WCET's 29th Annual Meeting
 
Thursday
10/26/2017
7:00 am - 5:30 pmRegistration and WCET Info Desk Hours
Registration Desk
7:00 am - 7:45 amJoin us for a 5K up to the Capitol Building
Lower Lobby
Free Thursday morning run: meet in the lobby at 7 AM for a 5K run/walk lead by WCET and the Westin. Runners and walkers get a handy gift. Sign-up during online registration.

#WCET5K
8:00 am- 9:00 amGeneral Session Breakfast: From Aspirations to Action: Student Panel
Confluence Ballroom
Speaker: Hannah Apaun, Associate Software Engineer and New Graduate, SendGrid, University of Denver
Speaker: Amelia Coomber, Student and Entrepreneur , Denver University
Speaker: Caroline Creidenberg, New Graduate and Entrepreneur, Wedfuly
Moderator: Edie Cheng, Aspirations in Computing Director, Programs & Personnel, NCWIT
Moderator: Joe Garcia, President, WICHE
The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Aspirations in Computing (AiC) provides a long-term community for female technologists, from K-12 through higher education and beyond, encouraging persistence in computing through continuous engagement and ongoing encouragement at each pivotal stage of their educational and professional development. WCET brings together three AiC students, one currently enrolled in college, and two new graduates, to share their stories. Hear how technology-enhanced learning has helped support their journeys, what impacted their decision to choose their pathway, and how curriculum and course delivery can be improved from the ever important but not often heard, student perspective. Full deluxe breakfast included.

#Aspirations2Action
9:00 am - 5:30 pmWCET's EdTech Meet-up
Mezzanine Foyer

The WCET EdTech Meet-up connects innovative edtech businesses with meeting attendees in a casual and engaging format on Thursday. The meet-up is a way to showcase innovative products and services that the WCET member community is interested in and provide an opportunity for attendees to connect directly with the corporate participants. The meet-up is not an expo in an exhibit hall, the space is a casual area for networking and lounging while engaging with innovative leaders on the corporate and institutional side. Stop by and visit with the participants to learn about innovative edtech products and services, and connect with colleagues.

The Meet-up will be open from 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. but presenters will primarily be available during the two breaks, 10:15 - 11:00 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

#WCETMeetup
9:15 am - 10:15 amCBE From A:Z
Platte River
Speaker: Shonda Gibson, Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness, Texas A&M University-Commerce
Speaker: Fred Hurst, Vice President, Institutional Advancement , Western Governors University
Speaker: Carlos Rivers, Operations Research Analyst, Texas A&M University-Commerce
Speaker: Darlene Williams, Vice President for Technology, Innovation, and Economic Development, Northwestern State University
Moderator: Nick White, Director of Competency Based Learning Solutions, Capella University
Competency-based education continues to grow and more and more institutions are developing and implementing programs. This session includes three unique perspectives: sharing ideas, inspiration, and lessons learned. Texas A&M University-Commerce was a pioneer in CBE in 2012 and will share what they learned about getting started. Northwestern State University recently embarked on the development of an online competency-based program. The experience led to the University creating a new, creative pathway for students to achieve academic success while meeting workforce needs. They also emphasized professional development for those involved in the CBE program development, launch, and execution. Lastly, Western Governors University will discuss the role of data in CBE- how it is used by faculty and staff to effectively serve students and their employability. Join us for this interactive session and bring your questions about CBE.

#CBEA-Z

Texas A&M Commerce Slides
9:15 am - 10:15 ameLearning Consortia: Spotlight on Three State-wide Inter-institutional Partnerships
Lawrence A
Speaker: Kate Jordahl, Director of Strategic Planning & Operations, Online Education Initiative (OEI)/Foothill-De Anza Community College District
Speaker: David Stone, Director of Collaborative Programs, Pennsylvania State University
Moderator: Marianne Boeke, Senior Associate, NCHEMS
Speaker: Kevin Corcoran, Executive Director, Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium
An eLearning Consortium fosters inter-institutional partnerships to share resources with the goal of increasing the institutional capacity for technology-mediated courses and programs. This session spotlights efforts at three consortia:

  • Through a unique combination of student services, professional development and academic support, the California Community Colleges’ Online Education Initiative (OEI) is collaborating with California Community Colleges in the development of fully-resourced online courses. The OEI is a collaborative effort to ensure student completion by increasing access and success in online courses.
  • The Pennsylvania State University is leveraging course and content sharing across the 24 statewide campuses to launch new degree programs and to provide courses that are essential for students to advance in their residential degree programs. Students have increased access to the breadth of the curriculum, increased access to entrance to major courses, and faculty have greater access to the online materials for use in residential instruction.
  • Confronted with declining enrollment and diminished resources, the Connecticut State Colleges & Universities System tasked the CTDLC with providing One-Stop Call Center services to all 12 community colleges to proactively retain current students and re-enroll students who had taken a semester or more off.
This interactive session will discusses challenges, successes, and obstacles such as disparate cultures, operational mechanics, and external factors. Plans for the future will also be discussed.

#eLearningConsortia
9:15 am - 10:15 amHigh-Tech, High-Touch: Examples of Scaled Digital Learning for Your Institution
Horace Tabor
Facilitator: Ilona Chebotareva, Producer, Intentional Futures
Facilitator: Kristin Powers, Associate Director, Intentional Futures

In this session, Intentional Futures will share the high-tech, high-touch examples highlighted throughout our research on scaling digital learning at higher education institutions. Participants will then be equipped with the tools needed to take the next step in their own digital learning implementation.

#HighTech&Touch


9:15 am - 10:15 amIt's Raining Online Proctors! Top Takeaways from Two Institutions
Lawrence B
Speaker: Rachel Davenport, Senior Lecturer, Department of Biology, Texas State University
Speaker: Adel Lelo, Senior Manager Assessment Solutions, Western Governors University
Speaker: Dana Willett, Director, Office of Distance and Extended Learning, Texas State University
Moderator: Jennifer Brock, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Bryan University
The number of online proctoring providers is growing rapidly and selecting the right provider(s) is essential for all high-quality online education programs. This session shares the experiences of Western Governor’s University, which is the largest consumer of online proctoring services in the world with more than 30,000 proctored assessments every month, and Texas State University who recently conducted a pilot with fourteen courses and ~500 students across a variety of disciplines using two different providers. Learn how faculty and student feedback helped inform TXST’s decision. Attendees will also learn the differences between live, automated, recorded, and record-and-review proctoring. These are just a few of the lessons learned and takeaways the panelist will share.

