WCET's 29th Annual Meeting
 
Friday
10/27/2017
7:00 am - 11:00 amRegistration and WCET Info Desk Hours
Registration Desk
7:00 am - 7:45 amFlow Yoga for All Abilities
McCourt
Preregister to attend Friday morning flow yoga. Bring a towel or a mat and some water. $10.00. Preregistration is required. Sign-up during online registration.

#WCETYoga
7:00 am - 9:00 amSteering Committee Working Meeting (invited event)
Board Room (Lobby Level)

Steering committee working meeting to discuss WCET's programs and activities and work plan for 2018. Full breakfast will be provided.
7:00 am - 9:00 amNetworking Breakfast
Confluence Ballroom
Enjoy breakfast with new and old friends on the final day of the meeting. Full breakfast provided and included with conference registration.
9:15 am - 10:00 amAdaptive Learning: Achieving Program Outcomes and Increasing Engagement
Lawrence A
Speaker: Stacia Klasen, Director of Academic Operations, Colorado Technical University
Speaker: Judy Komar, VP of Educational Technology, Colorado Technical University
Speaker: Ruth Tarantine, University Dean of Nursing, Colorado Technical University
Speaker: Melissa Williams, University Program Director, Colorado Technical University
Moderator: Cali Morrison, Associate Dean, Alternative Learning, Alternative Learning, American Public University System
Colorado Technical University has implemented adaptive learning into many of its courses and programs. Although the College of Nursing and College of Business have both integrated adaptive learning throughout their courses and programs, each college took a slightly different approach to achieve success. All nursing program courses utilize adaptive technology and are mapped to program outcomes and the Capstone. Faculty and students have insight into student progression throughout the program as they work towards achieving program outcomes. Adaptive technology has also been successfully integrated into CTU’s College of Business. The process of integrating adaptive learning into the courses necessitated collaboration between college leadership, faculty, and operations. The panelists will share their strategies for successful adaptive implementation, discuss steps of a complex programmatic build using adaptive technology, and demonstrate adaptive program outcome analytics.

#AdaptiveLearning
9:15 am - 10:00 amCreating a Culture of Learning Innovation (Part 1)
Platte River
Speaker: Jeff Borden, Chief Innovation Officer, Saint Leo University
Speaker: Steve Rheinschmidt, Director of Learning Innovation, Saint Leo University
Every school has a few innovation “pockets” to showcase. From pioneering instructors to first-adopter technologists, innovation exists at most schools. But disparate, silos of innovation likely are not enough to solve the problems education is facing anymore. We need scalable, sustainable, intentional innovation impacting multiple streams of education context (like retention, content delivery, instruction, assessment, etc.), if we want to stay relevant and successful as teaching and learning organizations. ​At the same time, it is now widely understood that meaningful innovation, leading to meaningful adoption of new processes, tools, or strategies, requires a change to culture. How many strategies and initiatives have died on the vine throughout higher education because of the rippling effects of culture or politics? The speakers will share a researched and tested blueprint for successful implementation and operationalization of initiatives as used by Saint Leo to create a culture of Learning Innovation, at scale, across the entire organization.
 
#CultureofInnovation

9:15 am - 10:00 amGrowing Pains: Lessons from Scaling up the Multistate Longitudinal Data Exchange
Molly Brown
Speaker: Pat Lane, Director of Data Initiatives, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Speaker: Sarah Leibrandt, Research Analyst, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Moderator: Hae Okimoto, Director, Academic Technologies, University of Hawaii System

In 2014, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education was awarded grant money to redesign and expand the Multistate Longitudinal Data Exchange, an initiative that allows participating states to directly share individual-level education and workforce data, from a four-state pilot to a ten-state exchange. WICHE staff believed they could get the redesigned exchange up and running in just over a year, but two years later, states and WICHE were still months away from exchanging data. Finally, in the summer of 2017, the exchange went live!  In this session, WICHE staff will talk about the challenges and lessons that they (some might say, naively) did not expect to encounter. By navigating these challenges, WICHE staff have learned what key ingredients are needed to successfully upscale a pilot initiative. 

#GrowingPains

 

9:15 am - 10:00 amManaging Compliance from Buy-in to Systems and Tools
Lawrence B
Speaker: Lisa Clark, Dean of Online Programs, University of Northwestern Ohio
Speaker: Mitchell Gilbert, Compliance Specialist, Western Governors University
Speaker: Angela Jackson, Online Program Manager, University of South Dakota
Moderator: Brianna Bates, Head of Academic Compliance Office of General Counsel, Coursera
As laws and regulations affecting higher education institutions and students are enacted and proposed, institutions need to protect themselves and their students from burdensome regulations and ensure they are complying with current regulations. Learn from three different institutions about how they manage compliance for online programs. University of Northwestern Ohio has implemented a plan ensuring that programs offered online are meeting the same goals as those offered on-campus to be compliant with standard credit hour policies and content being designed into courses provides regular and substantive interaction between students and instructor. University of South Dakota will share how a cross-unit used its expertise to get buy-in from both faculty and senior administrators regarding issues of compliance and the vital role mid-level managers play. Western Governors University tracks legislation and regulation using tracking tools strategically. The speaker will share the decision making process on whether or not to comment on each pending change.

