Leadership Network Symposium: Cultivating Future Leaders in Online Learning: Nurturing Growth through Leadership Investment

Brief Abstract

In the dynamic realm of online learning, the responsibility of shaping the next generation of leaders rests on our commitment to intentional investment in our teams. Through targeted development opportunities, impactful mentorship, and fostering capacity building, we lay the foundation for a thriving leadership ecosystem. Join us for a compelling session that brings together a panel of esteemed voices, all active participants in OLC’s Institute for Emerging Leaders in Online Learning (IELOL) program, spanning both domestic and international spheres.

Our discussion will highlight tangible outcomes and remarkable achievements that the IELOL program has fostered. Panel participants will share the diverse pathways it has forged, contributing to the ongoing evolution of educational leadership practices. Irrespective of prior familiarity with IELOL, the pressing need to invest in leadership growth will emerge as a central theme. This imperative resonates deeply across all levels of experience, bridging the gap between new and seasoned online professionals.

Join us in embracing an undeniable truth: the nurturing of leadership excellence stands as an unwavering cornerstone in steering the trajectory of online learning's future. Through intentional investment, we collectively champion growth, foster innovation, and pave the way for a new era of digital educational leadership.

 

The OLC Leadership Network Symposium will bring together trailblazers and influential voices in our field in a highly collaborative one-day event, fostering discussions and debates about our digital learning futures. Together, we will determine our top priorities for the upcoming year, addressing the most significant challenges and opportunities facing our field. It 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. This year’s symposium promises a truly engaging experience, featuring a keynote address, panel discussions, and numerous networking opportunities. Do not miss out on this unique and prestigious event, where you can connect with leaders from around the world and gain valuable insights into critical topics. Learn More and Register: https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/attend-2023/accelerate/leadership-network-symposium/

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Morgan Johnson, University of Arizona Global Campus

Morgan Johnson is the Vice President of Academic Experience and Interim Chief Academic Officer at the University of Arizona Global Campus. In her role, Morgan supports all aspects of the UAGC student lifecycle, champions the teaching and learning mission at the University, and strives to continuously improve the faculty and student classroom experience. She leads academic operations, innovation and academic technology, learning resources and editorial services, and academic support teams, including the UAGC Library, Writing Center, and tutoring services. Morgan brings over 15 years of experience in higher education leadership to UAGC. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Organizational Development and Leadership. Her research has focused on systematic approaches to learning environments with a focus on planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of learning systems. As a passionate educator, Morgan has over a decade of teaching experience and has contributed as a faculty member to curriculum design and program development. She currently serves on the Association of Distance Education and Independent Learning (ADEIL) Board of Directors and is active in leadership volunteer roles for the Online Learning Consortium (OLC).

Co-presenter: Sebrena Jackson, University of Alabama

Dr. Sebrena Jackson is a strategic thinking, servant leader with over 25 years of social work practice and leadership experience. Over the span of her career, she has worked with diverse populations with the goal of inspiring them to do the healing work that leads to living on purpose and reaching their fullest potential. Dr. Jackson’s diverse career in academia has spanned from Title IV-E Coordinator/Instructor of an undergraduate social work program at an HBCU, to Director of Field Education for the first fully online university to receive CSWE accreditation for an MSW program, to her current role as a tenured Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Educational Programs and Student Services at a Research I university, The University of Alabama. As a first-generation college student, Dr. Jackson is passionate about education. This passion has guided her practice, research, and scholarship. Her two lines of education research include: (1) post-secondary education access and success for youth transitioning from foster care and (2) online education. She has published and presented on these topics at state, national and international conferences. The pre-college program she founded, the National Social Work Enrichment Program (NSEP), provides a 6-week college experience for foster youth. NSEP seeks to encourage foster youth to consider social work as a college major, while inspiring youth to graduate high school and enroll in college. Dr. Jackson has received numerous awards and honors for her work. She was honored as the Social Worker of the Year in two states, NASW-GA in 2009 and NASW-AL in 2017 for her work with transition-age foster youth. She was honored to be selected as the 2023 Online Learning Innovation Summit Keynote Speaker at The University of Alabama. Dr. Jackson was selected to participate in the Institute on Pedagogy and Technology for Online Courses at Columbia University and the Online Learning Consortium’s Institute for Emerging Leaders in Online Learning (IELOL). She was recently appointed as a Co-Lead for the Social Work Grand Challenge: Harnessing Technology for Social Good. She has received awards as an Innovation Team Scholar and Innovation Scholar in Residence from the University of Alabama College of Continuing Studies (CCS) Online Education Initiative. She is a certified Quality Matters Online Instructor. She obtained her BSW from Tuskegee University and MSW and PhD from Clark Atlanta University. Dr. Jackson is a trailblazer in the profession, and through her leadership, practice, and research, a college education has become a viable option for hundreds of youth transitioning from foster care.

Co-presenter: Lynn Wahl, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Lynn leads the Online Course Production Team and the Media Production Team in the Center for Teaching and Learning at UNC Charlotte in their work with faculty in redesigning and developing blended and online courses and developing high-quality, engaging media. Lynn is passionate about working with faculty to use technology, learning theory, and national design standards to create innovative and successful faculty and student learning experiences. Lynn received her M.Ed. in Instructional Technology from Idaho State University and her M.A. and B.A. in English Literature from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. With over 15 years of experience in higher education, Lynn is an award-winning instructional design thought leader and a graduate of the Online Learning Consortium's Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning.

Co-presenter: J. Garvey Pyke, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

J. Garvey Pyke, Ed.D., leads the Center for Teaching and Learning in fueling the enrollment growth at the university through online course development, creating high impact student success programs using personalized and adaptive learning, promoting faculty success and scholarly teaching through innovative faculty development programs, and overseeing the provision and support of enterprise academic technologies, with a focus on high quality instruction in all teaching modes and models. The success of the CTL has made him a sought-after contributor for professional organizations and consultant for other institutions, having served as President of the University of North Carolina Faculty Developers Consortium and also as a member of steering committees for the both the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Innovate and Accelerate conferences, and he has presented multiple times at these and other conferences. Garvey has also been a keynote speaker at the Georgia State University Conference on Scholarly Teaching in 2016 and University of Central Florida’s TOPkit Workshop in 2022. An alumnus of the 2010 OLC Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning (IELOL), Garvey has stayed active in the IELOL network, assisting Larry Ragan with the design and facilitation of the IELOL Master Class in the years 2014 to 2017. Garvey was co-director of IELOL in 2018 and 2023 and has been serving on IELOL faculty since 2019. As an educator for over 25 years and having been with UNC Charlotte since 2003, Garvey enjoys collaborating with faculty members and staff to design and develop programs which impact faculty satisfaction and lead to student success. His work involves the practical application of research methods and instructional systems design methods to various instructional projects at UNC Charlotte, and he is an affiliate member of the Graduate School and has served on several dissertation committees. He holds a doctorate from Indiana University’s School of Education in Instructional Systems Technology and has taught at the university and K12 levels. He also holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Pepperdine University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Tulane University.

Co-presenter: Dylan Barth, Online Learning Consortium Inc.

Dylan Barth is the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Learning and a Co-Director of the Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning (IELOL). Dylan provides strategic vision and oversight for professional development, research and publications, and the Quality Scorecard Suite at OLC. He has 20+ years of experience teaching in higher education and 12+ years working in faculty and instructional development. Dylan holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with an emphasis on masculinities in contemporary post-apocalyptic fiction.

Extended Abstract