Welcome Back from Distance Learning
Sent on behalf of Director of Distance Learning Brandi So
Dear Faculty Colleagues:
We're happy to have you and your students back with us for the spring semester. Over
the last few months, we've ramped up our course renewal services, workshops and certificate
offerings, and expanded our faculty- and student-centered resources in Brightspace.
This spring, we're delighted to share that, with help from our friends in Marketing
and Communications, we've outfitted a lecture recording space in our Greenley 211
offices. You can prepare for a visit by reviewing the lecture recording module in
our Faculty Resources Site in Brightspace, and you can book a recording session with us online at our Lecture Recording Bookings Page.
Beginning February 23, you will also notice a new course accessibility widget on your
course home page. This widget is only viewable by faculty, and it will give you a snapshot of ways you can improve the accessibility of your
course materials in advance of upcoming Title II guideline changes taking place in
April 2026. Our helpdesk will help support document remediation requests.
This month, our workshops focus on mastering Brightspace tools, streamlining grading
processes, and boosting student engagement. Whether you're looking to refine course
content, implement intelligent agents, or explore peer review techniques, you'll find
instructional designer Dr. Lisa Frazier is always ready to inspire and collaborate!
I hope you will take advantage of ongoing support, like our Wednesday 1 p.m. drop-in
sessions for quick Brightspace and course design support, or contact us at dl@farmingdale.edu and let us know how we can help.
Here are some of the ways we are supporting our faculty in their educational technology
needs:
- Course renewal services for online courses over four years old
- File remediation support for Title II and ADA compliance
- Dedicated online student support from Ms. Maria Stamile, online student concierge
- Distance Learning recording space: lights, camera, teleprompter, and online bookings
- Custom department course templates in Brightspace
- Stackable mini-workshop badges for DL certificates
Coming Soon:
- Ally accessibility widget on your Course Home Page (viewable by faculty only)
- YuJa video authoring tool campus-wide pilot
- New Helpdesk support resources on our website and in Brightspace
- SUNY OSCQR Reviewer certifications for FSC faculty from Instructional Designer Dr.
Nicole Garret
Please visit us online at the Distance Learning webpage, the Brightspace FAR101 course, or the Faculty Resources Site course to learn more about these activities, faculty support resources, and upcoming
workshops. Whether you're exploring new teaching strategies or refining existing practices,
the Distance Learning team is here to provide guidance and support every step of the
way. Call, visit, or email us anytime.
Wishing all our faculty a successful and inspiring month ahead.
Brandi So and the Distance Learning Team
