A few years ago, my youngest child embarked on her high school journey and expressed interest in a foreign language course, only available through our school district’s virtual learning program. As someone involved in the online field, I was eager for her to experience this learning format, particularly since her previous encounters with emergency remote learning during the pandemic were less than ideal. I hoped this would provide her with a positive online learning experience. However, her experience fell short of my expectations.

The shortcomings of her virtual learning experience can be attributed to several factors. Here, I will discuss these issues and suggest ways to incorporate best practices into a virtual environment to enhance student learning.

Course Design: The virtual classroom my daughter encountered was primarily centered around textbook readings, supplemented with recordings of in-person lectures for the virtual students. A more effective approach would have been to adhere to best practices, which advocate for a well-structured, intentionally designed classroom that incorporates instructional design principles. This includes fostering robust learning experiences that integrate community-building and interaction within the digital environment.

Teacher Presence: When my daughter expressed her dissatisfaction with her virtual class, I inquired about her level of engagement with her teacher. I asked if he held virtual office hours, synchronous meetings, or responded to students in the virtual classroom. To all these questions, her answer was no. In fact, she often waited weeks to receive feedback or grades on her assignments. The learning content was primarily textbook readings, supplemented by recordings of in-person lectures for the virtual students.

In this scenario, the teacher was noticeably absent from the virtual learning classroom. It is well-known that students thrive in an environment where there is a strong teacher presence. This can be achieved through regular communication and interaction (both synchronous and asynchronous) between the teacher and the students, as well as providing timely feedback.

Interaction: Learners require more than just a textbook and recorded lectures. The ability to interact with their peers can significantly enhance engagement. Furthermore, there should be opportunities for them to engage with the content. As previously mentioned, the virtual classroom should offer high-quality, robust learning experiences.

Continuous Improvement: One of the most significant shortcomings in my daughter’s virtual classroom was the lack of opportunities to provide feedback. While the class grades may have reflected the subpar learning environment, offering opportunities for anonymous feedback about the course design and teaching experience could have assisted the teacher and the district in developing higher-quality courses that better meet the needs of the learners.

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When it comes to creating a collaborative and dynamic learning environment, having the right resources at the right time makes all the difference. That’s why Houston Community College System (HCCS) joined the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) in 2018. 

As a member, HCCS has fully embraced the benefits provided by the OLC, harnessing new technologies in the wake of the pandemic and nurturing a culture of teamwork. Using the OLC’s extensive resources, the college has taken significant strides in advancing online learning, supporting faculty, staff, and instructional designers in enhancing online programs and advancing their professional growth.

Elevating programs through the OLC’s Quality Scorecards

A pivotal aspect of this transformation revolves around the continual improvement of online programs. HCCS has actively facilitated growth among its educators, leveraging the OLC’s scorecard suite — a set of benchmarking tools to identify strengths and areas for improvement in online learning — to evaluate its programs.

HCCS leadership formed a committee comprising instructional experts, faculty, chairs, and deans. Together, the committee members assessed their online curriculum, identified opportunities for growth, and established an ongoing self-assessment process to improve the institution’s online coursework. 

Through this committee and the OLC’s scorecards, HCCS has successfully helped its 3,000 faculty members engage in an iterative improvement process, reflecting their commitment to high-quality online education. 

Dorsetta Williams, the Center for Teaching and Learning Manager at HCCS, expressed the impact of these scorecards, stating, “The faculty can assess themselves with regard to the online scorecards. It [has been] a great asset to add to our arsenal of tools and services.”

Integrating new skills and technology 

HCCS has further enriched the professional growth of its faculty by tapping into the OLC’s extensive resources, which include workshops, cohorts, and professional development opportunities that prioritize community. These interactive sessions enable faculty members to work alongside experts and pinpoint tools that best meet their unique instructional needs. Further, these gatherings give faculty members a chance to share their ideas and brainstorm creative solutions to challenges in online learning.

The skills acquired through these workshops have empowered faculty members to integrate virtual and augmented reality into their classrooms to increase student engagement. Students now have the opportunity to experience practical applications of their studies, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and hands-on learning. Subjects such as biology, fashion, interior design, and culinary arts have seen significant benefits, allowing students to practice skills and gain realistic experiences online.

HCCS’s integrated approach to continual improvement 

By harnessing the resources of OLC and integrating them with their own instructional design expertise and faculty-led professional development academies, HCCS has established a dynamic team laser-focused on addressing educational challenges. Their main goal is to simplify and enrich the academic journey for both students and faculty, aiming for a seamless experience that nurtures growth and learning. 

This vision of excellence is brought to life through tangible initiatives. Through initiatives such as their first-year experience programs for new faculty, professional development workshops, colleague connection groups, and faculty showcases, they aim to cultivate resilient support systems within the academic community. The OLC’s resources have played a major role in these endeavors, says Dr. Tim Snyder, Associate Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning Innovation at HCCS. 

“The opportunity to work with OLC on our faculty professional development initiative was very impactful,” Snyder says. “OLC’s broad array of offerings and its depth of knowledge in online learning allowed us to provide professional development tailored to our faculty’s needs and interests. We hope to collaborate with OLC on other initiatives in the future.”

Prioritizing communities of practice

Through these instructional design and improvement efforts, HCCS has effectively created a dynamic community of practice. This community promotes knowledge-sharing and innovation while reinforcing its dedication to online learning advancement. The OLC’s offerings have been instrumental in propelling the quality of online programs and fostering a culture of growth. 

As HCCS aims to continually enhance professional development for faculty and staff, its membership with the OLC will have a lasting impact on its online programs and processes.

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Instructure, the makers of Canvas LMS, worked with Hanover Research to field the 2023 State of Student Success and Engagement in Higher Education, a global survey in 17 countries. We asked 6,100 current students, administrators, and faculty from 2-year, 4-year, public, and private higher education institutions for their perspectives on the critical drivers of student success and engagement.

Across all regions, we found that student expectations for higher education come down to practical application, accessibility, and convenience. Take a look at the six key trends identified as most important to learners and educators today.

1. Skills-based learning is most sought-after for its practical application in the workforce.

As the workforce shifts and more jobs go remote, the need for students to demonstrate proof of skills to potential employers increases. Career advancement and the desire to learn new skills are most likely to influence students to pursue a skills-based learning opportunity, along with cost and program flexibility.

2. Certificates and apprenticeship programs are becoming highly valued by both students and employers for their demonstrable proof of workplace skills and upskilling/reskilling for lifelong learners.

Longer life expectancy, education costs, and changes in the workplace are driving a fundamental shift toward lifelong learning. More students are seeking skills-based learning opportunities to supplement their traditional degrees and ensure return on their educational investment. They’re not only considering certificates and apprenticeships for practical skills-building, but also for career readiness and advancement.

3. Schools need to provide consistent guidelines and training around generative AI, or risk a growing divide in skill development.

With only one-quarter of educators currently using them, AI tools have yet to be used consistently across institutions. Instead of hyper-focusing on AI concerns like cheating, educators should shift their focus to new assessment methods and productive uses of generative AI tools, such as course building. Otherwise, they risk losing tech-native students and an opportunity to prepare them for future jobs that will leverage advanced technology.

4. Access to technology has the greatest impact on student success and engagement, but we haven’t solved the accessibility gap for many learners.

As technology and education evolve, institutions risk widening the gap in accessibility for students with little or no access to technology, edtech tools, and reliable Wi-Fi or broadband connections. Students and educators say tools like learning management systems are being used to increase accessibility, but access to technology remains one of the biggest roadblocks for many students.

5. Students and educators value mental health resources, but want time off most.

The top mental health resource offered by institutions is in-person/virtual counseling, but what students and educators say they want most are personal/mental health days off to recharge. There also seems to be a misalignment in the resources institutions provide and students’ awareness of those resources, as a good portion of students report that their institutions do not provide any resources. This suggests an opportunity for institutions to provide students with better visibility to their mental health resources.

6. Educators feel most empowered when they are given autonomy, respect, and holistic support.

Today’s educators would like most for their institutions to offer additional personal development, acknowledge/award their achievements, and provide them with opportunities to give feedback. Educators feel most empowered by their institution when they are given autonomy and respect in their position and feel as though their physical and mental health is cared for.

Together, these trends suggest a need for greater ingenuity in higher education. Student success and engagement will hinge on the ability of higher education to readily meet learners where they are. Institutions can begin by creating consistency in embracing and leveraging edtech and AI tools, and offering more comprehensive personal and mental health support for both learners and educators. For more global insights, download the full study.

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How do you guide your students through the process of learning?

His name was Reinhart, though if I’m being completely honest, I don’t know if Reinhart was his first name or his last name. It’s just what everyone called him. Reinhart was a fishing guide who operated out of Ely, Minnesota, in the Boundary Waters that run adjacent to the Canadian border. I met Reinhart as a teenager on my first fishing trip to Ely. That year, we decided to all chip in and hire him. It turned out to be worth the extra money.

Reinhart taught us how to identify hot spots. He explained how walleye perch themselves off shallow points. He pointed to fallen pine trees near the shoreline that provided needed shade for walleye in the summer. He instructed us to backtroll at 10′ on cloudy days and 14′ on sunny days. He introduced us to the term “walleye chop.”

In short, Reinhart taught us how to fish.

To my memory, Reinhart had no special gift as a teacher. He simply did what a person whose living necessitates giving clients a good experience. He had a vested interest in our success. If our party loaded up a stringer of good eaters, or if someone caught and released a lunker, we would return to the cabin happy and brag to the resort owner. The resort owner, then, would recommend Reinhart to future customers. It’s just business.