#RainingProctors
9:15 am - 10:15 amMixed MakerSpaces: Integrating Maker Culture in the Online Classroom
Molly Brown
Speaker: Jessica Gagnon, Librarian, Front Range Community College
Speaker: Brandon Poulliot, Technical Support Specialist, Laramie County Community College
Speaker: Rebecca Reese, Senior Instructional Designer, Laramie County Community College
Speaker: Heather Tobin, Instructional Designer, University of Denver
Speaker: Grace Whiteaker, Instructional Designer, CCCOnline
Moderator: Grace Whiteaker, Instructional Designer, CCCOnline
MakerSpaces are not a new concept in education, but the intersection of physical and virtual community spaces as a teaching and assessment tool within online courses is a particular challenge when designing fully online courses taken by students who may never set foot on a physical campus to access institutional resources.

Integrating physical equipment (3D Printing, laser cutters, etc.), materials, online tools, video/music recording software and hardware, and more in a fully online course requires connecting geographically dispersed students with multiple physical and virtual options for collaboration and creation. There are a growing number of free, community-based labs and makerspaces that could be utilized as practice or project options within a course. A first step is identifying the resources and gathering them into a single space for use in course design, and eventual student reference and use. Then what? How do we thoughtfully design integration of physical and virtual makerspaces within online courses?

Panelists will describe their current connection with maker culture and discuss options for harnessing the potential of mixed makerspaces in the digital classroom.

#MixedMakerspaces

Slides
9:15 am - 10:15 amOutcomes of Sponsoring Faculty Engagement in Online Learning Research
Curtis
Speaker: Mary Ellen Dello Stritto, Assistant Director - Ecampus Research Unit, Oregon State University
Moderator: Mary Ellen Dello Stritto, Assistant Director - Ecampus Research Unit, Oregon State University
Speaker: Stephanie Jenkins, Assistant Professor, School of History, Philosophy, and Religion, Oregon State University
Speaker: Brenda Kellar, Anthropology Online Advisor, Oregon State University
Speaker: Andrew Olstad, Instructor, Oregon State University
This panel presentation will include a discussion with three faculty Ecampus Research Fellows from Oregon State University, moderated by the Assistant Director of the Ecampus Research Unit. The Ecampus Research Fellows Program (ECRF) in its second year of supporting faculty research. Fellows are funded for one year to complete an independent research project on a topic related to online teaching and learning. Attendees will hear from faculty panelists from three different disciplines about their research on teaching and learning. Panelists will also discuss the professional benefits they gained from the fellows program, and how their research connects to the outcomes of students in their courses. Attendees to this session with leave with the following takeaways: 1) an example of how to structure a research fellows program for faculty, 2) an awareness of the scope of distance/online research projects that could be supported by a research fellows program, 3) an understanding of some of the professional benefits that faculty may gain from a research fellows program, and 4) examples of how fellows research impacts students in their courses.
 
#FacEngagement
9:15 am - 10:15 amReplaced by Robots: Easing Faculty Fears Surrounding Adaptive Learning
Blake
Facilitator: Jennifer Daines, Program Chair for General Education, Colorado Technical University

“We’re being replaced by robots!” This is usually the sentiment expressed by seasoned faculty when it is first suggested that they might want to try Adaptive Learning (AL) technology in their classrooms. AL technology can be a powerful tool for student learning, but in order for the full potential of this technology to be realized, faculty must be in engaged. In some ways, they must be even more engaged with individual students than they otherwise would be in a more traditional, face to face classroom setting. One major hurdle in getting faculty buy-in for AL technology is fear – fear that they will no longer be needed, fear that the students won’t learn, and fear that they may have to learn a new way of teaching. This facilitated group discussion will explore ways in which institutions can ease faculty fears surrounding Adaptive Learning and help them move from skeptics to champions of AL technology.

#ReplacedByRobots


9:15 am - 10:15 amTech to Connect Students with Campus Resources to Increase Success & Well-being
Welton
Speaker: Nathaan Demers, Director of Clinical Programs, Grit Digital Health
Moderator: Deborah Keyek-Franssen, Associate Vice President for Digital Education and Engagement, University of Colorado System Office
With 1 in 3 freshman not making it to their sophomore year, a team of experts in behavioral health, technology, marketing and college administration was gathered to develop YOU at College through a public-private partnership between Colorado Statue University and Grit Digital Health. With the recognition that college challenges do not occur in a vacuum, YOU is a digital platform that takes a comprehensive approach to support students across three domains of well-being: Succeed (academic and career), Thrive (mental and physical health) and Matter (meaning and campus connections). YOU is customized to each university to include campus specific resources, as well as original and online evidence-based resources that personalize for each unique student user. At CSU, YOU has had over 20,000 unique sessions in which 87% of users reported connecting to a new campus resource, 76% reported being better able to manage their stress, and 98% of first year students reported learning something new about themselves across each of the domains. The presentation will overview the research, development, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of YOU as an emerging technology supporting student success.

#Tech2Connect
9:15 am - 10:15 amThe #DLNChat -- Not your Grandmother’s Twitter
McCourt
Speaker: Lindsey Downs, Manager, Communications, WCET
Speaker: Renee Franzwa, Director of Higher Ed, EdSurge
Speaker: Michael Sano, Higher Ed Community Manager, EdSurge
Moderator: Rosa Calabrese, Manager, Digital and Project Support Services, WCET
Social networks and communities can be built, maintained, and sustained through social media. Twitter chats, structured discussions which take place on the social media platform Twitter, are highly popular examples of community building around a hot topic.EdSurge’s #DLNChats (Digital Learning Network Chat) have acted as an enabler to develop a community of higher education professionals on Twitter. Co-hosted by WCET, OLC, and Tyton Partners, these chats consistently have 100+ participants who come together once a month to discuss a trending topic in higher education.

