Here are titles, presenters and dates for ITC’s professional development Webinar series through July 2013.
If you are unable to participate in the live presentation, an archived version will be available online for 60 days after each live event. Registrants are free to share the archive information with your staff during this time (note that ITC owns the copyright for these Webinars so we appreciate your not making or storing any copies).
Registration costs only $50 per Webinar, 20 for $900 ($45 each), or all 36 calls for $1,620 ($45 each). These fees are double for non-ITC members. The cost is the same to access the live or archived versions. Choose any of the presentations we have scheduled so far, and carry over a credit for what remains, to take advantage of the 20 Webinar package. A big thank you goes to Anne Arundel Community College for contributing the use of their Blackboard Collaborate Web platform to us so we can keep our costs down!
We welcome your ideas and recommendations for Webinar topics and presenters as we schedule our Webinar presentations through July 2013!
- Are there any topics of interest to you for which you would love some assistance or ideas?
- What challenge is dogging your distance learning program?
- Is there a Webinar you would like to offer to members of your staff?
- Is your college doing some amazing things in distance learning that you would like to share with ITC members?
September 2012
Update: National Policy Initiatives and Federal Distance Education Legislation
Sept. 11, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Christine Mullins, Executive Director of the Instructional Technology Council, and Fred Lokken, Dean of Truckee Meadows Community College WebCollege
Christine Mullins and Fred Lokken will review recent federal legislation and policy initiatives that pertain to distance education—that could affect distance learning programs at colleges and universities around the country. They will review steps taken to create a state compact for state authorization for out-of-state distance education institutions, the Department of Education's response to financial aid fraud rings, and the 2014 re-authorization of the Higher Education Act.
Using Technology to Facilitate Group Projects in the Virtual Classroom
Sept. 18, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Tracy Wright, RN, PhD, CNE, Faculty, School of Nursing and Health, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Implementing an online course is a noteworthy accomplishment. However, rising to the challenge of designing successful group assignments in the virtual world is an additional pedagogical leap. In this session, Dr. Wright will discuss various technological strategies she has employed to facilitate online teamwork and encourage full participation despite the lack of a face-to-face venue. Discover assignment approaches and freeware platforms that can assist students in becoming autonomous as they navigate online group projects.
Strategies for Successfully Teaching Math Online
Sept. 25, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Carrie Naughton, Professor of Mathematics, Inver Hills Community College
Learn some strategies for successfully teaching math online! Find out some keys to success, common obstacles, and tested methods that help students and instructors succeed online. Discover the components necessary in planning an online math course and see examples of how one instructor designs her online math courses. Learn what to expect when creating and teaching your own online class.
October 2012
Creating a Peer Mentor Program for Online Learners
Oct. 2, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Kate Southwick, Academic Advisor for Career Programs, Anthony Collins, English Instructor, and Jim Callinan, Academic Advisor for Online and Adult Programs, Inver Hills Community College
Three years ago, administrators at Inver Hills Community College launched an online student peer mentor program in order to improve student retention and help learners succeed in the college’s online courses. They also wanted to help faculty members, who needed help answering the many questions students asked related to online issues that had nothing to do with the course content. Online peer mentors helped bridge the gap.
The presenters will discuss how and why the online peer mentor program was created; how faculty members, mentors, and students have benefited; what they have learned; and, their vision for enhancing the program. Anthony Collins has taught hybrid and online classes for more than ten years at Inver Hills and has worked with online student mentors for two years. Kate Southwick has worked with distance learning and online programs for more than 15 years. She has advised online students, created Web sites for online learners, and has helped create fully-online bachelor's programs at the college. Jim Callinan has experience working with online orientations and a variety of online platforms. His expertise lies in helping adults and online students become successful online students.
Teaching Evaulations in Online Classrooms—It Can be Done!
Oct. 9, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Hanna Erpstad, Dean, Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Amy Jo Swing, English Faculty and Online Faculty Development Coordinator, Lake Superior College
What constitutes effective online teaching? How is the quality of online teaching evaluated on your campus? At Lake Superior College, a team of experienced online faculty and an administrator with years of online teaching experience tackled this sensitive topic, researching best practices to develop a new process and a new rubric for the administrative evaluation of online teaching. The process has gained strong support of both faculty and administration.
