Delve deeper into the crucial nexus of digital transformation and online leadership in higher education from the convenience of your desk! With the Streaming Package: 2024 SOLA+R and DT&L, you can engage with 25+ sessions from the Summit for Online Leadership and Administration + Roundtable (SOLA+R) and the Distance Teaching & Learning Conference (DT&L) July 22-24 affordably and virtually. This comprehensive learning experience brings together all the elements of the online enterprise in a holistic way—from teaching and learning to leadership and administration—preserving the salient issues for these two distinct professional communities, while catalyzing dialogue across all facets of the larger field. Register for the Streaming Package for the content you need from the convenience of your laptop, and to learn from speakers from across the online enterprise.
Streaming Package Pricing
Fee Type |
Registration |
UPCEA Member: Individual |
$300 |
Non-Member: Institutional Individual |
$350 |
Non-Member: Corporate Individual |
$350 |
Want to attend the in-person event?
The access link will be sent to your email to access one week prior to event. This registration and access is limited to one individual per registration.
Registration must be completed by Thursday, July 18.
Streaming session recordings will be made available for 60 days after the event on the streaming platform. General Session and a curated selection of concurrent session recordings will be uploaded to UPCEA’s member forum, CORe, after the event.
In-person attendees will not receive access to the streamed sessions with their in-person registration fee. If individuals are interested in receiving that access, they must purchase a separate registration for the Streaming Package.
The following sessions are part of the Streaming Package. All times listed are based in the Central Time Zone.
1:15 PM - 2:30 PM
General Session: Ravin Jesuthasan
Ravin Jesuthasan is a recognized futurist, global thought leader and author on the future of work and human capital. He has led multiple research efforts on the global workforce, the emerging digital economy, the rise of artificial intelligence and the transformation of work.
Jesuthasan is Global leader of Transformation at Mercer and a partner of the firm based in Chicago. He has led numerous research projects for the World Economic Forum including its ground-breaking studies; Shaping the Future Implications of Digital Media for Society, Creating a Shared Vision for Talent in the 4th Industrial Revolution, and HR 4.0: Shaping People Strategies in the 4th Industrial Revolution. He is a regular participant and presenter at the World Economic Forum’s annual meetings in Davos and Dalian/Tianjin and is a member of the forum’s Steering Committee on Work and Employment.
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Concurrent Session I
Beyond the Cubicle: A Practical Guide to Leading and Inspiring Creative Teams in a Flexible World
Tags: Theory to Practice; Hybrid Work
This session is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of team leadership in today's flexible, digital-centric work environments within the academic sphere. Two experienced leaders from diverse institutions will lead the discussion, sharing their wealth of knowledge, insights, and practical strategies for building effective, engaged teams in a world where location doesn't define collaboration. These leaders will delve into their experiences managing and leading hybrid and remote teams, discussing challenges encountered, solutions implemented, and lessons garnered in the process. The discussion on leading flexible work environments in higher education can be guided by several theoretical frameworks, including Social Network Theory, Distributed Leadership Theory, Self-Determination Theory, and even Psychological Safety. By drawing on these theoretical frameworks, the discussion on leading flexible work environments in higher education can gain greater depth and provide participants with a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with this evolving work model.
Shawndra Bowers, Auburn University
Camille Funk, Utah Valley University
Exploring the Future and Present of Distance Education: Federal Policy Updates and Forecasts in the US
Tags: Learners; Compliance/Governance
This session offers a comprehensive overview of the evolving landscape of distance education policy in the United States, spotlighting the latest developments and anticipations in federal regulation and legislation. Join us for an enlightening discussion on what's new in distance education policy, including recent updates from negotiated rulemaking, regulatory changes, and legislative actions that impact the delivery and quality of online education. Our panel of experts will also provide insightful forecasts on what's on the horizon, examining potential policy shifts, emerging trends, and the implications for institutions, educators, and students engaged in distance learning. Whether you're directly involved in distance education or interested in the broader implications of policy changes on the educational landscape, this session will equip you with essential knowledge and perspectives to navigate the future of distance education in the US.