#MangingCompliance

Slides
9:15 am - 10:00 amWhy Digital Learning
Horace Tabor
Facilitator: Renee Franzwa, Director of Higher Ed, EdSurge
Facilitator: Michael Sano, Higher Ed Community Manager, EdSurge

Join the EdSurge Higher Ed team for a hands-on workshop digging into ‘the why’ of digital learning. We’ll explore what problems you are trying to solve for your campus and how digital learning practices and products can be leveraged to increase the quality and accessibility of learning for students.

We will start with ‘double clicking’ real challenges around digital learning, by connecting you and your colleagues to share personal approaches and case studies on your campus. In small teams, you’ll identify insights, define a problem statement and design potential solutions. Going  step-by-step through the design thinking process, you’ll walk away with provocative, collaboratively-drawn approaches to finding and implementing digital learning on your campus.

#WhyDigitalLearning @Higheredsurge

 
10:00 am - 10:15 amBreak
Mezzanine Foyer
10:15 am - 11:00 amCreating a Culture of Learning Innovation (Part 2)
Platte River
Speaker: Jeff Borden, Chief Innovation Officer, Saint Leo University
Speaker: Steve Rheinschmidt, Director of Learning Innovation, Saint Leo University
Every school has a few innovation “pockets” to showcase. From pioneering instructors to first-adopter technologists, innovation exists at most schools. But disparate, silos of innovation likely are not enough to solve the problems education is facing anymore. We need scalable, sustainable, intentional innovation impacting multiple streams of education context (like retention, content delivery, instruction, assessment, etc.), if we want to stay relevant and successful as teaching and learning organizations. ​At the same time, it is now widely understood that meaningful innovation, leading to meaningful adoption of new processes, tools, or strategies, requires a change to culture. How many strategies and initiatives have died on the vine throughout higher education because of the rippling effects of culture or politics? The speakers will share a researched and tested blueprint for successful implementation and operationalization of initiatives as used by Saint Leo to create a culture of Learning Innovation, at scale, across the entire organization.

#CultureofInnovation

10:15 am - 11:00 amOnline Course-Taking as a Student Success Practice
Horace Tabor
Speaker: Dylan Barth, Teaching, Learning, and Technology Consultant, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Speaker: Raymond Fleming, Chair, Biomedical Sciences; Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Speaker: Laura Pedrick, Executive Director, UWM Online, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Moderator: Constance Johnson, Chief Academic Officer/Provost, Colorado Technical University

The aim of this session is to reframe the mindset about online enrollment, moving past studies comparing face-to-face and online modes of instruction to examine the extent to which taking online courses can help students achieve their goals. Drawing on a pool of 22,912 student data records from Fall 2010 to Spring 2016 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the research presented in this session focuses on the impact of taking online courses on progress toward degree and graduation rates for all students, including those who combine online and on-campus courses and Pell-eligible students. The session will also address strategies to encourage students to take online courses, focusing on 1) creating a wide array of online courses; 2) online summer session marketing campaigns and results; and 3) the role of advising.

#OnlineCourseTaking

 Online Course Taking

10:15 am - 11:00 amPower Up! Using Gameplay to Leverage Learning
Welton
Speaker: Shweta Kailani, Senior Instructional Designer, Texas A&M University
Speaker: Rhonda Newton, Instructional Designer, Triseum
Moderator: Deb Everhart, VP, Design and Innovation, Learning Objects

Increasingly, educational research is examining how games can influence learning through the development of skills like problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. In this session, we will look at the various elements of game based learning such as collaboration, autonomy, purpose, competition, feedback, and scaffolding, that can help engage and motivate students.

Our session will begin with an onsite Augmented Reality game implementation on Wednesday and Thursday that all attendees can play. During the presentation session on Friday, we will show you how we implemented the game at the venue and discuss its applications in a classroom.

As a group, we will also explore how game based learning can be implemented using a variety of game formats, from commercial off-the-shelf games and serious games to practitioner authored games and open educational gaming resources. Prepare for a highly interactive session where you will explore firsthand games currently being used in classrooms and make inroads into creating your own games using free web-based game design tools. You will leave our session with a resource list to add to your toolkit.

#PowerUp

10:15 am - 11:00 amStreaming Video and Automated Closed Captioning- DCCCD's Story
Curtis
Speaker: Jesus Moreno, Project Manager, LeCroy Center/ DCCCD
Speaker: Emilio Ramos, District Director of Instructional Technology, LeCroy Center/ DCCCD
Speaker: Robert Rosenbalm, Project Leader, LeCroy Center, DCCCD
Moderator: Scott Woods, Director of Programs, Colorado State University
In this millennial age we are saturated with video but where is it stored and how do you make it accessible to everyone? Through much research, trial, and error; DCCCD has developed an easy to use streaming video interface that automates closed captioning up to 96% accuracy by leveraging the power of IBM Watson. Come learn how DCCCD is changing their strategies in video streaming for online and in the classroom and see how these technologies can easily be adapted.

