We would like to provide an update on some recent conversations concerning the campus Learning Management System (LMS), Moodle.  More specifically the usefulness of Moodle as our institutional LMS.

As you may recall, the move from WebCT to Moodle occurred about two years ago.  Moodle was selected after a comprehensive investigation into other LMS solutions.   Compounded with Blackboard ending support for WebCT and knowing that WebCT was antiquated, the college needed to secure a stable LMS solution that empowered the institutional and fostered future online growth.  As with any transition we knew that there are going to be speed bumps along the journey.  The college has made the best of it through faculty and staff innovation along with countless hours of hard work from many colleagues, most notably, Jesse Henestofel, Carolyn Tripp, James Rice and Todd Whited.  While the LMS started as a medium for online course delivery, it has since transcended into a platform that all college courses utilize.  Set as a directive by the Provost last year, and with the help of all the LMS users, expansion of Moodle services will continue to evolve.

Many rumors may be floating around campus that we are moving to a new LMS.  While we continue to evaluate online course delivery methods, this rumor is not true.  Our approach will be to enhance and address issues within the Moodle environment.  We fully understand the massive amount of work it would take to change our LMS.  Frankly, it would be a painful process.  Nevertheless, we do not want to leave problems unaddressed.

We have an opportunity to migrate our Moodle LMS from its current hosted environment to our local servers.  The move would provide us with a greater amount of control over the LMS and allow us to address known problems directly.

This is where we also need your help.  The plan will be to survey faculty staff and students to hear comments on how our LMS services the campus community.  With your comments and suggestions, we will continue to do our best to address problems.  If we reach a point where we have exhausted all options to solve problems without success, then we will feel warranted to look at a new LMS.  That time is not now.

For now, Moodle is our LMS and we will continue to work on improving its capabilities.

Circle Round the Square has been identified as a finalist for the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, which is awarded by First Lady Michelle Obama.

The program is an intensive summer-arts enrichment program for students in the Nelsonville-York City School District (NYCSD) presented by Paper Circle, a business located on Nelsonville Public Square. The Hocking College Culinary Arts program collaborates with the summer program each year.

On Wednesday, May 7, 2014, Circle Round the Square was chosen as one of 50 finalists for a $10,000 national prize. At the end of June, 12 winners will be selected for the national prize and will also get the opportunity to attend the White House ceremony to accept the award.

Hocking College is very involved in the program providing food, transportation, supervision and numerous activities. The Culinary Arts students help the kids prepare a daily healthy lunch using locally sourced, fresh, organic food.

The college also provides transportation for the youth, going back and forth to the program and to their various activity sites. The kids are transported to Hocking College, Nelsonville Pool, Movies 10 and a farm in Logan. The Student Center is a main location for the kids where they swim, rock climb, play basketball and other activities. All events and activities lead up to a family picnic on the final day of the program.

For additional information about the award, visit The Athens Messenger.

For any additional information, visit Paper Circle's website.

Neil Hinton, Dean of School of Engineering and Information Technology at the Logan Campus, spoke with the third grade students at Logan's Green Elementary about solar energy, hydrogen power and what it means to be "green."

During their day learning about energy, Hinton showed the students how solar energy and hydrogen can turn on lights and power a fan. They also discussed the types of energy, how alternative forms of energy can be useful and how energy is used today.

The students took a field trip to the Logan Campus where they learned about wind, solar and hydrogen energies. They participated in activities about pollution and fossil fuels, toured the Logan Campus and learned about being "green." 

This Month's Anthem Newsletter: Men's Health Week

Molly Watson, academic advisor, sends a reminder to all faculty and staff that Hocking College has a Student Support Services (SSS) program. This federally funded TRiO program is designed to assist and encourage first-generation and low-income students, as well as those with disabilities, to achieve.

The program has openings for the 2014-15 academic year and Watson encourages faculty and staff members to refer any students who have any type of academic need for services.

Services Provided by TRiO Student Support include:

• Academic advising   
• Scheduling assistance
• Tutoring and mentoring
• FAFSA assistance and help understanding loans, grants and scholarships
• Information and resources  
• Assistance applying for transfer to a four year college 

• Know how to report suspected abuse or neglect. Call 740.677.4208. All referrals are confidential. There is no cost for the investigation to the client or family.
• Sign up to be a volunteer guardian. Family members aren't always available or the most appropriate people to help when a senior citizen is deemed incapable of making his or her own decisions. For more information, call 740.677.4208.
• Join in recognizing this day on June 13 by wearing purple, the official color of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.