Jordan DiMaggio, UPCEA
Making Your Mark on Course Affordability
Tags: Learners; Compliance/Governance; Open Educational Resources
Providing online courses has become an important way for institutions to increase access and affordability, reducing one’s expenses related to housing, food, commuting, and other ancillary educational costs. Course materials, however, remain a hidden cost that many students struggle to afford. Textbook prices have skyrocketed in recent years, leading students to plead for ways to identify courses that have low, or no, course materials costs. As part of Penn State’s strategic plan initiative, a team was tasked with creating a way for course instructors who use free or low-cost (≤$50) required course materials to indicate that cost-savings in the course registration system, LionPATH. Presenters will share how this vision became a reality, from tackling administrative and technical hurdles to addressing the myriad of questions and concerns that were raised by stakeholders along the way. Using this case study, participants will be better prepared to hit the ground running with such an undertaking at their own institution.
Ann Taylor, Penn State University
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
Concurrent Session II
Exploring the Impact of AI on Connection and Belonging
Tags: Artificial Intelligence; Learners; Instructional Design
In this panel conversation, we’ll discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, focusing on the dynamic between technological advancements and the impact they have on student connection and belonging. Hear how administrators are thinking about and redefining the student experience with AI. Key concepts covered in this session include the relationships between AI and students, the emerging landscape of EdTech, balancing instant access to knowledge with authentic relationships, and the importance of a sense of belonging. We’ll reference established frameworks in educational technology and psychology, offering personal perspectives in online, blended, and distance education.
Katy Kappler, InScribe
Miko Nino, Rhode Island College
Kim Siegenthaler, The City University of New York
I’m Fine, I’m Fine, Everything Is (Not) Fine. Understanding and Addressing Barriers to Post-traditional Student Use of Academic Success Resources
Tags: Learners; Models & Frameworks
Even as many institutions actively increase their investment in creating convenient and accessible student success services for distance and adult students, we often struggling to engage the students who would benefit the most. Join us as we discuss frameworks for understanding barriers to productive help-seeking among post-traditional and distance students and work together to identify actionable insights to increase the use and effectiveness of these critical resources.
Patty Milner, University of Arkansas
The Design Profession: ID Today and AMA
Tags: Instructional Design
This session explores the current landscape in instructional design. A panel of experts will discuss the significant impact and evolving challenges within the design profession. Attendees will gain insights on how contemporary issues are shaping the field. The presentation concludes with an engaging 'Ask Me Anything' segment, inviting a dynamic dialogue between the audience and the panel.
8:00-9:15 AM
General Session | Looking Back, Looking Forward: Academic Innovation & Digital Transformation through the Lens of Online Learning
The Distance Teaching and Learning conference celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. In the celebration of the conference and in the spirit of improvement and innovation, we’re taking time to pause and reflect on the past 40 years while using our shared history to cast our eyes forward to the next forty years. Join our esteemed panel for a lively discussion focused on academic innovation and digital transformation.
Moderator:
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Concurrent Session III
Achieving Student Engagement at Scale in Online/Hybrid Instruction
Tags: Research
As discussed in recent reports from Harvard, MIT, and Stanford, innovative approaches to digital learning were developed during the pandemic that are now improving campus-based learning. Insights from these approaches offer the opportunity for student engagement at scale, taking advantage of strengths of online instruction such as collapsing time, bridging space, personalizing via rich datastreams, using AI-based instructional assistants and learning partners, delivering content and experience across universities, and sustaining online learning communities after formal instruction ends. These advances can enable next-generation massive digital hybrid learning, a means to achieve the aspirational vision of universal global access to higher education. Combined into online Communities of Inquiry, these advances can enable next-generation massive digital hybrid learning. This session presents the theoretical framework and early results of our efforts to create this learning environment.
