|
|
|
BC has slate of new CE classes to offer
Got Feedback?
Subscribe now: RSS news feed, plus free headlines for your site |
You are here: Home :: News & Features :: BC has slate of new CE classes to offer
BC has slate of new CE classes to offerPosted Monday, August 11, 2008
 Brazosport College Continuing Education Center has a whole slate of new classes to offer this semester, from the technology-oriented to the arts. Here are descriptions of some of the fall offerings. Students can register for most of these classes online at www.brazosport.edu/ce or pick up registration information at the Lake Jackson Continuing Education Center. For more information about these and other courses or to receive a catalogue of all course offerings, call Brazosport College’s CE department at 230-3600 or go to www.brazosport.edu/ce.  New art courses include photography, watercolor Students who are interested in photography are in for a treat, as Brazosport College will be offering a Digital Photography (ARTS-2356) class this fall. Students will learn camera operation, techniques and presentation skills and much more. There will be an emphasis on design, history, and contemporary trends as a means of developing an understanding of photographic aesthetics. Another course offered through the art department will be ARTS-2366 Watercolor I. This will be a studio course exploring techniques in water-based media with instruction in color and composition.  Expand your skill set with Conversational Spanish In business today, especially in our area, employees are more and more often needed to speak Spanish in order to establish relationships with customers, clients and coworkers. To be conversationally bilingual is a distinct advantage in an increasingly competitive workforce. As a result, Brazosport College is offering a course in Spanish Conversation Skills through their Community Education Center.  “The world seems to get smaller every day. Being able to speak a foreign language, especially one that is increasingly more prevalent in our area is a great skill in any situation,” said Gemi Powell, Program Coordinator at Brazosport College Community Education. “Along with learning the language, students who enroll in this class will have the opportunity to learn about another culture.” “Spanish Communication Skills” will provide practical instruction in speaking Spanish.  Learn podcasting from new courses A podcast, a web-based audio broadcast typically accessed through a subscription, was initially used to distribute entertainment and news. The technology has increased in popularity as a useful tool for making a wide range of information available to an even greater number of people. This Fall Brazosport College will offer a series of classes that will take students from the basics of this technology through actual broadcasting.  “With a podcast, churches can record a sermon and make it available online. If someone were so inclined, they could broadcast their own radio-type show on the Internet using a podcast. Educators can post a lecture, as another example,” said Twyla Parsons, IT, Industry Skills and eLearning Program Coordinator at the Brazosport College Community Education Center. “The applications are continually multiplying.” During the three and a half hour “Podcasting Basics” class, students learn podcasting terminology, system and equipment requirements, along with skills for recording, editing and publishing a simple podcast. “Podcasting Beyond the Basics,” the second three and a half hour course in the series, expands podcasting skills further for higher quality broadcasts. This course also examines legal issues, search engines, subscriptions and synchronization.  The college’s new course, “Recording with Audacity,” uses the free software Audacity to create podcasts, ring tones, songs and more. Students learn to record and import files, monitor audio levels, manage multiple tracks, generate effects and export files. “Podcasting Basics” will be offered on Saturday, October 10 and costs $39. “Podcasting Beyond the Basics” is scheduled for Saturday, November 1 and is also $39. An eight-hour course, “Recording with Audacity” will meet on Tuesday and Thursday nights from November 4-13. The cost of this last course in the series is $75.  Sink your teeth into dental assistant program As the population of our country ages and healthcare needs expand, dentistry is one of the many areas of the healthcare industry experiencing an increasing need for trained employees. With their Dental Assistant Program, Brazosport College is offering the educational background necessary for those interested in the field to pursue entry level positions. Registration is currently underway for classes beginning this Fall.  “Through this program, our students are exposed to both classroom and hands-on instruction,” said Lisa Baker, Healthcare Program Coordinator for Brazosport College community Education. “In the classroom, they review the anatomy and terminology, along with the legal and ethical issues, policy and guidelines that they’ll need in order to understand the practical aspects and scope of practice for dental assisting.” Throughout the course, students will also study tooth structure, dental anesthesia, sterilization, equipment maintenance and charting. Dental restoration, bridge implants, bitewing, x-rays and mixing of dental cement are also part of the coursework. Laboratory instruction provides actual experience of how it feels to work in a dental suite and is held at a local dental office.  “The program is 100 contact hours, including a CPR certification,” Baker explained. “It covers all the relevant material necessary for students to be prepared to take the State of Texas Registered Dental Assistant (RDA) exam. All the textbooks and materials are provided in the course fees. The only prerequisite is a high school diploma or GED.”  Opthalmic Assistant program offers opportunity Skilled employees are in increasing demand in all areas of the healthcare industry. While Brazosport College is responding to this need by expanding their nursing program, the school is also offering programs in specialized areas. The Ophthalmic Assistant Program, which is being offered for the first time at the college this Fall, is an example. Registration is currently underway.  Ophthalmic assistants work directly with patients, taking medical histories, administering diagnostic tests, measuring and recording vision, and testing eye muscle function. They may also provide patient education about contact lenses, maintain optical instruments, and administer optic medications. “Our 50-hour Ophthalmic Assistant Program prepares students for entry level positions in Ophthalmology, which is one of the fastest growing healthcare segments. After completing the program, our students are able to go on to work in clinics, hospitals and private practices,” said Lisa Baker, Healthcare Program Coordinator for Brazosport College Community Education.  Through classroom work and laboratory assignments, the course will include anatomy and physiology of the eye, general principals of pharmacology, instrument and equipment maintenance, along with other relevant topics. The program does not include a clinical rotation. Nor does it include National or State certification as part of its overall objectives. It does, however, meet the requirements of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the AAO’s Ophthalmic Medical Assisting Exam. Students may take this exam after meeting certain work experience requirements. The course will meet Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6-9:30 p.m. on the Brazosport College main campus from October 6 through November 24. The course fee of $999 includes all books and materials needed to complete the class.  