online student employees over its five years of operation. A sense of community within the LSC Virtual Campus has been fostered by providing online students with a peer connection. The course-specific mentor has proven to be a greater resource for a student than a mentor/peer/advisor who is more of a generalist. The mentoring experience provides the mentor with a solid means of giving back to the college as well as providing employment opportunities for off-campus students.

“I’m excited and happy to receive this award for Lake Superior College,” Dahl explains. “But this award really belongs to the many online students and faculty who participated in the program and helped us develop an innovative approach to eLearning.”

Dahl and Lake Superior College previously won a 2007 Desire2EXCEL Award for Community Service in recognition of partnerships with Grandma’s Marathon and the American Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Marathon.

“We were overwhelmed with the creativity, innovation and caliber of the award submissions from this year’s nominees,” said John Baker, president and CEO, Desire2Learn. “The Desire2EXCEL Awards Committee conducted extensive reviews before selecting the winners from the pool of nominees who have made enormous contributions to their organizations, to the Desire2Learn User Community and to eLearning as a whole.”

The awards were handed out in Memphis, Tennessee, where 600 members of the global eLearning community convened at FUSION 2008, the Desire2Learn annual Users’ Conference focused on best practices and innovative breakthroughs in eLearning.

For more information about the conference and its award program, visit www.Desire2Learn.com/Fusion.

LSC is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. With more than 4,800 students enrolled this spring semester, LSC is northeastern Minnesota’s largest two-year college. LSC provides a wide range of programs and services, including liberal arts and science courses for transfer, technical programs intended to provide occupational skills, continuing education, and customized training for business and industry. LSC is also a leader in Internet-delivered courses and programs in Minnesota.

The course provides race training and nutritional information in addition to history, etiquette, and basic skills. Course work is presented online through the Lake Superior College Virtual Campus, making it easily accessible to students at a distance. Enrolled students are guaranteed entry into the marathon or half marathon. They may also arrange to compete in a comparable race to meet course requirements.

Native Duluthian Katie Koski will teach the online physical education course. Koski is an elite runner who hopes to qualify for this year’s Olympic trials in Boston. She was asked to teach the online course for Lake Superior College because of her experience competing in Grandma’s Marathon. She has run in the event eight times, finishing in the top ten on several occasions.

The option to take the class as a non-credit course is also available for those who would benefit from the course content, but don’t need college credit.

More than 17,000 runners and 50,000 race fans from around the world are expected to participate in the June 19-21, 2008 Grandma’s Marathon weekend. The registration deadline to sign up for the Grandma’s Marathon course is March 21, 2008. For more information, contact Christine Torma, (218) 733-2030, c.torma@lsc.edu, or visit www.lsc.edu/online/.

LSC is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. With more than 4,300 students enrolled this fall semester, LSC is Northeastern Minnesota’s largest two-year college. LSC provides a wide range of programs and services, including liberal arts and science courses for transfer, technical programs intended to provide occupational skills, continuing education, and customized training for business and industry. LSC is also the leader in Internet-delivered courses and programs in Minnesota.

Training and competing in the American Birkebeiner®, North America’s most prestigious cross-country ski race, is a big challenge. This year participants will have the opportunity to prepare by enrolling in an online class through Lake Superior College’s Virtual Campus.

LSC is offering “X-Country Ski Marathon,”? an online course intended to prepare participants to compete in the world-famous “Birkie.”? The class will provide race training and nutritional information in addition to history, race etiquette and basic Nordic skiing skills. The students will prepare for the event over 12 weeks, beginning December 5, 2007, then ski the Birkie (51 kilometers) or the associated Kortelopet (23 kilometers) on Saturday, February 23, to complete the course requirements. Students may substitute another race of similar length if they wish. The class is available in both for-credit and non-credit versions.

Each year nearly 8,000 skiers of all ages and abilities participate in the American Birkebeiner. The race was established in 1973 and has grown into a premier event, attracting the world’s elite skiers as well as thousands of recreational enthusiasts. Held on trails near Cable and Hayward, Wisconsin, the American Birkebeiner, more than any other event, is responsible for the growth and popularity of the sport of cross-country skiing as we know it today.

LSC will also sponsor an activity tent during the Feb. 23-24 race weekend.

“The American Birkebeiner is one of the most famous and long-running sporting events in the upper Midwest, attracting participants from all over the globe, as well as more than 15,000 spectators annually,”? Barry Dahl, LSC vice president for technology and the Virtual Campus explains. “They are also a great partner. The Birkie staff provides ongoing assistance with the development and promotion of our course, helping to make it an excellent educational experience.”?

LSC faculty member Joshua Tesch, a former Kortelopet champion, will teach the class. He encourages both beginners and veterans to sign up for the course.

The two-credit course, which is widely accepted for transfer, is available to any student wishing to earn college credit for skiing the race. Fees and tuition for the college credit version are $385.32, which includes race registration. The non-credit course is $150, including race fee. Enrolling in the LSC course provides each student with a guaranteed entry into either the Birkie or the Kortelopet.

