Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE)

Equity and Inclusion
SCC’s mission is to provide an accessible and inclusive learning environment for students. Learn more about CTLE's commitment to supporting faculty and students.
CTLE SharePoint
CTLE's new SharePoint site has comprehensive teaching and learning resources. Learn more

Faculty Highlight - Amy Magnus

Portrait photo of Amy Magnus Dr. Amy Magnus has been teaching at SCC since 2001. With a Ph.D. in Multi-Cultural Literature and a credential in Native American Studies, Amy has always had a passion for cultural education. At SCC she teaches American Racial Minorities and Global Peace and Social Justice, and created the American Indian Studies courses and is a member of the Equity by Design team at the college. She also has formed a long-term partnership with the Red Cloud Indian School on Pine Ridge Reservation, where she takes students each spring from her Dakota Language, History and Culture course. A member of the Equity Taskforce for the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council, Amy serves as a mentor for BIPOC artists through the council’s many grant programs.

A firm believer that education occurs both inside and outside of the classroom, Amy has been involved with the biannual Global Connections Conference since 2004, working to bring speakers, artists and vendors to our campus. #SCCproud.

Office Information

CTLE staff can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or check the Faculty Development Calendar (below) for a schedule of webinars, trainings, or virtual drop-in hours.

Office Locations

North Mankato - Near the library behind the Copy Shop
Faribault - B102

In addition to support resources available 24/7 at our CTLE SharePoint, CTLE staff are available Monday-Friday during SCC business hours to answer questions and provide consultations on multiple topics. Contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

General teaching and learning topics, including adult learning, course design, curriculum, effective syllabus design, equity and inclusive teaching, online teaching, open educational resources, quality assurance (Quality Matters), and more
Educational technologies, including D2L Brightspace, MediaSpace, Softchalk, WIDS, and more

Contact Us

Photo of Kimberly Johnson Kimberly Johnson, Ph.D
Associate Vice President of Effective Teaching and Learning
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507-389-7270

Photo of Jocelyn Crist Jocelyn Crist
Assessment Coordinator
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507-389-7240

Amanda Rakhshandeh, Ph.D
Curriculum and Instructional Design Specialist
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Vision and Mission

Vision
The South Central College Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) will serve as a leading faculty center for the practice and scholarship of teaching and learning by fostering engagement, innovation, and student success through the application of evidence-informed and inclusive best practices.

Mission
The South Central College CTLE supports, promotes, and enhances excellent, effective, and inclusive teaching to support student engagement, learning, and success.

Equity & Inclusion Statement
At CTLE, we commit to creating supportive, inclusive, and accessible opportunities for intellectual and scholarly growth for all faculty in an environment of respect, empathy, and understanding.

Faculty Development Calendar

Quick Links

SCC Keep Teaching Quick Resources

CTLE SharePoint

What Works Well in Online Teaching

Philosophy of Community and Technical College Education

This non-credit, online, self-paced course was developed by system office faculty development staff with input from Minnesota State faculty members and has received Quality Matters certification. Although this course is required of all new unlimited, full-time college faculty, it is open to any Minnesota State college or university faculty member who wishes to complete it.

In this course, faculty will:

learn about their faculty roles and responsibilities and how these fit into the large context of the Minnesota State system and higher education,
be introduced to elements of quality course design and culturally responsive teaching, and
interact with other Minnesota State faculty in discussions focused on improving learning and teaching.

It is delivered online through MnSite, the system office D2L Brightspace site. To register for the Philosophy of Community and Technical College Education course:

Use your StarID and password to login at MinnState
Click the "Self Registration" link, scroll to find this course, and click to register

Best Practices for Teaching Online Course

We have an institutional membership to NISOD (the National Institution for Staff and Organizational Development), so this course is free and available for all faculty at SCC. Faculty will need to create an account here to participate.

Participants, via reading and rich-media content, discussion posts, and end-of-module assessments should be able to:

Recognize important attributes of Best Practices for Teaching Online.
Express and exchange ideas through discussions with peers from a variety of higher education institutions.
Apply the Faculty Checklist to a review of an online course.
Construct well designed learning objectives for an online course.
Reflect on material presented and relate it to current course development process.

Minnesota State Network for Educational Development