WCET's 28th Annual Meeting
 
Thursday
10/13/2016
6:45 am - 7:30 amReenergizing Run or Walk
Hotel Lobby

Join us for a group walk or run around downtown. Meet in the hotel lobby no later than 6:45 a.m. Running/walking map.
7:00 am - 5:30 pmWCET Registration and Information
Registration, 4th Floor
8:15 am- 9:00 amThursday General Session: Digital Inclusion: Just an Illusion? (Breakfast Included)
Ballrooms 1-2
Moderator: Hae Okimoto, Director, Academic Technologies, University of Hawaii System
Speaker: Andriel Dees, Director of Learner Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Engagement , Capella University
Speaker: Joe Garcia, President, WICHE

Is the digital divide narrowing or is the precipice between those who have access and can use technology widening? Digital inclusion strategies are being developed and implemented at our institutions to help increase digital literacy, access, and inclusion. Are they effective? How is technology helping or hindering progress? Join WICHE President, Joe Garcia and Andriel Dees, the director of learner inclusion, diversity, equity, and engagement at Capella University for a conversation about inclusion strategies, evidence based support of how institutions are narrowing the divide, strategies for increasing digital literacy, and how online learning increases inclusion.

View the recorded presentation.
9:00 am - 5:30 pmWCET's EdTech Meet-up
Atrium

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, 9:15 - 9:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
9:15 am - 9:45 amRevolutionizing Class Attendance
Atrium
Yoomi Chin, Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer, Arkaive Inc.


Arkaive Inc. is an education technology startup that builds education management tools for students and instructors of higher education. Our goal is to make the management and storage of academic records easy, accurate, and efficient. Class attendance is one of the key factors that determines a student's academic success. This is why many professors value regular student attendance. The attendance-taking procedure, however, has always been time consuming. The traditional pen-and-paper or roll-call method is inefficient and flawed. Arkaive’s geolocation attendance application solves the problem and replaces the traditional method, by accurately and efficiently check students into their classes. In the 21st century, we believe attendance management should be hassle free. Arkaive system is as easy as 1-2-3. With two mouse clicks, everyone is on the same page for attendance. Come see how this technology has helps 7,000 institutions.

9:15 am - 9:45 amUtahMajors.org v2.0
Atrium
Cynthia Grua, Director, Instructional Technology, Utah System of Higher Education


The Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) Majors’ Guide, www.UtahMajors.org, launched in 2004, redesigned in 2014, provides information on 2700+ certificates and degrees. Search by institution, subject, award type as well as searching “backward” by occupation to college program enable prospective students to narrow their search for programs of interest. Links to campus websites point to program descriptions and details and to degree maps, semester-by-semester plans for taking all classes needed to earn the award. Integration with Utah Department of Workforce Services labor market data connects college students’ programs to income and job projects in related career fields. 
 
MajorsGuide records Regent actions to approve new programs or program changes. System staff record Regent approval dates, first and last semester offered, changes such as department consolidations, and minimum require credits.  Such information allows staff to respond to questions about institutional offerings. 
 
USHE is working with the State Board of Education to introduce MajorsGuide to future college students as a curricular resource in middle school college and career classes. Exploratory Major Pathways, following the national metamajor movement use CIP codes to group academic programs into broad pathways.
 
The presenter will demonstrate the public view and administrative dashboard of this web-based resource.  Questions and suggestions, sharing other system’s resources will be encouraged.
 

9:45 am - 10:45 amAdaptive Learning in Higher Education: A Progress Report (Part I)
Ballroom 3-4
Moderator: Niki Bray, WCET Adaptive Learning Fellow, WCET, University of Memphis
Speaker: Dror Ben-Naim, Founder, CEO, Smart Sparrow
Speaker: Gates Bryant, Partner, Tyton Partners
Speaker: Thomas Cavanagh, Associate Vice President of Distributed Learning, University of Central Florida
Speaker: Eric Frank, CEO, Acrobatiq
Speaker: Dale Johnson, Adaptive Program Manager, Arizona State University
Speaker: Jim Thompson, CEO, CogBooks

Learning to Adapt 2.0: Evolution of Adaptive Learning in Higher Education

Over the past three years, adaptive learning has gone from an ill-defined concept in higher education to an important category of teaching and learning technology. This session features insights from recent research by Tyton Partners on what has changed in the adaptive marketplace since 2012 and what has not. Next the discussion will look to the future. Vendors have made strides to better define and enable adaptive teaching practices through use of their products. What are predictions for adaptive within the next three years. Institutional innovators in the adaptive learning space will share their thoughts on the future of adaptive learning.

9:45 am - 10:45 amAgile Inspired Design as a Quality Driver in Online Curriculum Development
Elk Lake
Moderator: F. Patrick Robinson, Dean, Capella University
Speaker: Julie Diekman, Market Director, Capella University
Speaker: Constance Hall, Faculty Chair, Capella University
Speaker: Kris Luopa, Manager of Design, Capella University


Capella University, a leader in online competency-based learning, in a continuous improvement effort to increase internal consistency and external validity for its portfolio of 48 degree programs and more than 1800 courses, has implemented an agile inspired curriculum and course development process.  Originating in software development, the agile methodology holds that requirements and solutions should evolve through the constant collaboration of cross-functional teams.  Through this approach, working software is delivered to users at regular, short intervals.  At Capella University, our belief was that these design practices held promise for the creation and maintenance of our academic offerings.  The presentation will detail our innovative approach, reflect on the experience from a faculty and instructional design professional perspective, include lessons learned, and plans for expanding and scaling.

Presentation slides. 

