10/26: USDLA NEWS
Don’t miss this week’s Free Friday Webinar:
Reducing + Responding to Microaggressions in Distance Ed |
|
|
Happy Thursday, USDLA friends!
Be sure to register for tomorrow’s Free Friday Webinar by presenter Tish Wade-Gallon.
The topic: Reducing and Responding to Microaggressions in Distance Education
When: Friday, October 27, 1-2 pm EST
About the webinar: Remote learning has undoubtedly positively impacted educational equality and inclusion. As our classrooms have become more diverse, discrimination may not be as blatant (or even intentional) as it once was. In the 21st century, conscious and unconscious biases are commonly displayed as microaggressions.
What you’ll learn: Microaggressions are covert derogatory offenses directed at a marginalized group member. Over time, being on the receiving end of microaggressions can negatively impact the mental health of students and faculty. This interactive workshop will provide a safe space to discuss microaggressions in distance education. Practical strategies and interventions aimed at decreasing such occurrences will be shared.
About the presenter: Dr. Tish Wade-Gallon has over 20 years of experience in distance learning and curriculum development. Her industry experience includes higher education, human services, and executive coaching. Dr. Tish is known to collaborate with people and programs to align their strengths with larger goals and initiatives. Her work focuses on supporting the professional development of facilitators, educators, and health-focused leaders. These experiences benefit Dr. Tish in her current roles at TLC Life Plans and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she leads efforts such as the Health Communicators Early Career Initiative, Formal Mentorship Program, and Pathway Achievement Series. Her passion for empowering others has led her to facilitate workshops nationwide. She has been an honored recipient of the Excellence in Education Award and the Rouche Award by The League of Innovation for these efforts. Her long-standing involvement with the University of Michigan’s Atlanta Alumni Association and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated will not surpass these accolades. Dr. Tish holds degrees in Psychology, Organizational Management, and Education. She continued her commitment to learning by recently becoming a DiSC-certified facilitator and completing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Certificate from the Muma College of Business.
Register for the Oct. 27 webinar: https://usdla.org/webinars/ |
|
|
Sign up today for NDLW: Nov. 6-10
We have added another new session to our week of fascinating conversations about AI: Finding the Yin-Yang in Faculty Development Balancing AI-Centered with Student-Centered Learning, presented by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Dr. Kiran Budhrani and Heidi Echols.
Please scroll down to learn more about this session and the other presentations you can join throughout the week. Click here to register for NDLW 2023.
We’ll be back in touch on Tuesday with more USDLA News. — Hope Katz Gibbs, USDLA communications director |
|
|
Monday, November 6
1-2 pm EST
Finding the Yin-Yang in Faculty Development Balancing AI-Centered with Student-Centered Learning
Presenters: From the University of North Carolina at Charlotte — Dr. Kiran Budhrani and Heidi Echols
About the session: With the rise of Generative AI systems and platforms, universities can no longer get too comfortable. Integrating Generative AI into a university culture requires a certain level of risk-taking and commitment from a campus. Join this presentation to uncover how and why Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTL) must take on a primary leadership role in faculty development towards awareness, positive and ethical use of AI, and supporting the development of curricula that integrate AI pedagogy while driving student-centered learning approaches. We will explore strategies to build up faculty development competencies and instructional design capabilities amidst this rapidly changing technology environment of Generative AI.
About the presenters:
Dr. Kiran Budhrani (pictured left) is dedicated to leading transformative change in teaching and learning to impact the future workforce and a better world. Her dynamic energy, creative systems thinking, and bold ideas drive her as the Director for Teaching and Learning Innovation at the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) within the School of Professional Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her focus is on leading strategic initiatives and extending capabilities within teams to drive growth, excellence, and student success through faculty-centered programs involving teaching innovation, generative AI, personalized and adaptive learning, online learning, instructional design strategies, and academic technology solutions.
Heidi Echols (pictured right) has a rich background of over two decades in higher education. Now, with the Teaching and Learning Innovations Team at UNC Charlotte, Heidi champions holistic learning experiences. Her tenure as a full professor and department chair provided insights into leadership and curricular innovation. Her role as Director of a Center for Teaching Excellence highlighted her commitment to faculty development. Heidi collaborates closely with faculty, emphasizing student-centered design principles. Across her varied roles, she seeks to make education more personal, engaging, and meaningful.
Register here: usdla.org/2023-ndlw |
|
|
Monday, November 6
3-4 pm EST
Session: Gaining the Competitive Edge with Cutting-Edge AI-Powered AV Solutions
Presenter: Charlie McCarrel, Technical Director
About the session: Discover how Huddly challenges video conferencing conventions in distance learning. We will discuss why AV is becoming the big differentiator in education, why schools that rely on cheap webcams are not enough to fulfill the needs of today’s tech-savvy students, and how AI-driven innovations like Huddly Crew transform education.
About the presenter: Charlie joined Huddly in August of 2021 as Technical Director for the Americas. Before coming to Huddly, he worked as Sales Engineer for the Western US at Mersive Technologies and has been an expert in the industry for over 20 years with an audio and acoustics background. His current focus is on video and collaboration technologies in telemedicine. In his spare time, you will find Charlie attempting to cook and spending time with his three kids. He is based in Southern California.
