Terry Fencl
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Email: tfencl@uillinois.edu
Tel. (Work): (708) 456-0300, ext. 3325
Office Location Triton College
River Grove, IL
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Since 1980, I've been a full-time instructor of speech and theater at
Triton College. I teach in the Interdisciplinary Studies Department which offers interdisciplinary packages of general education
courses in communications, fine arts, social and behavioral sciences and
humanities. Department members collaborate in curriculum and lesson planning,
assignments and exams, the assessment of learners, team teaching, etc.
In 1998, we moved our learning community to an online format preserving
the interdisciplinary mandate and connecting the virtual community of
online learners to the classroom community of on-campus learners. I teach
online theater courses in this Community Of One model. Additionally, I teach what is somewhat of a rarity -- online
public speaking
courses.
Teaching online has been a rejuvenating, fun, and incredibly rewarding
experience. I've seen my online speech students better prepared for their
presentations than my on-campus learners. And I experience significantly
more insightful and substantive discussions in my online theater courses.
I'm
convinced that key factors are the high level of interactivity, collaboration
and sense of community that can be achieved in the virtual classroom.
A common theme among my students in course surveys is that they have never
experienced in traditional classes as much communication with other learners
and the instructor as they have in their online experience.
I have a Ph.D. in communications, an MA in speech & performing arts,
an MS in organizational behavior, and a BA in English. Currently, I'm
working with my department colleagues and with faculty from other colleges
to develop an innovative, inter-institutional, team taught series of online
humanities courses (under an ILLCO grant).
Recent Awards:
National Council Of Instructional Administrators Award for Most Exemplary
Community College Distance Education Initiative in the Nation (2001)
WebCT Exemplary Course Project, 2000: WebCT theater course selected as
one of the 15 most exemplary WebCT courses in the nation (2000)
Named Outstanding Triton College Faculty Member Of The Year (2000)
Recent Presentations and Workshops:
A Community Of One: Using Technology To Bridge On-Campus And Online
Learning Communities. Beyond 2001: Learning Communities Conference (upcoming/fall,
2001)
Fostering Student Success Online With A Little TLC. TechEd
Conference (upcoming/fall, 2001)
Teaming For Success: A Highly Interactive Learning Community. Illinois
Online Network Faculty Summer Workshop (2001)
Teaming for Success: Collaboration In Cyberspace. Educators Online 2001
Interactive Videoconference (2001)
Faculty/Student Collaboration In Cyberspace. TechEd Conference (2000)
Online Learning Communities. Triton Faculty Workshop (2000)
Collaborative Teaching And Learning Over The Internet. League For Innovation
Conference On Information Technology (1999)
How To Design Online Courses. WSPSC Teaching And Learning With Technology
Teleconference (1999)
Building A Virtual Community Of Learners. Triton Training &
Technology Center Workshop (1999)
Teaching And Learning At A Distance. Triton Adjunct Faculty
Workshop (1999)
Retreat Facilitator: WSPSC Planning Retreat (1999)
Co-chair, WSHEC Task Force On Curriculum (2000-present)
Co-chair, WSPSC Programming And Scheduling Committee (1999)
Mentor for new faculty, Triton (1999-present)
Additionally, presenter on topics such as best practices in teaching and
learning, the effective use of media in the classroom, and applications
of teletraining (training with technology) in the fields of business,
education and prevention at over 50 regional, state, national and international
conferences sponsored by organizations such as: U.S. Department Of Education,
U.S. Office Of Substance Abuse Prevention, World Council And Assembly
On Cooperative Education, National Community College Center For Cooperative
Education, Governmental College Relations Council, Food
And Drug Administration, The State Office Of Instruction, and the World
Cooperative Education Conference.
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