But by guiding us from inside the boat, Reinhart revealed to us the finer points of fishing that made him so successful. We saw how he organized his Lund so that he could quickly re-bait or grab the net. We watched how he maneuvered around rocky snags and when he set the hook in earnest. He rolled live leeches on his worn jeans to dry them, making them easier to put on the hook. He could not have conveyed these small details by telling us back at the cabin. He also couldn’t have remembered to share every tool in his tackle box of experience.

In higher ed, we throw around the popular adage: “Don’t be the sage on the stage. Be a guide on the side.” I largely agree with this sentiment. It represents an important shift from a teacher-centered lecture model to a student-centered learning model. We should engage our students through active learning strategies and effective, authentic assessments. We should not just be conveyors of knowledge but builders of experience. I get this.

Yet that maxim has never connected with me. I suspect it’s because of my background in both the humanities and in education. Being a sage on the stage doesn’t make a lot of sense teaching contemporary American novels, and the evils of lengthy, uninterrupted lectures were driven into me during my pedagogical training as an undergrad, so it always seemed somewhat self-evident.

I think it’s more than that, though. Like Reinhart, we need to guide our students from inside the boat, not from the shoreline. When you’re a guide on the side, you can still be derisive about your students. You can facilitate but not participate. You can remove yourself from the experience. Students can miss out on the subtleties. So I say:

“Don’t guide from the side. Guide from inside.”

The post Guide From Inside appeared first on OLC.

Editorial Note: Applications for the 2024 Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning (IELOL) are now being accepted. Learn more, and apply!

It’s funny how it only takes a little bit of distance to shift your perspective, right? This year’s OLC IELOL residency week was held in August at UNC Charlotte, just a two-hour drive from me in Boone, NC. I lept on the opportunity to take on the year’s training with it being so close (and because – full disclosure and shameless plug – I adore Garvey and his team). 

Short distance, huge gain: taking time to just get out of town and immerse myself with 60+ leaders in online learning from across the country was enough to remind me in this still-strange post-pandemic moment what I love about my work: we in online learning are on that most fragile and electric edge of everything that is happening in academia right now. 

That can be both exhilarating and exhausting, sometimes even downright apocalyptic. I love my team, and I love my faculty – we work and stretch and wrestle with ideas, try new things and have each others’ backs, especially on our better days. And, there are moments I tend to keep more to myself that I’m reminded I’m really the only person in my unit (or, really, on campus) who does what I do – and that can be lonely. 

So, to wake up for four whole days with 60+ other folks in the world – from as far away as Washington, Arizona, Maine – who do what I do every day, was potent medicine for that dream-like feeling of isolation that can creep in so easily these days. Just being in the room together was a salve. That they fed us with so much yummy food (thanks, UNC Charlotte team!) and talk on every relevant, current topic imaginable (thanks, OLC!) – from branding to ROI – seemed the icing on the cake. It made me realize I may still have a bit of caregiver’s fatigue after having helped haul our faculty through the pandemic, like so many of us, especially since we are coming out the other end only to be staring down the barrel of an enrollment cliff. 

Not to be overly dramatic, but the OLC IELOL was the oxygen mask I wasn’t even fully yet aware I needed. If we are teaching our faculty inclusivity and trauma pedagogy to better support student success, we need to remember that as leaders we have our own traumas and fatigue to heal as we innovate and support others. This experience gave me a professional community that, frankly, I am not sure how I ever did without – restocking my inner resources so that I not only know now I can keep going, I even have some idea how. And I have a whole cadre of new peeps in my alumni cohort (and so many cohorts before!) as well as an amazing new mentor to lean on if I get fuzzy about that.

If you haven’t stopped recently to take stock of how you’re really doing and connect with your professional besties, take time to do that this week – you can’t keep going if you don’t take care of you. If you’re still growing your group of professional besties, you’re in the right place. To the 2023 OLC IELOL cohort: can’t wait to see you in October! 

Interested in applying to participate in the 2024 cohort of OLC’s premier digital learning leader professional development program? Learn more about IELOL and apply!

The post Taking Time for You with the OLC’s IELOL Program appeared first on OLC.

The Online Learning Consortium (OLC), a leading organization dedicated to advancing quality digital teaching and learning experiences, and Cidi Labs, an innovative provider of course design tools for the Canvas LMS, are pleased to announce their partnership aimed at improving online course design, engagement, and accessibility. 

With the rapid growth of online education, it has become increasingly important to provide educators with effective tools and resources to create engaging and inclusive learning experiences. Recognizing this need, OLC and Cidi Labs have joined forces to leverage their respective expertise. Through this partnership, OLC will use Cidi Labs tools to enhance their training that empowers educators to design high-quality online courses. OLC will be using Cidi Labs flagship product DesignPLUS and their UDOIT Accessibility Assistant to design the training courses they offer. These tools will allow OLC to demonstrate its commitment to scaling best practices of instructional design in its own training programs that use Canvas. Cidi Labs will support OLC’s use of these products and collaborate to improve them. 

Together, we are bringing the power of Cidi Labs’ DesignPLUS and UDOIT Advantage Accessibility Assistant tools to OLC’s training courses. Join us for a free webinar, “Designing an Exemplary Learning Experience” on November 28, 2023 where OLC’s Center for Professional Learning will share their process for designing an exemplary online learning experience and showcase the course template they have created using DesignPLUS from Cidi Labs to maximize engagement in their workshops.

The partnership between OLC and Cidi Labs brings together the strengths of both organizations. OLC’s mission is to promote innovative and high-quality digital teaching and learning practices, ultimately enhancing student success in online education. By serving as a hub for knowledge exchange and professional development, OLC plays a crucial role in driving advancements in online education and supporting educators in adapting to the evolving landscape of digital learning. Cidi Labs, on the other hand, is renowned for its innovative design tools, including the popular DesignPLUS suite, which streamlines the course design process and the UDOIT Advantage Accessibility Assistant which makes it easy for course designers to remove obstacles that stand in the way of accessible learning. Cidi Labs’ mission aligns with OLC’s to empower course designers and educators to easily and quickly create impactful, accessible learning experiences for all students. 

“OLC is very excited to be partnering with Cidi Labs, and we look forward to collaborating with them to promote impactful and equitable teaching practices that ultimately lead to student success,” said Dylan Barth, Associate Vice President of Learning for OLC. “DesignPLUS and UDOIT will help us enrich our high-quality workshops and programs with the goal of providing exemplary professional development experiences for our community members.”

“We’ve long admired OLC’s community and mission and have supported many OLC conferences since our inception in 2016,” commented Mike Zackrison, CEO and Co-Founder of Cidi Labs. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to take our partnership up a notch by providing our powerful design and accessibility solutions to help OLC take its professional development offerings delivered through Canvas to the next level.” 

This collaboration between OLC and Cidi Labs demonstrates a shared dedication to improving online education and equipping educators with the necessary resources to succeed in the digital learning environment. Through their joint efforts, the two organizations aim to elevate the standard of online course design, foster student engagement, and promote accessibility for all learners.

For more information about the Online Learning Consortium and Cidi Labs, please visit https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/ and www.cidilabs.com.

About the Online Learning Consortium (OLC):

The OLC is a collaborative community dedicated to advancing quality digital teaching and learning experiences. Through its professional development, publications, research, and community engagement, the OLC provides educators with the knowledge and resources needed to excel in the online learning environment.

About Cidi Labs:

Cidi Labs products empower educators and course designers to easily create impactful and accessible learning. Our affordable, easy-to-use LMS plug-in tools for Canvas help them discover superpowers to dramatically increase productivity, ignite creativity, and scale the delivery of high-quality, accessible learning for all students.

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Editorial Notes

• OLC invites digital learning leaders to converge during two transformative days – December 5-6, 2024 – for the third annual Global Leadership Impact Summit. This fully online gathering aims to explore the tremendous power of global coalitions and partnerships in surmounting challenges to educational access. [LEARN MORE & REGISTER]

• Applications for the 2024 Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning (IELOL) are now being accepted. [LEARN MORE & APPLY]

• More information and applications for the 2024 IELOL Global Core Program will be available soon.

Leadership positioning can emerge from competitive advantage but is often sustained through innovation and community engagement. There is a growing field of thought that unearth new leadership development methods and recognizes the importance of working with others to identify areas of collective resonance. Indeed, research suggests that leadership development transcends choosing a leadership theory and training people in related behaviors (Day et al, 2014; Hernez-Broome, & Hughes, 2004 ). A leadership development program that effectively supports growth and helps leaders to realize a social justice agenda in a community framework is needed in this world of cut and thrust where there are, seemingly, shrinking opportunities for moving ahead.

I invite you to think back to the childhood tale of a winning team with a leader who survived through participant buy-in, engagement and strategic leadership. They ran together yet apart, one ahead of the other, one with more stamina and strength due to biological endowment and speed. The other, plodding at his pace and inviting a network of support that led to a competitive edge. The winner was not, initially, the crowd’s favorite. The unexpected leader was first to the finish line due to creative thought and the help of a committed community. 

Are you already in training to be the leader that you might become? 

Are you resting on your laurels, asleep while the competition networks and leaves you lagging behind? 

The critical first step in your leadership journey could be to harness your potential and align it with opportunities in your personal and professional life. As an OLC community ally, you can succeed with upcoming leadership summits and other related offerings. These offerings that include leaders for across the educational spectrum are often the lodestones that pull leaders from an engaged international community. A community that centers innovation and flexibility, helping leaders to develop dormant leadership skills and advocacy positions by amplifying sustainable development goals and strategic initiatives. 