9:45 am - 10:45 amBe Concerned: Student Privacy is Your Job!
Pine/Cedar/Birch/Maple
Moderator: Alex Bachman, Executive Director, Pearson Education
Speaker: Luke Dowden, Director, Distance Learning, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Speaker: Matthew Johnson, Associate, Cooley, LLP
Speaker: Tina Parscal, Executive Director, CCCOnline


Your CIO may ultimately be responsible for institutional compliance with regulations for student data privacy and institutional priorities for student identity management but many more employees at your college, including your faculty, need to be knowledgeable of these issues.   The security of student data generated from remote proctoring services is just one example.   Consider identity and privacy issues within the design of courses utilizing video collaboration tools.  Consider the changing landscape of state regulations pertaining to the high school students you teach in dual enrollment programs.  Consider some of the cybersecurity concerns that may result from university/industry partner programs.  Finally, consider what terms you include in your vendor contracts that ensure that your students’ records are not compromised.  This session will provide a comprehensive overview of current regulations affecting institutions and your students, as well as a discussion about practical, actionable approaches for working with your technology providers to ensure student data privacy.

Presentation slides. 

9:45 am - 10:45 amRevolution on Campus: No-Risk Pathways to High Value Careers
St. Croix 1
Moderator: Joellen Shendy, Associate Vice Provost and Registrar, University of Maryland University College
Speaker: Ryan Craig, Managing Partner, University Ventures
Speaker: Joe Mitchell, Senior Vice President of University Partnerships, Revature


Colleges used to believe that their role was to prepare students with the critical thinking, problem solving and executive function skills to help get their fifth job. Today, however, the importance of the first job to future earnings – and the ultimate return on the tuition investment – is increasingly clear. In some states, political leaders are challenging institutions to ensure 100% employment from the most popular majors; some schools are responding with job guarantees.

At the same time, however, it has been said that students at elite universities are risk-averse, and that therefore they're less likely to enter "risky" fields like IT or biotech without the kind of clear, safe, low-risk pathways they have for more established professions, like medicine, law, and investment banking. Today, however, we’re seeing the emergence of pathways for these higher-risk and higher-return fields. During this session, come hear from Ryan Craig of University Ventures, author of College Disrupted: The Great Unbundling of Higher Education, and Joe Mitchell of Revature, on how emerging pre-hire training intermediaries are allowing universities to improve the value of their bachelor’s degree programs, and create no-risk pathways toward high value careers. 
 

9:45 am - 10:45 amSocial Media Research: Methods, Practices, and Implications
Minnesota
Moderator: Laura Pasquini, Lecturer // Researcher, University of North Texas // Royal Roads University
Speaker: Laura Gogia, Learning Innovator, State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
Speaker: Ronald Hannaford, Director of Digital Learning and Program Development, Biola University


Educational effectiveness and learning outcomes are key factors in the assessment process of accreditation reviews for higher education, yet there is a dearth of research data and empirical evidence as to the educational effectiveness of student learning when social media is integrated into pedagogical design. The goal of this moderated panel is to integrate diverse perspectives on how to conduct research on social media effectiveness, consider an appropriate initiative to address this need, and facilitate dialogue among attendees.

Presentation slides
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9:45 am - 10:45 amSustainability Planning Tool for Competency-based Education
St. Croix 2
Speaker: Sally Johnstone, President, NCHEMS

When colleges implement competency-based programs, they typically do so by layering staff and services onto their usual operations. Unless there are significant increases in revenue for the program, this approach is unlikely to be sustainable in the long run. To assist college leaders in getting a fuller picture of the real costs and expected revenues, NCHEMS created an interactive planning tool. Working with Western Governors University, NCHEMS staff broke down the tasks critical to successful CBE programs and delineated the types of people/technologies able to deliver those services. The resulting tool allows college leaders to play out various scenarios as they explore the staffing and technology options they have available to them. These scenarios map into a dashboard that allows them to see the costs and potential revenue relationships thus enabling them to determine the sustainability of their programs under each scenario. This flipped session will enable participants to watch a demonstration of the tool prior to the conference. The session itself will focus on a discussion of the implications of using the tool and the opportunity to try out more scenarios.

Access the video for viewing prior to the session.
9:45 am - 10:45 amWhat Students Want: Creating a Statewide Approach to Textbook Affordability
Crystal Lake
Moderator: Tanya Spilovoy, Director, Distance Education and State Authorization, North Dakota University System
Speaker: Robin Colson, Director, Research Evaluation, University of West Florida
Speaker: Robin Donaldson, Director, Member Research and Services, Florida Virtual Campus

It's no secret the high cost of textbooks places a significant strain on the pocketbooks of most college students. It is an issue that we as college educators and administrators readily acknowledge but one for which few real solutions have proven successful. But where rising textbook costs have traditionally been viewed as a financial challenge, this statewide survey of more than 22,000 Florida college students indicates that the cost of textbooks also negatively impacts their academic success. This survey is the third in a longitudinal series of surveys from 2010 through 2016 that shed light on the impact high textbook costs have not only on college affordability, but also college success as more and more students simply cannot afford to purchase the materials they need. Join the presenters as they discuss the many eye-opening findings from the 2016 College Textbook and Course Materials Survey and share some of the solutions the state of Florida is implementing to make textbooks affordable for Florida's one-million-plus public postsecondary students.
11:00 am - 12:00 pmAdaptive Learning in Higher Education: A Progress Report (Part II)
Ballroom 3-4
Moderator: Niki Bray, WCET Adaptive Learning Fellow, WCET, University of Memphis
Speaker: Cristi Ford, Acting Associate Vice Provost and Directory, CILSS, University of Maryland University College
Speaker: Sharon Goodall, Director, Innovations, Learning Design & Solutions, UMUC
Speaker: Dale Johnson, Adaptive Program Manager, Arizona State University
Speaker: Molly Sheahan, Director, Faculty Development and Support, American InterContinental University
Speaker: Ruth Tarantine, University Dean of Nursing, Colorado Technical University
Speaker: Jim Thompson, CEO, CogBooks

Increasing Student Success through Adaptive Learning: And the Data Says?

