Author Archive for R. Oliphant – Page 31

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE PLANS TO EXPERIMENT WITH VIRTUAL REALITY CLASSROOM TEACHING

By R. Oliphant
Friday, February 3rd, 2023

Receives 25 Meta Quest 2 headsets free plus initial training and classrooms as part of start-up Victory XR Corporation’s effort to obtain clients for its “Metaversity”

In a February 1, 2023 news release, Yavapai Community College said that it received 25 Meta Quest 2 headsets to be used by students and instructors. The Community College will also have ten branded classrooms at VictoryXR’s Virtual Academy and faculty and staff will receive training from VictoryXR. You may read the entire press release by clicking here. 

Although not mentioned in the press release, the free headsets are mostly likely a part of the marketing strategy of VictoryXR to obtain customers as it continues to experiment and develop its platform for delivering educational training via the use of the Quest headsets. 

College President Dr. Lisa Rhine appears to be a very strong advocate of virtual reality teaching and learning.  She is quoted in the February 1 Community College press release as follows:  “Yavapai College is poised to bring the future of education to our students and communities. Virtual and augmented reality is going to change almost every industry, including education, and YC plans to be on the cutting edge of that change.”

She added:  “I participated in classes at the VictoryXR Virtual Academy, and it is an incredible way to teach and learn. We must change the mindset that technology will eliminate the need for people to work or learn. It is not, but it will change how people work and learn.”

A January story from  Northern Illinois University provides some insight into how it is being used.  NIU is one of 10 pilot institutions as of January 2023 working with VictoryXR. Jason Rhode, Associate Vice Provost for Teaching, Learning, and Digital Education, explained that when using the headset he found “[i]t’s not the full campus — there’s still lots of open cyberspace. But, it includes a virtual version of Altgeld Hall, among a few other campus buildings. You can even go inside of the student center. The technology isn’t perfect. It’s not photorealistic — it looks more like high-end Nintendo Wii graphics. And, as I learned myself, a shaky WiFi connection or network error can boot you from a session.” NIU intends to continue developing classes using the technology. (Click here for full NIU story.)

Yavapai anticipates having its first virtual reality classes in the fall 2023.

Note a recent posting on the internet claimed the following:   VictoryXR was founded in 2016 by Steve Grubbs. The company began in Davenport, Iowa and has since opened a second office in Austin, Texas. The company began with three employees, and has since grown to over 25.

If you are interested in learning a little bit more about virtual reality education, you can click on some of the sites below for more information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4bDOgjLIks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qtTbCOrlaE

https://www.victoryxr.com/healthcare-health-sciences/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTdOU0vcEyk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF6BhJDeWtg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocqg5TDOm-c

HOME SCHOOL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLjU7Z54iGo

Categories : METAVERSITY

HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION REACCREDITS YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR TEN YEARS

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, January 29th, 2023

The Community College complies with HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation and other HLC requirements necessary for its operation and delivery of educational programs

Yavapai Community College was notified in January 2023 that it has been reaccredited by the Higher Learning Commission following HCL’s examination in September 2022.  The reaccreditation runs for ten years.

Accreditation is a process used in higher education that is intended to assure students that the classes and services they receive are high quality. It is necessary before  Community College students can apply for federal grants and financial aid.  It also aids in certifying that the Community College meets academic quality standards, and ensures that it has qualified and credentialed faculty at all teaching levels.

Yavapai Community College’s reaccreditation encompasses all six College locations, including Prescott and Verde Valley Campuses, Chino Valley, Prescott Valley, Sedona, and the Career and Technical Education Center. It also includes all delivery methods, including in-person, online, hybrid, and any other distance learning, as well as early college programs in Yavapai County high schools.

Categories : accreditation

GOVERNING BOARD SCHEDULED TO HOLD ALL DAY WORKSHOP TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2023 WITH BOARD ELECTIONS AND POLICY DISCUSSIONS

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, January 29th, 2023

Workshop to be held at the Career and Technical Education Center at Prescott airport to begin at 9 a.m. and run to 4 p.m.

The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board is scheduled to hold an all-day workshop on Tuesday, January 2023.  The Board’s meeting schedule calendar shows the workshop is to be held at the Career and Technical Education Center at the Prescott airport. It  will begin at 9 a.m. and run to 4 p.m.  This will be the first meeting of the District Board since November 2022.

The agenda for the workshop is posted on the Governing Board website, which you may reach by clicking here.