The beauty of these programs is that they help leaders to build their foundation of leadership and explore the evolutions of their leadership roles in a community atmosphere. There’s an old African proverb that says “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” The OLC leadership development programs help leaders and aspiring leaders to align their work with their personal or institutional strategic plans. This requires the agility to go far while moving fast. This adage pairs well with the call for action towards a intentional partnership to change worldviews and engage collective consciousness about the challenges we face collectively and the creative solutions we can develop together. 

The description of the strategic leader comes to mind with the different roles they might hold that help to advance programs within the institution as well as the broader field worldwide (Schroeder, 2021). As we look at these diverse roles and opportunities, we reflect on our erstwhile leader from the earlier story. The winner has to identify his tribe, those individuals who allow him to win while remaining in the crowd, content in the knowledge that they contributed to his success. How does engagement in OLC leadership initiatives help with this process? During my leadership engagement, my group was paired with a facilitative mentor who listened and offered feedback as we developed self-awareness and identified the strengths and weaknesses of our individual leadership roles and how we might collaborate to amplify our advocacy positions. The mentoring process focused on building a strong foundation for leadership development and feedback processes based on evidence from the field (Day, 2011).

As a faculty instructional designer, I had several opportunities to lead administratively. Still, I did not consider it important to build a foundation of leadership until I engaged in an OLC Leadership event in Fall of 2022. In keeping with the ideas from Arnold (2022) on leadership in Higher Education, OLC leadership programs focus on cultural, pedagogical, ethical, relational, and environmental issues while advocating for change with an international community. Through my engagement I had several opportunities to build on a foundation of reflection. The team culture created in my engagement helped me develop effective communication channels within a group of colleagues from around the world. I feel especially supported in my leadership journey using an agile design project management approach of sprints and deliverables for each step of the process. The OLC continues to assist leaders and other practitioners with the resources we might use to set a compelling vision for our leadership development goals. We effectively moved from a consultative approach to practical implementation through these supportive channels. It was rewarding to see how our ideas could result in a strategic process that engenders change. 

As you plan your next leadership engagement, consider an OLC leadership event such as the upcoming Global Leadership Impact Summit, which can help you to streamline your management approach and identify strategies that you can use to leverage your process and amplify your advocacy position. Through these opportunities, leaders cultivate or develop a growth mindset for continuous improvement both nationally and internationally. The urgency to act is supported by trust and a positive approach to change management. The program I attended may have ended but the community continues. My team and I are continuing to work together as we share our stories and encourage others to do the same. 

References

Arnold, D. (2022). Supporting leadership development in European Universities: a mixed methods study of digital education leadership literacies for higher education.

Day, D. V. (2011). Leadership development. The SAGE Handbook of leadership, 22, 37-50.

Day, D. V., Fleenor, J. W., Atwater, L. E., Sturm, R. E., & McKee, R. A. (2014). Advances in leader and leadership development: A review of 25 years of research and theory. The leadership quarterly, 25(1), 63-82.

Hernez-Broome, G., & Hughes, R. J. (2004). Leadership development: Past, present, and future. Human resource planning, 27(1).

Schroeder, R. (2021). Leadership for Online Learning. In A Guide to Administering Distance Learning (pp. 20-42). Brill.

The post Unlocking Your Leadership Potential: Leading From Where You Are! appeared first on OLC.

I’ve met a number of people that share my professional background. I earned a Ph.D. in English with little hope of finding a tenure track job, but I had loads of teaching experience and a passion for student success. Searching for an alternative career, I sort of stumbled into the world of faculty development, and I haven’t looked back since.

My first meaningful job in professional development was at the (then) Learning Technology Center at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2010. I started working with Tanya Joosten, who is now an OLC Board Member. She was (and still is) a fabulous mentor and thought leader, and I owe her big time for helping to shape my career. Tanya was the person who introduced me to the (then) Sloan Consortium by basically volunteering me to present at the Blended Conference. Here I am, 13 years later, telling you that it was a fabulous and memorable experience.

Since then, I’ve attended as many OLC conferences as my former institution could afford (things were a bit better back then, budget-wise). Although I’ve been to several perfectly lovely conferences run by other organizations, I can say without hesitation and with complete candor that my favorite (and the best) conferences have always been OLC conferences. They have been among the most impactful professional development experiences of my career (OLC’s IELOL program is in there as well). I’ve connected with folks who share my interests and values. I’ve learned from people way smarter and more creative than me. I’ve gained insights that I never could have being siloed at my institution. I’ve felt welcomed and, as I’ve heard others put it, “at home.” Plus, my institution felt that it was a worthy investment, given the innovative and effective practices that I would bring back to share.

I now have the privilege of working at OLC as the AVP of Learning, and I carry with me the same enthusiasm for OLC conferences that I did before joining the organization. Some of you may remember that old commercial from the ‘80s that goes something like: “Not only am I the President of Hair Club for Men, but I’m also a member.” Along those lines, I consider myself a member of the community first and an employee of OLC second. I mean, I joined this fantastic OLC team in large part because of my connections to OLC’s diverse, forward-thinking, and friendly community of colleagues.

That is why I am so excited to attend OLC Accelerate 2023 on-site in Washington, D.C. We have a great lineup of speakers and panelists, and our concurrent and discovery sessions are as rich and thoughtful as ever. I know that times are tough out there in higher ed. Budgets are tight. I totally get it. But at the same time, I believe there is no better investment than the networking, the idea exchanging, and the professional development opportunities you will gain from attending our conference.

So whether you’re an OLC first-timer or old-timer (or somewhere in between), I invite you to join me at Accelerate 2023. Come and participate as a member of this wonderful community. I look forward to seeing you there!

The post Coming Home to Accelerate appeared first on OLC.

In the wake of the global pandemic, higher education has faced unprecedented challenges, from financial pressures to adapting to new teaching modalities. These stressors compound long-standing issues, such as racial disparities, socio-economic barriers, and gender-based discrimination. The toll on administrators, faculty, and staff has been immense, resulting in widespread burnout and exhaustion. To address this crisis and pave the way for a more compassionate and just future in academia, the “Care in the Academy” (CITA) project, led by Catherine Denial at Knox College and supported by the Mellon Foundation, has emerged as a beacon of hope.

Project Overview

The Care in the Academy project is a transformative initiative that seeks to prioritize compassion and care as core values within higher education. It acknowledges that the challenges faced by institutions are multifaceted and require a holistic approach centered on
the well-being of every member of the campus community. This project strives to identify, nurture, and support faculty and staff from all sectors of higher education, recognizing the vital role compassion plays in creating lasting structural change.

Expanding Compassion Beyond the Classroom One of the central tenets of the Care in the Academy project is the belief that compassion and care can extend beyond the classroom into every aspect of a campus community. The project asks a fundamental question: What does it mean to imagine and create structural change rooted in the principle of compassion? To answer this question, the project is divided into phases and teams focused on specific areas of concern.

Phase One: Identifying Key Areas

In Phase One of the project, thirty-six higher education administrators, faculty, and staff organized into three teams to address critical concerns:

Trauma: How can we ensure that our interactions with and support of all campus and community members are trauma-informed, especially in light of the ongoing pandemic?

Disability: How can academia address and transform ableism, both inside and outside the classroom, particularly in the context of the pandemic’s effects on teaching, learning, and working?

Pedagogy: What does it mean to practice a pedagogy of care that extends to faculty and staff grappling with the impacts of the pandemic on instructional methods and student engagement?

All three CITA teams approached these questions with a commitment to justice, seeking to challenge the status quo and promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in academia. They conducted extensive research and identified actionable steps to bring about meaningful change.

Phase Two: Campus-Level Action

In February 2023, the project moved into Phase Two, where participants formed teams based on their institution’s type, including R1 institutions, regional public universities, liberal arts colleges, and community colleges. This phase also included a team of faculty and staff who may not readily identify with a particular campus “type,” so that the project addresses the diversity of experiences within higher ed. These teams are tasked with implementing care-focused initiatives that are tailored to their specific campus needs. The objectives include prioritizing the findings from Phase One, identifying supportive individuals and departments, and taking concrete steps to integrate care into the academic environment.

Furthermore, Phase Two involves discussions about securing additional funding for this crucial work, both at the individual campus level and nationally. This recognition of the need for sustained financial support underscores the project’s commitment to making long-term, systemic changes in higher education.

Conclusion

The Care in the Academy project is a visionary initiative that seeks to revolutionize higher education by making compassion and care central to its mission. In the face of burnout, crises, and systemic issues, this project represents a ray of hope for a more just and equitable future in academia. Elizabeth (Liz) Lehfeldt of Cleveland State University, the co-facilitator for this project, will present a plenary talk at the “Breaking the Cycle of Burnout and Charting a Path for the Future” event, offering insights into the project’s objectives and the potential it holds for transforming higher education. As we navigate these challenging times, the Care in the Academy project serves as a beacon of hope, guiding the way towards a more compassionate and sustainable future for academia.

Join Carrie O’Donnell (CEO/Founder) and Brett Christie, Ph.D. (VP, Educational Innovation & Inclusivity) of Alchemy at the OLC Leadership Network Symposium on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 for their session focused on “Navigating Faculty Burnout and Overload in the Digital Learning Era.”

See what else in store at Accelerate 2023, later this month!

The post Care in the Academy: A Path to Transform Higher Education and Combat Burnout appeared first on OLC.

The Proctorio Review Center serves as a centralized hub, where all test-taker attempts are sorted by Suspicion Score on a red, yellow, and green scale based on settings dictated by the exam administrator to highlight which exam attempts require thorough review.

After an exam is submitted, administrators can review recordings and flagged behaviors within the Proctorio Review Center.

Previously known as Proctorio’s Gradebook, it was thoughtfully rebranded as the “Review Center,” introducing a wide array of new and improved features meticulously designed to elevate and enrich your overall exam management experience.