Register here: usdla.org/2023-ndlw |
|
|
Tuesday, November 7
1-2 pm EST
Using AI and Hard Data to Teach Soft Skills
Presenter:
Scott Provence, MA, MFA
About the session: Ask ten people to express empathy, and you will get ten different answers. How can we expect Artificial Intelligence to teach us about something we can’t even agree on ourselves? Perhaps you’ve struggled in the past to justify the ROI of a soft-skill training program. Or perhaps you’ve had groups push back on virtual role-plays. In this session, you’ll journey from the evidence-based shores of clinical psychology to the new frontier of Large Language Models as we uncover new AI-powered conversation tools. You’ll see real-world examples of how machine learning can help us standardize how we use communication skills for talking to customers and to each other.
About the presenter: Scott Provence, MA, MFA, is a health-tech leader and content developer whose print and web-based curricula serve millions annually. Scott has worked in the public and private sectors, creating federal education programs and leading L&D teams from small startups to Google. He founded Versant Metrics, whose award-winning algorithm empirically measures how well caring gets communicated in a conversation.
Register here: usdla.org/2023-ndlw |
|
|
Tuesday, November 7
3-4 pm EST
Uncovering the Potential, Realities, and Future of Generative AI through Research
Presenters: Dr. George Veletsianos, Canada Research Chair in Innovation Learning & Technology, Royal Roads University, and Dr. Cristi Ford, VP of Academic Affairs, D2L
About the session: While much has been said and written about Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, systematic investigations about its use are slow to emerge. The Canadian Digital Learning Research Association recently surveyed 438 administrators and faculty across 126 Canadian institutions to gauge their perspectives on generative AI. This webinar will present findings and provide a space for an expansive discussion. Findings reveal that AI policy development in Canadian higher education is nascent. AI use appears inconsistent and primarily experimental, driven by individual faculty yet supported by some institutional initiatives. While respondents believe that AI offers potential and may become a staple in higher education, they note that its value hinges on multiple factors and are concerned about its biases and limitations.
About the presenters:
Dr. George Veletsianos (Γιώργος Βελετσιάνος) is a professor in the School of Education and Technology at Royal Roads University, where he holds the Canada Research Chair in Innovative Learning and Technology. His research agenda focuses on designing, developing, and evaluating online and blended learning environments, studying learning experiences and participation in emerging online environments, and learning futures. Learn more: veletsianos.com.
Dr. Cristi Ford is a Vice President of Academic Affairs at D2L. She has over 20 years of experience in higher education, secondary education, project management, program evaluation, training, and student services. She is a tireless advocate for quality online education and has helped institutions build capacity to launch and expand online programming through effective faculty development, instructional design, and pedagogical practices.
Register here: usdla.org/2023-ndlw |
|
|
Wednesday, Nov. 8
12-1 pm EST
Navigating the AI Education Space: Incorporating AI Into the Learning Environment
Presenters: Amrit Ahluwalia, Editor-in-Chief of The EvoLLLution; Asim Ali, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning Innovation at Auburn University; and Frederick T. Wehrle, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of California Berkeley
About the session: In this panel discussion, leaders in the digital and innovative learning space will share their insights into how generative AI tools are blended into the educational environment. Panelists will reflect on how educators can navigate the tools available to them, how to assess the value of these tools, and how to teach learners to use them effectively.
About the presenters:
Amrit Ahluwalia (pictured above) is the Editor-in-Chief of The EvoLLLution, an online newspaper focused on non-traditional higher education and the transforming postsecondary marketplace. He also serves as Director of Strategic Insights for Modern Campus. Ahluwalia was part of the team that conceived of and launched The EvoLLLution in 2011 and served as its Managing Editor from 2011-2021. Ahluwalia works personally with every contributor at The EvoLLLution to produce content that has supported the site’s rise to becoming the top resource for non-traditional higher education.
Asim Ali is the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning Innovation at Auburn University. He advances the center’s mission of providing professional development programs, services, and resources to enhance instructional innovation and support scholarly and creative activities. Ali oversees a team of more than 90 professionals, graduate students, and staff members across the center’s various units, which include Auburn Online, Biggio Teaching, Biggio Technology, Biggio Testing, and Engaged and Active Student Learning, or EASL, classrooms, and classroom buildings. Ali co-leads Auburn’s augmented and virtual reality initiative, AUX, in collaboration with the Office of Information Technology. Ali also co-leads work on artificial intelligence for the Office of the Provost to build faculty capacity for understanding and implementing AI in teaching and learning. Ali holds a bachelor’s degree in software engineering, a master’s degree in information systems management, and a Ph.D. in adult education from Auburn University.
Frederick T. Wehrle is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of California Berkeley and has been at U of C Berkeley since 2018. Some of his other roles there included Assistant Dean for Academic Design and Innovation and Director of International Initiatives. Prior to that, he was Director of Accreditation and International Relations at the Center for Global Engagement at EDC Paris Business School. Wehrle holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Management Science from the University of Paris and a Master of Science in Behavioural ecology, neurobiology, bioinformatics, and anthropology from the University of Freiburg.
