Tansey Topics: A Weekly Look At What's Happening At BCCC | Eastern North Carolina Now

Twitter boosts engagement for English students

 Students in English Instructor Jamie Johnson's Writing and Inquiry class have an additional component in their participation grade this semester. The class meets in person three times a week, but Johnson and her students are also utilizing Twitter as a way to communicate ideas and discuss topics from class.

 Johnson says she borrowed the idea from a class she took in graduate school. By creating a hashtag for the class, everything the students post for the class can be accessed on one webpage. It can also be accessed via smartphones and tablets using the Twitter application.

 "They can use their personal account or create a new one for the class," says Johnson. "Because there is a limit on the length of each post, it requires them to be concise and use strong verbs."

 This is Johnson's first time using Twitter in class, and she says there was some confusion about it at the beginning of the semester. After reviewing what Twitter is and how to use it, she says, most of the class is doing a good job of participating.

 For a paper the students had to write, Johnson had them tweet their thesis statements.

 "Then we were able to pull them all up in class and talk about which ones were strong and which ones needed work," she says. "It encourages them to take ownership of what they're doing because they can all see it, and they know it might be discussed in class."

 The platform has also given the students access to new resources. After watching a speech by Mary Fisher, they were able to ask her questions — and receive replies — using Twitter.

 "Some of them get very creative with it," Johnson says. "It increases the class content, and also the general community of the class. They have shared some things with each other that might not have come up otherwise in a normal classroom setting. I think it has made them more comfortable with each other."

 As an added bonus, Twitter gives Johnson an additional means of reaching her students in case of inclement weather or other changes to the schedule.

 "I usually get responses faster that way," she says. "They're more likely to check their Twitter before their email. When campus was closed due to the flooding around town, they asked if their homework was still due, and I was able to respond immediately using Twitter."

 Johnson's use of social media as a platform for class communication is just one example of a BCCC instructor using innovative and up-to-date methods to improve the learning experience and boost engagement with her class.

Cosmetology services offered to the public on campus

 BCCC's Cosmetology curriculum is designed to provide both classroom learning and hands-on experience, and one way the students hone their skills is by offering cosmetology services to the public in a simulated salon environment located in Building 11 on campus.

 "Providing these services helps prepare them for what they'll do in a real salon," says Cosmetology Lead Instructor Velma Worsley. "They learn how to handle consultation, making sure that they are providing what the customer wants and having a professional attitude. It's also a great way for them to experience the need for multi-tasking and working quickly."

 The students work with all kinds of hair and all kinds of clients in the campus salon, adds Worsley.

 The students take clients on Tuesday through Friday mornings beginning at 9:15 a.m. Services are reasonably priced, and a full range is offered, from basic haircuts to highlights and styling, as well as skin and nail services. A price list is available on BCCC's website.

 To book an appointment, call 252-940-6464. For more information about BCCC's Cosmetology curriculum, contact Worsley at 252-940-6230 or Velma.Worsley@BeaufortCCC.edu.

SGA Chili at Smoke on the Water

 The Student Government Association will be cooking chili for the competition at Smoke on the Water this Saturday on the Washington Waterfront. Come out and support our SGA!

One Day at BCCC Voting

 Please vote for your favorite submissions from the One Day at BCCC photo project by visiting the BCCC Facebook page and clicking "LIKE" on your top choices. And "LIKE" the BCCC page if you haven't already!

Eighth-Grade Tours

 BCCC will host eighth-graders from Beaufort County Schools for tours on Nov. 3-5. Please contact Rick Anderson or Michele Mayo if you would like to speak to the groups about your program during the tours.

BCCC Shirts

 We are ordering polo shirts with the college emblem and your personalized name. Cost varies by size: S, M, L, XL — $18; 2X — $19; 3X — $20. Order at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BCCCPOLO. Orders and payment due Oct. 28 via check payable to Jay Sullivan. Sample shirts can be ssen in the Office of Research and Institutional Effectiveness, Building 1, Suite 106.

Gulls on the Run

 BCCC's running club will hold its Fall Kick-Off meeting at 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19 in Building 9, Room 928. This club is for ANYONE who wants to become more active by moving — runners, walkers, etc! There will be a group you can identify with no matter what your level of activity.

BCCC's Best

 Faculty and Staff are invited to nominate one student for the month of October for "Dependable — someone who is able to be counted on for various things whether inside of class or outside of school." Nominations should be sent to Kimberly.Jackson@BeaufortCCC.edu by Tuesday, Oct. 20. along with contact information and a short description of how the student has exemplified this trait. Nominated students will be recognized at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 29 in the Student Lounge.

Food Drive

 The Gamma Beta Phi Society is running a Food Drive from now until the end of October benefiting Food Bank of the Albemarle, which serves all four of the counties in BCCC's service area. Look for collection boxes located throughout campus.

And in the coming weeks, watch for the following:

Oct. 16	BCCC Foundation Golf Tournament sponsored by PotashCorp Aurora, registration and lunch begins at 11:30 a.m.; Play starts at 1 p.m., Washington Yacht and Country Club
Oct. 19	Expanded Senior Staff Meeting, 9 a.m., Building 10 Board Room
Oct. 19	Gulls on the Run meeting, 3 p.m., Building 9, Room 928
Oct. 20	Breast Cancer Screening, Building 12, Room and Time TBA
Oct. 22	Taking Tests at your Best, noon, Building 1, Room 119
Oct. 22	Read to Succeed, 3 p.m., Building 1, Room 116
Oct. 23	ECU Admission Presentation and Tour, Greenville, Time TBA
Oct. 23	Peer Study Group, 9 a.m., Building 1, Room 120
Oct. 26	Registration for Spring 2016 for graduating students
Oct. 27	Brown-Bag Lunch: Exercise on a Budget, noon, Building 4, Room 102
Oct. 27	MDC Healthy Places Kick-Off Event, 6 p.m., Building 4, Room 102
Oct. 27	Registration for Spring 2016 for all students

 Beaufort County Community College is a public comprehensive community college committed to accessible and affordable quality education, effective teaching, relevant training, and lifelong learning opportunities for the people served by the College.