In renaming the Gradebook to Review Center, we wanted to emphasize inclusion and professionalism within the product. The “Gradebook” suggests grading, whereas the Review Center helps test-takers know that their submissions are being thoroughly and professionally reviewed.

The latest release of the Review Center features progress tracking, updated exam management, the addition of completed and deleted attempts, and an array of versatile sorting options. These are all included in an effort to refine and amplify the efficiency of the exam review process, ensuring a more streamlined and effective experience overall.

Exam administrators may now monitor test-taker progress during the pre-checks, facilitated by the introduction of a comprehensive progress bar, ensuring they’re ready and prepared for the exam ahead. Now including access to real-time insights pertaining to the time remaining for each attempt, test-takers are encouraged to improve their time management skills. Therefore, fostering an equitable testing environment that promotes fairness and accuracy.

We’ve also improved the exam management capabilities. With the capability of sorting exams by completed and deleted attempts, administrators can now easily review test-taker performance in completed attempts. Should any be accidentally deleted, there is now an option to restore them within a 24-hour period. To further enhance organization, the Review Center offers flexible sorting options for the exam attempts, both by name and suspicion score, and any other way you might wish to view them.

Proctorio’s Review Center is currently available, and can be explored in its entirety for an enhanced exam administration experience. Whether you are an instructor, administrator, or educator, this update is designed to make your job easier and more effective.

More on the Proctorio’s Review Center!

The post Proctorio’s Revamped Review Center: More than Just a Grade appeared first on OLC.

In recent years, higher education administrators have grappled with adapting to the shifting dynamics of the job market. Workforce education continues to play a critical role in equipping learners for the future. To accomplish this, leaders must realign existing programs and introduce new ones in accordance with labor market demands, ensuring learners acquire the essential skills and knowledge. This alignment not only serves the interests of learners but also strengthens regional economic growth and stability.

In a few weeks, at OLC Leadership Network Symposium 2023, senior leaders in online learning will embark on a one-day leadership meeting focusing on how higher education can blur the lines between academic and workforce education. We will discuss:

• Understanding skills alignment and attainment by identifying high-demand skills through research to anticipate evolving industries, technologies, and competencies shaping the future job market. These findings form the basis for program design.
• How to forge partnerships with industry leaders, employers, and local businesses to gain insights into sought-after skills and competencies. Such collaborations can lead to internships, micro-internships, apprenticeships, and experiential learning.
• Reskilling and upskilling opportunities to engage modern learners to adapt to evolving job requirements throughout their careers.

By grasping the concepts of skills alignment, fostering meaningful partnerships, and embracing reskilling and upskilling, educational leaders ensure learners are well-prepared for the future of work. 

Want to be a part of this dynamic discussion? There is still time to register for the upcoming OLC Leadership Network Symposium, taking place October 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. We hope to see you there! 

Thank you to D2L, Honorlock, Perlego, and Uwill for their generous support of the 2023 OLC Leadership Network Symposium.

The post Preparing for the Future: Navigating Workforce Education Alignment appeared first on OLC.

Since the first offerings in 2005, OLC’s online workshops and certificate programs have been a trusted resource for many institutions and community members’ professional learning journeys. During this time, the offerings have grown by a variety of metrics to support them including 5 full-time staff, almost 100 facilitators and subject matter experts from the community, a portfolio of 70+ offerings, and several thousand participants each year.  Given the significant growth in the last 18 years and continued need for digital learning leadership development, OLC is reimagining the role of its online workshops and certificate programs in a changed world as the OLC Center for Professional Learning.

Mission and Vision

During this reimagining, the Center will adopt a Mission and Vision that were determined as part of an advisory group.

Mission: We design and facilitate exemplary professional development for educators, empowering their creation of online, blended, and digital learning experiences that center equity, engagement, and student success.

Vision: To provide ongoing support and advocacy for quality, research-driven digital learning design and facilitation within a broad community of educators and lifelong learners.

An Exemplary Digital Learning Experience

The Center’s staff have worked diligently to not only provide support for institutions and educators delivering a high-quality learning experience, but have also modeled what’s possible in the design of the fully online workshops and certificates. In 2022, OLC transitioned all offerings to the Canvas Learning Management System, undergoing a thorough design review and ongoing refresh cycle for each offering along with a slate of new offerings. In 2023, we partnered with Canvas Credentials to elevate micro-credentialing efforts. We have also partnered with Cidi Labs to elevate and align the design of offerings to our mission and vision.

Personas and Pathways for Professional Development

Finally, the rebranding of the Center for Professional Learning comes at a time when the Center’s team has developed a personas and pathways approach to professional learning based on a comprehensive landscape analysis. Faculty, instructional designers, leaders, and student support professionals have access to clear pathways for Course Design and Development, Emerging Technology and Tools, Holistic Learner Support, Leadership and Strategy, and Teaching and Facilitation. The personas and pathways are being continually reviewed for alignment to community needs.

Find your pathway using the Center for Professional Learning Schedule or reach out to an OLC  Partnership Manager to discuss workshop passes as a way to embrace all of the possibilities for your organization. 

Meet the Center for Professional Learning Team

Josh Herron, PhD, Director of Professional Learning

Elisabeth Stucklen, Instructional Designer

Kaitlin Garrett, Instructional Designer

Cindy Schanke, Instructional Designer

Sherry Birdwell, PhD, Instructional Support Specialist

The post Transformative Digital Learning: Professional Development for a Changed World appeared first on OLC.

The Online Learning Consortium is proud to announce the distinguished recipients of the 2023 OLC Accelerate Awards and Fellows, recognizing their outstanding contributions to the field of digital leadership, digital education, and online learning. These exemplary individuals and institutions have demonstrated unwavering dedication, innovation, and leadership in advancing online, blended, and digital learning. The annual OLC Awards program continues to be a platform to celebrate their remarkable achievements and inspire others in the education community.

“Our awards and fellows program is a platform to highlight and thank these leaders in their respective fields, and their insights will inspire us to think beyond boundaries and embrace the limitless possibilities of collaboration and creativity,” shared Jennifer Mathes, CEO of the OLC.

That’s why each year the OLC launches a call for nominations for a variety of awards, to coincide with our Accelerate conference. We’re pleased to announce our 2023 awardees as inspirational models for our field.

2023 Class of OLC Fellows

For the 14th year, the OLC specially recognizes individual members for outstanding contributions. OLC Fellows cannot self-nominate, but instead must be nominated by others in the field. Nominees are then evaluated with a substantial set of criteria:

Outstanding qualifications in the field of online learning
Significant experience in online learning or an allied field
Extraordinary contributions and leadership in the field of online learning
Distinguished service to OLC or the field

For 2023, the Fellow Selection Committee recommended the following exemplary change-makers to the OLC Board of Directors to become OLC Fellows:

• Curtis Bonk, Ph.D.: Recognized for “Extraordinary Global Leadership and Contributions to the field of Online and Blended Learning.”
• Jason Rhode, Ph.D.: Acknowledged for “Visionary Leadership and Dedication to Mentoring Future Leaders in the field.”
• Bettyjo Bouchey, Ed.D.: Celebrated for “Exceptional Contributions and Service to the field of Online and Blended Learning.”
• Christopher Dede, Ph.D.: Honored for “Distinguished Scholarship, Research, Leadership, and Service to the field of Online and Blended Learning.”
• Deborah Adair, Ph.D.: Acknowledged for “Extraordinary Leadership and Commitment to Quality Online Learning.”

Accelerate 2023 Award Winners

This annual OLC Awards program is an opportunity to showcase leadership and innovation in the field of online, blended, and digital learning. The winners represent individuals who are pushing the envelope of creativity to empower learners. Inclusivity, digital transformation, and collaboration are key features inherent across these bodies of work.

While the competition was strong this year, please join us in congratulating the selected winners:

Excellence in Faculty Development
Unitek Learning
Unitek Learning has set a new standard for faculty development in online education. The collaborative efforts of Jamie Holcomb, Ed.D., Scott Tierno, D.A., PMP, Abdel Yosef, Ph.D., RN, CNE, and Kyejung Yang, Ph.D. have produced the “Unitek Learning Faculty Institute.” This project exemplifies excellence in nurturing faculty expertise and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Excellence in Instructional and Teaching Practice
Martha Hubertz, University of Central Florida
Martha Hubertz’s dedication to enhancing the quality of online teaching in large psychology courses at the University of Central Florida is truly commendable. Her project, “Excellence in Online Teaching in Large Psychology Courses,” reflects her commitment to effective instructional practices that benefit both educators and learners.

Gomory-Mayadas Award for Excellence in Online Educational Leadership
Dr. Hazzaa Alshareef and Dr. Maha Helal, Saudi Electronic University
Dr. Hazzaa Alshareef and Dr. Maha Helal have propelled Saudi Electronic University into a leadership role in the online education landscape. Their project, “Leading Online Education in Saudi Arabia – SEU’s National LMS Project,” exemplifies their visionary leadership and commitment to advancing online education in their region.

John R. Bourne Award for Excellence in Online Programs and Programming
Ultimate Medical Academy
Ultimate Medical Academy, represented by Zoaib Mirza, Amy Lakin, Craig Cuatt, Kevan Van Cleave, John Winchester, and Debra Stonikas, has redefined course development processes in online education. Their project, “Ultimate Medical Academy Course Development Process,” showcases innovation and excellence in online program development.

Accelerate 2023 Scholarship Winner

This scholarship recognizes individuals achieving extraordinary accomplishments in the field of online education at an early stage in their careers. Recipients – including this year’s winner – are known for leadership activities, service to the profession, scholarly publications, and/or contributions to advancing online and blended learning.