#Streaming&AutoCC
10:15 am - 11:00 amThe Future of the U.S. Department of Education’s Education Technology Plan
Lawrence A
Speaker: Sharon Leu, Senior Policy Advisor, Higher Education Innovation, Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology
The U.S. Department of Education updated the National Education Technology Plan for higher education. This session highlights the changes, planned new emphases on some areas such as virtual/augmented/mixed reality and on blockchain, and seeks your input on other areas of key importance in the future of educational technologies for colleges and universities. #DOEEdTech
10:15 am - 11:00 amUnbundling the Degree: MOOCs, Bootcamps and Badges
Blake
Speaker: Andrew Magda, Manager of Market Research, The Learning House, Inc.
For today’s student, the path to the workforce is no longer straightforward. Over the past five years, MOOCs, bootcamps, and badges have emerged as increasingly disruptive forces. Competency-based models have gained acceptance among students and employers alike, and students are looking to take advantage of these lower-cost alternatives to the traditional college degree. In this presentation, Andrew Magda, Manager of Market Research, The Learning House, Inc., will describe how the college degree rose to prominence over the course of the last century, and how alternative credentials are gaining traction in this century. The session will be a guided discussion. Participants will respond to questions about sections of the learning map in small groups based on info from their institution. These discussions will be interspersed with introductory and summary comments.

Learning Map PDF

#UnbundledDegree
10:15 am - 11:00 amWant Buy-In on Digital Credentials? Start with Faculty
Lawrence B
Facilitator: Preston Davis, Director of Instructional Services, Northern Virginia Community College
Facilitator: Luke Dowden, Director of Distance Learning, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
The unbundling of higher education has given plenty of options for illuminating the competencies of our learners, be they students, staff, or faculty. Digital credentials, commonly referred to as digital badges, have merit. Yet, a number of issues raised in a 2012 Educause Learning Initiative “7 Things to Know” brief remain true. While digital credentials illuminate otherwise invisible talents and skills, “many details remain for badges to be broadly accepted as legitimate indicators of education, skill, or experience.” (ELI, 2012) Have you been to a panel where the panelists eventually become audience members? We aim to deliver that experience with an Unconference Panel. Panel organizers Luke Dowden and Preston Davis will share briefly their journey to understand and incorporate digital badges in their work. Then, they will flip the script and ask audience members to share their own ideas and experiences to incorporate digital credentials for faculty, staff, or students. #CredentialBuyIn
10:15 am - 11:00 amWhat Makes a Course 'Smart'?
Molly Brown
Speaker: Dror Ben-Naim, CEO, Smart Sparrow
Speaker: Lou Pugliese, Senior Innovation Fellow and Managing Director, Arizona State University
Speaker: Kim Schmidl-Gagne, Program Manager, Keene State College
Moderator: Niki Bray, Assistant Professor, University of Memphis

In higher ed, the use of impressive technology or data alone does not make a course "smart” – instead, it’s about focusing on the way technology enhances the practices of good teaching and learning. This panel will surface specific use cases and findings from new research about the most effective applications of digital technology to support learning and improve outcomes. Learn from faculty, learning designers, and entrepreneurs who are creating technology-enabled courses and programs to reach a new generation of learners.

#SmartCourse

 
 
11:00 am - 11:15 amBeverage Break
Mezzanine Foyer
11:15 am - 12:15 pmClosing General Session: Stump the Higher Ed Expert
Confluence Ballroom
Moderator: Van Davis, Associate Vice President, Higher Education Policy & Research, Blackboard
Speaker: Myk Garn, Assistant Vice Chancellor for New Learning Models, University System of Georgia
Speaker: Stacey Güney, Director, Digital Learning Solutions Network, WCET
Speaker: Tanya Joosten, Director, eLearning Research and Development, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Judge: Russ Poulin, Director, Policy and Analysis, WCET
Judge: Cecilia Retelle Zywicki, Vice President, Strategic Partnership Operations, Wiley Education Services
Judge: Nick White, Director of Competency Based Learning Solutions, Capella University
Speaker: Mike Abbiatti, Executive Director and WICHE Vice President for Educational Technologies, WCET
After conferencing and networking over the past few days, hopefully you find yourself smarter and savvier about all things relative to tech-enhanced teaching and learning in higher ed. You may even know more than the experts or those we coerced into serving as an expert on our panel. Bring your questions and see if you can in fact, Stump the Higher Ed Expert. A panel of judges will evaluate the expert’s responses and honor will be bestowed upon the winner. This will be a highly engaging and interactive session not to be missed. Don’t miss the drawing for a free conference registration for the 2018 Annual Meeting either. Add your business card to the bowl at the registration desk. Must be in attendance during the closing session to win.

#StumpTheExpert