Chris Dede, Harvard University
Steve Harmon, Georgia Institute of Technology
Dispersion of Immersion: A Case Study of the Immersive Learning Initiative at Auburn University
Tags: Learners; Theory to Practice
The transition to remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for innovative solutions to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. This presentation provides a case study of how one university responded to this challenge, and offers insights and strategies that can be applied in other institutions. Presenters will examine the creation and implementation of the Student Learning Through Immersive Virtual Experiences initiative at Auburn University. This initiative is a response to the need for improved and deeper immersive learning following the widespread shift to remote instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will discuss the strategic leadership and resources required for the successful implementation of innovative technology to transform teaching and learning experiences in higher education.
Asim Ali, Auburn University
Shawndra Bowers, Auburn University
Betsy Gilbertson, Auburn University
Ali Sattari, Auburn University
OPM Contract Language
Tag: Online Program Management
Over the course of 2023, Higher Education researcher, Dr. Jeffrey Sun, explored OPM contracts with the help of UPCEA’s Chief Online Learning Officers. This session will detail the project and Dr. Sun’s findings related to contract terms found in the agreements, including those that institutional leaders might want to include, or avoid, in future agreements. Please note, while not limited to institutional attendees, UPCEA asks that corporate attendees pause before occupying a seat that would otherwise be taken by an institutional attendee, especially if the room reaches capacity.
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Concurrent Session IV
Faculty-Centered Rubric Design: An Effective Approach for Large-Scale Online Program Assessment
Tags: Faculty; Programs; Models & Frameworks
Presenters will share a scalable, faculty-centered program assessment model that has increased faculty enthusiasm for, and engagement with, program assessment. The session will not only provide a systematic overview of how we facilitate conversation with faculty to move from Program Learning Outcomes to assessable rubrics but will also demonstrate this rubric-development process using practical examples. These examples use the AAC&U VALUE Rubrics as a foundation and illustrate how we have used rubric design as a way to generate faculty buy-in. Following Stevens & Levi (2012), we further show how our model facilitates a positive culture of assessment across program stakeholders. Session participants will leave with specific practical ideas to adapt and apply towards improving program assessment processes and practices at their institutions.
Allison Chatterjee, Indiana University
SESSION CANCELLED: Streamlining Course Revisions: A Holistic Approach to Redefining Learning Experiences
Tags: Instructional Design; Course Development/Revision; Models & Frameworks
Course revision is a regular responsibility of faculty and design and development units in charge of course creation and maintenance. Establishing clear guardrails with intentional planning and preparation can go a long way in streamlining and scaling course revisions. When done thoughtfully, the revisions could lead to more engaging learning opportunities for students and efficiencies for faculty and staff. Join us in this comprehensive session, where presenters will offer an overview of the course revision process implemented for fully online programs across a system of institutions. This session is tailored for educators, course designers, and administrators looking to find an efficient way to enhance the quality and effectiveness of their online courses. This session will provide an overview of the revision process, covering topics like prioritization, goal-setting, and setting revision tiers, and concludes with audience engagement and an interactive activity.
Hala Esmail, Louisiana State University
Radhika Krishnadas, Louisiana State University
Teaching First Year Students to use Generative AI Ethically and Effectively
Tags: Instructional Design; Learners
UMGC’s First Term Experience (FTE) program featured one redesigned assignment in two separate courses to incorporate the use of generative AI. Students use generative AI to help scope and identify keywords to assist with the creating of a research question; they also evaluate Boolean search statements created by AI and modify them to produce better results. By incorporating the use of AI directly into assignment instructions and providing students a guided experience in which they both use and critique generative AI, the FTE program at UMGC aims to provide a foundational understanding of both the benefits and pitfalls of using AI in an academic setting. Session attendees will explore the fundamentals of incorporating generative AI into foundational courses at a large scale and hear about the experiences of faculty, staff, and students during the process.