The presenters will discuss the online teaching evaluation process from both the faculty and administrative perspective. They will introduce participants to the evaluation rubric and share examples of online faculty evaluations. Participants will gain information about best practices in online teaching evaluation and ideas for developing an evaluation process and rubric. Copies of all evaluation documents, including the evaluation rubric and criteria, will be made available. Faculty, instructional designers, and administrators will all benefit from the information presented.
Offering Comprehensive Online Student Services at South Texas College
Oct. 16, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Brett Millán, Associate Professor of English, South Texas College
In today’s rapid-paced world, it is difficult for “time-bound” students to benefit from an institutions's student services if they must come to campus to access them. At South Texas College, the distance education department led a cross-functional team to create a comprehensive set of online student services that would serve both online and traditional students.
Brett Millan will discuss the process his college followed to convert these services and the obstacles they overcame to create the college’s virtual campus. Participants will learn about various technologies they can use, the steps they can take to revisit and revise long-established procedures to make them online friendly, and the personnel that should be involved in this process.
Offering Comprehensive Online Student Services at Sinclair Community College
Oct. 23, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Christina Amato, Student Retention Coordinator, Sinclair Community College
Since students increasingly expect to meet their educational needs without ever having to step on campus, college staff are under increasing pressure to provide instantaneous assistance and access, across a broad realm of college services. Higher education administrators face a difficult charge: find ways to engage students more than ever before, with diminishing resources.
Sinclair Community College and its online division, SinclairOnline, faced this quandary in 2009. In five years, the college's online student population tripled, during an economic decline at the local and state level. Antiquated, labor-intensive processes favored face-to-face interaction, while large numbers of online students were left “in the cold” to navigate the college remotely or fall through the cracks. Christina Amato will explore SinclairOnline’s response to higher education's continued need to “do more with less.” Centering on a holistic approach to engage online students, she will explore the process for identifying and prioritizing student need, the fundamentals for streamlining e-services, and how to develop communication strategies for online students with limited staff and resources.
Learning Styles in the Online Environment
Oct. 30, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Dr. Lori Mestre, Head of Undergraduate Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Because online instruction is so prevalent on campuses and within libraries, educators and librarians need to understand and ensure the learning objects and tutorials they create are effective for a wide range of students. Did the faculty member, librarian or instructional designer create their learning materials to best accommodate diverse learners or did they construct their tools in ways that reflect their own teaching and learning styles?
Lori Mestre will offer background information on the theories and controversies of learning styles in order to understand the importance of creating learning objects and tutorials that match student needs. She will provide examples and suggest ways to accommodate multiple learning styles. Mestre earned her doctorate specializing in multicultural education. Her research and publication interests pertain to multicultural librarianship and how to create online learning environments that best reflect the diverse needs of our patrons. In 2010 she published the book, "Serving Diverse Populations: Challenges and Opportunities." Her latest book, "Designing Effective Library Tutorials: A Guide for Accommodating Multiple Learning Styles," is forthcoming.
November 2012
Complying with Copyright and Ownership Issues in Distance Education
Nov. 6, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Fritz Dolak, Copyright and Intellectual Property Office Manager and U.S. Copyright Office's Copyright Agent, Ball State University
Fritz Dolak will provide a comprehensive overview of what educators need to know in order to comply with copyright laws and respect intellectual property in a distance education environment. He will provide the basics for applying a fair use test to determine whether an educator can legally use copyrighted materials in his or her online course.
In 2002, Congress passed the TEACH Act which amended the U.S. Copyright Act to allow educators at accredited higher education or recognized K-12 institutions to transmit portions of legally-acquired audiovisual works over distance learning networks, without having to first obtain permission from the work's copyright owner. The CONFU Multimedia Guidelines were crafted to give educators specific portion limitations so they can comfortably comply with fair use limitations and not fear retribution. Fritz will also review the list he created for the Indiana Partnership for Statewide Education, "Do's and Don'ts for Transmitting Copyrighted Materials."