Next the in-depth segues into several institutional case studies; some of these institutional lessons learned are insights from exploratory pilots and others from more mature adaptive learning programs. Bring your questions about faculty roles and buy-in, student feedback, choosing the best adaptive technology and how to incorporate OER in an adaptive course. Learn from some of the country’s leading innovators in the adaptive learning space.
11:00 am - 12:00 pmAn Update on A Multi Year Captioning Compliance Pilot Project
St. Croix 1
Facilitator: Justin Louder, Associate Vice Provost, Texas Tech University
Facilitator: Suzanne Tapp, Executive Director, Texas Tech University


At last year's WCET Annual Meeting, staff from Texas Tech University hosted a highly interactive discussion on how one large public research institution was tackling captioning.  This session would be a continuation of that discussion, an update on what has happened in the last year.  This session will outline the university’s captioning resources, levels of captioning support could be utilized, training, and additional information on the levels, and any costs associated with the various levels of support. It will be highly interactive allowing participates to discuss what they have done at their institutions, what has worked, what hasn’t, and lessons learned. Participants will walk away from the session with a quasi-white paper with resources, points of discussion throughout the session, contacts, and possible next steps that they can take back to their institutions.
 

Presentation slides.

11:00 am - 12:00 pmHow Mentoring Contributes to Higher Ed: Putting Research into Practice
St. Croix 2
Moderator: Mary Niemiec, Associate Vice President for Digital Education, Director of University of Nebraska Online Worldwide, University of Nebraska
Speaker: Laura Pasquini, Lecturer // Researcher, University of North Texas // Royal Roads University

Mentoring experiences are initiated by establishing a trusting relationship; cultivating desired learning goals, and redefining new directions for our professional career paths. Both formal and informal mentoring provides learning opportunities for staff to develop skills, share knowledge, and foster community in higher education. As professional development needs grow and travel funding decreases, we are beginning to see an increase in mentoring programs and the ripple effect mentoring can have in our student support and advising practice. During this session, we will outline emergent research findings that explore how mentoring is shaping practitioners in higher education. Participants who attend this session will walk away with evidence-based practices for how mentoring experiences can best be supported and considerations when implementing a mentoring program within their own institution.
11:00 am - 12:00 pmKeeping Pace with Emerging Learning Models and Impact on Instruction
Crystal Lake
Moderator: Mike Palmquist, Associate Provost for Instructional Innovation, Colorado State University
Speaker: Lou Pugliese, Senior Innovation Fellow and Managing Director, Arizona State University
Speaker: Jason Wyrick, Academic Strategist, Pearson Education


Due to student demand and digital learning expectations, employer requirements, and the evolution of robust technical capabilities, the learning landscape is changing. What does the timeline look like for the next generation of learning and data platforms and how do data insights, personalization, and the evolving infrastructures impact faculty role, instruction and learning opportunities? In this session you will hear experts share their insights on evolving learning models, how learners are using and interacting with new models, and why fostering the evolution of the learning landscape is critical to supporting optimal outcomes for our students, faculty, and institutions.

11:00 am - 12:00 pmOpen Education: Anatomy of a System Wide Initiative
Deer Lake
Moderator: Shannon Meadows, Chief Revenue Officer, Ed Map
Speaker: Reta Chaffee, Director of Educational Technology, Granite State College


Many community colleges, universities, and even entire state systems have launched open educational resources (OER) initiatives. For most, the focus has been on saving students money by replacing expensive textbooks with openly licensed, “free” textbooks. Students have indeed saved millions of dollars already. Motivated by these first movers, the University System of New Hampshire (USNH) has launched a similar initiative, but rather than focusing on textbooks alone, the system has decided to support an Open Education initiative that includes OER, open pedagogy and open access. USNH enrolls 34,000 students, and consists of four public institutions: Granite State College, Keene State College, Plymouth State University, and the University of New Hampshire.  To our knowledge, we are the first 4-year state university system in the country to implement an Open Education initiative. We believe that embracing and supporting all three components of open education provides a platform for transforming our educational experiences into truly student-centered learning opportunities.  This presentation will explain how we built support for this initiative, describe how faculty shaped the direction of the initiative and share results from the first phase of implementation.

Presentation slides. 


11:00 am - 12:00 pmStudent Success and Data Analytics in Practice- One Year Later
Pine/Cedar/Birch/Maple
Moderator: Linda Baer, Senior Fellow, Civitas Learning
Speaker: Beth Mulherrin, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Success, University of Maryland University College
Speaker: Hae Okimoto, Director, Academic Technologies, University of Hawaii System
Speaker: Matthew Rysavy, Data Analyst Professional, Colorado Community College Online


At last year’s WCET Annual Meeting this group of panelists shared examples of how data informs retention initiatives and practices at their institutions. Follow them on their journeys one year later to continue the conversation of the ongoing challenges in selecting risk factors and interventions and then deciding what to do with that data, when to intervene, and how to measure impact. The panelists will discuss organizational capacity, process improvement through analytics, and progress towards targeted goals of student success and institutional performance. How can we use data more intentionally to meaningfully impact student success in a real and measurable way? How can we collaborate across units (student affairs, academics, institutional research) to leverage and act on data based on a shared understanding of metrics and goals? Learn of successes and challenges as their institutional strategies evolve, and hear updates on key projects and next steps.

