Magna 20-Minute Mentor is Making a Difference for a Few!

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Magna 20-Minute Mentor was introduced to LCCC at the end of September and since then 24 faculty and staff have signed up to view the professional resources. These 20-minute videos include downloadable notes, supplements, transcripts, and certificates of completion. The CET receives monthly reports of completed videos and can confirm credit towards your professional development.

The resources in our Magna subscription are available to all LCCC faculty, staff and students. This rich resource requires a one-time registration to establish your access to the group subscription. Once registered bookmark https://www.magnapubs.com/profile/ and look for the monthly newsletter in your inbox for a list of videos added each month. 

This is what LCCC faculty and staff are saying about Magna.

• “Magna 20-Minute Mentor is a fantastic professional development opportunity with 297 short videos you can watch without leaving home in this time of COVID. I get busy and forget about this great resource, so I put a reminder on my calendar to help me remember to watch one a few times each week. I like that it keeps track of what you have watched, and I also like how it breaks the videos down into subject categories that make it easy to find something you are interested in learning more about.” --Teresa Authier, Librarian
• “I am always energized by learning from others and these Magna 20-minute Mentor programs allow me to do just that – on my own time, in my own space. There is a myriad of topics that are presented in a concise manner designed to share information and spark ideas. These programs offer me an opportunity to take the initiative in my own professional development and motivate me to reflect on ways I can enhance the learning ecology in my courses.” --Crystal Stratton, Instructor, Communication
• “Magna’s program has been extremely helpful. Twenty-minute lessons are the perfect length to introduce a topic and create actionable ideas that I can adapt to my courses. It’s a much better way to spend twenty minutes than doomscrolling social media. --Brendon Larsen, Instructor/Clinical Coordinator, Physical Therapist Assistant 
• “The Magna 20 Minute Mentor is a great way to brainstorm for new ideas and or share some best teaching practices with other educators around the country. I have tapped into this resource for tips related to online teaching and making a connection with students remotely. They are quick, easy and insightful. If you are looking for fresh ideas or a new approach to educational practices give it a try.” --Ty Berry, Ag and Equine Pathway Coordinator 
• “The Magna 20-Minute Mentor videos are an excellent resource about various teaching strategies and methods that are provided by faculty experts. These presentations are very concise and focused on a range of helpful topics such as: What Are Three Proven Ways to Manage My Online Discussion Board and Actively Engage Students? and How can Online Instructors Make Themselves More Visible to Students?” --Tim Kochery, Instructional Designer 
• “The Magna 20-Minute Mentor videos have been invaluable in providing the tips and tools we need to effectively instruct our bright students at LCCC. Teaching experts from a multitude of institutions provide the needed information for instructors, especially with regard to the most current information on virtual teaching--an area that all instructors at LCCC and colleges worldwide have had to pivot to in 2020.” --Danielle Jensen-Ryan, Human and Public Services Pathway Coordinator 
• The Magna 20-Minute Mentor resource has already changed the way I teach my courses, including adding video assignments for my students to complete. --Gavin Martin, Instructor, Biology 

Here are reviews on specific videos the new faculty cohort watched and gave a 5-star rating.

• What Three Things Should I Do Each Week to Engage Online Students? "Easy but impactful idea for connecting with your students." -- Marie Yearling, Instructor, Microbiology.
  "The 20+ pages of handouts also make for an easy reference or review." --Brendon Larsen, Instructor/Clinical Coordinator, Physical Therapist Assistant 
• Are Group Exams a Viable Testing Option? "Group testing doesn’t always have the best reputation. In this video, the advantages are shared with 5 different approaches. I adapted #4 for online learning and the student collaboration was impressive!" --Marie Yearling, Instructor, Microbiology 
• What are 5 Easy-to-use Technologies That Have a Big Impact on Learning in the Online Classroom? "With so many options available, it was nice to see a concise list of great resources. Particularly helpful for enhancing recorded lectures and videos." --Chris Hair, Instructor, Geography/Geosciences 
• How Can I Make My Video Lectures Effective and Engaging? "Great reminder of the attention span of students, and the effectiveness of shorter, focused video lectures. I also appreciated the data regarding professional vs. more organic (less professional) videos. Students do not necessarily learn more or respond better to professional grade videos. Many of the tools in the "5 Easy-to-Use Technologies" video are great for breaking up recorded lectures and keeping students engaged." --Chris Hair, Instructor, Geography/Geosciences 
• How Can I Help Online Students Develop Autonomy and Take Responsibility for Their Learning? "She gives some great tips about Student Goals Contracts and Structured Work Plans as well as a good book I plan to read - The Online Teaching Survival Guide, Boettcher and Conrad. She was very engaging, and I will search for more sessions she teaches." --Carole Boughton, Business and Accounting Pathway Coordinator 
• How Can I Structure a Flipped Lesson? "So what, now what? So what you came to class, now what do you do with it? So what you read the chapter, now what do you do with it? The speaker suggests we design learning, so students know what to do. "Read the chapter" can mean many things to many people, providing instructions for completing an outline with the reading helps students know what to do with it." --Marie Yearling, Instructor, Microbiology 

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