Well, over a few days in Denver I got to see and be near friends. Some I had only met recently online, and others I have had communication with for years and met in person at other conferences in years past. You know, COVID has lasted 12 years… Seems like forever ago I was frequently at these kind of conferences and people just seemed closer. It was really nice to stand near these people I admire.
After some Zoom sessions over the last few months with Timothy Corvidea, a new instructional designer at Evergreen State College, I finally got to meet him in person! I got to spend some time with Angela Gunder who I had last seen in a space suit in some weird conference game. I think I was an alien or space creature of some kind. I got to chat several times with Jeremy Dean and I met Hugh McGuire, the guy who dreamt up Pressbooks. I had a nice talk with Ryan Straight (his presentation is here) who I had never actually met and some nice conversations with Remi Kalir who I had last see on an early morning group run at some other conference some years ago. He gave the Plenary Talk at the event this year.
For me, this conference was all about people. I heard about some big ideas and saw way too many things with “AI” in the title. But for me, the people made the day. Yay for people!
Below are the session I attended and some refections about most of them. I attended a number of lightening sessions and “engagement” sessions that are not listed below.
Can Courseware Designed for Equity Improve Instructor Practice?
Research has identified teaching practices that improve student outcomes, especially for historically marginalized groups. New courseware seeks to leverage these practices with the goal of eliminating race/ethnicity and income as predictors of course outcomes. We will describe experiences and outcomes for over 900 students using this courseware.
Barbara Means Ph.D. | Principal Learning Sciences Researcher, Digital Promise
This was the first session I attended on Wednesday. It largely focused on the use of some Lumen courseware and focused on equity. The demonstration of some of the class work was really just what any good online/hybrid/f2f course should be. The challenge is of course, who makes the experience? Is it another textbook company that build the sequence and contes of the class or is it an educator who curates parts of an experience from a multitude of options? Yes, it looks very nice in Canvas and has all the “good” things to be doing in a class of students. Active learning opportunities, formative assessments that are acted on, the ability to self check knowledge, and fostering a sense of belonging… Nothing new, just packaged by Lumen and sold.
For me, it is always interesting to see a class that hits lots of the marks. It does not happen very often and while the Lumen product is valuable, it can also be done by any instructor with the skills to make it happen.
Vybotsky?: Social Learning in the Age of AI
The integration of generative AI in education has sparked renewed enthusiasm for personalized learning pathways. The AI-powered ability to scale individual attention and guidance for diverse learners holds the promise of enhancing educational equity. But as every learner potentially is equipped with a personalized AI tutor, what happens to the…
Jeremy Dean | VP of Learning Design, Honor Education
This was a great way to start the first day of the conference for me. Not only is Jeremy someone who I have long looked up to as an educator, but his work with Hypothes.is really moved the notion of social annotation. He was the evangelical face of Hypothes.is for many years. As the fun title to his presentation suggests, it was a take on the educational wonderings of Vygotsky and how social interactions shape our learning and that our ability to make meaning comes largely from the community around us. Social annotation is a way to leverage that in our modern university. One slide he shared was a quote from Issac Asimov’s short story, “The Fun They Had.” It is only two and a half pages long, but is a good look at how we see the past and how technology might shape the future.
We took some notes as small groups on a few topics that Jeremy had suggested. You can see the notes here.
Bridging the Digital Divide: A Fireside Chat on Digital Learning Equity and Innovation in Personal Education Journeys – Part 2
Join us for an insightful fireside chat as students share firsthand experiences navigating the realms of digital learning equity and innovation. Explore the transformative impact on their educational journey, discussing challenges, triumphs, and the evolving landscape of inclusive and innovative learning opportunities.
Angela Gunder, Ph.D. – moderator | Chief Academic Officer, Online Learning Consortium, Inc.
This was a set in a large room and the stories were not shared by current students. They were recent grads who, or at least two of them, were working for GlobalmindED, a company that partners with OLC. In all, the struggles they described ranged from access issues around technology to the challenges of navigating courses. “Being seen” and feeling heard in class communities seemed to be mentioned often. Instructor presence in any space and the ability to easily connect with them in a meaningful way also was mentioned.