#NotGrandmasTwitter

Slides
10:15 am - 11:00 amEdTech Meet-up
Mezzanine Foyer
Stop by and visit with the participants, get some refreshments, learn about innovative institutions, edtech products, and services, and connect with colleagues. The Meet-up will be open from 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. but presenters will primarily be available during the two breaks, 10:15 - 11:00 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. -3:30 p.m. Meet-up participants:
 
  • Barnes & Noble LoudCloud  
  • Blackboard, Inc.
  • Coursera
  • Dallas County Community College Distric
  • Ed Map
  • Intellus Learning
  • Learning Objects by Cengage
  • 3d Printing in Ed
  • Mediasite
  • MindWires
  • Pearson
  • Proctorio
  • PowerUp
  • RealizeIt
  • Top Hat
  • Varafy
  • VitalSource
  • Wiley Education Services
  • WCET
  • You @ College
#WCETMeetup

11:00 am - 12:00 pmAfter the Lawyers Leave: How Wichita State is Growing a Culture of Access
Lawrence B
Speaker: John Jones, Director, Media Resources Center, Wichita State University
Speaker: Carolyn Speer, Manager Instructional Design and Technology, Wichita State University
Moderator: Mark Jenkins, Director of eLearning and Open Education and Coordinator of Accessible Technology Initiatives, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

In response to a settlement with the National Federation of the Blind, Wichita State adopted new accessibility policies in spring, 2017. This presentation will detail the institutional responses that are now unfolding. Nearly everything the university does is having to be re-envisioned using a new lens. From educating the entire university community on accessibility, to the class-level responses necessary to conform to the university's accessibility policies, Wichita State has chosen to meet these challenges head-on. We are shifting to a culture of accessibility as a commitment to access for all students regardless of disability or other challenges. These changes have the potential to impact teaching and learning at a more fundamental level than any change in higher education since the first GI Bill.

#AfterLawyers

 
11:00 am - 12:00 pmAsk the Expert: Accreditors’ Role in Postsecondary eLearning
Platte River
Moderator: Russ Poulin, Director, Policy and Analysis, WCET
Speaker: Leah Matthews, Executive Director, DEAC
Speaker: Michael K. J. Milligan, CEO and Executive Director, ABET
Speaker: Karen Solomon, Vice President for Accreditation Relations and Director, Standard Pathway, Higher Learning Commission

According to the Council of Higher Education Accreditation: “Accreditation in higher education is a collegial process of self-review and peer review for improvement of academic quality and public accountability of institutions and programs.” Recent years have seen these agencies pushed toward a more active oversight role. How are the agencies responding? What changes are in the wind? What elearning trends are accreditors watching?  Hear updates on where the agencies stand and come prepared with your questions.

#AccredIneLearning
11:00 am - 12:00 pmChanging the Game: Moving from Adaptive to Adaptable Learning
Molly Brown
Speaker: Samantha Birk, Higher Education Institutional Program Manager, IMS Global Learning Consortium
Speaker: Niki Bray, Assistant Professor, University of Memphis
Speaker: Dale Johnson, Adaptive Program Manager, Arizona State University
Speaker: Karen Tinsley-Kim, Instructional Development Specialist, University of Central Florida
The growing use of adaptive learning has led to significant questions about “walled garden” courseware, data-informed multiple learning paths, and what is needed to create a more integrated and adaptable ecosystem. Moving from adaptive to adaptable learning presents greater flexibility to better support institutional, departmental, and faculty goals to improve educational outcomes. An adaptable system could be reconfigured easily by faculty as they experiment and learn what works for students. This has a direct impact on student success and retention. In a cohesive, extensible adaptive learning environment, the seamless integration of multiple technology systems and learning tools is the linchpin to success. Ideally, campus and third-party systems work together in concert leveraging open standards to provide a better experience for students and instructors, while ubiquitously leveraging multiple data points to inform the learning flow. This session will explore how creating an adaptable learning ecosystem lays a foundation for moving from adaptive technology to an adaptable teaching and learning experience.
 
#ChangingTheGame
11:00 am - 12:00 pmDo you have More Questions than Answers about OER?
Lawrence A
Moderator: Megan Raymond, Assistant Director, Programs and Sponsorship, WCET
Speaker: Francesca Carpenter, Associate Director, Open Educational Resources Degree Initiative, Achieving the Dream
Speaker: Tanya Spilovoy, Director of Open Policy, WCET, WCET
Speaker: Tina Parscal, Executive Director, CCCOnline
Open educational resources hold the promise of reducing costs and aiding in retention and completion. However, as institutions begin to pursue the path towards providing OER textbooks, more questions than answers may emerge. Join this panel and discussion to hear about challenges, lessons learned, and successes with OER. Attendees will be encouraged to discuss their strategies and unanswered questions. Perspectives include Tanya Spilovoy, WCET Director of Open Policy leads the Z Initiative focused on OER Policy, Practice and Implementation for states, systems, and institutions; Tina Parscal, Executive Director of Colorado Community Colleges Online who is investigating the implementation of OER, and Achieving the Dream which has a successful OER network impacting Community Colleges across the U.S.

Slides
11:00 am - 12:00 pmNew Benefit for WCET Institutional Members: Free (as in puppy drinking a beer) LMS Market Analysis Service
Welton
Speaker: Phil Hill, Co-Publisher of the e-Literate blog, Co-Producer of e-Literate TV, and Partner at MindWires Consulting, e-Literate
Speaker: Mollie McGill, Director, Programs and Membership, WCET
The e–Literate Big Picture subscription service is designed to help institutions track the changing landscape in important learning platform topics and make sure that the decisions an institution makes today will still make sense tomorrow. Being an Institutional member of WCET gives you access to the LMS Market Analysis service, with twice-annual reports and newsletter updates throughout the year. Learn more about this year's LMS trends and the MindWires initiatives to create more specific data that can help institutions with effective practices, policies and technology procurement by learning more about what similar institutions are doing.

