CoA Distance Education Team Tackles Fake Students Problem
As if teaching online during a pandemic wasn't difficult enough, 2021 brings California Community Colleges a new challenge: fraudulent enrollments and"fake" students. Authorities believe more than 60,000 fake applications for financial aid were submitted statewide, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, the Sacramento Bee, and the New York Times.
Here are a few of the helpful tips that the CoA Distance Education Team recommends to deter student fraud:
Early Check-In Assessments
Early check-in assessments are low stakes assignments or activities that students complete before census to signal their intent to complete the course. They are not only helpful in identifying fake students that don’t intend to participate, but have the added benefit of humanizing the online learning environment.
Early check-in assessments (graded or ungraded) come in a variety of forms, which include but are not limited to:
Zoom
Create time slots for students to sign up for a brief 10-minute check-in during the first week or two. This also allows students to meet classmates and seek clarification about the course.
Survey
Ask students to complete a “Getting To Know You" or "First Week" survey where you can identify specific student needs or goals.
Quiz
Create a low stakes syllabus, academic integrity, or Canvas scavenger hunt type quiz to help students get acquainted with the course.
Discussion
Create an icebreaker discussion to get students interacting and involved in the course.
COA Free Mental Health Counseling
Mental Health Counselors are available:
Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Friday, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Limited in-person appointments available on Tuesdays/Thursdays
To schedule an appointment, fill out a referral form.
Additional contact information: Lisa Sawadogo, LPCC, NCC
(510) 748-2320
Introducing College of Alameda Newly Hired Tenure Track Faculty
Joshua Rose is pleased to join the College of Alameda as a Librarian (Instruction and Reference). Prior to coming to CoA, he served as the Science Librarian at Saint Mary’s College of California, supporting the library research needs and information literacy skills of undergraduate science students. In addition to serving as a librarian, Josh has collaborated on research related to writing development in STEM disciplines and co-chaired a workplace culture task force focused on training related to equity, diversity, and inclusion and deconstructing white privilege. Josh holds a Master's Degree In Library Science from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Oregon. In his spare time, Josh enjoys cycling, reading, and being outdoors with his partner and their four-year-old Husky Enzo.
Didem Ekici has been teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) for 17 years both overseas and in the US. She is passionate about learning and experiencing other cultures. This passion became the scope of her doctoral dissertation as she worked on "Developing intercultural competence among ESOL teachers" through online English language teaching. She has taken different roles at College of Alameda and Peralta District, such as Guided Pathways and ESOL Guided Self Placement team member, District Distance Education Coordinator, and Peralta Online Equity Trainer. She is honored to contribute to the mission of CoA with her experiences and expertise in the field.
College of Alameda Hires New Head Men’s Basketball Coach.
“COA is excited to welcome Coach Ravi Bhambhra to Alameda,” said CoA Athletic Director Ramaundo Vaughn. “Throughout his coaching career, what has stood out is that Ravi has been associated with winning at a high level. Just as impressive as his winning record, is the fact that everyone who speaks of him, speaks to his character and integrity.”
Bhambhra joins CoA after stints at City College of San Francisco as Assistant Coach and Northern Oklahoma College Tonkawa. At CCSF, Coach Bhambhra was on staff when the Rams won the 2017-18 State Championship, finishing the season with an impressive record of 33-1. At NOC Tonkawa, the team had unprecedented success during his two years and finished with the program’s highest national ranking in school history. His impact as a fierce recruiter and tireless worker earned him a spot in the Top 50 Most Impactful JUCO Coaches by Silverwaves Media.
This article is taken from the President’s Report, written by Dr. Nathaniel Jones III, College of Alameda President, that was presented to the PCCD Board of Trustees during their regular meeting on Tuesday, September 28, 2021. A PDF version is available here.