Building a Community of Care Across the University for Equity and Inclusion
How can postsecondary institutions imagine and create a sustainable community of care in online environments that promote equity? In this interactive workshop, participants will define a community of care unique to their institution, prioritize resources to sustain the community, and discover ways to be agile and responsive to community needs.
Dr. Nina McCune | Associate Dean, Inclusive Teaching and Learning, Walden University
This session was given by three Walden University employees and I went partly because of that. I graduated from Walden in 2001, in the early days of “online learning.” And I am interested in seeing how what they are doing fit with how Bothell and our DEI initiatives compared. Some of what they shared was more directed to people in student affairs, but the ideas also are and should be used in the classroom. They spoke about leadership in these spaces as well and some of the strategies they have found useful. The presentation is below.
Now What? How to leverage Instructional Technology to Prepare for the Next Crisis
All higher education institutions are susceptible to crisis situations and research shows institutions tend to be more reactive than proactive in crisis situations. In this session, learn about ways to utilize the instructional technology you have to prepare you for the next crisis event.
Dr. Hanna Howell | Assistant Professor, University of Alabama – Academic Outreach
This session shared a story of two huge events that impacted the University of Alabama. One was a tornado, the other was COVID. The presenter described the challenges of preparing for such events and the challenges of recovery. One interesting point she made about faculty and the recovery process was that while we all found Zoom met our instructional needs durning these times, faculty research was ignored. She said that was a challenge for UA and faculty noticed that there were far less resources for them in that area.
What Happened to My Community!
Working from home. COVID. Exhaustion. Twitter is gone. Is your sense of community missing? Feel less connected to colleagues and professional learning? Do you have ideas about recovery? This conversation invites sharing communal grief and finding new hope in real steps we can take to recover our belonging and community.
Todd Conaway | Instructional Designer, University of Washington-Bothell Campus
Faculty Fellows: Expanding a Teaching & Learning Center’s Capacity
Struggling to meet faculty development demand? Let’s discuss how incorporating faculty fellows can help increase the support capacity of teaching and learning centers. We’ll share insights from partnering with faculty to offer faculty development programming and brainstorm ideas around how a similar model might offer more support at your institution.
Eric Simon | Assistant Director, Hybrid & Online Academic Support Programs, Florida International University
This session was a lightening session and I was hoping to get a trick or two from it. It is an important topic, obviously, and one I am closely connected to. Unfortunately, I do, or have done, most all of the ideas shared. Below are the slides.
From ‘Stranger Things’ to Familiar Faces: Cultivating a Sense of Belonging in Online Education
Cultivating a sense of belonging is critical to a positive learner experience that drives satisfaction and success. Attendees should expect to learn why belonging is critical, see examples of learning communities that drive belonging, and learn actionable steps their institutions can take to drive belonging across the learner experience.
Tawnya Means | Asst. Dean, Educational Innovation & CLO, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
This session was co-led by Tawnya Means who worked with Bothell as a consultant from OLC. Having met her on campus here and has some phone calls with her over the last couple of years, I thought it would be good to see her again. “Sense of Belonging” is always a good topic for me 🙂 I was a little sad that the session focused mostly on the discussion forum tool Yellowdig. It does have some features the say the Canvas discussion tool does not… But it is still just a threaded discussion.
Instructional Risk Taking: Centering Digital Equity through Innovative Professional Development
As a Distance Education team, we designed a professional development program that focuses on digital equity and citizenship in online courses. We will share the evolution of our program through a shifting digital landscape, showcase course transformations, and highlight data on how it has affected student success rates.
Emma Rogers | Distance Education Coordinator, Diablo Valley College
Caring Matters! How to Build a Community of Trust, Belonging, and Motivation
Caring is a practice rooted in sound pedagogical theory. Research shows that students feel more overall satisfaction in courses where teachers demonstrate care and connectedness. When instructors build a sense of community and belonging in the classroom, students are more likely to be curious, take risks, and explore their creativity.