#BeerPuppy
11:00 am - 12:00 pmStrategies of Uncomplicated Quality Design
Blake
Speaker: Cheryl Cyrus, Principal Strategist, Blackboard
Moderator: Brenda Boyd, Senior Academic Director, Program Services, QM Quality Matters, Inc
As technology continues to evolve, our breadth and depth of course development choices continuously expands. When we examine our courses either previously created or to-be created, do we examine them through the eyes of the learner? What little details make big differences to the end user, their success, and satisfaction? Join me to uncover the small facts that make huge differences to a learner’s experience.

#UncomplicatedDesign
11:00 am - 12:00 pmSystem-Level Strategies for Lead Generation
Curtis
Speaker: Mary Niemiec, Associate Vice President for Digital Education, Director of University of Nebraska Online Worldwide, University of Nebraska
Speaker: Kim Scalzo, Executive Director, Open SUNY
Moderator: Cecilia Retelle Zywicki, Vice President, Strategic Partnership Operations, Wiley Education Services
Drivers and goals for System-level initiatives require multiple strategies to meet diverse campus missions. One consistent and singular goal is to increase leads, and ultimately enrollments, for the portfolio of online programs. In the very competitive landscape of digital education and with limited resources, institutions must maximize the investment to achieve the highest ROI. Expertise and cutting edge technology are essential elements. When is it prudent to outsource specific strategies to third-party solutions? This session will focus on why the University of Nebraska Online and Open SUNY decided to outsource web-based lead generation for their System-level initiatives by leveraging third parties. Specifically, we will discuss the drivers and goals for the initiatives and how outsourcing was determined to be the optimal strategy to achieve exponential growth in lead generation. The panelists will also discuss the ongoing challenges and opportunities as the initiatives continue to mature. #SystemLevelStrategies

Slides
11:00 am - 12:00 pmThe Best Laid Plans: Managing "Second-Level Effects" of Innovative Projects
Horace Tabor
Facilitator: Ryan Baltrip, Director of Online Programming, APeL, William & Mary
Facilitator: Michele Jackson, Associate Provost for University eLearning Initiatives, William & Mary

How can leaders anticipate and plan for the “unintended consequences” that are inevitable in any substantial project? Our conferences and publications do excellent work in providing models and best practices for getting new projects implemented. Yet, that’s only the first step in long-term success. We know much less about how to sustain effectiveness in the face of second-level effects (Sproull & Kiesler, 1991) that reverberate after implementation. We can feel at a loss when faced with deeper consequences such as changes to faculty expectations, altered campus culture, new relationships between units, and new patterns of communication. We invite you to attend this facilitated discussion to surface “post-implementation” challenges in projects at your own campus and to share strategies for effectively planning for and responding to them. We bring our own experiences of revising courses and programs to a fully online format and the unintended consequences for both academic and administrative actors across the institution.

#2ndLevelEffects


12:15 pm - 1:30 pmWCET Awards Lunch (Included with Conference Registration)
Confluence Ballroom
Speaker: Mike Abbiatti, Executive Director and WICHE Vice President for Educational Technologies, WCET
Speaker: Dale Johnson, Adaptive Program Manager, Arizona State University
Speaker: Leah Matthews, Executive Director, DEAC
Speaker: Kara Monroe, Vice President of Academic Innovation and Support, Ivy Tech Community College
The WCET Awards Lunch celebrates outstanding achievement and innovation from the WCET community. Recipients of the 2017 WCET Outstanding Work (WOW), Richard Jonsen, and the Sally M. Johnstone Awards will be recognized. Lunch is included with your registration.

#WCETAwards
1:45 pm - 2:45 pmAsk the Expert: The Federal Role in Postsecondary eLearning in the Era of Deregulation
Platte River
Speaker: Van Davis, Associate Vice President, Higher Education Policy & Research, Blackboard
Speaker: Sharon Leu, Senior Policy Advisor, Higher Education Innovation, Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology
Speaker: Ken Salomon, Partner, Thompson Coburn LLP
Moderator: Leah Matthews, Executive Director, DEAC

The week of the WCET Annual Meeting marks the 40th week, 280th day, and 400,000th minute of President Trump’s tenure. But, who’s counting? Some of the promised deregulation has happened, but more is likely. Higher education priorities have changed from previous administrations, but exactly in which direction? The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act is also promised for the near future. Hear updates on where we stand and come prepared with your questions.

#FedRegs&eLearning

 

1:45 pm - 2:45 pmCBE at Scale: Challenges and Opportunities in Long-Standing and New CBE Programs
Lawrence A
Speaker: Lauren Carris, Director, Curriculum, Western Governors University
Speaker: Pratima Dutta, Director, Distance Learning, California State University, Northridge
Speaker: Lisa McIntyre-Hite, Executive Director, Product Innovation, Laureate Education, Center for Innovation and Learning

Implementation and scalability in competency-based programs are key challenges for early entrants and long-standing CBE programs, alike. Every institution, whether large, small, for-profit, or non-profit, private, or public, wrestles with challenges and opportunities as they evolve their respective CBE programs. In this panel presentation, Lauren Mason Carris (Western Governor’s University), Lisa McIntyre-Hite (Walden University), and Pratima Duta (California State University, Northridge) will discuss challenges, opportunities, and strategies for scaling competency-based programs.  The panel will share similarities and differences within their CBE models and institutional structures and discuss strategies for evolving their respective CBE programs. Specifically, the panel will discuss:

Operationalizing the CBE model
  • Defining roles and responsibilities in CBE
  • Building relationships with other institutions and professionals
  • Cultivating a culture of innovation

 The panel will include interactive participation and Q&A, allowing attendees to share their unique place in the CBE landscape, discuss challenges, ask questions, and share emerging effective practices.

#CBEatScale


1:45 pm - 2:45 pmContent Strategy: 5 Proven Steps to Digital and OER Implementation
McCourt
Speaker: Mark Christensen, Professional Development, Ed Map
Speaker: Nick White, Director of Competency Based Learning Solutions, Capella University
Moderator: Hae Okimoto, Director, Academic Technologies, University of Hawaii System
Explore the tasks and milestones required for a successful paradigm shift to digital course materials. Mapping a comprehensive and integrated education content strategy that supports all stakeholders, promotes student learning, and helps you achieve your institution’s mission. Uncover how a large percentage of the student experience is directly related to course content and how little attention it gets. Discover the increasing merging of software, content, and services and what that means in the old and newer models. And learn how to look at course materials and services at a program level. Key areas addressed: identifying support from internal and external champions, targeting desired outcomes, moving beyond the resistance to change, understanding current infrastructure and technical barriers, and communication and timeline planning.

