Dan Hill at the Globe Education Center. |
Monday, August 29, 2011
Rural Schools Benefit from Teacher Prep Program
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Hidden Savings for College Students

Monday, August 22, 2011
Support Links for New and Returning Students

Although Rio Salado College offers 48 start dates a year, quite a few of the college’s students still adhere to traditional semesters. For many Rio Salado students starting classes this week, the following resources may come in handy.
Student Resources
Career Planning: Online self-serve career planning and in-person career counseling are both available.
Bookstore: Textbooks, supplies and Rio Salado College apparel. Text books rentals are also available.
Testing Centers: Learn about exam proctoring and testing guidelines, or find a testing location near you.
Tutoring: Tutoring is available in-person, over the phone, and online.
Social Resources
Rio Lounge: Rio’s exclusive online social network helps students build a connection to the Rio Salado College experience. Chat with fellow students, get updates on Rio Salado news and events, form a study group or post items for sale.
Rio on Facebook: Connecting students, parents, alumni, and faculty members with news and information of interest to the extended Rio Salado College community.
Rio on Twitter: Quick, timely updates on a variety of topics relevant to Rio Salado College.
Rio on YouTube: Browse through videos with titles ranging from The Rio Salado College Story and Sustainable Food Systems to How to Lose the Freshman 15 and Binary Hand Dance.
Library Resources
Online Library: Quick access to a variety of library resources.
Txt a Librarian, Ask a Librarian, Email the Library Staff: Help with research and library tools.
Online Writing Lab: Support for a variety of writing projects.
How Do I...? Video Series: How-to videos for a variety of library tools.
Ebooks: Rio Salado offers two general e-book collections and three reference collections.
Rio's Dual Enrollment Program Receives Reaccreditation
“Rio Salado strives to be a leader in providing early college options to meet the needs of our students and our community. Rio Salado’s dual enrollment program continues to be the only NACEP accredited program in the state. The process is not easy, and the standards are high, but we feel this distinction is an important indicator of the quality and commitment we provide,” said Rio Salado College Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Vernon Smith.
NACEP’s standards promote the implementation of policies and practices to ensure that:
- Students enrolled in concurrent enrollment courses are held to the same standards of achievement as students in on-campus courses.
- Instructors teaching college courses through the concurrent enrollment program meet the academic requirements for faculty teaching in the sponsoring postsecondary institution and are provided discipline-specific professional development.
- Concurrent enrollment programs display greater accountability through required impact studies, student surveys, and course and program evaluations.
“We’re proud to be NACEP accredited,” Rio Salado Director of Dual Enrollment EJ Anderson said. “It’s always nice to have a third party come in and reinforce that we are doing things the way they need to be done. Not only is it a pat on the back, but it lends credibility to the entire program which helps us better serve our students.”
Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to get a jump start on their college degree. Rio Salado dual enrollment courses are taught by high school teachers on-site at local high schools including Tempe, Dysart, Deer Valley, Phoenix, Chandler, Mesa and Paradise Valley.
Motivated students can save time and money by simultaneously earning high school and college credits. Dual enrollment courses are designed to teach both high school and college proficiencies, and the credits earned are transferable to any Rio Salado College university partner.
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The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) is the sole accrediting body for programs that provide opportunities for high school students to simultaneously earn high school and transcripted college credit for college courses taught by high school teachers at their high school.
The Maricopa Community College District is one of the largest community college districts in the nation and serves more than 250,000 students annually. It includes 10 colleges - Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Estrella Mountain Community College, GateWay Community College, Glendale Community College, Mesa Community College, Paradise Valley Community College, Phoenix College, Rio Salado College, Scottsdale Community College and South Mountain Community College. The District also includes the Maricopa Skill Center, SouthWest Skill Center, several satellite campuses and business/industry, technical and customized training institutes.
Media Contact:
Delynn Bodine, Rio Salado College
480.517.8205 (w)
delynn.bodine@riosalado.edu
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
New Early Childhood Certificate Programs Launched