Marsha Fortney, University of Maryland Global Campus
Stephanie Blaher, University of Maryland Global Campus
Nancy Trojanowski, University of Maryland Global Campus
Julie Harding, University of Maryland Global Campus
12:40 PM-1:30 PM
General Session: Fireside Chat with 2024 Schroeder and Wedemeyer Award Recipients
Join our 2024 Schroeder and Wedemeyer award recipients for a fireside chat moderated by one of our award namesakes, as they discuss learner access and choice, elevating the field of online and academic innovation, and their thoughtful perspectives on the digital transformation occurring at our institutions.
Panelists:
Paul LeBlanc, Southern New Hampshire University
Vickie Cook, University of Illinois Springfield
Moderator: Ray Schroeder, UPCEA
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM
Concurrent Session V
SESSION CANCELLED: Empowering the Future: Crafting a Campus-Wide AI Literacy Strategy
Tags: Artificial Intelligence; Faculty; Learners
This session will identify practical ways university leaders can elevate the conversation about generative AI, build gen AI experience and expertise amongst students, faculty, professional staff, and business partners, and position their units to be a key part of this transformational shift. Participants will be invited to share their ideas along with learning about proven strategies.
Asim Ali, Auburn University
Revolutionizing Instructional Design: A Deep Dive into GPT-4-Powered Course Development and AI-Enhanced Learning Outcomes
Tags: Artificial Intelligence; Instructional Design; Learners
This session offers a sneak peek at an experimental AI tool that leverages GPT-4 to streamline course development by refining learning outcomes and auto-generating formatted quiz questions aligned to those outcomes, with the goal of promoting quality and efficiency in instructional design. Attendees will gain insights into the tool's functionality and development process, as well as guidelines for structured integration of generative AI into their own instructional design workflows.
Casey Wright, Purdue University
Eric de Araujo, Purdue University
Varun Alur, Purdue University
The Emotional and Mental Labor of Teaching and Learning
Tags: Accessibility and Belonging; Mental Health
The past several years have yielded an increased focus on the mental and emotional labor of learning. Has the same attention been given to the mental and emotional labor of those leading learning? Through an inclusive lens that considers both the perspective of instructors and instructional design staff, as well as a range of instructional modalities, this interactive panel discussion will encourage attendees to reflect upon their own emotional labor and share strategies to promote well-being.
Autumn Cartagena, Iowa State University
Maggie Ervin, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Caleb Simmons, The University of Arizona
Angela Velez-Solic, Rush University
Stephanie Blaher, University of Maryland Global Campus
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Concurrent Session VI
Fostering Human-Connection within Online Courses
Tags: Learners; Theory to Practice
This session is focused on community-focused learning design that rethinks student interaction being limited to constrained, assignment-based situations. Attendees will leave with new ideas to deepen student interaction and use cases to consider inside the classroom and throughout the learning lifecycle. This session will reference motivational and gameful learning concepts explored in a forthcoming chapter by Shaunak Roy (presenting) and Brian Verdine, Ph.D. (in press) entitled “Hybrid Learning Across Time and Space” with an emphasis on how the theories tie to student belonging within online and hybrid courses. The session will explore case studies from Wesley Boyce’s application of the theories resulting in increased belonging within his remote supply chain courses. By effectively incorporating concepts from Self-Determination Theory and its principles of autonomy, competence, and relatedness into a course, learners will increase their intrinsic motivation. All students have their own factors that motivate them to try in a course, from grades to a genuine interest in the course topic, but implementing these three aspects of Self-Determination Theory in courses can spark intrinsic motivation within students - and often even the instructor.
Wesley Boyce, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Shaunak Roy, Yellowdig
The Critical Role of Online Community Building: A Competitive Differentiator and Key to Holistic Student Success
Tags: Strategic Enrollment Management; Student Support; Accessibility and Belonging
Creating a sense of belonging for fully online students can be a challenge. University of Arizona Online and NAU Online leaders tackled this issue head-on by launching a comprehensive virtual peer mentoring program for undergraduate students. Building upon initial success, the case was made to expand mentorship to include undergraduate and graduate students. Presenters will share how an intentionally designed online peer mentorship program contributed to students' sense of belonging and how it fits into other student supports. They will also discuss resourcing considerations from both schools when launching, assessing, or expanding online student engagement programs.
