For a bit of background history on why elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, see this article on NPR. During the 2008 elections Nate Silver began making a name for himself by using statistics to more accurately predict election results. The library has a copy of his book, The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail But Some Don't, available under call number CB 158 .S54 2012. The book provides a fascinating look into why numbers used in elections
Durham Tech will be closed on Monday, January 16 for to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and achievements as an influential American civil rights leader. "Somewhere we must come to see that human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and the persistent work of dedicated individuals. Without this hard work, time becomes an ally of the primitive forces of social stagnation. So we must help time and realize that the time is always
Have you heard of Open Educational Resources (OER)? Maybe you've heard they're "free textbooks." Maybe you've heard that replacing commercial textbooks with open textbooks improves students' success and retention rates. Maybe you've heard that instructors can edit OER, mix them together, or otherwise modify them to align with your learning outcomes. Maybe you know someone right here at Durham Tech who is already teaching using OER. Expanding OER adoption can be an important tool in furthering
NC LIVE recently added two new online science resources: McGraw-Hill's AccessScience and Gale's Science in Context. The best way to get to these resources is from the NC LIVE home page, at nclive.org. In the "By Subject" section, choose "Science & Technology." That will take you to an alphabetical list of science and technology resources and AccessScience is the first one on the list; Science in Context is near the bottom. (If you're trying to access these resources from off campus, please call
All campuses of Durham Tech, including the libraries, will be closed this year for Veteran's Day, Fri., Nov. 10. Durham Tech's Veterans Services helps our veteran students succeed with support from GI Bill benefits. For questions about available resources, reach out to Demitrius Bullock, Durham Tech's Veterans Services Coordinator. Originally celebrated as Armistice Day after World War I, the first official Veteran's Day was in 1954, designated to remember and honor American veterans after large
When you're doing research online and find some resources, how do you know that they're credible resources? There are billions of websites on the Internet and it can be difficult to discern which ones to use in your research. Here's a video from Films on Demand that provides an excellent overview of evaluating websites for credible information. One tool mentioned in the video, which is good for evaluating a website's credibility, is the CRAAP test. CRAAP stands for " currency, relevance
Next week is Open Education Week 2022! Here are a few links to get you started thinking about Open Educational Resources (OER): The Library's 2020 OE Week blog post, which has an introduction to OER and why it is important The Durham Tech Library's OER Research Guide, which has tons of information and resources related to open education openNCCC through the North Carolina Community College System, which has local information about sharing and discovering OER through collections and communities
Waiting for snow like sweet little Sumo Humphrey in his warm, ADORABLE winter jacket? Just taking virtual classes this semester? Good news is that you don't have to be on campus to take advantage of lots of Durham Tech Library resources and services! Keep reading for information about our virtual library services AND a bonus joyful dog video! (Click that Read more link!) While you can't do research on our PCs when we're closed, you're always able to access our databases from your home. Either
🎉 HelpDesk Upgrade Starts Today! Big news! As of July 22, our 24/7 Canvas HelpDesk has officially been upgraded to Amazon Connect.This upgrade supports the College’s broader commitment to embracing innovative technology. By using AI-powered tools like Amazon Connect, we’re streamlining support services and gaining valuable insights — helping us better serve our students and stay ahead in a digital-first world. The NC Community College System Office provides this around-the-clock HelpDesk to
Yesterday I announced that this is Open Education Week and described the characteristics that make a work "open." I mentioned that Open Educational Resources (OER) in their digital form don't cost anything and that print versions of OER textbooks are available at far less cost than commercial textbooks. Why is this important? Let's talk about students' needs. According to The Hope Center, staggering numbers of U.S. college students are food or housing insecure. Students often have to make