 

11:00 am - 12:00 pmThe Growth of Alternative Providers: Competitors, Partners, or Both?
Minnesota
Moderator: Russ Poulin, Director, Policy and Analysis, WCET
Speaker: Deb Adair, Executive Director, Quality Matters
Speaker: Burck Smith, CEO, StraighterLine
Speaker: David Soo, Senior Policy Advisor, U.S. Department of Education

This is a growing industry of postsecondary education providers who exist outside of traditional institutions and the current accreditation structures. Some are providing educational offerings that equal or surpass college courses and do so at a fraction of the price to students. Recently, the Department of Education created an “experimental” program to allow partnerships between alternative providers and traditional colleges so that their students would gain access to financial aid. Join our session to learn how this growth presents opportunities and pitfalls to traditional colleges
11:00 am - 12:00 pmThe OEI: Changing the Face of Online Education in California Community Colleges
Elk Lake
Moderator: Pat James, Executive Director, California Community Colleges' Online Education Initiative
Speaker: Autumn Bell, Chief Professional Development Officer, California Community Colleges’ Online Education Initiative
Speaker: Jory Hadsell, Chief Academic Officer, California Community Colleges' Online Education Initiative
Speaker: Bonnie Peters, Chief Student Success Officer, California Community Colleges' Online Education Initiative

The California Community Colleges’ Online Education Initiative is taking a comprehensive, fully resourced approach to providing access to quality online education opportunities for the students of the state. Come hear how a small team working collaboratively across 113 colleges has established on eco-system for online education in the state and enabled over 85 colleges to adopt Canvas as the CCC common course management system. Participants will gain access to free materials that can be adapted to any online education program.
11:00 am - 12:00 pmWho’s Teaching in the Future—Interaction in an Age of Automation
Prefunction Terrace
Moderator: Cecilia Retelle Zywicki, Vice President, Operations, Ranku, a Wiley Brand
Speaker: Van Davis, Associate Vice President, Higher Education Policy & Research, Blackboard, Inc.
Speaker: Myk Garn, Assistant Vice Chancellor for New Learning Models, Board of Regents, University System of Georgia


So many internal and external pressures are changing the learning landscape—student demand, employer requirements, affordability demands, and robust technical capabilities. But what does all of this mean for higher education students and faculty and how quickly will we see change? At the heart of many of these changes is the question of how technology will change the interactions and relationships between faculty and students. What does it mean to teach in an age of technology, automation, learning outcomes, standardization, high stake assessment, and performance-based funding? Are we moving to a time when technology quits being merely a mediator for learning and instead supplants the instructional role of the faculty? Are we looking at a future where TeachBots replace faculty, where artificial intelligence trumps a PhD? Come listen (and participate) in the debate and maybe a bit of debacle as our panelists battle it out for your vote on what the future should hold.
 

12:15 pm - 1:30 pmWCET Awards Lunch (Included with Conference Registration)
Ballrooms 1-2
Speaker: Nick White, Director of Competency Based Learning Solutions, Capella University

The WCET Awards Lunch celebrates outstanding achievement and innovation from the WCET community. Recipients of the 2016 WCET Outstanding Work (WOW) Award will be recognized. Lunch is included with your registration.

View the recorded presentation.
1:45 pm - 2:45 pm21st Century Credentials: Can Higher Ed Regain The Trust Factor? (Part I)
Ballroom 3-4
Moderator: Nick White, Director of Competency Based Learning Solutions, Capella University
Speaker: Deb Adair, Executive Director, Quality Matters
Speaker: Deb Everhart, VP, Design and Innovation, Learning Objects
Speaker: Ryan Craig, Managing Partner, University Ventures
Speaker: Jeff King, Executive Director, University of Central Oklahoma
Speaker: Joellen Shendy, Associate Vice Provost and Registrar, University of Maryland University College


Join this thought-provoking in-depth session on postsecondary credentials.  Why is this national dialogue of credentials so critical to institutions, the economy, and our graduates?  Opening speakers will discuss how public and private sector interests have lost faith in the value of a degree, while students are incurring significant debt, and good jobs remain unfilled.  Institutional representatives will share promising practices with “enhanced” digital learning records that provide students with explicit, transparent, and valid credentials of what they can do.  Learn about published quality dimensions of credentials and how Quality Matter is integrating digital credentials into its existing quality assurance system.

1:45 pm - 2:45 pmAn Entrepreneurial and Sustainable App Development Strategy
Deer Lake
Moderator: Dale Pike, Executive Director and Associate Provost, VirginiaTech
Speaker: Kyle Shaver, Software Analyst and Developer, California State University, Northridge
Speaker: Deone Zell, Associate Vice President, Academic Technology, California State University, Northridge

Mobile devices are found in the hands of nearly every student where they are used to connect, socialize, and engage. To date, however, they have rarely been used to learn. This is an opportunity increasingly recognized by instructors, who want their students to be able to practice material learned in class on their mobile devices in an educational and engaging way. However, apps tailored to higher education content are scarce, and app development is beyond most instructors’ skill sets. This project united student entrepreneurship, information technology, and faculty subject matter expertise to create mobile apps that support classroom learning. In this session we will cover the app development strategy, outcomes, and plans for future curricular app development.
1:45 pm - 2:45 pmAvoiding the Muddle: Navigating Vendor Relationships Successfully
Prefunction Terrace
Moderator: Luke Dowden, Director, Distance Learning, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Speaker: Claire Arabie, Instructional Support Manager, Office of Distance Learning at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Speaker: Stephen McGoffin, Business Manager / Budget Analyst, Office of Distance Learning, University of Louisiana at Lafayette


Acquiring, implementing, and managing instructional technology and student support services for your institution can be a challenging venture with many potential barriers. Many times, administrators underestimate the time to evaluate, negotiate, implement, assess, and continue relationships with vendors. Vendor relationships are complex and require an investment of human resources to experience full benefits of the purchased tools and/or services. Poor management will leave you in a muddle - experiencing fear, uncertainty, and doubt that you made a sound investment. Attend this session to learn from our experiences forging and navigating successful partnerships with a range of vendors including services such as proctoring, online program management companies, and after hours / weekend technical support.

Presentation slides.