Monday, August 15, 2011
Engaging Students Through Mobile Technology

Leveraging available technologies to make education more accessible and engaging is a hot topic among educators.
Rio Salado College eLearning design faculty chair Dr. Jennifer Freed, who spoke recently on integrating mobile devices into course content at the 2011 National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Conference in Austin, Texas, has quite a few of her own ideas for how to effectively use technology in the classroom.
By taking the classroom into the real world, instructors can make mobile assignments relevant and useful.
"Use it to engage students. Make it more real and meaningful," Freed said. "Let’s not do it just for the sake of doing it."
According to Freed, when students can relate to the assignment and it makes sense, the experience is more genuine.
"As an example, if you’re teaching a sociology class and you’re looking for a concept in action in the real world, send the student to the mall with their mobile phone. If they see the concept in action, have them record it and make a podcast,” Freed said. “Have them explain what they see and what's going on and what the context is-- as it happens. Then they can upload the podcast and that's the assignment."
Freed also engages students by using an opt-in program called text Plus to provide students with updates and news information in real time. The program allows users to send text messages to multiple recipients without referencing a personal phone number.
"If you see something relevant on the news that you want to get out, you can send something like 'hey, check out 12 news right now!' or 'don’t forget your big assignment’s due on Wednesday.' Of course, you shouldn't overdo it. It's good for once in a while,” Freed said.
According to Freed, most students already have some form of a mobile device or smartphone and don't need to purchase extra equipment to complete mobile assignments. "Students today and the generation coming up grew up with this stuff. The devices are getting more powerful and less expensive. It’s a priority for students and for kids to get their cell phone, so most of them already have one."
Rio Salado eLearning design students who are interested in generating mobile content can take "Mobile Devices as Learning Tools (ELN116)" as an elective.
The course is completely devoted to mobile learning and by the end of the class, students will have written their own mobile application.
The course itself is mobile friendly and many students who elect to take ELN116 prefer to complete the coursework on a mobile device. Freed said, "Most of the students that have gone through it have done it on an iPad, Droid, or iPhone.”
Freed also said the college’s online learning platform, RioLearn renders well on a mobile browser and that she believes that the college is working toward a more mobile student experience.
"I'd love to see a proprietary mobile application like the one North Carolina State University is using," Freed said. "It would be great if we could do something like that and arrange it by program so that students could go in and see what the courses are for their program."
"Maybe include a checklist or news and events or a quick 'ask us' function that could send a text message to the department chair," Freed said. "That would be really cool."
Monday, August 1, 2011
Northern Arizona University Joins the Communiversity @ Surprise


“We are delighted to have NAU join the Communiversity,” said Dr. Chris Bustamante, president of Rio Salado College, host institution of the Communiversity in partnership with the City of Surprise. “NAU has a strong and valued reputation and this partnership strengthens our Communiversity program offerings and will provide additional higher education opportunities for students within the City of Surprise and in surrounding areas.”
The Communiversity @ Surprise is a unique civic and educational partnership dedicated to providing students with the opportunity to earn an associate to bachelor’s to a master’s degree from partnering institutions, all in one location.
“Joining the Communiversity partnership in Surprise is another example of how NAU reaches out to provide higher education pathways to underserved populations across the state,” said Fred Hurst, senior vice president for NAU-Extended Campuses. “We look forward to working with Rio Salado and the Communiversity partners to provide seamless programming that helps Surprise residents achieve their academic goals.”
Course offerings at the Communiversity are available in person, hybrid and online. Students can experience a savings in tuition by transferring 75-90 credits from a community college partner to a university partner.
“The Communiversity offers students an opportunity to enroll in up to 90 credits at community college pricing making it both a very affordable and convenient choice for students in Surprise and the surrounding area. We value the community college and university partners who make this possible, and know that NAU will add to the breadth, depth, and quality of the educational pathways,” said Dr. Jo Jorgenson, Dean of Instruction and Community Development at Rio Salado College.
This fall NAU will offer Bachelor of Science degree programs at the communiversity in:
• Career and Technical Education
• Interdisciplinary Studies-Technology Management
• Interdisciplinary Studies-Emergency Services Administration
Master’s programs include:
• Educational Leadership with a Principal Certification
• Administration of Leadership
Program offerings scheduled for fall 2012 are:
• Bachelor of Science or Art in Interdisciplinary Studies-Humanities
• RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Bachelor of Science Health Sciences in Allied Health
• Bachelor of Science Health Sciences in Medical Assisting
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The Communiversity @ Surprise is a partnership of the City of Surprise, three Maricopa Community Colleges: Rio Salado College, Glendale, Community College, Phoenix College, Ottawa University, Northern Arizona University and West-MEC. The communiversity opened in August of 2009 and is located at 15950 N. Civic Center Plaza in Surprise.
Northern Arizona University is a leader in statewide and online learning and continues to offer and create convenient degree programs that meet the state’s growing need for health professionals, teachers, business leaders, public administrators and more. In the past 20 years NAU has awarded more than 30,000 degrees to students in statewide degree programs, each reflective of the university’s solid reputation and ability to provide a personal touch. About 35 percent of NAU students now earn degrees online or in their communities.
Rio Salado College was founded in 1978 and serves one of the largest online enrollments nationwide. The college was recently recognized as one of eight highly productive institutions of higher education in the nation by McKinsey & Company. Rio Salado offers general education courses as well as a variety of degree and certificate programs with more than 62,000 students enrolled annually. It is also Arizona’s largest provider of Adult Basic Education.
The Maricopa Community College District is one of the largest community college districts in the nation and serves more than 250,000 students annually. It includes 10 colleges - Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Estrella Mountain Community College, GateWay Community College, Glendale Community College, Mesa Community College, Paradise Valley Community College, Phoenix College, Rio Salado College, Scottsdale Community College and South Mountain Community College. The District also includes the Maricopa Skill Center, SouthWest Skill Center, several satellite campuses and business/industry, technical and customized training institutes.
Media Contacts:
Delynn Bodine, Rio Salado College
480.517.8205 work 480.215.9456 cell
delynn.bodine@riosalado.edu
Diane Rechel, Northern Arizona University
928.523.0914
diane.rechel@nau.edu