Tomorrow’s Healthcare—Online Today
Nov. 13, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Angie Brown, Department Head Associate Professor, Indirect Patient Care, Corporate and Career Development, Greenville Technical College
Online training can start today and provide you with best practices for tomorrow’s healthcare. Participate anytime you want—day or night—with 24/7 access to online courses. Step-by-step information will allow you to learn in an environment that is conducive to your needs. Online courses are instructor-led, can be completed in comfort of your home and still provide you with the same knowledge as a traditional class setting. We have conducted a survey and found that students that took healthcare courses online scored much higher on certifications than those who learned using the traditional classroom model. Beginning with one online course 12 years ago, Greenville Technical College now offers more than 100 courses online.
Embracing change is important in today’s education due to the latest technology. Children as young as preschoolers are using smart phones, iPads, and laptops in their learning environment. Students graduating from high school are prepared and expect their colleges to offer the latest technology. To communicate and stay up-to-date with this generation, people of all ages have to adapt to this format of learning. Online is one of the fastest growing areas in healthcare training. In this Webinar you will learn how to take advantage of the resources offered and available online.
Using Open Textbooks with Flat World Knowledge
Nov. 27, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Larry Dugan, Assistant Professor of Computing Sciences/Coordinator of Learning Environments, Finger Lakes Community College
Although publishing's business model is changing rapidly for many reasons, the spriraling cost of textbooks has provided a big impetus for new ideas. Sometimes students must pay more for their textbooks than for their college tuition. Competetive models are emerging, and some are having an real impact on the industry.
Flat World Knowledge is a company publishing executives created with this evolving paradigm in mind. It's innovative business model follows Peter Drucker's concept for "outside-in" thinking and offers students the option for buying their books according to the delivery mode with which they are most comfortable. The online version is free, but they can purchase a pdf, ebook, printed black-and-white, or printed color, edition for different scaled prices. If the student only needs to read one chapter in a book, he or she can buy just that chapter. Flat World Knowledge will also sell students an "all pass" which allows them to download any version of the book at any time. Students can buy the pass at the college bookstore to take advantage student financial aid. In this Webinar, Larry Dugan will describe how he integrates a Flat World book into an Angel course, and offer examples for available test-banks and supplements, with student reactions to the book.
December 2012
The State of State Authorization
Dec. 4, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Marianne Boeke, Ph.D., Research Associate, National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS); Moderated by Fred Lokken, Associate Dean of Truckee Meadows Community College WebCollege
Despite being struck down by the courts because the Department of Education did not follow proper procedure when it proposed its new regulation on state authorization on Oct. 20, 2010, the proposed requirement raised awareness among states about the variety and scope of out-of-state distance education programs, and alerted them to the fact that they can legally make higher education institutions obtain authorization to teach the students who reside in their states—online or by any other means. Most states have updated their regulations for out-of-state distance education institutions. Several national organizations are drafting reciprocity agreements, so states will recognize the accredited courses offered by colleges located in other states and vice versa—but the ink is not yet dry on these agreements and it will likely take a couple of years before state legislatures adopt them.
In the meantime, many institutions do not know how to begin the process for obtaining state authorization. To address this need, the national association of State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) and the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) created a directory of agencies and individuals responsible for implementing state quality assurance laws, as well as a compendium of state laws and regulations. Marianne Boeke, one of the authors for this study, will provide an update on the current status of state authorization, review the inventory itself and the data collected, and discuss steps institutions should take so they be in legal compliance to teach students who reside in other states.
Supercharge Training: Innovative Approaches to Training
Dec. 11, 2012 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Jenny Hanson, IMS Trainer/Faculty in Art, and Debra Whited, CTL Leader/Faculty in English, Normandale Community College
Training and professional development are routine requests on campuses, but why is it when the training is offered little to no one attends? Everyone seems to want training and professional development, but they all say they don’t have time for it.