Bruce N. Chaloux Scholarship for Early Career Excellence
Meina Zhu, Wayne State University
Meina Zhu of Wayne State University is the embodiment of early career excellence in online learning. Her remarkable achievements and dedication to scholarship have earned her the prestigious Bruce N. Chaloux Scholarship.

These esteemed individuals and institutions have illuminated the path toward a brighter future for online education. We commend them for their remarkable achievements and look forward to their continued contributions to the field. Their work serves as an inspiration to all who strive for excellence in digital leadership and education.

Congratulations to the 2023 OLC Accelerate Award winners and Fellows! Your dedication and innovation are shaping the future of online learning.

The post Celebrating Excellence in Digital Leadership and Education: 2023 OLC Accelerate Award Winners and Fellows appeared first on OLC.

Online learning is the future of higher education. 

We read it. We hear it. We say it. And as online education leaders, we shout it from the mountaintops. 

Online education and e-learning is also big business with the eLearning IT infrastructure market reportedly worth almost $400B (USD) worldwide. 

As administrators of online institutions, we are in the thick of it. We all know the jargon—ROI, churn, scalability, cost-benefit, opportunity costs, lead generation—and, without a doubt, we need to apply these principles to effectively run our enterprises and to meet our goals of increased enrollments and revenues.

For those of us that work within traditional, residential institutions, online education is often in liminal space—simultaneously viewed by different factions of campus as a critical part of the strategic plan, a salve for financial downturns, savior to decreasing enrollments, mechanism of access and equitable inclusion, and, to be frank, very often (and erroneously) as a lesser modality of teaching. 

In this milieu, no matter the type of online institution, we are often forced to justify our existence and our modality through appeals to revenue generation. 

I’m not saying that revenue generation is a bad thing or irrelevant. Certainly, institutions of higher learning desperately need to develop new sources of revenue generation and maximize current revenue streams to continue to grow and thrive, and online education can and does provide these opportunities for strategic growth. We, however, can’t let that become our mission. If we do, we are doomed. 

Our mission must be to serve; to serve our students by providing pathways to higher ed and attainment of degrees and professional credentials thatwould otherwise be out of reach for the vast majority of people throughout the world. 

If serving students is our mission, then everything we do ought to serve that mission.

Of course, we do a great job showing learners our pathways, and our marketing teams are experts in market segmentation. We pore over funnel data and scrutinize conversion rates, but what happens once learners come through our door? 

I challenge you to join me in an experiment. Next time you are at a conference with a large population of online administrators, walk through the exhibition hall and count the number of booths that focus on enrollment and marketing versus those that focus on the student experience or student support mechanisms. Then reflect on what this says about our industry. Even closer to home, take a look at your own financials. What is the ratio of marketing/enrollment support to student support? Does that reflect a mission to serve?

Please don’t get me wrong. I’m a strong advocate for marketing resources and enrollment support. These are vital for our mission. My point is more philosophical: why is it so easy to justify spending to bring in new students but so hard to justify the resources to keep them?

Of course, we all pay attention to retention, persistence, and graduation rates, and these metrics are central in telling our institutional stories and to benchmark our performance. But we’ve resigned ourselves to accept, as if a truism, that online education will have lower retention and graduation rates than traditional residential colleges and universities (this is certainly the case now). Yes, we serve a more vulnerable population, but if online education is the future of higher ed, then we must ask ourselves if we are really okay with 55% retention (USNWR national average for online bachelor’s programs)? Is that truly serving our students?

At this point, if you are still reading, you’re probably thinking that I’m an idealist. I certainly am. But I’m also grounded in reality. As any undergraduate business major can tell you, it costs more money to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing customer. Retention is good business in any sector. Retention and persistence are intrinsically tied to both enrollment and revenue growth. It makes solid business sense to invest in the student experience and student success to avoid massive churn year-over-year. 

If you were able to retain an additional 10% of your students year-over-year how much higher would your enrollment be? How much more revenue would you generate? The numbers add up fast. 

By recentering our mission in everything that we do, it is possible to better serve our students and to generate more revenue for our institutions. 

As leaders in online education, we need to focus on our mission to serve our students. Not only is it the right thing to do; it’s just good business.

Want to be a part of this dynamic discussion? There is still time to register for the upcoming OLC Leadership Network Symposium, taking place October 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. We hope to see you there!  

Thank you to D2L, Honorlock, Perlego, and Uwill for their generous support of the 2023 OLC Leadership Network Symposium. 

The post A Mission to Serve: An Idealist AND Realistic Approach to the Business of Online Education appeared first on OLC.

The rapid shift to online learning that began with the pandemic has left faculty stretched thin as they now juggle multiple course formats. In Fall 2022, we at Alchemy conducted a survey of over 500 higher education faculty that revealed concerning rates of burnout, highlighting a dire need for additional care and support for faculty. 

Our survey found that most faculty now teach courses across multiple modalities including face-to-face, online, hybrid and even HyFlex. Preparing for varied delivery formats requires a huge time investment, averaging 125+ hours for a new course. As a result of these increased demands, 55% of faculty say they lack the time required to teach effectively – a critical factor to student success.

Many faculty are less comfortable with teaching in these newer formats. Nearly half of our respondents reported simply mirroring their face-to-face courses when teaching online, rather than leveraging digital capabilities to create engaging learning experiences. Although 65% reported confidence teaching online, few stated mastery for creating digital content, using educational technology, or leveraging their LMS effectively.

Engaging students virtually also proves challenging. While 70% of instructors enjoy those “lightbulb” moments of student comprehension, many default to passive lecturing ill-suited for online learners. This skills gap contributes to 50% of faculty feeling burnt out amid exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced efficacy. Only 28% are satisfied with campus health/wellbeing resources, and most report not using existing campus support services for course design and delivery.

Institutions must take action to alleviate unnecessary burdens for faculty and to foster a culture of care for faculty wellbeing. Leaders can start by simply asking educators how they are coping – and then responding based on what they discover. Investments should be made toward more innovative modes of support for online pedagogy and technology that can actually save faculty a significant amount of time. We will also talk about approaches leaders can use to promote activities that enhance connections among faculty, see the time they are investing, and the results it is yielding.

By understanding faculty challenges and implementing more effective and individualized support practices, leaders can reignite teaching passion, innovation, and student success in the digital era. Join us at the OLC Leadership Network Symposium 2023 to explore more innovative and pragmatic solutions to support faculty in this new reality.

Join Carrie O’Donnell (CEO/Founder) and Brett Christie, Ph.D. (VP, Educational Innovation & Inclusivity) of Alchemy at the OLC Leadership Network Symposium on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 for their session focused on “Navigating Faculty Burnout and Overload in the Digital Learning Era.”

Brett Christie will also be presenting at the virtual 2023 Foundry Days event “Breaking the Cycle of Burnout and Charting a Path for the Future”.

The post Supporting Faculty Success and Wellbeing in the Digital Age appeared first on OLC.

What does it take to continually level up your institution’s online teaching and learning strategy?

North-West University took a significant step forward in its online learning leadership by joining the OLC in 2016. This decision marked a pivotal moment in the institution’s commitment to innovation and excellence in teaching and learning. Through its membership, North-West University has fostered global collaboration through cutting-edge digital education, enriching the university’s academic landscape and positioning it as an education trailblazer in Africa.

Known for its support of pedagogical excellence, OLC often works with universities’ educator development departments. At North-West University, the Centre for Teaching and Learning fosters innovation in teaching, embracing a forward-thinking and global perspective. For example, with four main languages used across the North West province of South Africa, they are working to ensure all curriculum and content is multilingual.  Joining the OLC community has enabled the Centre to seek new avenues for enhancing student success through access, equity, and open education. 

Through the membership, thousands of the university’s faculty and staff access a library of high-quality workshops, webinars, and opportunities for comprehensive professional development. These knowledge sharing and upskilling opportunities have equipped educators with the latest practices and tools for creating engaging online learning experiences that foster critical thinking and encourage deep interaction through technology.

“Our educators share our enthusiasm because [our membership] aligns perfectly with our needs – it offers practical, focused, and accessible resources for teaching and learning,” says Retha Serfontein, a university senior academic developer. “The Online Learning Consortium has everything we need, from its [accessibility of resources] to the concise and manageable program durations.”

Membership especially proved instrumental in helping North-West University transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. When all courses needed to be moved exclusively online, Retha and her team turned to the OLC scorecard suite and rubric design for instructional design and online course development. Additionally, the OLC’s  professional development has contributed to a holistic and continual learning progression that enhances participants’ overall understanding, helping them absorb and integrate diverse elements into their professional growth. 

“The OLC membership has facilitated the integration of teaching and learning and led to a holistic progression in participants’ knowledge base,”  shares Serfontein. “The courses offered, including the Online Learning Consortium’s Wolsey program, have contributed to a broader growth in understanding and transcending the traditional boundaries of individual courses.”

The Centre for Teaching and Learning supports students with a blended learning strategy, maintaining an effective balance between in-house workshops, webinars, and online learning experiences. As the digital era continues to reshape the way we learn, North-West University’s membership with OLC is helping equip its educators with the approaches that reflect the latest research and best practices. The upcoming focus of their Continuous Professional Learning for 2024-2026 will be digital transformation. 

As the education landscape evolves, North-West University stands as a beacon of adaptability and innovation, proving that integrating online and blended learning isn’t merely a response to crises (like a pandemic) – but instead a pathway for elevating education.

The post Member Spotlight: North-West University appeared first on OLC.