Register here: usdla.org/2023-ndlw |
|
|
Thursday, November 9
1-2pm EST
Data Justice, Data Rights and AI Ethics
Presenters: Farah Bennani, Ph.D., and Kae Novak, Assistant Director, Learning Design at Front Range Community College
About the session: Data Justice is an emergent area of digital rights and activism that has its roots in technology is not neutral. We need to question learners’ and workers’ rights in the age of big data, surveillance capitalism, algorithmic bias, and ubiquitous AI.
About the presenters:
Farah Bennani, Ph.D., (pictured left) has more than two decades of combined leadership, instructional experience, and innovation in the STEM field. She served as vice president of the Colorado Distance Learning Association and, in 2018, won the eLearning Advocate of the Year Award from the eLearning Consortium of Colorado. championed and served as the Allied Health Curriculum Expert at the North American Network of Science Labs Online (NANSLO), developing remote-web-based science labs (RWSLB), where she designed virtual online labs curricula that allowed students to control lab activities remotely. Her leadership in STEM and online learning has resulted in her teams being the recipients of multiple grants that focus on student engagement, multiculturalism, and immersive learning in the STEM field. She presents and publishes nationally and internationally on emerging technology, augmented and virtual realities, adaptive learning, and game-based learning.
Kae Novak (pictured right) has 15 years of experience in online learning and is the Assistant Director of Learning Design at Front Range Community College. She teaches multimedia, computer information systems, and marketing courses in the Colorado Community College Systems. She is the Co-Chair of the eLearning Consortium of Colorado and has led the organization in its annual virtual and hybrid conferences for the past three years. She is currently doing research on online learning, immersive learning experiences, and social justice. Her most recent publication is co-authoring a chapter titled Constructivism for Active, Authentic Learning.
Register here: usdla.org/2023-ndlw |
|
|
Thursday, November 9
3-4 pm EST
AI: The Impact on Higher Education
Presenter: Dr. Robbie Melton, Interim Provost/VP of Academic Affairs and VP of Technology Innovations for the SMART Global Technology Innovation Center and tenured professor at Tennessee State University
About the session: Dr. Robbie Melton will highlight and showcase how artificial intelligence will impact various areas of higher education. She will:
- Demonstrate AI’s power to advance research through modeling and data analytics while discussing chatbots and their benefits for student support.
- Share innovations in AI music and the arts that are transforming creative fields.
- Emphasize the need to develop these technologies with diversity and cultural perspectives in mind while outlining AI’s vast potential.
- Stress that to realize AI’s benefits its applications must be inclusive and accommodate varied cultural learning needs and styles.
- Address the importance of promoting diversity among AI researchers and developers to help guard against unconscious bias.
- Describe the transformations AI may bring, from improving teaching to pioneering new research frontiers.
- Highlight that responsible, people-centered development is key to ensuring AI transforms in higher education for the betterment of students and society.
About the presenter: As Interim Provost/VP of Academic Affairs and VP of Technology Innovations for the SMART Global Technology Innovation Center and tenured professor at Tennessee State University, Dr. Melton serves as a global researcher and international consultant for Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Education and Emerging IOE (“The Internet of Everything”) Smart Mobile Technology of mobile devices, smart phone-tablets, wearables, smart gadgets and tools, and mixed reality of VR and AR. She formerly served as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Emerging Technologies for the Tennessee Board of Regents and the primary developer and chief administrator for the system-wide Regents Online Degree Programs. Her tributes include The 2023 Top 50 Women Leaders in Education, the 2019 USDLA Hall of Fame, the 2018 Distinguished Women of Legend, the 2017 OLC Leadership, the 2016 WCET Lifetime Achievement, the 2014 Top 30 Technologists, the 2013 Apple Distinguished Educator, 2012 Top Fifty Technology Innovator; and 2012 WOW EdTechnology Awards.
Register here: usdla.org/2023-ndlw |
|
| Thank You to Our National Sponsors
D2L, Instructure, JDL Horizons, Poly, Google, Verizon, Edu Alliance Group, Harmonize, FDLA, IAP, IPX, Nearpod, ViewSonic, Wolfvision, Anatomage, Arizona Telemedicine Program and Southwest Telehealth Resource Center, GoReact, Huddly, BocaVox, Softchalk, NC Sara, Simple Syllabus, VDO360, VirtualCare, Waldorf University, Merlot, IntelliBoard, Flo-ops, Upswing, Questionmark, Perlego, Padlet |
|
| Thank you for supporting USDLA, our Sponsors, and our State Chapters.
Chuck Sengstock, President
Valary Oleinik, President-elect About United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)
The USDLA, a 501(c) 3 non-profit association formed in 1987, reaches 20,000 people globally with sponsors and members operating in and influencing 46% of the $913 billion. U.S. education and training market. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking, and opportunity. Distance learning and training constituencies served include pre-K-12 education, home schooling, higher education, and continuing education, as well as business, corporate, military, government, and telehealth markets. Visit USDLA.org |
|
|
|
|
