I.T.T.L.

The CDC (Centre de documentation collégiale) is the library for the cegep network. It houses thousands of documents related to teaching and institutional development. Many of its resources are available online, inlcuding access to specialized databases in education such as CBCA Fulltext Education, ERIC Plustext and ProQuest Education Journals. To find out more about the CDC, read this story (A Dynamic Library for Teachers is Just a Click Away) on Profweb or visit CDC directly at www.cdc.qc.ca. The CDC’s site is available in both French and English.

The CCDMD produces print and digital materials (both in English and French) for the cegep network.  Vanier College has a CCDMD membership which means that all teachers have access to materials free of charge. For a list of all materials available in English, click here. Some of the materials are discipline-specific (e.g. Chemical Bonds) while others are of a general nature (e.g. NetquizPro). Some of the most popular CCDMD materials are described below. For more information on any of these products or obtain a copy, please contact me at greaneym@vaniercollege.qc.ca. If you have used any CCDMD materials in your courses, please let us know your impressions of them by using the comment box.

Quebec en images 

CCDMD Description: “This site offers thousands of photographs of Quebec regions to Internet surfers. The database of digital images aims mainly at meeting the growing need for copyright-free images for use in the production of teaching aids. Quebec in images thus contributes to preserving and diffusing a significant part of Quebec’s collective memory. “

The CCDMD is working on expanding this project to Le monde en images…stay tuned. The expected release date is December 2008.

Netquiz Pro 

CCDMD Description: “Like its previous versions, Netquiz Pro software makes it possible to create Web-based exercises or tests without programming or HTML language knowledge. The software offers many functions and various new features. It is now possible to compose 11 types of questions (matching, multiple choice, checkerboard, development, dictation, list ordering, short answer, multiple answer, fill-in-the-blanks, true or false and area identification), and users can insert images, sounds, video sequences or Web hyperlinks.”

CrissCross Words 3.3

CCDMD Description: “Crisscross Words 3.3 is a software program that was created to facilitate the acquisition of a vast array of specialized vocabulary quickly. This program allows you to design and create personal dictionaries from which you can generate crossword puzzles. Puzzles can be used in many disciplines and programs. This new version allows you to convert the puzzles directly into HTML to be used on the Internet. An example of dictionary and puzzle on modern history is also provided. “

Problem-Based Learning for College Physics

CCDMD Description: “The purpose of this site is to provide college instructors with high-quality, field-tested Problem-Based Learning (PBL) activities in physics. Each activity presented here has already been used within Quebec College classrooms. Instructors may be interested in using the approach, but lack the time to develop thorough context-rich problems. This site therefore presents a sampling of PBL problems that can be readily used by interested instructors. A student’s guide as well as a teacher’s guide are provided for each problem. Feedback concerning problems presented here is welcomed and encouraged as well as any contribution of new PBL problems to create an emerging community of users.”

Research and Social Sciences… The Course! 3.0

CCDMD Description: “Research and Social Sciences… the course! contains all of the pedagogical materials necessary to complete the course Practical Initiation to Social Sciences Methodology (xxx-300-300). This courseware can be used independently, as part of a distance education program or in a traditional classroom setting. It includes a schedule indicating the proportion of time required for each section, material on various research methods and data collection techniques, a breakdown of the stages involved in conducting an empirical study, information on how to draft a scientific report, a bank of research examples from various disciplines in the Social Sciences, dynamic exercises, a learning self-evaluation, assignments and an intelligent pedagogical help function for use during exercises or research studies. Other features include numerous visual and sound sequences: a teacher motivating students, providing guidance or asking questions; an expert offering advice; animated diagrams; audiovisual examples, etc.”