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It seems like yesterday that Clayton Christensen, with colleagues Michael Horn and Curtis Johnson, published Disrupting Class, in which bold predictions of college closures equivalent to the dust bowls would occur by 2020 and mass customization would drive greater personalization and affordability in higher education. If you have read Failure to Disrupt by Justin Reich (Director of Teaching Systems Lab at MIT), many of these provocative claims have failed to fully be realized. And yet, if you were to ask most education technology thought leaders, the promise of digital courseware with machine learning powered by AI, alongside big data analytic capabilities that help drive targeted engaging content, is a promising solution to improve student outcomes in education. So why is education slower to adopt these promising solutions, especially with so many examples of technological transformation and disruption all around us (e.g., forty years ago, Toyota sold mopeds, Oldsmobile was a well-known brand, and there were only three TV networks)?  

Perhaps education is slow to embrace new and innovative approaches to teaching and learning for a variety of reasons. For one, education is messy and complex. If you really do the research, the efficacy associated with adaptive learning, on-demand tutoring, and other personalized interventions has had mixed results. Perhaps cost, professional development, and/or awareness of what is available is a dynamic in the mix. 

Regardless of the reason(s), let’s embrace the insightful leadership analogy of Rosabeth Moss Kanter in the well-regarded Zoom In, Zoom Out philosophy to decision making. If we Zoom In, we see a pandemic that has forced higher education/K-12 to move online at a rapid pace, and while many students are fatigued from “Zoom University”, it’s impossible to imagine the impact of the last few years won’t have implications for future investment in online learning infrastructure, professional development, and general strategic movements towards leveraging technology to enhance the learning experience. If anything, it will at least create more flexible learning pathways for students. 

If we Zoom Out, all educational schools will enter the online space and research effectiveness of different pedagogical approaches will dramatically grow. The increased spotlight on research, coupled with advances in the cognitive sciences, will give us new insights regarding how to create even more effective digital learning environments. Bror Saxburg, former Chief Learning Officer at Kaplan Inc, coined the term “Knowledge Engineer” to represent this evolution in how we design future learning environments. These advances, combined with the incessant pace of innovation in digital technologies that facilitate better scaffolding experiences, will create a unique opportunity to reimagine online learning. Add innovations and investment in generative AI, and you have a moment in time like no other. In other words, the inflection point is now!

“We’ve never seen a technology move as fast as AI has to impact society and technology. This is by far the fastest moving technology that we’ve ever tracked in terms of its impact and we’re just getting started.” -Paul Daugherty, CEO Accenture

As we together embark on the next phase of online learning, we must reimagine aspects of an education and student experience in service of delivering even greater value, an emotional connection that connects to the brand(s) and delivers a product that has motivational circuitry to encourage the habits of usage and persistence. This will include better harnessing data to enable a high touch and evidence-based engagement approach; a unique blend of dynamic content aligned to meet students at their point of need, and an even more consistent and cohesive learner navigation and service support environment powered by AI and high impact human interactions. We must also increase opportunities for learners/employers to quickly upskill through shorter form, bit-sized modules powered by a product learning skill ecosystem. 

The online learning landscape is at a moment of seismic shift and evolution – innovations and learnings from the past decade fused with advances in technology, cognitive sciences, and generative AI are undeniable disruptions to education. This shift should guide our learning models from content-centered to human-centered, abstract learning to situated and authentic learning, passive learning to active learning, objective competence to skill mastery, and static learning to dynamic learning. Gone should be the days of in-person lectures simply dropped into an online format without a full understanding of virtual learning best practices. 

As we approach the next phase of online learning, there are burgeoning opportunities that AI presents, along with online pedagogy shifts, to transform and reimagine how students learn. However, the broader academic community will need efficacy along with unique insight and actionable steps on how to utilize new technology to shift away from rote instruction toward the development of a more engaging learning experience.

And we must do this reimagining together – this conviction is informed by my own experiences in that significant outcome improvement almost always require new and novel ways for collaboration and cooperation as no single group in a department can materially change the total experience and outcomes, i.e., it takes a village. 

In the end, our population of students hunger to be upskilled to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving job market. The skills they need must not only prepare them for their future job but also equip them with competencies that transcend such as communication, digital, creativity, etc. 

“AI brings educational technology to an inflection point. We can either increase disparities or shrink them, depending on what we do now.”
—Dr. Russell Shilling

Dr. Andy Shean is the Chief Learning Officer at Penn Foster Group

At Penn Foster Group, we are transforming online learning to help learners by bringing together Penn Foster, CareerStep, Ashworth College, James Madison High School, the New York Institute of Photography, the New York Institute of Art and Design, and other education platforms. Together, we create an accelerated path to greater economic mobility through real-world skills and knowledge that enable them to achieve long-term success in the workplaces of the future. Our history dates back to 1890 when our founder, Thomas Foster, pioneered distance education by offering training by mail for coal miners to get the necessary skills for safer jobs. Today, with the partners who use our education and training programs, we continue that mission of providing accessible training and education for in-demand skills and are building a workforce that’s prepared for the future job market.  

The post Reimagining Learning and Empowering Outcomes With AI appeared first on OLC.

In the dynamic world of higher education, the role of educators has evolved significantly, presenting both challenges and opportunities. As faculty, developers, and directors, we continuously strive for excellence in our teaching and support of students. However, the ever-changing landscape has taken its toll on educator well-being. This Master Class, “A Continuum of Care for Educator Excellence”, is a transformative journey aimed at equipping you with evidence-based practices and resources to strike a balance between excellence and fulfillment in your academic career.

The Call for Care in Education

The last few years have been a time of unprecedented change, and the effects of these shifts on educators have been profound. Recent research indicates that burnout has become alarmingly prevalent, with 50% of faculty (N = 530) experiencing it (Alchemy, 2022). A staggering 55% of faculty members report they lack sufficient time to teach effectively, a concerning fact that reflects the overwhelming nature of their roles. This has only been exacerbated by the increasing number of faculty members teaching across multiple modalities.

In light of these challenges, the need for a new approach to education has emerged, one that incorporates care and well-being into our practices. Collaborating in a manner that embraces and sustains the passion that brought educators to their roles is now critical for long-term success.

Understanding the Human Element: Faculty Personae

To gain deeper insights into the needs of faculty members, our research team has employed qualitative personae research analysis. This approach has identified six faculty persona types, each representing a unique set of interests, aspirations, and preferences. It is essential to emphasize that these personae are not meant to pigeonhole or stereotype educators but rather to inform a more humanized lens that fosters equitable and effective approaches to faculty success.

By recognizing and appreciating the diverse characteristics of each persona, we can tailor our support to cater to their individual requirements. Whether faculty members are innovative pioneers, pragmatic experts, or nurturing mentors, understanding their perspectives will enable us to empower them in their pursuit of excellence and fulfillment.

Empowering with Agreements for Self-Care

To revitalize educator well-being, the Master Class introduces participants to a groundbreaking concept: Agreements for Self-Care, inspired by “The Four Agreements” (Ruiz, 1997). This interactive session encourages each participant to revisit their original passion and goals that led them to higher education. In doing so, educators can identify potential “joy stealers” that may hinder their fulfillment and productivity.

Participants will be guided through self-reflection and introspection, paving the way for greater “instructional wellness”. The Agreements for Self-Care provide a personalized roadmap, enabling educators to proactively address their needs and well-being in their academic journey. Empowered with this tool, educators can nurture their own growth and better support their students.

Elevating Courses through Purposeful Learning

The final segment of the Master Class is dedicated to enhancing the learning experiences educators provide to their students. The Purposeful Learning Check is a transformative tool that encourages educators to reflect on various aspects of their courses. Through non-evaluative prompts, participants receive real-time feedback and resources to facilitate manageable next steps in course iteration.

This formative “course care” approach empowers educators to craft courses that are humanized, inclusive, and engaging for their students. By taking control of their course design and development, educators can create an environment that fosters student success and nurtures their passion for teaching.

Key Takeaways for Educator Excellence

Participating in “A Continuum of Care for Educator Excellence” offers invaluable takeaways for faculty, developers, and directors alike:
1. Utilize evidence from the Burnt Out & Overburdened: The Faculty Experience 2022 report (Alchemy, 2022) to minimize burnout and enhance well-being.
2. Access the Faculty Personae Report (Alchemy, 2023) to understand and support the unique needs of diverse faculty personas.
3. Craft individualized Agreements for Self-Care and utilize related resources to enrich personal and professional growth.
4. Embrace instructional wellness with examples and resources that foster a fulfilling teaching experience.
5. Utilize the Purposeful Learning Check to create inclusive, engaging, and impactful learning experiences for students.

Conclusion

“A Continuum of Care for Educator Excellence” offers a transformative journey for faculty, developers, and directors seeking to strike a balance between excellence and fulfillment in their academic careers. By prioritizing care and well-being, we can collectively nurture an educational environment that fosters growth, success, and fulfillment for all stakeholders.

Join us in this Master Class, and let us embark on a shared mission to reimagine higher education—one that cherishes the human element and empowers educators to thrive as they shape the future of learning. Together, we can pave the way for a brighter and more rewarding educational landscape for generations to come.

The post A Continuum of Care for Educator Excellence: Nurturing Fulfillment and Well-Being in Higher Education appeared first on OLC.

Make plans to attend the OLC Leadership Network Symposium and hear from Jen Wurch as well as other impactful leaders in online, blended, and digital learning as, together, we discuss and network around strategies for leading the future of learning.