Jenny Hanson and Deb Whited will discuss their approaches to campus training and professional development. These strategies for training have been used to meet the needs of the faculty/staff, boost attendance, and build a culture of collaboration on their campus. From superhero themes, a collaborative newsletter, and a roaming training team, they'll share with you what's possible with a little creativity.
January 2013
Evaluating Quality and Effectiveness in Online Learning: Regional Accreditation Principles and Practices
Jan. 15, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Joan Costello, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Inver Hills Community College
Joan Costello will examine the key areas where online programs must typically demonstrate quality and effectiveness to be awarded accreditation. These areas include strategic planning, curriculum and instructional design (including design for accessibility), staffing and staff support, student support, and evaluation and assessment of courses and programs. Costello will discuss federal compliance issues and policies, processes, and general principles of accrediting bodies—and provide some strategies for addressing each of these areas. The targeted audience for this webinar includes administrators from institutions that are preparing applications for accreditation for online programming and those that are just launching online initiatives and would benefit from planning their programming with accreditation in mind.
Online Orientations for New Distance Learners
Jan. 22, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Allison Mabry, MJ Coordinator, TLT Communications Teaching and Learning with Technology Texas Woman's University
Some new distance learners need help getting started with their first online course. Allison Mabry will explain why and how Texas Woman’s University built an online orientation to distance education for students who are taking their first online course.
Online Learning Integration with ABE/GED Programs leading to College Enrollment
Jan. 29, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: David M. Lascu, Project Manager, Next Generation Virtual Campus, Anne Arundel Community College
David Lascu will provide an overview of the real-life experiential introduction of online open and free educational tools—into adult basic education (ABE), general education development (GED), vocational and career educational programs. He will outline pathways to college enrollment for underserved and non-traditional students and offer advice for ways to create partnerships among colleges, state and local agencies, and non-profit agencies to encourage students to take the next step—to enroll in college to search for a new career or attain a higher education degree, rather than just taking courses to get a job or learn a specific skill. He will introduce free and open online learning experiences that prepare students to think critically and use educational technologies. Lascu will also describe the Bridge to Success project which partners with Maryland's Department of Labor, licensing and regulation educational programs, the Baltimore Mayor's Office of Employment Development, and non-profit agencies that offer vocational and career training programs.
February 2013
Double Graduation Rates with Online Prior Learning Assessment
Feb. 5, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Kristen Himmerick, Director of Academic Technology and Student Engagement, and Adele Chodorow, Regional Sales Manager at LearningCounts.org
LearningCounts.org—a completely-online, outsourced portfolio assessment service from the Council of Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)—has sparked a new level of enthusiasm for prior learning assessment (PLA) and the promise and potential it brings to putting a college degree within reach for every adult. LearningCounts.org is re-engaging adult learners to meet national degree completion goals. Find out how LearningCounts.org administrators facilitate the student portfolio process completely online: from portfolio development courses to e-portfolio development and portfolio submission, including matching course portfolios with expert assessors from around the country.
Flipped Learning at Cuyahoga Community College
Feb. 26, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Dr. Anne Distler, Assistant Professor for Chemistry and Physical Sciences Coordinator, and Dr. Terri Pope, Professor for Biology/Chemistry, Westshore Faculty Senate Chair, and Westshore Biology Faculty Coordinator, Cuyahoga Community College
Classroom calisthenics at Cuyahoga Community College include blending, flipping, and mixing up styles and modalities for that dynamic tension that exists in the 21st century classroom. In this presentation, Distler and Pope will share best practices and failures in their attempts to use technology to deliver traditional lecture content on campus and online.
March 2013
Online Course Peer Review: A Five-year Learning Curve
March 5, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Jason Kaufman, Instructor of Psychology, and Cheryl Redinger, Instructor of Human Services and Education, Inver Hills Community College
The online peer review committee at Inver Hills Community College empowers faculty to design their courses using a best practice approach. Adapted from the Quality MattersTM rubric, peer reviews provide faculty with the opportunity to implement online teaching designs, while protecting academic freedom, in a manner that enhances student learning and promotes quality online teaching. The committee has reviewed courses for the past five years. Jason Kaufman and his colleagues will describe the Inver Hills online peer review process, share lessons learned, and opine on the future of the process.