1:45 pm - 2:45 pmCharting Your Course: Effectively Managing Licensure Compliance for Professional Programs
St. Croix 2
Speaker: Brianna Bates, Associate Director, Office of Academic Program Review & Academic Assessment , New York University
Moderator: Tyson Heath, Manager of State Authorization, Western Governors University
Speaker: Jason Piatt, Electronic & Information Technology Manager, Student Accessibility Services, Kent State University

Program specific licensure compliance is related to state authorization, but different. If institutions do not have a plan to navigate program specific licensure compliance, it can be a slippery slope to make licensure programs aware of it and then navigate which departments or individuals should be responsible for spearheading, securing and maintaining programmatic licensure compliance. This session will discuss how to manage program specific licensure board compliance nationally while maintaining separation and effective collaboration between program level and central office level tasking related to state authorization compliance efforts.

Presentation slides.
1:45 pm - 2:45 pmConnect the Dots via Data Analytics: Painting a Picture of Student Success
St. Croix 1
Moderator: Jeff Grann, Academic Director of Assessment and Learning Analytics, Capella University
Speaker: Colleen Carmean, Assistant Chancellor for Academic Technologies and Institutional Research, University of Washington - Tacoma
Speaker: Rob Robinson, Senior Director, Strategic Services, Civitas Learning


In 1886, impressionist artists Georges Seurat and Paul Signac developed a technique known as pointillism, in which thousands of tiny individual dots are painted to form patterns that make up a large, complete image.  The technique was digitized in the 21st century, serving as the basis for developing television pixels and computer monitors.  Just as Seurat and Signac connected their dots to form the big picture, this session will focus on analytics tools and strategies that are enabling institutions to create a more complete and cohesive picture of student retention, progression ,and success trends.  The two speakers will present – via the intense 6 minute 40 second Pecha Kucha method – how predictive analytics are powering insights and action to improve student retention.

1:45 pm - 2:45 pmEven Without a Higher Ed Act, EdTech Legislation and Regulations Still Loom
Minnesota
Moderator: Laura Pedrick, Special Assistant to the Provost for Strategic Initiatives & Executive Director, UWM Online
Speaker: Van Davis, Associate Vice President, Higher Education Policy & Research, Blackboard, Inc.
Speaker: Matthew Johnson, Associate, Cooley, LLP

Another year is passing without reauthorizing the Higher Education Act, which includes the federal regulations for colleges and universities. There remains a great desire to legislate or regulate on a mixture of issues that are some feel are overdue. Depending on the outcome of the presidential election, the current trend of increasing student rights, oversight, and emphasis on accountability and outcomes could continue. WCET members will need to watch proposed regulations on competency-based learning, the financial aid regulations (with misrepresentation repercussions), privacy (updating FERPA), Teacher Prep, and other issues of importance to the WCET community. This session will update on the federal regulation that are currently or may soon be in play and review trends in increasing regulation of serving students in other countries.
1:45 pm - 2:45 pmHow Institutions Support Successful 21st Century Faculty
Pine/Cedar/Birch/Maple
Moderator: Kara Monroe, Vice President of Academic Innovation and Support, Ivy Tech Community College
Speaker: Wm. Preston Davis, Director of Instructional Services, ELI, Northern Virginia Community College
Speaker: Matthew Prineas, Vice Provost and Dean The Undergraduate School, University of Maryland University College


Successful faculty are not created or nurtured in a vacuum.   It takes an institution-wide commitment to developing those 21st century skills in ways that enhance student learning.  What does your institution do to put the scaffolding in place that allows faculty to experiment with new technologies in their teaching in ways that will impact student success?   How can institutions encourage and support their faculty to use technology to engage students who are coming to campus ever-more connected, expecting instant feedback and increasingly accustomed to using multiple devices in their academic pursuits? This interactive panel will share how their institutions have seen technology, not as the enemy or an inevitability but, as a robust tool to support effective instruction and enhance student learning.
 

1:45 pm - 2:45 pmThriving in Challenging Times: Building Transformative Leadership Skills
Elk Lake
Moderator: Whitney Kilgore, Chief Academic Officer, iDesignEDU
Speaker: Linda Baer, Senior Fellow, Civitas Learning
Speaker: Deb Bushway, Provost & Consultant, Northwestern Health Sciences University, Lumina Foundation
Speaker: Ann Hill Duin, Professor of Writing Studies, University of Minnesota


Challenging times require leaders with strong transformative skills for problem solving, crisis management and resiliency in rapidly changing environments. In this interactive session, participants develop critical skills sets guided by a usable, interactive dashboard including As (accountability, analytics and authenticity), Bs (bold business models), and Cs (culture, collaboration, and courage.)
Change agent leadership creates the capacity and environment to move into this future while preserving the values and core missions that make institutions strong. Change agent leadership must determine what made institutions strong in the past versus what will make them strong in the future: strong in terms of articulating the value they provide to students, communities and society as well as strong in terms of accreditation in an ever changing environment. Change agent leadership must identify future trends and needs, lead change agendas, articulate and invest in what makes a difference, and remain authentic in terms of accreditation. To do so requires leaders with strong transformative skills. 
 

Presentation slides.

1:45 pm - 2:45 pmTwo Within Four MetroConnect Partnership: Streamlining Degree Pathways
Crystal Lake
Moderator: Carol Lacey, Associate Professor, College of Individualized Studies, Metropolitan State University
Speaker: Tara Hammill, Medical Administrative Assistant/Healthcare Documentation Specialist Program Leader, Rochester Community and Technical College
Speaker: Miki Huntington, MCTC Political Science Instructor; Metropolitan State Community Faculty, Minneapolis Community & Technical College
Speaker: Ashley Weatherspoon, Director of Student Partnerships and Collaboration, Metropolitan State University


Almost all (95%) students transfer to Metropolitan State University from other institutions, particularly MnSCU community and technical colleges. To better serve these students, Metro State has strengthened existing and developed new partnerships with these institutions through MetroConnect, sharing expertise, particularly in adult learning success, credit for prior learning and competency-based education.
Effective components of evolving partnerships and collaborations include cross-institutional advising helps students plan for their 4-year degree while completing their 2-year degree; this includes: attention to requirements and prerequisites for particular majors, formal articulation agreements identify institution-specific course equivalencies at 2 and 4-year levels, with focus on core courses for business and other majors, scheduling courses on partnership campus sites enable students to conveniently complete part or all of the work for their degrees nearer where they live or work, collaborative financial aid processes enable students to apply aid from their primary institution to pay tuition at partnership institutions, MetroConnect cobranded dual admission, as well as streamlined transfer policies and procedures improve progress and completion of degrees, improved marketing, including social media, informs students of possibilities for attaining their educational goals throughout partnership campuses, sharing resources (including computer labs and classrooms) saves money.