As an IELOL alumni and advocate, I believe in the importance of emerging leaders defining their leadership philosophy and purpose, which often comes through intentional collaboration with seasoned leaders in the space. In my own journey to define my purpose, I have had leaders who helped me reflect on my beliefs, values, and experiences, discover my voice, and embrace my strengths while acknowledging and working to improve areas of opportunity. They have shown me how to lead with this purpose and build my own leadership capacity. In the rapidly evolving landscape of online education, effective leadership and collaboration play a pivotal role in creating learning environments in which students can thrive. As we work to transform and renew the online education space, it is critical to remain focused on purpose-driven leadership that keeps the learner front and center.

Building Leadership Capacity through Collaboration

Leadership expert Simon Sinek said in his TEDTalk “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” that leaders who inspire their teams consistently think, act, and communicate from the inside out. They know their ‘why’, which inspires their ‘how,’ which influences their ‘what’, and they encourage this thinking throughout their organization. As educators, in everything we do, we believe in transformative education and learner success. The way we transform education and ensure learner success is through collaboration on all levels, particularly between emerging and seasoned leaders. Through this collaboration, we encourage ideas and creativity to blossom, resulting in a transformative student experience that changes lives and redefines futures.

To build leadership capacity within an organization and influence learner success, collaboration between emerging and seasoned leaders must be a priority. In leaning into a shared purpose of creating meaningful and scalable learning opportunities for all learners, leaders must commit to a student-centered approach to online learning transformation by adhering to a ‘student first’ mentality. With this mentality in mind, emerging and seasoned leaders can work together to embrace change and innovation through the exploration of fresh and innovative ideas, as well as strategic perspectives based on knowledge and experience. The most influential leaders I’ve worked with have encouraged me to lean into my creativity and ability to problem solve, while simultaneously incorporating their experience and knowledge to the project to ensure all bases were covered.

Cultivating and Nurturing the Next Generation of Online Leaders

In this work to transform and renew the online education space to create an environment for students to thrive, we must ensure we are cultivating and nurturing the next generation of digital and online leaders. To do this, the partnership between emerging and seasoned leaders must be strong and maintain a shared purpose of student success! There are four ways to do this- through mentorship and coaching, encouraging open discussions, building a strong community of practice, and creating leadership succession plans.

Establishing a culture of mentorship and coaching where seasoned leaders can share their knowledge, offer guidance based on experience, and create an environment in which emerging leaders can develop their skill sets and make mistakes is the first step to cultivating and nurturing the next generation of online leaders. I’ve been fortunate to have leaders who let me “fail fast”- if something I worked on didn’t turn out as expected or yielded less-than-ideal results, I was given the opportunity to figure it out, regroup, and move on. Being allowed to ‘fail’ has given me the space to ultimately succeed! Receiving timely and constructive feedback from seasoned leaders can help emerging leaders define their leadership philosophy and purpose, which they can continue to hone over time. In other words, the partnership between these two leadership groups is defined by a commitment to continuous growth, improvement, and feedback.

The second way to cultivate and nurture the next generation of digital and online leaders is to encourage open discussions where both emerging and seasoned leaders can share their knowledge and ideas on how to create meaningful and scalable learning opportunities that will enhance the lives of learners. Purpose-driven leadership is built upon collaboration, and the sharing of knowledge and ideas ensures all voices are heard and respected. As ideas are shared and action plans take shape, emerging leaders can be entrusted with responsibilities and autonomy in decision-making, empowering them to take the lead and develop their leadership capacity. The confidence I gained from my first successful ‘big project’ in the online learning space gave me the courage to think bigger, dive deeper, and ultimately have a greater impact on our shared commitment to transformative learning.

Next, the collaboration between emerging and seasoned leaders also leads to a strong community of practice in which innovation and change in the online learning space can expand. Through collaboration with seasoned leaders, emerging leaders can build a strong network within the online learning ecosystem, allowing them to grow their connections and further influence the ideas and innovations that will transform student learning and success. My own leader introduced me to OLC, and since then my network has expanded exponentially. And guess what this network does? It works together to transform student lives through our shared purpose of transforming and renewing the online space!

Finally, nurturing the next generation of online and digital leaders must include a plan for the future. Developing leadership succession planning initiatives will ensure the long-term success of the organization and ongoing efforts to transform the online space for all learners. To lead with purpose in the long-run means planning for success now, and through collaboration with seasoned leaders, emerging leaders can define and hone their leadership philosophy and purpose. And, one day, they will have the chance to cultivate and nurture the next generation of online and digital leaders.

Citation:

Sinek, S. (2010). How great leaders inspire action. Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action | TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en

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If you’re not already acquainted with the Online Learning Consortium’s Leadership Network, allow me to introduce you! OLC offers a diverse array of programming and development opportunities designed for online, blended, and digital leaders at all levels. Among these opportunities, the OLC Leadership Network stands out, providing a platform for leaders from various backgrounds and expertise to engage in signature events, such as the much-anticipated OLC Leadership Network Symposium, scheduled to take place on October 24th in Washington, DC, just ahead of OLC Accelerate 2023.

The OLC Leadership Network Symposium is a highly collaborative one-day event crafted explicitly for leaders at all levels. Its main objective is to collectively identify and address the pressing challenges and promising opportunities surrounding equitable, inclusive, and high-quality digital and online education. Building upon the success of previous Leadership Network events and heeding the requests from senior leaders, this year’s symposium serves as a dedicated meeting space for those seeking to shape the future of digital education. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore critical questions within the following tracks: Digital Strategy & Policy, Emerging Leaders, Equitable and Inclusive Digital Learning Leadership, Student Experience, and Workforce Education.

I am both excited and deeply grateful to serve as the Chair for this year’s Leadership Network Symposium, and I extend a warm welcome to leaders across the digital and online education landscape. Coming together as a community of leaders is always a special and cherished aspect of these events. Personally, my growth as a leader has been significantly influenced by the OLC network, especially through the relationships I’ve built with other professionals. Working through challenges, problems, and the unknown alongside them has been an invaluable experience. Our collective ability to address these issues together, explore new ideas, and put them to the test has empowered each of us to make a positive impact within our respective organizations.

This year, we have taken a purposeful approach in curating the Leadership Network Symposium’s program, ensuring that panels and sessions feature representation from emerging leaders all the way to senior executives and advisors. The value of diverse leadership voices at the table, discussing policies, equitable and inclusive digital leadership, and student experiences, cannot be overstated – it brings exponential power to our mission as educators.

As a sneak peek, let me introduce you to a couple of the esteemed leaders who will be participating in this year’s program:

• Jennifer Wurch, Director of Curriculum Operations, Penn Foster Group: Jennifer, an IELOL alumni and advocate, will be speaking in the Emerging Leaders track. Her focus will be on how emerging and seasoned digital leaders can collaborate to build leadership capacity within their organizations, with an emphasis on leading with purpose. In an upcoming OLC Insights Blog, she will share her thoughts on the significance of this partnership in cultivating and nurturing the next generation of digital and online leaders.

• Panel Session featuring Bethany Simunich, Quality Matters; Eric Fredericksen, University of Rochester; and Richard Garrett, Eduventures: As we eagerly await the publication of the 2023 Changing Landscape of Online Education (CHLOE) report, the authors of this report, Bethany Simunich, Eric Fredericksen, and Richard Garrett, are collectively examining survey responses from senior leaders across higher education. This panel session will shed light on the current state of affairs and explore how leaders are preparing for the future of online and digital learning.

We’re excited to announce that the full symposium program will be published in August, presenting an array of sessions and networking opportunities tailored for digital and online leaders across all levels. For more information, please visit our website: https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/attend-2023/accelerate/leadership-network-symposium/.

We look forward to welcoming you to the OLC Leadership Network Symposium as we embark on a journey towards a more equitable, inclusive, and forward-looking landscape for online education. Together, we can shape the future of digital learning and make a lasting impact on students and institutions alike.

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The Online Learning Consortium (OLC) is committed to helping institutions and organizations facilitate quality in online, blended, and digital learning. We are always seeking to refine our offerings to better serve our community, even though we understand that community needs and goals are always evolving. The OLC Research Center is undertaking a landscape analysis in August 2023 to better understand who our community members are, what you value, and how we can support your personal and professional goals. We also hope to better understand our Research Center’s strengths and opportunities for development. Our goal is to use this landscape analysis to specifically prioritize offerings, publications, and research topics based on our community’s interests. In short, our goal is to listen to our community to ensure that the Research Center’s offerings continue to meet your needs as we chart the future of online, blended, and digital learning together.

We are currently asking all community members to complete this brief survey to help us gain a better understanding of your needs and interests related to research and publications. We estimate that this survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Whether you are new to the OLC or have been using our resources for years, we want to hear from you!

If you have any questions about the survey or the OLC’s Research Center, please feel free to contact kristen.gay@onlinelearning-c.org for more information. We appreciate your time and commitment to the Research Center’s ongoing growth and development!

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Can artificial intelligence really transform the way we educate? Few of us could have fully predicted this game-changing moment even just a year ago, yet here we are, standing at the threshold of a new and transformative era where AI is poised to reshape education in unimaginable ways as platforms such as ChatGPT are driving significant changes within the educational environment. Educators stand to benefit enormously from these technological advancements. The rise of AI-driven course designs is reshaping our educational landscape in tremendous ways as educators are seeking to transition their workloads from manual, often labor-intensive processes, to automated, enhanced, and adaptable endeavors.

My collaborators and I are honored and excited to announce our master class, “ChatGPT Unleashed: An advanced exploration of AI-driven course design” at the OLC Accelerate 2023 conference in October. The journey towards creating and delivering this master class has been driven by our fervent belief in the necessity and the potential of integrating AI into education.