#ContentStrategy
1:45 pm - 2:45 pmDynamic Experiential Learning: It’s Time For a New Online Experience
Welton
Speaker: Jennifer Brock, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Bryan University
Speaker: Kurt Hayes, Executive Director of Learning Experience Engineering, DeXL (Dynamic Experiential Learning)
Moderator: Kara Van Dam, Vice Provost, University of Maryland University College

At Bryan University, we believe in challenging the boundaries of traditional education to liberate the innate greatness in people. Faculty and staff at Bryan University challenge these boundaries through a unique online student community, an evidence-based learning model, and a focus on non-cognitive factors that must be addressed in order to foster student success. This unique learning approach has been accomplished through a partnership with Dynamic Experiential Learning (DeXL), a provider specializing in online student experiences, research-based approaches, and innovative learning models. The DeXL approach encompasses the entire student experience- student readiness, experience engineering, connection, and community; producing empowered graduates who are better prepared for today’s workforce. Session participants will have the opportunity to explore this student experience focusing on non-cognitive factors such as mindset, academic perseverance, learning strategies, and social skills- and will learn how implementation of this experience has inspired a culture of excellence with Bryan University faculty, administrators, and staff.

#DeXLearning

Slides

1:45 pm - 2:45 pmInclusive, Accessible, and Quality Content- Shared Perspectives
Lawrence B
Speaker: Joan Ehrlich, Acting Director, Office of Disability Services, Northern Virginia Community College
Speaker: Rick Johnson, VP, Product Strategy, VitalSource
Speaker: Maureen Madden, Instructional Designer & Accessibility Liaison, Northern Virginia Community College
Speaker: Scott Ready, Director - Customer Relations, Enterprise Consulting, Blackboard, Inc.
Moderator: Reed Scull, Associated Dean and Director, University of Wyoming Outreach School
Accessibility is about providing all students, online or on-ground, with equal opportunity to learn. For online and technology-enhanced higher education, extra steps must be taken to ensure that course materials, social media, and other interactive tools have been designed in a manner that allows all students to utilize them. During this session attendees will learn strategies from three organizational perspectives about ensuring materials are accessible. Northern Virginia Community College will explain the process they have developed so that materials meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing and those with print disabilities (blindness, low vision, and dyslexia). The process heightens the awareness of those working with students and colleagues who might need accommodations. Blackboard had worked closely with Gallaudet University to design courses for inclusivity by applying Universal Design principles which improves overall course quality. They will discuss various standards and design considerations that layout a framework for evaluating and developing eLearning courses. Lastly, learn what the eTextbook industry is doing to help bring practical solutions to ensure equitable access to quality, affordable learning materials to students of all ability levels. VitalSource will share their approach to providing transparency in delivering accessible content to students.

#Inclusive&Accessible
1:45 pm - 2:45 pmLearn It, Earn It, Use It – The Power of Digital Credentialing
Curtis
Speaker: John Endrud, Senior Vice President, Market Strategy and Development, Wiley Education Services
Speaker: Lisa Haas, Director of BenXL, Benedictine University
Speaker: Jonathan Finkelstein, Founder & CEO, Credly
Moderator: Cecilia Retelle Zywicki, Vice President, Strategic Partnership Operations, Wiley Education Services

As individuals secure their learning from multiple sources across their lifetimes, communication and certification systems are evolving to enable the efficient and reliable communication of skills. Credly is the leading digital credential service provider, helping education institutions, employers, governments, associations, and learning societies recognize lifelong achievement through portable, verified, and digital credentials. Wiley Education Services collaborates with institutions to continually help meet the evolving needs of learners, employers, and markets, regardless of modality. Wiley has partnered with Credly to connect talent to opportunity at scale, using digital evidence of achievement to build an education-to-workforce pipeline among participating schools. A participating partner school of Wiley is Benedictine University. In this session, Wiley Education Services, Credly, and Benedictine University will discuss the value of digital credentialing, as well as best practices and case studies for how schools, like Benedictine, are empowering students through recognition of achievements demonstrated both inside and outside of the classroom.

#LearnItEarnIt

Slides


1:45 pm - 2:45 pmAcademic Value Networks: Maximize Stakeholder Value to Transform Higher Learning
Blake
Speaker: David Leasure, President, Higher Learning Challenge
Moderator: Deb Adair, Executive Director, Quality Matters

Recent surveys such as NACE (2016) and PayScale (2016) show that employers’ demand for skills is not being met by graduate competency. Improving learning and learning capacity has the potential with technology, analytics, and process discipline to decrease costs and elevate learning and work performance. This presentation proposes using the theories of Jobs to be Done and Value Networks to meet the needs of the academic stakeholders: students, faculty, employers, universities, accreditors, government and society. The term Academic Value Network is proposed and illustrated. A ten-step high-level plan is given. Recommendations based on the value network analysis and backed up by case experience are made to improve value for all stakeholders: Lowering cost of learning using technology and prioritizing learning capacity lead to lower operating costs and tuition, greater investments in quality leading to more graduates who are better prepared with lower debt, who perform more effectively for employers and can earn higher wages; these changes improve a family’s economic and social standing and prepares quality citizens for democracy and when one at national scale, builds society and the economy.

#AcademicValueNetwork


1:45 pm - 2:45 pmAcademic Integrity Starts with Us (Part 1)
Molly Brown
Speaker: Jessica Franson, Distance Learning Coordinator, UW MBA Consortium
Speaker: Julia Lehman Caldwell, Lead Instructional Designer, UW MBA Consortium

To ensure academic integrity in our courses, we must be aware of the tools that are available for students to engage in dishonest conduct. In addition, we should use course design and teaching strategies that have been shown to discourage cheating and increase student learning. In this two-part series on academic integrity, we’ll take a deep dive into online “study sites,” test banks, academic writers, and course takers, and consider how these online tools legitimize the notion of cheating as a service industry. We’ll also share examples from our UW MBA Consortium online courses to explore strategies for designing assessments that discourage cheating. If you have any of the following questions, this series is for you. Are honor codes effective? Should I have an academic integrity policy in my syllabus? In what situation should I use or recommend an originality checker? Could proctoring be the solution to academic integrity issues in my course? Are there certain types of assessments that make cheating more difficult? What are some strategies I could use to detect cheating behaviors?