Presentation slides.


2:45 pm - 3:15 pmRevolutionizing Class Attendance
Atrium
Yoomi Chin, Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer, Arkaive Inc.


Arkaive Inc. is an education technology startup that builds education management tools for students and instructors of higher education. Our goal is to make the management and storage of academic records easy, accurate, and efficient. Class attendance is one of the key factors that determines a student's academic success. This is why many professors value regular student attendance. The attendance-taking procedure, however, has always been time consuming. The traditional pen-and-paper or roll-call method is inefficient and flawed. Arkaive’s geolocation attendance application solves the problem and replaces the traditional method, by accurately and efficiently check students into their classes. In the 21st century, we believe attendance management should be hassle free. Arkaive system is as easy as 1-2-3. With two mouse clicks, everyone is on the same page for attendance. Come see how this technology has helps 7,000 institutions.

2:45 pm - 3:15 pmUtahMajors.org v2.0
Atrium
Cynthia Grua, Director, Instructional Technology, Utah System of Higher Education


The Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) Majors’ Guide, www.UtahMajors.org, launched in 2004, redesigned in 2014, provides information on 2700+ certificates and degrees. Search by institution, subject, award type as well as searching “backward” by occupation to college program enable prospective students to narrow their search for programs of interest. Links to campus websites point to program descriptions and details and to degree maps, semester-by-semester plans for taking all classes needed to earn the award. Integration with Utah Department of Workforce Services labor market data connects college students’ programs to income and job projects in related career fields. 
 
MajorsGuide records Regent actions to approve new programs or program changes. System staff record Regent approval dates, first and last semester offered, changes such as department consolidations, and minimum require credits.  Such information allows staff to respond to questions about institutional offerings. 
 
USHE is working with the State Board of Education to introduce MajorsGuide to future college students as a curricular resource in middle school college and career classes. Exploratory Major Pathways, following the national metamajor movement use CIP codes to group academic programs into broad pathways.
 
The presenter will demonstrate the public view and administrative dashboard of this web-based resource.  Questions and suggestions, sharing other system’s resources will be encouraged.
 

3:15 pm - 4:15 pm21st Century Credentials: Can Higher Ed Regain The Trust Factor? (Part II)
Ballroom 3-4
Speaker: Deb Adair, Executive Director, Quality Matters
Speaker: Ryan Craig, Managing Partner, University Ventures
Speaker: Deb Everhart, VP, Design and Innovation, Learning Objects
Speaker: Jeff King, Executive Director, University of Central Oklahoma
Speaker: Joellen Shendy, Associate Vice Provost and Registrar, University of Maryland University College
Moderator: Nick White, Director of Competency Based Learning Solutions, Capella University


Join this thought-provoking in-depth session on postsecondary credentials.  Why is this national dialogue of credentials so critical to institutions, the economy, and our graduates?  Opening speakers will discuss how public and private sector interests have lost faith in the value of a degree, while students are incurring significant debt, and good jobs remain unfilled.  Institutional representatives will share promising practices with “enhanced” digital learning records that provide students with explicit, transparent, and valid credentials of what they can do.  Learn about published quality dimensions of credentials and how Quality Matter is integrating digital credentials into its existing quality assurance system.

3:15 pm - 4:15 pmAdapting to Adaptive Learning: Transforming a Lecture Class Into a Personalized Learning Experience
Crystal Lake
Moderator: Niki Bray, WCET Adaptive Learning Fellow, WCET, University of Memphis
Speaker: Patricia O'Sullivan, Instructional Design and Training Specialist, University of Mississippi

Choosing a teaching method is as important as choosing course content. Many of us in higher education ‘choose’ to lecture because our classes are booked in auditoriums and lecture is what we know best from our own college years. Just as moving from F2F to online teaching requires a paradigm shift in how we think about teaching and learning, transitioning from lecturing to adaptive learning can be both pedagogically and technologically challenging. In this presentation, Patricia O’Sullivan will discuss her experience transforming her pharmacy ethics course from a large lecture with little student engagement to small group discussions using Realizeit adaptive courseware.
3:15 pm - 4:15 pmCase Study: How CTU Created a Student-Driven University Mobile App
St. Croix 2
Moderator: Darcy Hardy, Associate Vice President for Enterprise Consulting, Blackboard, Inc.
Speaker: Melissa Balsan, Vice President, Marketing, Colorado Technical University
Speaker: Constance Johnson, Chief Academic Officer/Provost, Colorado Technical University

Today’s students are active and use multiple connected devices throughout the day. To help students better fit education into their lives, Colorado Technical University embarked on a multi-year mobile app development project that bridged IT and academics; and involved actual student feedback to prioritize the features that mattered most. Learn how CTU kept students at the forefront of this innovative project and best practices you should follow when creating a university mobile app.

