NCSSM Connect Site Visits

This guide details best practices for NCSSm Connect school site visits.

1. Why make site visits?

   1. Students realize you’re a real person, not just a floating head on the screen.

   2. You get a sense of the student learning environment at the site.

   3. It helps establish a relationship between IVC instructors, facilitators, guidance counselors and other school administration, and the students.

   4. It’s fun!

2. Logistics

   1. Reserve school vehicles through the Resource Reservation system for travel when possible

   2. Email Crystal Davis with details about your trip for mileage reimbursement: Start and end time/date of travel, Start and end location of travel, whether you used a personal vehicle or state vehicle, and who drove if carpooling

3. What to do on a visit?

   1. Labs and other activities that students might struggle with otherwise; you could broadcast from the site if necessary to demonstrate how to complete the activity at other sites.

   2. Play games. Board games, iPad games, card games, you name it! You can get a sense of the student’s ability to think critically, strategize, and collaborate with classmates. 

   3. Moderate a quiz. If you know in advance that the facilitator will be out of town, you show up to moderate your quiz or exam. 

   4. Discussions with students, facilitators, administrators, etc. 

4. What about the sites you aren’t visiting that day?

   1. Go hybrid. Give students an assignment to work on off-camera. You could schedule site visits to align with quiz days. Let Karl Coleman know in advance if you plan to go Hybrid so he can update the studio schedule. 

   2. Broadcast from the site you’re at. This can go very well if the site has stable internet and good audio/visual equipment. Karl Coleman and the digital media specialists can help make this work. 

   3. Provide your studio manager with a video beforehand and ask that the video be played during class time while you’re out.