#AcademicIntegrity


 
1:45 pm - 2:45 pmWOW Award Spotlight Session
Horace Tabor
Moderator: Kara Monroe, Vice President of Academic Innovation and Support, Ivy Tech Community College
The WCET Outstanding Work (WOW) Award recognizes outstanding efforts by member institutions and organizations in applying an innovative, technology-based solution to a challenging educational need.The 2017 award recognizes four exceptional initiatives that improve student success and advance the field of technology-enhanced postsecondary education. During the Awards Luncheon on Thursday, attendees will hear about the recipients and their work.This conference session will provide an opportunity for attendees to engage with the recipients, dive deeper, and ask questions. Learn how you can adapt a similar model at your institution and be inspired to submit your own nomination for the 2018 WOW Award.

2017 Winners:

• Blackboard Inc.: Blackboard Ally
• Healthcare Learning Innovations, a division of American Sentinel University: Sentinel City™
• Oregon State University Ecampus: 3-D Virtual Microscope
• University of Central Florida: UDOIT: Universal Design Online content Inspection Tool, University of Central Florida

Learn more at: http://wcet.wiche.edu/initiatives/wcet-awards/WOW-Award

#WOWawards
2:45 pm - 3:30 pmEdTech Meet-up
No location
Stop by and visit with the participants, get some refreshments, learn about innovative institutions, edtech products, and services, and connect with colleagues. The Meet-up will be open from 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. but presenters will primarily be available during the two breaks, 10:15 - 11:00 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. -3:30 p.m. Meet-up participants:
 
  • Barnes & Noble LoudCloud  
  • Blackboard, Inc.
  • Coursera
  • Dallas County Community College Distric
  • Ed Map
  • Intellus Learning
  • Learning Objects by Cengage
  • 3d Printing in Ed
  • Mediasite
  • MindWires
  • Pearson
  • Proctorio
  • PowerUp
  • RealizeIt
  • Top Hat
  • Varafy
  • VitalSource
  • Wiley Education Services
  • WCET
  • You @ College
#WCETMeetup

3:30 pm - 4:15 pmAcademic Integrity Starts with Us (Part 2)
Molly Brown
Speaker: Jessica Franson, Distance Learning Coordinator, UW MBA Consortium
Speaker: Julia Lehman Caldwell, Lead Instructional Designer, UW MBA Consortium

To ensure academic integrity in our courses, we must be aware of the tools that are available for students to engage in dishonest conduct. In addition, we should use course design and teaching strategies that have been shown to discourage cheating and increase student learning. In this two-part series on academic integrity, we’ll take a deep dive into online “study sites,” test banks, academic writers, and course takers, and consider how these online tools legitimize the notion of cheating as a service industry. We’ll also share examples from our UW MBA Consortium online courses to explore strategies for designing assessments that discourage cheating. If you have any of the following questions, this series is for you. Are honor codes effective? Should I have an academic integrity policy in my syllabus? In what situation should I use or recommend an originality checker? Could proctoring be the solution to academic integrity issues in my course? Are there certain types of assessments that make cheating more difficult? What are some strategies I could use to detect cheating behaviors?

#AcademicIntegrity


 
3:30 pm - 4:15 pmActionable Data: Maximize the Value of Instructional Technology
McCourt
Speaker: Paige Holroyd, Sr. Product Manager, Personalized Learning & Analytics, Pearson
Moderator: Amanda Babcock, Online Programs Compliance Coordinator, University of Utah
Data is everywhere, but what is the value of data if it doesn't lead to action? Join this session to learn and discuss the availability and analysis of actionable data through the use of instructional technology. Educators and institutional leaders can gain valuable insight to make informed classroom or program decisions, provide timely intervention to improve student achievement and retention, and analyze trends to guide evolution and improvement within programs. When selecting course materials in today's digital world, institutions should consider the value of reliable and consistent data and plan for putting that data to work for the benefit of your students and institution.

#ActionableData
3:30 pm - 4:15 pmDoubling Down on Human Connections in the Age of Digital Courseware
Curtis
Speaker: John Gibson, Faculty, Business & IT, Glendale Community College
Speaker: Paul Golisch, Executive Director
Moderator: Paul Golisch, Executive Director
Speaker: Alyson Indrunas, Director, Teaching and Learning, Lumen Learning
Speaker: Olga Kopp, Professor of Biology, Utah Valley University

Offering a variety of approaches to personalized and adaptive learning, digital courseware has the potential to help or harm the learning experience, depending on how well it supports both instructors and students. Using a show-and-tell approach from a multi-year implementation of digital courseware designed using open educational resources (OER), this session explores how courseware can impact student success by strengthening integration, communication, learner feedback, and curricular flexibility. Informed by learning data analysis, it also offers cautionary guidance about what happens when real-world students and teachers use - or fail to use - courseware as designed, and the net impact on student outcomes.

#DoublingDown

3:30 pm - 4:15 pmEmbedding Online Student Communities to Improve Student Retention & Satisfaction
Lawrence A
Speaker: Luke Dowden, Director of Distance Learning, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Speaker: Sherri Restauri, Director, Coastal Office of Online Learning, Coastal Carolina University
Speaker: Amy Stevens, VP, Academic Resources and Communication, Southern New Hampshire University
Moderator: Pat James, Program Consultant, California Community Colleges' Online Education Initiative

Many online learners struggle to integrate academically and socially to the online learning environment, resulting in student attrition. The panelists will explore the relationship between developing and nurturing an intentional online learner community with a focus on improved student satisfaction and persistence. Through a series of questions, panelists will reflect on a connected set of strategies aimed at unearthing the right mix for the hybrid and online student population across the stages of the student lifecycle from inquiry to initial enrollment through graduation and beyond.