3:15 pm - 4:15 pmCURATE: How Do You Evaluate Ed Content During Discovery & Adoption? (by invitation)
Pine/Cedar/Birch/Maple
Facilitator: Eszti Major-Rohrer, Director of Products and Services; CURATE, Ed Map
Facilitator: Sarah Riddlebarger, Vice President, Solutions and Services, Ed Map

As educational content becomes more plentiful, digital, and disaggregated – e.g., YouTube videos may complement other materials to engage students on a challenging topic, it’s increasingly important to have better ways to discern the quality, 508 compliance, appropriateness, and other factors of content that impact learning. Ed Map’s newest product, CURATE by Ed Map, delivers outcomes-based discovery of fresh, relevant educational content to meet provided objectives; it is currently in an Alpha release. We are seeking insight, leadership and best practices to inform our development of CURATE’s Evaluation feature. If you are a faculty member, instructional designer, program director or manager, etc. who is involved in the selection, evaluation, and adoption of content, or have strong opinions on how your teams should evaluate content to meet educational and financial goals, please join this Ed Map-facilitated focus group. This new product complements our existing CURATE by Ed Map Professional Services. Interested in attending? Contact Ed Map.
3:15 pm - 4:15 pmDeconstructing CBE: Mitigating the Risk of Inflated Expectations
Deer Lake
Moderator: Cristi Ford, Acting Associate Vice Provost and Directory, CILSS, University of Maryland University College
Speaker: Kurt Linberg, Higher Education Consultant, HMC
Speaker: Howard Lurie, Principal Analyst, Online and Continuing Education, Eduventures

The Information Technology consulting firm Gartner has created the Hype Cycle to explain the maturity, adoption and social application of technologies used in our society. This Hype Cycle has been used to explain hundreds of other innovations, including many associated with education. The presenters will suggest that CBE in Higher Education may be moving up the curve toward a peak of “inflated expectations” and will share both research and practice for mitigating the risks to broader impact and sustainability. Findings will be shared from Eduventures’ 2016 CBE report, one of the largest studies of institutional implementation, and part of a three-year study of CBE by Eduventures, an independent research and advisory firm, in partnership with Ellucian and the American Council of Education. The presenters will synthesize the research and practical experiences into critical factors for successful CBE initiatives. Participants are asked to share their experiences with CBE in their institutions.

Presentation slides.
3:15 pm - 4:15 pmInside The Design Thinking Process: Lessons & Insights From Studying The Edtech Adoption Process
St. Croix 1
Speaker: Seth Greenberg, Senior Manager, EdSurge Higher Ed
Speaker: Sunny Lee, Senior Product Manager, EdSurge Higher Ed
Moderator: Megan Raymond, Assistant Director, Programs and Sponsorship, WCET

With the proliferation of edtech products in the market, how do institutions go about discovering, evaluating, selecting and then implementing edtech solutions to address their campus pain points? Who is at the table making key decisions? What information do they need about products functionality, use cases and efficacy data to make better decisions? The EdSurge HigherEd team is engaged in a year long design thinking process to research these questions and create resources to help universities make better, faster and more efficacious decisions about edtech.
3:15 pm - 4:15 pmIt’s Not a Crystal Ball, But…
Elk Lake
Speaker: Kathleen Ives, CEO and Executive Director, Online Learning Consortium
Speaker: Karen Pedersen, Chief Knowledge Officer, Online Learning Consortium
Moderator: Russ Poulin, Director, Policy and Analysis, WCET


Higher education institutions are in a time of great change and transformation. As a leader driving the digital strategy on a campus, it is important to lead tactical as well as high level and often disparate discussions. But, there’s so much happening! Through the collective work of WCET and the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), we are combining our strengths resulting in the conduct of a scan of the top issues confronting our members, whether in their own work, as an institution/organization, or in the future of technology-mediated education. This highly interactive session will gather input from all participants…so come ready to contribute. In a new partnership, in the coming year we plan to jointly provide advice on how you can tackle some of the top issues in your own setting. As the title aptly states, it’s not a crystal ball, but…
 
 

3:15 pm - 4:15 pmLeading in Online Learning: Insider Tips on Sustaining Success
Minnesota
Speaker: Thomas Cavanagh, Associate Vice President of Distributed Learning, University of Central Florida
Moderator: Luke Dowden, Director, Distance Learning, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Speaker: Amy Hilbelnik, Executive Director, Strategic Partner Initiatives Educational, Laureate Network Office
Speaker: Whitney Kilgore, Chief Academic Officer, iDesignEDU
Speaker: Tina Parscal, Executive Director, CCCOnline
Speaker: Alli Woods, Associate Vice Provost of Faculty Development, University of Maryland University College


Some institutions have recently invested in new online program operations, while others have had long-time investments in online program enterprises. Some of the original pioneers of online learning are transitioning to other roles inside and outside the institution. Who is ready to take their place? What have we learned from them? Prepared leaders are a key component to driving institutional success in the online learning marketplace. With this in mind, even the most prepared leaders sometimes deal with unforeseen challenges. In this session, the panelists will share their real-life application of strategies and skills that have helped them influence positive organizational change, overcome challenges, and achieve sustained success.

4:30 pm - 5:15 pmCBE and Closing the Employment Gap: Research and Strategy
St. Croix 2
Speaker: Paul Bowers, Senior Strategic Consultant, Pearson Higher Education
Speaker: Keith Lewandowski, Senior Strategic Consultant, Pearson Higher Education

Competency-based education offers great promise for closing gaps in affordability, flexibility, and employability – but it still requires a solid strategic approach to achieve these promises. In this flipped session, the non-classroom portion looks at recent research on student and employer perceptions, employability strategies used in CBE programs, and other key trends related to employability. In addition to a summary of research, this session will present a comprehensive CBE employability framework as part of a larger CBE Playbook, along with multiple case studies for how components of the employability framework are currently working at several colleges and universities. In the conference portion of this session, participants will share ideas and additional examples through two case exercises to design a comprehensive employability strategy for weaving practices across the full program and student experience in a CBE program.