Developing a FastTrack Program - One Year Later
March 12, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Pat Jarvis, FastTrack Program Coordinator, Web College, and Cathy House, Instructional Designer and Professor of Computer Technologies, Truckee Meadows Community College
You might have heard about the “FastTrack shuffle” at ITC’s eLearning 2012 conference. One year later, the presenters will elaborate on their adventures building and maintaining a FastTrack degree program at Truckee Meadows Community College, in which students take classes in five-week segments and transfer seamlessly to a four-year institution with the same format. Because their adventure was not without its challenges, the presenters will discuss the problems they ran into, and the solutions they came up with. They will also share how they were able to start a Quality Matters program on campus by first certifying the FastTrack classes. There is an ongoing need to attract more students, and an even greater need to help them complete their course of study. The presenters will focus on both aspects.
It's Not Just Another Acronym: BYOD—Transforming the Campus
March 19, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Stephen diFilipo, Vice President & Chief Information Officer, Cecil College
Who is driving technology decisions on college campuses and in the classroom? The classroom is being flipped in more ways than one. Students bringing one, two or even three mobile devices onto campus and into the classroom are defining by expectation how technology leadership redresses the campus. And it's not just students. Faculty are bringing their own devices, particularly in light of reduced budget and limited access to new technologies. How will you accommodate the thirst for high-performance wi-fi? Everywhere! How will you ensure data security and network integrity? Anywhere! How will you manage the proliferation of personal use devices? All-The-Time! Stephen diFilipo will address topics specific to BYOD (bring your own devise) on the college campus and in the classroom and explore current trends, developments on the horizon and a case study from a community college perspective.
What are Embedded Librarians and What Do They Do?
March 26, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Vicki Cone, Distance Learning Librarian, Truxal Library, Anne Arundel Community College, Anne Arundel Community College
Learn how embedded librarians provide library instruction and teach information literacy skills to students in online courses. Hear about proven strategies for creating an effective library presence in online courses taught in a variety of disciplines. Vicki Cone will share her experience, explain how she initiates and maintains collaborations with faculty, discuss establishing an embedded librarian service involving other librarians, and provide detail about how to assess the effectiveness of the program. The interactive format will encourage questions and sharing of best practices.
April 2013
Innovative Techniques for Teaching a Hands-On Lab Course Over the Internet
April 2, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Jennifer A. Herzog, Assistant Professor of Biology, Herkimer County Community College
A stumbling block for offering entire degree programs online is the requirement that students complete at least one lab science course to graduate. In response, Jennifer Herzog developed an online general biology course for non-science majors taught with an accompanying hands-on laboratory component. This course is completely asynchronous, and open to traditional and non-traditional students. She devised several methods for conveying the on-campus learning environment over the Internet. For the course's lecture section, she uses movies, novels, TV shows and interactive Web sites to reinforce concepts and principles, while students analyze current biological issues by threaded discussions. Students purchase a LabPaq lab kit and manual from a company called Hands-On Labs so that they can perform hands-on experiments at home. Course assessment is built directly into the modules: students can use online office hours, question and "talk to the professor" areas to provide instant feedback on activities, examinations and Herzog's teaching methods. Students provide more in-depth responses through a culminating activity in a questionnaire format.
Affecting Student Attitudes: What Universal Design for Learning Can Teach Us
April 9, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Kimberly Fields, eLearning Coordinator, State of Wyoming
Kimberly Fields will provide an overview of universal design for learning (UDL), a framework that supports an inclusive approach for designing learning materials and activities that are accessible to diverse student populations. UDL encourages educators to provide multiple means of engagement. Its guidelines and strategies can help improve student engagement by focusing on the relationship between student attitude and success. Fields will discuss ways to improve student attitudes from two perspectives. The first is to incorporate choice, a highly motivating factor, into course design. The second is to offer students metacognitive activities to encourage them to realize and address their own attitudes toward learning.