One of the first items of business will be nominations and election of Board officers. There is no Open Call to the public noted on the Agenda for this meeting.

Under Arizona law, the public has a right to attend, listen, tape record, or videotape these meetings. The public may not disrupt, but may speak during the call to the public at the beginning of this meeting if the call is on the agenda. See Ariz. Att’y Gen. Op. No. I78-001.

Categories : Meeting Notice

YAVAPAI COLLEGE HIRES NEW ASSOCIATE DEAN OF SCIENCE, MATH AND ADULT BASIC EDUCATION

By R. Oliphant
Friday, January 27th, 2023

Dr. William Perry Baker joined the Community College in January with a long and distinguished career

Dr. William Perry Baker joined Yavapai Community College in January as its new Associate Dean of Science, Math and Adult Education.  He has a long and distinguished career. His position is classified as “Associate Dean, Division 2.”

Dr. William Perry Baker (Yavapai Community College photo)

He graduated from the Des Moines, Washington Highline Community College in 1980 after two years of study. He then went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from the University of Washington. He earned a master’s degree in education at Grand Canyon University and a doctorate in zoology at Arizona State University. He has worked a several institutions before coming to Yavapai Community College including  Arizona Christian University, Midwestern University and Maricopa Community College District’s Office of Public Schools Program.

He is the author or co-author of 31 articles in a variety of journals including: The American Biology Teacher, The Science Teacher, Science Activities, Science Scope, The Journal of College Science Teaching, Journal of Research in Science Teaching and Professional Development in Education. He has supervised 12 postgraduate and 21 undergraduate research projects for medical and science students including projects of seven students who received grant funding. He has given numerous regional and national presentations, as well as two invited international lectures.

Dr. Baker has served on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Alliance for Science, Mathematics & Technology Education and as board member and president of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science. He was editor of the, Journal of the Arizona Nevada Academy of Science, from 2006-2008.

According to the Community College staff directory, Dr. Baker has been assigned to the Prescott Campus. It is believed that he will reside in Prescott.

Categories : ADMINISTRATION

OLLI AT YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESENTS FREE TO PUBLIC “WINEMAKING AT THE SOUTHWEST WINE CENTER” PROGRAM

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, January 22nd, 2023

Verde Campus, Room M-137, Tuesday, January 24, from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. | Learn about the scientific process of how grapes are turned into wine, and how the winemaking culture is forming in Arizona

Michael Pierce, director of Viticulture and Enology at the Southwest Wine Center, will discuss “The Fruits of Our Labor” at Yavapai Community College Verde Valley Campus, 601 Black Hills Drive, Room M-137, Tuesday, January 24, from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. The program is free and open to the public.

Learn about the scientific process of how grapes are turned into wine, and how the winemaking culture is forming in Arizona with the help of the Viticulture and Enology program at Yavapai Community College and the Southwest Wine Center. Pierce will cover a brief overview of the science of winemaking with a focus on what makes the Verde Valley special. Attendees will be provided with information on the program and the graduates who are leading the Arizona wine industry.

Is the Verde Valley beginning to look like the NAPA Valley as more and more grape vines and wine tasting rooms are opened throughout the area?

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) is sponsoring the program. OLLI is a program of the Division of Lifelong Learning at Yavapai Community College. For information call 928-649-4275 or email [email protected] or visit the website at YC.edu/ollisedonaverde.

Categories : Event

KUDOS TO VP DIANE RYAN FOR HER TREMENDOUS SUCCESS WITH DEVELOPING THE USE OF OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES COURSE MATERIALS, WHICH ARE NOW SAVING STUDENTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN BOOK COSTS

By R. Oliphant
Saturday, January 21st, 2023

Put in charge of OER development in 2019, Ryan’s accomplishment stands out as new four-year Bachelor of Science program announced it will use all free open source textbooks in all four years

In November 2019, Yavapai Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine tasked Dr. Diane Ryan with leading the initiative to lower the cost of student textbooks. At an Osher Brown Bag Buzz program on the Verde Campus, Dr. Ryan announced the plan to utilize open educational resources (OER) for course materials in an effort to reduce costs. The program, if successful, could save students up to $1,600 annually on textbook expenses.

Dr. Diane Ryan

The initiative was a part of President Dr. Lisa Rhine’s effort to make post-secondary education available to everyone in the County at the lowest possible cost. It was estimated in 2019 that the OER program would take from three to four years before it was fully implemented.