ChatGPT from Three Perspectives

Our inspiration for this master class stems from a trifold perspective. First, in an era where students are using AI tools like ChatGPT to complete assignments, the approach to traditional education should adapt. Rather than punishing students for utilizing the resources available to them, educators should focus on creating tasks that challenge the students beyond what AI can achieve. This shift necessitates a rethinking of our educational strategies and methodologies while promoting innovative critical thinking skills that are uniquely human.

Second, as educators our responsibilities extend beyond the walls of the classroom. Our primary goal is to prepare students for their future, and that future undoubtedly includes interacting with AI tools to complete tasks and projects. Therefore, it’s crucial that our students leave our classrooms with a proficient understanding of how to effectively utilize these AI tools in their future careers.

Third, the adoption of AI is not only beneficial for students but also for educators. There is an overwhelming amount of AI applications inundating the market now and in the foreseeable future. These platforms can simplify and enhance our roles as educators and course designers. Whether we’re designing course content, creating engaging classroom activities, providing personalized and insightful feedback, or enhancing the interaction with our students, ChatGPT can prove to be a valuable teaching assistant. As educators, it’s incumbent upon us to stay up-to-date of these developments and integrate these tools into our classrooms as we prepare our students for the world beyond the classroom.

AI, an Ally in Education

In our master class, we aim to dispel some of the common misconceptions about AI in education, and specifically, ChatGPT. By providing participants with comprehensive resources and engaging them in hands-on activities, we will dive deep into the capabilities of this powerful AI tool, exploring how we can utilize it to enhance our educational experiences. ChatGPT is more than a high-functioning AI language model – it’s an ally for us educators as we personalize our content and tailor examples to suit individual students’ distinct learning needs and expectations.

During our master class, we will delve into advanced AI techniques and how they can be leveraged to enrich the learning experience. We will demystify the technology behind language models like ChatGPT, touching on the inner workings of the transformer architecture that it is built upon. Understanding the mechanics of how ChatGPT generates contextually coherent and appropriate responses can provide valuable insights for educators into its strengths and limitations, and how to most effectively use it to augment their teaching strategies.

Join the Conversation at OLC Accelerate

We invite you to join us at the OLC Accelerate conference this October for our in-depth exploration of ChatGPT and its implications for AI-driven course design. Together, we will navigate the world of AI in education, exploring how we can unlock the potential of AI and elevate our teaching strategies to meet the demands of the digital age.

Stay tuned for updates on the conference and this exciting master class by following @OLCToday and using the hashtag #olcaccelerate. We look forward to embarking on this enlightening journey with all of you at the conference. See you there!

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In this digital era, successful digital learning leadership encompasses the key themes of digital strategy and policy, emerging leaders, equitable and inclusive digital learning, the student experience, and workforce education. These five themes will be the cornerstones of OLC’s upcoming 2023 Leadership Network Symposium, where we will explore how these themes shape the landscape of education and the role of effective leadership in each area.

Digital Strategy & Policy

Digital learning leadership begins with a well-defined digital strategy and policy that identifies key strategic areas of focus. Leaders must articulate a clear vision and roadmap that aligns digital strategy and policy with institutional priorities. They need to identify opportunities, establish goals, and allocate resources effectively and efficiently. By aligning digital initiatives with pedagogical principles, digital learning leaders can create an environment conducive to transformative learning experiences and overall student success.

Equitable and Inclusive Digital Learning Leadership

Promoting equity and inclusivity is a cornerstone of digital learning leadership. Leaders must address the digital divide by ensuring equal access to technology and resources for all learners. By prioritizing accessibility, cultural responsiveness, and diverse representation, digital learning leaders create an inclusive learning environment that meets the diverse needs of the students they serve. Digital learning leaders are in the position to advocate for policies and practices that advance digital equity, are based on inclusive pedagogy, and foster resilient community engagement.

Student Experience

Digital learning leaders recognize that the student experience lies at the heart of educational transformation. By leveraging technology and strategies to support students both within and beyond the classroom, they create personalized learning pathways that cater to individual needs, interests, and learning styles. They harness innovative tools and platforms to foster student engagement, collaboration, and critical thinking, all skills that help students make informed decisions and navigate major milestones. Through continuous evaluation and feedback mechanisms, leaders refine the student experience, ensuring that it remains relevant, engaging, and impactful.

Workforce Education

Digital learning leadership extends beyond traditional educational settings and into the realm of workforce education. As the skills required in the job market evolve, leaders must equip learners with the necessary digital literacy and future-ready competencies. By forging partnerships with industry stakeholders, digital learning leaders align educational programs with workforce demands. They provide learners with opportunities for upskilling, reskilling, and lifelong learning, enabling them to thrive in an ever-changing professional landscape.

Emerging Leaders

Nurturing digital learning leaders at all stages of professional development is crucial to driving digital transformation forward. Developing effective digital strategies and inclusive pathways to leadership can result in creating strong leaders that are passionate about leveraging technology to enhance learning outcomes and inspire innovation. Digital learning leadership programs, mentorship opportunities, and professional development initiatives play a pivotal role in cultivating leaders. By providing the necessary training and support, educational institutions can empower them to spearhead digital initiatives and help shape the future of education.  

Conclusion

Nurturing digital learning leadership across the themes of digital strategy and policy, emerging leaders, equitable and inclusive digital learning, the student experience, and workforce education is vital for creating an inclusive, future-ready education landscape. By embracing these themes and fostering strong leadership, education can successfully adapt to the digital era, preparing learners to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

Make your plans to attend the 2023 OLC Leadership Network Symposium to be held on October 24, 2023 in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the OLC Accelerate conference as we discuss these themes and more. The symposium is a highly collaborative one-day event that aims to collectively identify areas that require our focused attention in addressing the ubiquitous challenges and promising opportunities for creating equitable, inclusive, and quality online and blended education.

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I have always loved maps. I find them all fascinating – the hand-drawn scrawls from strangers who helped me travel along in life, and the complicated digital sectionals that guide my little airplane (a Piper Cherokee 140) across the skies. Maps remind me that the world is much bigger than my daily life, and that there is so much more to explore and learn. They remind me that there’s always someplace new to go, or a new way to get to where I’ve already been.

As I have traveled on my career journey, my most trusted maps have been the suite of OLC Scorecards. Yes, to me, they are maps. Maps that have enabled me to get from “here” to “there” — to mature the online, blended, and technology-enhanced courses and programs that I have worked on for more than 25 years. They have taken me to places I never could have gone without them and taught me valuable lessons along the way.

I consider the OLC Scorecard Suite as a set of roadmaps that can guide the design, development, delivery, and administration of engaging, effective, inclusive, and accessible courses and programs. An atlas of sorts that not only defines desired goals, but one that provides extensive guidance on the best route to take to reach those goals, while at the same time includes tips for how to measure your progress along the way. I call that progress “maturity”.

The OLC Scorecard Suite is made up of:

• OSCQR: The course-level quality rubric for reviewing and improving the instructional design and accessibility of online courses based on online best practices.
• Administration of Online Programs: Benchmarks and standards to evaluate the quality of online programs, and initiate planning efforts towards areas of improvement.
• Administration of Blended Programs: Benchmarks and standards to evaluate the quality of blended and hybrid programs, and initiate planning efforts towards areas of improvement.
• Student Success: This scorecard assists in the identification of gaps in services and provides a pathway to improve support services for online students.
• QCTIP: Designed to evaluate the overall classroom experience, this tool can be used to evaluate teaching effectiveness in several areas.

As our field constantly evolves, we are required to continuously seek ways to mature our practices. Although each OLC Scorecard has a targeted set of quality metrics, I posit that every one of them can be of benefit to every one of us – independent of our roles and responsibilities within our organizations and institutions. Yes, there is an intended focus audience for each OLC Scorecard, but I know from experience that there are hidden gems for everyone inside this atlas!

Sometimes we use maps in ways that may not have been intended (yes, I may have folded a roadmap into a hat more than once). I invite you to explore a diversion with me for a moment and travel down the road of “where else might these OLC Scorecards take us”?

Consider this story: Shantali, a mid-level instructional designer is looking to transition into the role of Associate Director of Online Learning. She wants to start applying for open positions and could use some help navigating this growth experience. She knows the ins and outs of learning design research and effective practices but is not fully confident about what constitutes quality relative to academic governance structures or strategic value. She also knows that she will need more insight into student services and teaching effectiveness. Where might Shantali find guidance? How might she get from “here” to “there”? The OLC Scorecard Suite. The atlas of maps is perfectly positioned to guide her maturity across the board, and even provide a basis for initiating guided conversations with her colleagues and mentors.

I could share thousands of stories just like this one – from the difference one simple course update might make to improve inclusiveness, to the impact of a system-wide approach to advancing strategies and improving programs in a longitudinal way. My story? I have learned so much from every single quality indicator and associated recommendation within this entire suite. They are all what guided me to where I am. 

Where are you on your career pathway? What guidance might you find in the OLC Scorecard Suite?

I invite you to take a journey with me at OLC Accelerate as we explore the possibilities in a Master Class: Enabling Effective, Inclusive, Accessible, and Engaging Courses and Programs with OLC’s Scorecard Suite. 

In this Master Class, we will open each of the OLC Scorecards to display their full potential, and then dive into scenario-based exercises to explore different ways of addressing the opportunities and challenges embedded in the scenarios. We will put on our explorer hats (maybe even fold a few maps), and plan out collaborative journeys and ways of getting from “here” to “there” in the myriad of work that we do. 

This Master Class is not just for those new to this space. It is for anyone who wants to mature in any way across the design, development, delivery, or administration of engaging, effective, inclusive, and accessible courses and programs. 

I rely on maps to get me from “here” to “there” — wherever “there” may be. It’s always helpful to have someone there to read the map, and i’d love to have you help me navigate this journey. See you at OLC Accelerate! 

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