Presentation slides.
Flipped session video.
4:30 pm - 5:15 pmEnabling Data-Based Decision Making in Selecting Quality Digital Courseware
Elk Lake
Moderator: Gates Bryant, Partner, Tyton Partners
Speaker: Meaghan Duff, Executive Director, Personalized Learning Consortium, Association of Public and Land‑grant Universities
Speaker: Kara Monroe, Vice President of Academic Innovation and Support, Ivy Tech Community College
Speaker: Karen Pedersen, Chief Knowledge Officer, Online Learning Consortium


OLC, Tyton Partners, and SRI International, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, developed the Courseware in Context (CWiC) Framework, a research-based tool to support institutional stakeholders in their evaluation of digital courseware solutions. This session will include a brief overview of CWiC Framework as well as perspectives from members of the Advisory Committee who contributed their insights and expertise to the development of the Framework, in an effort to ensure value for faculty and administrators and ease of adoption.

4:30 pm - 5:15 pmFrom A to T: Tools for Enhancing Academic Integrity Online
Pine/Cedar/Birch/Maple
Moderator: Blake Beck, Director, eISU and Educational Technologies, Idaho State University
Speaker: Kelvin Bentley, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Tarrant County College District
Speaker: Kathy Pidjeon, Regulatory Affairs Coordinator, eCampus Center/Extended Studies, Boise State University

Learn about the many tools your colleagues at Boise State University and Tarrant County College District are exploring and using to enhance academic integrity for online courses. To assess its practices, Boise State University utilized a mixed-method data collection approach guided by four components shaping academic integrity. Findings have resulted in new staff positions, a new student tutorial, and more. Tarrant County College District will share their recent experiences using BioSig-IDTM, ProctorU, and TurnitIn.

Presentation slides.
4:30 pm - 5:15 pmMix and Mash: Synchronous DE-with Student Perspective
Deer Lake
Moderator: Sean Higgins, Founder, Head of Business Development, ilos Videos
Speaker: Andy Black, Executive Director of Educational Technologies, College of Nursing, University of Utah


Synchronous distance education can be delivered in many different forms: video conferencing, web conferencing, audio conferencing, etc. In some cases, these forms may also be mixed in order to accommodate different learner technology and attendance needs. Black has been teaching one particular course in a mixed-distance format since 2012, and received consistent positive feedback from students regarding this method. Live class sessions are held weekly, with some students (primarily international with attendance requirements) attending locally, and others coming in remotely through Adobe Connect. Sessions are recorded and uploaded to the class for viewing by those that are unable to attend, and for later review as needed.

This session will present lessons learned and best practices in teaching live classes using web conferencing technologies. Students from the spring, 2016 course will be brought in through Adobe Connect and provide additional feedback from their perspectives regarding the use of the web conferencing system for live distance education, and also respond to questions from the session audience.

4:30 pm - 5:15 pmRedeveloping Developmental Ed: An Accelerated, Synchronous Approach
Crystal Lake
Moderator: Amanda Babcock, Online Programs Compliance Coordinator, University of Utah
Speaker: Brooks Doherty, Department Dean, Rasmussen College


In 2012, Rasmussen College launched a fully-revamped developmental education experience, including new courses, entrance assessments, faculty training, and course development models. With a developmental education student population which is non-traditional and nearly fully online, Rasmussen College has increased its developmental education pass rates by more than 15% while significantly decreasing the number of developmental education seats through diversifying its entrance assessments. The new courses are accelerated and taken concurrently with major coursework. Online students attend synchronous collaborative learning sessions with faculty members.
 
Through its revamped developmental education experience, Rasmussen College has achieved higher developmental education pass rates, a reduction in developmental education seats, and long-term success for these students – all with a population who learns mostly in an online environment. The Rasmussen College developmental education model emphasizes collaborative learning, motivation, and the presence of online tools to promote student voice and application.
 

4:30 pm - 5:15 pmThe #3Wedu Conversation: Redefining Higher Ed to Support Women
St. Croix 1
Facilitator: Nori Barajas-Murphy, Grant Project Director, OLC
Facilitator: Tanya Joosten, Director, eLearning Research and Development, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Facilitator: Jess Knott, Learning Design Manager and Applied Researcher, Michigan State University
Facilitator: Laura Pasquini, Lecturer // Researcher, University of North Texas // Royal Roads University
Facilitator: Patrice Torcivia Prusko, Instructional Designer, Cornell 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.

4:30 pm - 5:15 pmUnderstanding and Changing the Conversations Around ‘Regular and Substantive Interaction’
Minnesota
Moderator: Fred Hurst, Vice President, Institutional Advancement , Western Governors University
Speaker: Van Davis, Associate Vice President, Higher Education Policy & Research, Blackboard, Inc.
Speaker: Amy Laitinen, Director, Higher Education, New America

“Regular and substantive interaction” is a simple four-word phrase found in the federal definition of “distance education” as a way of to differentiate it from correspondence study. But as competency-based education programs and adaptive learning begin to rise and as the Office of Inspector General applies a very narrow interpretation of the phrase, institutions are left trying to determine how to assure that online and hybrid programs fit a very traditional, face-to-face definition of “regular and substantive interaction.” We will use this time to talk about the current interpretation of “regular and substantive” as well as how we can begin to shift the dialogue from the current definition of interactions to one that would focus on student outcomes.
4:30 pm - 5:15 pmUsing Analytics to Transform Decision-Making for Student Success
Ballroom 3-4
Moderator: Dave Dannenberg, Director, Academic Innovations and eLearning, University of Alaska Anchorage
Speaker: Hae Okimoto, Director, Academic Technologies, University of Hawaii System
Speaker: Ellen Wagner, Vice President, Research, Hobsons

The University of Hawaiʻi System (UH) has transformed their institutional decision-making culture using data analytics and digital tools to inform and support student success. Through a combination of three different initiatives, the university system has seen great results in increasing retention and overall student success. This session is a deeper look at the University of Hawaii’s Graduation Initiative. Areas covered will include the 15toFinish Project, the application of analytics and the integration of tools toward meeting the University of Hawaii’s Student Success Agenda.
6:30 pm - 9:00 pmGroup Networking Dinners
Hotel 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.