After taking charge, Dr. Ryan quickly moved forward with developing the OER plan. At the February 2020 meeting of the Community College Governing Board, she informed the Board that faculty had already begun training in the use of OER and expected some classes to use these materials in fall 2020.

Dr. Ryan’s cost reduction plan made a noticeable impact on the cost of student textbooks in just one year. On September 14, 2021, College President Dr. Lisa Rhine reported to the District Governing Board that the project has already saved students over $300,000.

As Dr. Ryan progressed with training faculty and implementing the cost reduction plan, the project received additional funding. In August 2022, the College announced that it was awarded a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education Fund. The funds were to be used in partnership with seven other community colleges to further develop OER materials.

Dr. Ryan’s success with developing OER was demonstrated on January 11, 2023, when she announced that the Community College had created and approved a four-year online Bachelor of Science (B.S.) program. The B.S. program was also developed under Dr. Ryan’s guidance.

The Bachelor of Science program offers many benefits, one of which is the cost of textbooks for the entire four-year program. Dr. Ryan announced that all books for all four years will be free. This is made possible by the use of Open Resources materials that have been integrated into the curriculum, thanks to her efforts.

Kudos to Dr. Ryan for her outstanding work on OER! 

Categories : ADMINISTRATION

A COUPLE OF ELECTRICAL VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS TO BE INSTALLED ON PRESCOTT AND VERDE VALLEY CAMPUSES

By R. Oliphant
Friday, January 20th, 2023

Near buildings 2, 19 on the Prescott Campus;  near building I on the Verde Valley Campus; will accommodate only a couple of cars at a time

Yavapai Community College is putting its toe into the Electrical Vehicle waters by establishing its first  charging stations for electrical vehicles on the Prescott and Verde Valley campuses.  The Verde Campus station will accommodate two EVs at a time.

It is not clear how much will be collected by the College, if anything,  for charging. It is also not clear  whether the charging stations are Level 1,  Level 2 or above. However,  it is suspected that they are Level 1 (slow) charge stations.

Level 1 charging stations provide a low-power (12-20 Amp), which is generally used for long-term charging. It is sometimes referred to as slow or ‘trickle’ charging.  Level 1 long-term charging is found at some airports and hotels. It is also found at some universities and casinos.

 Level 2 charging stations use  a 240 volt outlet (like a clothes dryer or oven) and deliver more power to a car to charge it faster.

Level 3 chargers are still quite rare in the United States. It is claimed that a level 3 charger can  fill a battery at a rate of 75 – 1,200 miles per hour. It would top off an empty battery in 30 minutes.

There are a number of small Tesla destination charging stations in the Verde Valley, with the largest number in the Sedona area.

 

Categories : Prescott Campus, Verde Campus

TEN MILLION DOLLAR VERDE VALLEY BREWERY PROJECT REMAINS ON “HOLD” FOR REASONS YET TO BE DIVULGED BY THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESCOTT-BASED EXECUTIVES

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, January 19th, 2023

“Postponement” announcement found in Yavapai Community College Facilities Management Newsletters of October and December 2022 | Length of postponement unclear | District Governing Board and public await an explanation

The exact status of the proposed and approved $8 to $10 million Verde Valley beer brewery project remains unclear.  Although the Prescott-based executives who decide major Community College issues for the Verde Valley  have made no formal announcement, the postponement notice appears in the October and December Community College Facilities Newsletter.  (See below)

The project was approved in May 2022 by the District Governing Board by a 4-1 vote.

The nature of the postponement remains a mystery.  Neither the public nor the District Governing Board have so far been informed of the postponement and the reasons for it.  The President of the College, Dr. Lisa Rhine, had an opportunity to explain the postponement at the October and November 2022 District Governing Board meetings but said nothing.

 The District Governing Board is not expected to hold a business meeting until February where an explanation regarding the postponement might be forthcoming. 

Categories : Career and Technical Education

VERDE VALLEY YOUNG ARTISTS SHOWCASE EXHIBIT JANUARY 19 TO FEBRUARY 16

By R. Oliphant
Sunday, January 15th, 2023

To be held at Patty McMullen-Mikles Art Gallery on Verde Campus in Clarkdale; will showcase Verde Valley High School students art work

Yavapai Community College has announced the Verde Valley Young Artists Showcase that will be held on the Verde Campus at the Patty McMullen-Mikles Art Galley from January 19 to February 16.  This will be a showcase of Verde Valley High School Students art work.