Over the past two years, Lake Superior College has offered similar courses in cooperation with Grandma’s Marathon and the NorthShore Inline Marathon. The League for Innovation in the Community College recently recognized LSC’s online physical education courses, naming them an “Innovation of the Year”? for 2006. The unique classes also received a “Desire2Excel”? award from the National Desire2Learn Users Conference.

More information about the American Birkebeiner and related events is available online at www.birkie.com.

With more than 135 courses offered via the Internet and over 1,800 online students, Lake Superior College’s Virtual Campus is a leader in providing online for-credit college classes in Minnesota. For more information, contact Christine Torma, (218) 733-2030, virtual@lsc.edu or visit www.lsc.edu/online/.

The 16-credit certificate provides fundamental theoretical knowledge only. Students completing the certificate would still require on-the-job clinical training upon hire at a dialysis facility.

The 21-credit version includes a structured clinical internship experience at a dialysis facility, in addition to theory courses. It is anticipated that students completing the longer version of the program will require minimal additional training upon hire at a dialysis facility.

Hemodialysis, a treatment which requires the use of a dialysis machine, is routinely provided for people diagnosed with renal failure. It is critical life support for thousands of Americans. Currently, more than 300,000 people in the United States receive dialysis on an ongoing basis. In the five-state Upper Midwest region there are nearly 21,000 hemodialysis patients.

The college is accepting students for the 2007-08 academic year. All theory courses and the complete 16-credit program will be offered online.

“This new program addresses a critical need for dialysis technicians,” said Candace Barnack, Lake Superior College’s vice president of academic affairs. “Our research indicates that there are job openings across the state and nation.”

According to Pam Elstad, LSC’s dean of nursing and allied health, the theory courses can be completed in a single semester. “With a minimal investment in training, graduates of the program will be ready to enter jobs in a growing field,” Elstad reports.

According to school officials, there are nearly 5,000 dialysis clinics in the U.S., with 405 operating in the five-state upper-midwest region. Nearly all of these facilities hire hemodialysis technicians to provide direct care under the supervision of a registered nurse.

“Trained technicians are highly sought after, as there are only a few education programs in the nation and none in Minnesota. As a result, most employers are forced to provide on-the-job training for new technicians,” Elstad explains. “Our graduates will have the skills dialysis facilities need, making them very employable and reducing the need for expensive employer-provided training programs.”

LSC has elected to offer the program via the Internet, making the theory classes available throughout the state and nation. “While there are many jobs available across the country, they are widely dispersed geographically,” says Barnack. “That’s probably one reason training for this field isn’t widely available. By offering the courses online, we can serve a state-wide and regional training need.”

Components of the programs will be available fall term with the remainder of courses coming online January 2008. Potential students are encouraged to apply soon. Enrollment information is available by contacting LSC Student Services, (218) 733-7601, enroll@lsc.edu.

Lake Superior College is a leading provider of online college courses with more than 140 courses available via the Internet each semester. The college is also a center for nursing and allied health programs, offering the region’s widest selection of health care career training programs, including dental hygiene, massage therapist, medical assistant, medical lab technician, phlebotomy, physical therapist assistant, radiologic technology, respiratory care practitioner, surgical technician, and associate degree (RN) and licensed practical nursing.

The option to take class as a non-credit course is also available. The course provides race training and nutritional information in addition to history, etiquette and basic skills.

Native Duluthian Katie Koski will teach the online physical education course. Koski is a champion runner who hopes to qualify for the Beijing Olympics team trials. She was asked to teach the online course for Lake Superior College because of her experience competing in Grandma’s Marathon. “I have run Grandma’s eight times finishing 6th, 7th and 10th respectively with a 2:42 best,”? said Koski. “I feel very connected to the Duluth running community and Grandma’s Marathon.”?

Koski was named to the 2006 World Cup 100k Team based on her performance at the Edmund Fitzgerald Race in 2005. Although she is only thirty-three years old, this is her twentieth year of competitive running.

“The beauty of running for me is its simplicity,”? explained Koski. “One only needs a decent pair of shoes, a path and a vision even if the vision is simply to get from here to there. She continued, “I like to compete and do well in races, but more importantly I find beauty in the movement itself and the people running has brought into my life. Running is a great teacher, and I have learned much about myself by lacing up shoes each day and heading down some path.”?

Koski’s goal is to achieve the Olympic Trails Standard at Grandma’s this June. This will enable her to compete in the Women’s Olympic Trials in Boston April of 2008. If she runs the standard, sub 2:47, she will begin to prepare for her third U.S. Women’s Olympic Trials.

More than 17,000 runners and 50,000 race fans from around the world are expected to participate in June 15-17, 2007 Grandma’s Marathon weekend. The registration deadline to sign up for the Grandma’s Marathon course is March 20, 2007. For more information visit www.lakesuperioronline.info or contact Christine Torma, (218) 733-2030, c.torma@lsc.edu

LSC is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. With more than 3,800 students enrolled this fall semester, LSC is Northeastern Minnesota’s largest two-year college. LSC provides a wide range of programs and services, including liberal arts and science courses for transfer, technical programs intended to provide occupational skills, continuing education, and customized training for business and industry. LSC is also the leader in Internet-delivered courses and programs in Minnesota