Online Nursing and Healthcare Education
April 16, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Tracy Wright, RN, PhD, CNE, Professor, School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Delivery of online nursing and healthcare education presents unique challenges. In this session, Dr. Wright will discuss technology strategies used to (a) support the delivery of an online program, (b) present health-related online course content, (c) create and assess active learning assignments, and (d) facilitate student interaction. Discover assignment approaches and freeware platforms that can assist both students and faculty in the realm of online education.
What Distance Education Providers Need to Know About FERPA
April 23, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Kris Kaplan, Deputy General Counsel, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System
FERPA applies to education records wherever they reside, including online learning data bases. Kris Kaplan will provide the background you need as distance educators to identify and confidently handle privacy issues related to those records.
Building Quality Courses through an Online Faculty Mentor Program
April 30, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Greg Kaminski, Distance Education, Tani McBeth, Psychology Instructor, Rebecca Robinson, Management Supervisory Development Instructor, and Susan Watson, Computer Application Systems Instructor, Portland Community College
Portland Community College's distance education program uses a cadre of ten online faculty mentors who are responsible for working with faculty from various disciplines that are related to their subject matter expertise. The mentors help facilitate quality course design, promote best practices for online teaching, and work with instructors during their first term of teaching. The presenters will provide detailed information about PCC's online faculty mentor program. They will discuss the reasons PCC created the program, describe its structural organization and coordination, outline how it benefits instruction, and offer other considerations and firsthand accounts about life as an online faculty mentor.
May 2013
Providing Library Resources and Services to Online Students: Beyond the Link to the Library Website
May 7, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Ellen Carey, MSLIS, Librarian and Instructor, Santa Barbara City College
With many library resources already online, what does it mean to provide equivalent access for online students? What is the online equivalent of bringing students to the library for research instruction from a librarian? How can collaborations between faculty, librarians, instructional designers, and administrators best serve the research needs and information literacy development of online students?
Ellen Carey will begin with a brief overview of standards and regulations regarding providing access to library resources and services for online students, and will go on to present best practices for moving beyond the minimum requirements. She will detail successful strategies for embedding, and assessing, synchronous and asynchronous information literacy instruction and research support in online courses, and will suggest ways for libraries to extend the “learning space” of the physical library into the online environment.
Interactive Tools to Promote Student Engagement in Hybrid, Online and Face-to-Face Classes
May 14, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenter: Lynda Randall, Professor of Secondary Education, California State University–Fullerton
Lynda Randall will discuss several Web 2.0 tools the staff at California State University–Fullerton piloted in various curricular contexts at their university, including VoiceThread, Voki, xtranormal, QR Codes, and Socrative. Some used SoftChalk LessonBuilder to create interactive, Web-based lessons. Others created literature circles in face-to-face and online learning environments. All of the strategies produced positive results and generated enthusiasm on the part of students and instructors, as they learned how to optimize the applications to enhance teaching, cognitive and social presence. Several instructors created short recorded video presentations using green screen technology to share their experiences with the campus community. They have proven to be a valuable professional development resource.
How to Enhance Meaningful Participation In Discussion Forums
May 21, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Gregory Travis, Director Graduate Psychology, Mount St. Mary's College, Cynthia Alexander, Distance Education Coordinator and Department Chair, Educational Technology, Cerritos College
Discussion forums should be one of the most effective ways for students to interact with each other in an online course, apply the knowledge they are being taught, and enhance the meaningful learning of new concepts. However, they can also be boring, limited, and fail miserably in this important task. The presenters will outline several ideas for developing and enhancing discussion forums—to make this online tool more meaningful and relevant. The presenters will discuss: encouraging students to post and reply in a timely manner, ways to increase the level of thoughtful posts, using humor, creatiing the optimal structure level, the effectiveness of deadlines, creativity, and how to apply relevant concepts and topics.