The exhibition features drawings, paintings, photographs, mixed media collages, ceramics, and more.

The Opening Reception is scheduled for January 19 from 5:00 to 7:00 at the Patty McMullen-Mikles Art Gallery on the Verde Valley Campus.  The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Gallery hours are:  Tues/Wed/Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Categories : Art programs

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAS OUTSTANDING FEBRUARY LINE-UP OF MAJOR CULTURAL AND ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS FOR WEST COUNTY RESIDENTS AT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER ON THE PRESCOTT CAMPUS

By R. Oliphant
Thursday, January 12th, 2023

The 70,000 or so Sedona and the Verde Valley residents have so far been left out of similar major cultural programming events for the months of January and February 2023

In February, Yavapai Community College continues its slate of outstanding cultural and entertainment events, most of which will be attended by west side residents and all of which are scheduled for the Performing Arts Center on the Prescott Campus.

On Friday, February 3 at 7 p.m. the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players will perform “H.M.S. Pinafore” at the Yavapai Community College Performing Arts Center.  The College describes the Players as “those comic opera magicians, who brought us The Mikado and The Pirates of Penzance, are back with Gilbert & Sullivan’s delightful tale of true love, class warfare, hidden identities, and a web of secrets that threaten the politest ship in Her Majesty’s Fleet.”   Tickets: $59 | $47 | $32 | Youth $10.

The Arizona Philharmonic manos percussion quartet will perform at the Yavapai Community College Performing Arts Center on February  5, 2023  at  3:00 p.m.  The College describes the trio as follows:  “The percussion trio, manos received a resounding standing ovation in 2020. Expanding to a quartet, AZ Phil’s principal percussionist Eddie Solomon now joins our timpanist Maria Flurry and Tucson Symphony Orchestra percussionists Homero Cerón and Fred Morgan. In this concert they combine their percussion instruments of wood, metal, skin, and water to snare you into a thoughtfully curated, virtuosic program of familiar favorites and exotic musical selections. From delicate to bold to unabashedly fun, manos delights the ears and fills the soul with percussion’s wealth of musical possibilities.”  Ticket range from $10 to $49.

As a part of its satellite program attended by mostly west Yavapai County residents, the College will show the National Theatre Live: Henry V, at the  Performing Arts Center on February 15, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. Tickets range from $10 to $15.

The presentation is described by the College as “Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) plays the title role in Shakespeare’s thrilling study of nationalism, war and the psychology of power. Captured live from the Donmar Warehouse in London. Fresh to the throne, King Henry V launches England into a bloody war with France. When his campaign encounters resistance, this inexperienced new ruler must prove he is fit to guide a country into war. Directed by Max Webster (Life of Pi), this exciting modern production explores what it means to be English and our relationship to Europe, asking: do we ever get the leaders we deserve?”

Rita Rudner will perform at the Performing Arts Center Sunday, February 19 at  7 p.m.   Tickets: $59 | $47 | $32.  The College describe her program as follows: “Laugh, and think – but mostly laugh! Find out why Rita’s epigrammatic one-liners and sly observations about life, gender, and relationships have made her a late-night talk show favorite and one of Las Vegas’s hottest tickets.”

Bill Saxton & the Harlem All-Stars will perform at the Yavapai Community College Performing Arts Center  on  February  24, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. The College described the event as follows:  “Hear straight-ahead jazz saxophone the way it was meant to be when this renowned jazz sideman – alumnus of Harlem’s Nick’s Jazz club and six-album veteran – lights up the stage with his quartet.  As part of our intimate Cabaret Series, your $55 general admission ticket includes seating at a table onstage, appetizers, desserts, coffee/tea and a cash bar.”

The Prescott Pops Symphony  will present “Irving Berlin: From Rags to Ritzes,” at the Yavapai Community College Performing Arts Center on February  26, 2023 at  3:00 p.m. Tickets range from $5 to $45.  The College describes the event as follows: “Composer and lyricist Irving Berlin is one of the greatest American songwriters. Born in Russia in 1888, his family fled the persecution of their Jewish community, emigrating to New York City in the mid 1890s. The Prescott Pops Symphony and special guests present the marvelous music of this brilliant composer. “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “Cheek to Cheek,” “Always,” “Puttin’ On The Ritz,” and many more of his classics will charm and enchant you.  An afternoon of unforgettable music – we promise you’ll leave with a happy heart!”

Categories : Performing Arts Center
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