Teri Horton | Instructional Senior, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Well, any group talking about building community and building trust is where I want to be. I was a little skeptical of part of the longer description in the program where she remarked, “Do you remember your favorite teacher? Why does this teacher stand out in your mind? There’s a good chance the teacher was caring, kind, and able to create a community of respect and inclusiveness. Rooted in the pioneering theories of scholars Nel Noddings and bell hooks,…” Yes to “do you remember your favorite teacher” and yes to “caring,” but bell hooks did not pioneer theories of caring in education. It irks me that those who did pioneer those theories are rarely mentioned these days. Humanistic practices in education did not get invented in the 1990s…
Anyway, it was a lively conversation in the room and that was great. Yes, we should care for our students.
Leadership Spotlight: Leadership Insights as an Instructional Designer in Today’s Digital Learning Environment
Leadership is essential as today’s educational landscape changes and technology advances. As an instructional designer and an adjunct faculty member, leading is second nature. Leading requires partnerships with faculty members, collaborations with other instructional designers, and working to foster student success. Leading incorporates juggling multiple tasks and personalities, continuously improving, and contributing to the digital learning environment.
Jessica L. White, Ph.D. | Senior Instructional Designer, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
AI as an Instructional Design Associate
Engage in an interactive workshop session that demonstrates how AI can serve as an associate in instructional design work. This hands-on session will provide practical insights into leveraging AI for tasks such as content creation, data analysis, and personalized learning experiences.
Heidi Echols | Instructional Designer II, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
I really tried hard not to go to too many AI sessions. There were way too many of them… Parts of this session just seemed like “review” of the craft of instructional design and it also seemed to focus so much on content creation. It was interesting to hear some of the stories from those in the room, but the presentation itself. There are some possibilities for ID people to use AI. I just am not really seeing them and useful at this point.
Teaching with CARE: Humanizing Online Education with Community, Affirmation, Relationships and Empathy
At a time when higher education is stretched due to limited resources and increasing demands, it is imperative that online education does not lose its human touch. All students need connection, and students participating in online learning require CARE: community, affirmation, relationships, and empathy, to support their success.
Donna Petherbridge, Ed.D. | Vice Provost & Teaching Asst Professor, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Podcasting as a Pedagogy
Podcasting is a form of online communication that is rapidly gaining popularity and has flexibility to be incorporated into the pedagogical foundation for the online classroom. This session will look at the potential of podcasting to transform the learning experience and provide potential ideas for using podcasts for inclusive learning.
Heather Craig Alonge, PhD | Core Faculty, Walden University
This session was given by another Walden University faculty and I went with Alan Wood in mind. The work Alan did in his courses and his experiences with podcasts was so wonderful to watch. We have long known that you can keep your hands free while listening to a podcast and that is a great way to create and deliver information… Not sure it is a complete “pedagogy,” but the presenter was super excited by creating podcasts for her students! And that is good.
Aren’t they the Same? No! Instructional Design and Learner Experience Design, what’s the same, and what is different?
This presentation explores the distinctions and commonalities between Instructional Design and Learner Experience Design. Examining the unique roles and overlap, it sheds light on how these areas contribute to effective education, emphasizing the importance of aligning their goals for optimal learning outcomes.
Mark Labbett | Senior Instructional Designer, TCS Education System
This session brought up the challenges of naming conventions in ID work and how we are utilized in the academic space. They presenter had a good question and as I noted to the room, the technical differences in the two titles and jobs may not be nearly as impart as having some consistent naming of the role so that faculty are not constantly having to remember a new name and a new job description. The presenter really noted the traditional differences between the two roles and these days, there are IDs who do more building of content as opposed to doing more around pedagogy in and out of the various classroom environments. I have always seen myself doing both roles without discerning between the two. Below is the presentation.
Engaging through ID-Faculty Partnership and Storytelling: A Quality Course Design and Development Process
The collaboration between faculty and instructional designers throughout a course development process is unique and engaging. The journey of conceptualizing quality online courses is supported by a dynamic partnership between faculty and instructional designers, a systematic process, and storytelling which promote effective professional development for faculty and instructional designers.
Madalina Tincu, Ed.D. | Senior Instructional Designer, Johns Hopkins University