ChatGPT: Educational Affront or Opportunity?

Reggie Williams is a Philosophy Professor at Bakersfield College, and the Director of BC’s Norman Levan Center for the Humanities. Reggie holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Illinois, as well as Master’s degrees in Philosophy and English. Reggie has written on a range of social issues and enjoys his family, music, obscure

Faking Breaking News: Teaching Students Media Literacy Through Play

This piece was written by reference librarian Ariel Dyer. Ariel is a new faculty member at Bakersfield College, having come from a public library background and graduating with her Masters in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University with an emphasis in Leadership and Administration. In her free time, she loves to hike,

ChatGPT: Announcing a New Blog Series Exploring Artificial Intelligence in Education

By Dr. Alex Rockey I’m not going to lie. I was hesitant to log in to ChatGPT, but I can’t very well write an article about the tool without ever using it. So I logged in and typed “Write an article about ChatGPT.”  In a matter of seconds, ChatGPT typed out a seven-paragraph essay on

December Faculty Forum on Using Technology to Teach Face-to-Face Classes

Today we hosted the last faculty forum of 2022! In this faculty forum, we discussed how we can make use of technology to teach face-to-face. Our faculty colleagues shared some wonderful tips and tricks on how to use technology to build community, make use of Canvas, and integrate polls in face-to-face classes.  Scott Peat shared

Faculty Forum: Implementing Trauma-Informed Pedagogy with Canvas

Our topic for the November Faculty forum was “Implementing Trauma-Informed Pedagogy with Canvas.” We had a wonderful discussion on chunking content and how to help students deal with external stressors.  Michael Muhme, a communication professor, shared the value of chunking content and breaking down large assignments. He also shared his overall philosophy that students have

How COVID-19 Taught Me to Embrace Academic Technology

Robert Simpkins has been a Professor of Anthropology at Porterville College since 2012, where he also is currently also the Academic Senate President and faculty lead for Guided Pathways.  He previously served two terms as the Social Science Division Chair, and organized PC’s CHAP (Cultural and Historical Awareness Program) series for five years.  Prior to

Faculty Perspectives on Managing Temporary Online Teaching

Last Thursday, eight of our faculty colleagues joined us to share their insight and strategies for managing temporary online instruction. In this forum, the power of short overview videos, the importance of flexibility, and the value of using multiple communication methods emerged as common themes. Emily Wilson began the forum by sharing an overview of

Faculty Perspectives on 6 Strategies that Work Face-to-Face and Online

The September faculty forum featured six speakers on the topic “Faculty Lightning Round: 6 Strategies that Work Face-to-Face and Online.” As we discussed strategies that work both face-to-face and online, one important theme emerged. The strategies faculty shared were not a static practice, but rather a snapshot of how they have relentlessly refined teaching strategies

Bringing Communication Online: The Value of Zoom from a Student’s Perspective

This piece was written by Jelin Blanco. Jelin Blanco is a communication intern for the BC Academic Technology blog. She is pursuing an Associate’s degree in Biology at Bakersfield College. Her goal is to pursue a career in medical research. She enjoys reading, listening to music, spending time with animals, and helping others in her spare time.