#EmbeddingOnline

Slides

3:30 pm - 4:15 pmExtra, Extra! Read All About It!
Platte River
Speaker: Scott Carlson, Senior Writer, The Chronicle of Higher Education
Speaker: Phil Hill, Co-Publisher of the e-Literate blog, Co-Producer of e-Literate TV, and Partner at MindWires Consulting, e-Literate
Speaker: Jeffrey Young, Senior Editor, EdSurge
Moderator: Jeff Borden, Chief Innovation Officer, Saint Leo University
Moderator: Lindsey Downs, Manager, Communications, WCET
New administration, new secretary of education, emerging trends, and federal and state higher ed policy changes, OH MY! These are just a few of the dynamic aspects impacting higher education. Members of the press who research and report on these and other higher education issues have a big job with tight deadlines. Despite the perception that higher education is slow to change, reporters covering the beat must stay abreast of evolving issues impacting higher ed. What trends do they see in their reporting? What do they anticipate as key issues in the near and long-term? Bring your questions to this Ask the Experts session where you’ll have an opportunity to hear directly from several esteemed press members.

#ExtraExtra
3:30 pm - 4:15 pmPersonalized Learning in a Digital World
Blake
Speaker: Wanda Barker, Director, Educational Technology Cooperative, Southern Regional Education Board
Moderator: John Opper, Executive Director, DLSS, Florida Virtual Campus

States are entering an unprecedented era of digital connectivity, bringing high speed Internet access to classrooms to support innovative learning methods through effective use of technology, meeting students where they are and providing them the greatest opportunity for success in the 21st century workforce. This session will cover findings from the SREB/DigiLEARN regional meeting on personalized learning. We will review policies, practices, and infrastructure requirements to create and maintain a personalized learning initiative at the local, region, or state level.

#PLA

Personalized Learning in a Digital World Slides

3:30 pm - 4:15 pmThe #3Wedu Conversation: Redefining Higher Ed to Support Women
Horace Tabor
Facilitator: Nori Barajas, Director, Grant Projects, Online Learning Consortium
Facilitator: Tanya Joosten, Director, eLearning Research and Development, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Facilitator: Jessica Knott, Learning Design Manager, Michigan State University

This session will provide a forum for all conference participants to engage in a meaningful conversation about ways women are leading in ed-tech and higher ed; why it is important for their authentic voice to be a part of the conversation, and ways women’s ideas can be heard no matter where in the organization they are. A focus of this roundtable session will be to create a space where women can talk in their authentic voice and share their stories. This will enable us to better understand a range of women’s needs, what women are striving towards, and how this connects to their personal experience and values. We will gain insights by learning about how women in higher ed, specifically their perspective and worldview, can be leveraged in the design of programs, organizational structures, and systems.

#3WeduWCET

3:30 pm - 4:15 pmUsing Digital Credentials to Bridge the Skills Gap: Lessons to Learn from CCCS
Lawrence B
Moderator: Scott Carlson, Senior Writer, The Chronicle of Higher Education
Speaker: Jonathan Finkelstein, Founder & CEO, Credly
Speaker: Joe McInerney, Outreach Specialist, Red Rocks Community College
Speaker: Brenda Perea, Director of Educational and Workforce Solutions, Credly

Three years ago, faced with a shortage of 15,000 workers in advanced manufacturing, Colorado employers and higher education leaders were at an all-too-common crossroads: how to ensure that today’s students graduated with the skills they need to meet the rapidly changing demand of tomorrow’s workforce. With the average shelf life of skills shortening, employers are increasingly looking beyond a transcript for a more granular, relevant and agile way to identify industry-specific skills and competencies to meet their needs. As a result, the Colorado Community College System and local employers teamed up to design and implement digital credentials that provide students and professionals with portable, verified evidence of their skills that can be shared with employers and showcased on professional and social networks. Learn how higher education leaders and employers worked together to develop a way to bridge the skills gap, link the college-to-career pipeline and create value for today’s digitally savvy job seekers and employers.

#DigitalCred

Using Digital Credentials Slides

4:15 pm - 4:30 pmBreak
Mezzanine Foyer
4:30 pm - 5:15 pmBrewing Up Better Learning
Horace Tabor
Speaker: Jay Lynch, Senior Academic Research Consultant, Pearson

In this session we propose to lead a discussion among edtech representatives, faculty, and administrators around frequently omitted pieces of research evidence required to make an informed decision about the likely effectiveness of a learning product-- evidence in addition to studies demonstrating that a product 'works'. Only by moving beyond the narrow question of efficacy can we begin to identify the premises needed to craft a more informative effectiveness argument to guide decisions about the value and relevance of an edtech product. To make this conversation more engaging, we will explore this topic through the lens of a brewery investor, evaluating whether or not to support a new microbrew venture.

#BrewingBetterLearning

4:30 pm - 5:15 pmFaculty Feedback in Direct Assessment: A Focus on Quality
Lawrence B
Speaker: Kathe Kacheroski, Academic Director, Direct Assessment, Capella University
Speaker: Laura Sankovich, Faculty Chair, MBA Program, Capella
Moderator: Allison Woods, Associate Vice Provost of Faculty Development, University of Maryland University College

The role of the faculty member in competency-based, direct assessment programs is arguably both the most important and the least defined. Capella University’s FlexPath programs place in-depth, high quality feedback from faculty at the center of the learning experience. As Capella’s FlexPath programs have continued to scale, new methods are needed to support faculty in providing high quality feedback.  This presentation will share results of research conducted at Capella to better understand the impact of feedback on the learning process and learner satisfaction. Subsequent change management efforts to further define and support the delivery of quality feedback, including a community of practice and sophisticated reporting tools, will also be discussed.

#FacultyFeedback 

4:30 pm - 5:15 pmFrom Silver Bullets To Silver Linings: Lessons Learned in Educational Technology
Molly Brown
Speaker: John Jones, Director, Media Resources Center, Wichita State University

At Wichita State University's Media Resources Center (MRC) we have had to face some hard truths, and chief among those has been the tough realization that products, services, or solutions we thought would be silver bullets have turned out to not meet our needs. Wichita State University faces serious and ever-changing technological challenges. Recently, most of those are centered around our commitment to make all content accessible to all users in the next four years. That has pushed departments like the MRC to experiment with new ideas, and experimentation leads to unintended consequences and failure in many cases. This presentation will talk through several solutions and challenges we have faced relating to technology, instruction, and accessibility -- each a misstep in one or more important ways. We will discuss our disappointments, our workarounds, and where possible, our solutions.