Want to teach? Become a student first Substitute teaching provides the opportunity to work with children and to share the excitement of learning with them, while still offering a flexible schedule. Local school districts have needs for substitute teachers at all levels throughout the year for time frames that range from a few hours to a few months. Acquiring the proper training to enter the classroom is a key element for success and is available through Brazosport College’s Substitute Teacher Training program. The four-day course will be offered through the Brazosport College Community Education Center in Lake Jackson at three different times this Fall. Potential substitute teachers will learn classroom management, child development, lesson cycles, and presentation techniques.  “To complete this course, students are required to have three observations with a local school, said Gemi Powell, Program Coordinator. “Although there are no prerequisites for the class, the local school districts do require substitute teachers to have a high school diploma. Those who have earned a GED are also eligible as long as they have completed at least 12 hours of college credit coursework.” Other specific requirements vary by school district, and anyone wishing to pursue a substitute teaching position is encouraged to check with each district. The Substitute Teacher Training classes are scheduled for September 8 through 11, October 6 through 9, and November 3 through 6. All classes meet from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The fee for enrollment is $69.  Core real estate classes offered With mortgage interest rates at an attractive level, home sales have become a busy industry, and real estate professionals are in demand. Brazosport College announced that they will be offering four courses this fall which are required for acquiring a license as a real estate salesperson. The courses will be offered through the college’s Community Education Center.  “Real estate is an excellent career path for those wanting to set their own schedule, meet and work with a lot of new people, and to earn a salary that is only limited by their own ambition. We have already opened registration for the four main core classes that someone would need to have completed for the licensing regulations and requirements in this field,” said Gemi Powell, Program Coordinator. The courses include “Principles of Real Estate I and II,” which provides an overview of requirements for the field, ethics, the home sale process, and contracts, along with federal, state and local laws. “Law of Agency” covers legal concepts related to real estate, land description, property rights, contracts and other core requirements in this area required by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC). The course, “Law of Contracts,” focuses on general contract law requirements and preparation.  “Additional core real estate coursework is required by TREC, and there are other options for pursuing those,” said Powell. "We encourage all our students and prospective students in this area to visit the TREC web site (www.trec.state.tx.us/licenses/salesapp.asp) for a complete list of their requirements for licensing.” Classes begin September 15 and registration is currently open at Brazosport College. The cost of each 32-hour course is $155. Textbooks are included in the cost of the class. Classes meet Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. each day for three days.  Hybrid courses fuel-friendly Brazosport College will be offering five courses as hybrids this fall. Hybrid courses are courses in which a significant portion of the learning activities is moved online, and time traditionally spent in the classroom in decreased but not eliminated. Hybrid courses have a number of advantages over face-to-face teaching and totally online courses. The convenience, flexibility, and reduced time spent commuting and finding a parking space were top reasons for students to enroll.  Courses that will be offered as hybrids will be: ITNM 2313–Networking Hardware, ITSC 1305–Introduction to PC Operating Systems, ITSE 1432–Introduction to Visual BASIC.NET Programming, ITSW–1307 Introduction to Database, and POFT 1309–Administrative Office Procedures I. For more information on these hybrid courses please contact the Brazosport College Registrar office at 230-3215.  Small businesses tackle technology with BC courses After providing networking and web development services to business of all sizes for many years, Mike Creswick, owner of Practical Software Solutions, knows the challenges small businesses face in capitalizing on the evolving technologies for marketing and business productivity purposes. To provide a solution Creswick worked with Twyla Parsons and Brazosport College Community Education to develop new courses which will be offered this fall at the college which will target these needs.  “An Internet presence is essential for almost any business of any size, but establishing that presence without a significant outlay of funds for IT services can be a challenge,” said Twyla Parsons, IT, Industry Skills and eLearning Program Coordinator at Brazosport College Community Education. “We’re fortunate to have someone with Mike Creswick’s experience and knowledge to work with us to provide courses that teach business owners how to harness the Internet with user-friendly tools that don’t require an IT professional to establish and maintain.” Software companies are now offering programs free as limited editions and charging fees for additional services. Microsoft Office Live® is an example which provides basic features for website and email accounts. Understanding how to utilize these free software packages is an area of Creswick’s expertise.  “Managing Your Business on the Web – Essentials” uses the Office Live as the vehicle for quickly establishing a new website and email accounts for employees and explores the utilization of other features, such as online workspace for collaborating with coworkers, clients and contractors as the business grows. Pre-requisites for this course include experience navigating PC operating systems, using the Internet and email. “Putting Your Business on the Internet” is also recommended. A textbook is required. “Managing Your Business on the Web – More Solutions” expands on how to improve the business processes with the more advanced features of Microsoft Office Live®. Participants learn to manage and track projects, assets and inventories; manage documents; and sell products. “Managing Your Business on the Web – Essentials” or experience using the Microsoft Office Live® software is a pre-requisite for this course.  Classes begin September 16 and registration is currently open at Brazosport College. The cost of each course is $59. Textbooks will be required and available through the campus bookstore at an additional cost. Classes meet Tuesday/Thursday or Monday/Wednesday from 6-9 p.m.  |
Latest articles in News & Features
|
Copyright 2006-2008. All rights reserved.
i