June 2013
Thinking Outside the Box with Your Course Management System
June 4, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Mary J. McCoy, Library Director, and Dr. Sribhagyam Srinivasan, Instructional Designer, Lamar State College–Orange
A course management system (CMS) is more than a distance education tool. During a time when we are all learning to do more with less, we must find new ways to use the technology we do purchase. At Lamar State College–Orange we use our CMS for so much more than just distance education. It is a learning object repository, a library portal, a vital part of the disaster preparedness plan, a space for creating hybrid classes, and more. We are thinking outside the box.
An Arsenal of Course Design Tools for an Army of One
June 11, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
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Presenters: Heather Dawson, Instructional Designer, and Nikki Massaro-Kauffman, Interface Designer, Penn State University
Are you an "army of one" when it comes to designing and developing online distance education courses? Are you properly equipped to tackle the challenge of presenting engaging, interactive and accessible content to all of your students? See how and why Penn State University created an arsenal of tools to address the problem of scaling interactive and media-rich content for more than 400 course sections each semester. The presenters will provide "basic training" on several tools to solve everyday instructional design needs. Learn how to combat text-heavy content by using some ready-made chunking and navigation tools; complex ideas by creating infographics and other image tools; and, passive learning by including interactive glossaries, self-check items, and more.
Teaching World Languages Online
June 18, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
Register Online (questions call 202/293-3132 or e-mail
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Presenters: Dr. Steven Hartlaub, World Languages (French and Spanish), and Josephine Books, World Language Faculty, Inver Hills Community College
The presenters will offer strategies for teaching world languages successfully in an online environment. They will place special emphasis on fostering a sense of community among learners, providing a high quality communicative experience, and avoiding some common pitfalls of online language instruction.
New Accreditation Guidelines for Distance Education: What are You Doing to Prepare and Comply?
June 25, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
Register Online (questions call 202/293-3132 or e-mail
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Presenter: Christina Sax, Associate Provost and Dean of Academic Outreach and Innovation, Shippensburg University
The Interregional Guidelines for the Evaluation of Distance Education (Online Learning) were developed by the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC). These guidelines are meant to assist institutions planning to begin distance education programming and to provide an assessment framework for institutions already involved in distance education. These guidelines have recently been adopted and endorsed by all regional higher education accrediting organizations in the U.S. and are also intended for use by accreditation evaluation teams. Christina Sax will provide an overview of the new accreditation guidelines and their implications, a toolset for assessing the degree to which your institution meets these guidelines, and resources to help fill the gaps.
July 2013
The Classroom of the Future
July 9, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
Register Online (questions call 202/293-3132 or e-mail Amy Weinfurter)
Presenter: John Makevich, Director, Distance and Accelerated Learning, College of the Canyons
Several disruptions are converging in higher education: budgets are tighter, tuition is higher, and financial aid debt is spiraling out of control. Massively open online courses (MOOCs) are on the cusp of exploding in a big way and slick vehicles for learning, such as the Khan Academy, continue to amaze in their ability to reach the millions. John Makevich will challenge the assumptions of education as we know it. What new types of content will influence today's online courses? What factors should we consider as we plan for the growth, or contraction of, existing online programs? What resources will we need? Participants will have the opportunity to "tear the walls down" and re-envision the way students will be learning in five, ten, and 20 years. You will likely be quite surprised at how much we can see education evolve.
Helping Veterans Succeed in College
July 23, 2013 - 2:00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time
Register Online (questions call 202/293-3132 or e-mail Amy Weinfurter)
Presenters: Gina Sobania, M.S., Military Education Director, and Steve Frantz, Ed.D., Director of the Veterans Re-Entry Education Program, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Minnesota National Guard are partners in veterans reintegration programming. Research has confirmed that returning veterans often face difficult reintegration issues as they attempt to attend college and re-enter the workforce. These challenges can affect whether these very capable students are ultimately able to succeed in college. By providing a more veteran-friendly campus, colleges can help service members resolve the obstacles they face and help boost their overall student success and retention rates. Online services can play a major role in helping service members, veterans and their families succeed in higher education, whether they are online or residential students.