#SilverBullets



4:30 pm - 5:15 pmLessons from Dallas County Community College and StraighterLine's EQUIP project
Blake
Speaker: Thom Chesney, President , Brookhaven College
Speaker: Burck Smith, CEO, StraighterLine
Moderator: Shannon Meadows, Chief Revenue Officer, Ed Map

Despite not being able to offer financial aid, students are enrolling in courses and programs from unaccredited providers – like MOOCs, boot camps and providers of alternative academic credit – at substantially higher rates than in accredited colleges. Recognizing this, the Department of Education started the experimental EQUIP program in 2016 to enable new providers to partner with accredited colleges to create new financial aid pathways to the providers’ students. One such program is a partnership between StraighterLine, Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) where StraighterLine will deliver a portion of two associates’ degrees for DCCCD starting in the 2017-2018 academic year. This session will:

  • Describe the motivation and elements of the EQUIP program
  • Discuss the motivation to participate for DCCCD, StraighterLine and CHEA
  • Describe the implementation process and challenges
  • Describe options for similar programs that don’t require a DoE experiment
  • Provide an update of progress to date.
#DCCDEQUIP
4:30 pm - 5:15 pmNew Ideas in Managing Online Course Development
Curtis
Speaker: Roxanne Phillips, Program Chair, Colorado Community Colleges Online
Speaker: Steve Rothenberg, Project and Product Implementation Manager, CCCOnline
Speaker: Grace Whiteaker, Instructional Designer, CCCOnline
Moderator: David Dannenberg, Director, Academic Innovations & eLearning, University of Alaska Anchorage

CCCOnline is the consortium of the thirteen colleges in the Colorado Community College System. This session will offer a case study in how CCCOnline streamlined its online course development process, enabling it to eliminate or reduce errors and conflicts caused by poorly understood roles and responsibilities, miscommunications, and inadequate project management tools.  The session will describe the problems and issues facing the staff responsible for redesigning the business processes surrounding for course design, and how the application of new approaches and tools (business process modeling (BPM) and (Jira workflow management software ) enabled CCCOnline to streamline course development.

#ManagingCourseDevelopment

4:30 pm - 5:15 pmPrice & Cost Panel Discussion
Lawrence A
Speaker: Evangeline Tsibris Cummings, Assistant Provost and Director, University of Florida
Speaker: Sally Johnstone, President, NCHEMS
Speaker: Terri Straut, Senior Research Analyst, WCET
Legislators, governors, and other leaders often believe that distance courses should cost less to produce and deliver. After all, they use technology and technologies reduces costs. As a result, they assume that the price paid by students to enrolled in distance courses should be less than they pay for a similar on-campus experience. In WCET’s Price and Cost of Distance Education Report, a majority of distance education professionals surveyed revealed that they charge slightly more for distance courses. Meanwhile, there was a vocal minority of survey respondents and interviewed experts who vehemently disagreed with this finding. A new dialogue is needed to bring expectations in line with reality. This panel discussion will bring together the various stakeholders in the debate about price and cost for a facilitated discussion that allows participants and observers to understand and appreciate the perspectives of their colleagues in different roles. The panel will include perspectives include an operational director and someone who has experience reducing costs through fundamental restructuring and leadership that is willing to do things differently.

#PriceCost

Slides
4:30 pm - 5:15 pmProfile of a State Authorization Professional
Welton
Speaker: Tyson Heath, Manager of State Authorization, Western Governors University
Moderator: Joan Bouillon, Director of Regulatory Compliance, Pearson
Hiring a new employee at your institution can be a $1 million-dollar investment, so how do you know you’re hiring the right person? What qualifications are needed for the employee to succeed in their new role? Searching for a state authorization professional requires specific skill-sets, and Tyson Heath will present on this topic, highlighting research he conducted to verify the requirements needed to successfully serve in this role. Once hired, it’s critical the state authorization professional has leadership support at the institutional level, and Leslie Weibush will discuss developing and implementing the Out-of-State Educational Activities Policy at The Ohio State University. Being new in her role, the policy helped define stakeholders roles and responsibilities around state authorization, ensuring the university was in good standing with all U.S. states, territories, and professional licensing boards.

#Hiring4StateAuth
4:30 pm - 5:15 pmRegular and Substantive Interaction: Innovation, Regulation, and the Way Forward
Platte River
Speaker: Bob Collins, Vice President, Financial Aid, Western Governors University
Speaker: Van Davis, Associate Vice President, Higher Education Policy & Research, Blackboard
Speaker: Myk Garn, Assistant Vice Chancellor for New Learning Models, University System of Georgia
Moderator: Laura Pedrick, Executive Director, UWM Online, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
This session will focus on the intersection of evolving academic delivery models for higher education and the legislative language that regulates those activities. The session will further examine the background and recent Office of Inspector General efforts to define key terms such as “regular and substantive interaction” and “instructor;” a discussion of the role that quality and outcomes play in this conversation; and examine how we as a distance education community can engage in this critical dialogue.

#Regular&Substantive

Resources
5:30 pm - 6:30 pmYoung Professionals Meet and Greet + Sock Swap
Tabor/Molly Brown Prefunction Area
Join your peers for an informal meet and greet with refreshments. If interested, bring a pair of socks for the sock swap. Young professionals are under 40, but if you are young at heart you won't be excluded. Sign-up during online registration. #SockSwap
6:45 pm - 8:45 pm Group Networking Dinners
Lower Lobby
On Thursday night, join other attendees at a local restaurant within walking distance of the hotel. The Annual Meeting registration desk will have sign-up sheets and menus available so you can choose the restaurant that suits your fancy and meet other attendees. Sign up at the registration desk by 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Attendees pay for their own dinner. Meet in the hotel lobby.

#GroupNetworkingDinners