Carmin Chan, Northern Arizona University
Caleb Simmons, University of Arizona
The Power of Organizational Structure to Ensure Quality Education at Scale
Tags: Programs; Theory to Practice; Graduate Education
The Gies College of Business at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign has experienced exponential growth since the start of the online MBA program less than 10 years ago. What started as a small staff of less than five has grown to over 60 full time employees in the past three years. In this facilitated session, participants will have the opportunity to learn how we used small teams to create an agile organization poised for growth, utilized technology to ensure transparency across the organization, and intentionally built community throughout the unit to ensure that the team was functioning at its peak capacity and therefore the educational experience was high quality for both learners and professors.
Sara Barnett, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Wendy Wallace, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Concurrent Session VII
From Readiness to Success: How an Online Learner Readiness Instrument Can Support the Success of the Student Learning Journey
Tags: Research; Learners
This session will feature a collaboration between a research unit and student success team in developing and implementing an online learner readiness instrument to promote student success in online learning. Speakers will discuss their collaboration in developing the instrument, as well as the ways in which the instrument is now being used in student orientations, in one-on-one success coaching, and as a vehicle for directing students to support resources and services.
Naomi Aguiar, Oregon State University
Kyle Whitehouse, Oregon State University
Leveraging Online Curricula to Create Systemwide Degree Completion Pathways
Tags: Learners
Various factors lead many learners to stop-out of their higher education experiences before completion. For many colleges and universities, addressing the needs of the Some College, No Credential (SCNC) learner population is a key institutional priority. What can institutions do to expand online learning options and opportunities without cannibalizing on-campus offerings? How can the online learning opportunities and policy modifications create on-ramps and avenues to degree completion for SCNC learners? This session will describe how the University of Minnesota is piloting a program of policy changes and cooperations between academic programs across five campuses to address degree completion goals for SCNC learners.
Paula MacDonald, University of Minnesota
Senenge T. Andzenge, University of Minnesota
Transitioning Online Enrollment and Student Support Services from OPM Partner: Tips and Lessons Learned
Tags: Online Program Management; Student Support
During this session, we’ll share tips and lessons learned transitioning away from an OPM partner for online enrollment and one-stop student support services and building capacity internally for these services. Be inspired to start building your internal online student support team and guiding your institution through the transition away from a third party partner.
Jason Rhode, Northern Illinois University
Anna Richardson, Northern Illinois University
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Concurrent Session VIII
Decoding the Brain's Response to Instructional Design in Online Course Videos
Tags: Research; Instructional Design; Curriculum
In this session, we explain the instructional design elements of online video lectures and how these elements activate different brain regions, impacting students' engagement and learning. Revealing distinct brain activations associated with different instructional elements during online video lectures, we invite attendees to engage in in-depth conversations about leveraging neuroscientific evidence to gain insights into designing online video lectures to promote effective online learning.
Meryem Yilmaz Soylu, Georgia Institute of Technology
Jeonghyun (Jonna) Lee, Georgia Institute of Technology
Steve Harmon, Georgia Institute of Technology
Eric Schumacher, Georgia Institute of Technology
Tiffany Nguyen, Georgia Institute of Technology
Is Student Motivation Essential for Success in Online and Blended Learning? A Meta-analytic Review of the Evidence
Tags: Research; Learners
In face-to-face courses, student motivation is associated with academic learning outcomes. What happens when learning moves online? This presentation reports results from a meta-analysis examining the relationship between student motivation and learning outcomes in both online and blended courses. Findings indicate a modest relationship that varies based on course modality.
Solving the Equity Paradox of Credit for Prior Learning
Tags: Strategic Enrollment Management; Accessibility and Belonging; Learners
Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) greatly benefits students in persisting and completing their degrees but too few students are able to take advantage of CPL, and black and low income students are the least likely to benefit. Capella University, Sophia Learning, and two students will describe a leading approach to improving equity through Credit for Prior Learning.
Nick White, Sophia Learning
Anaice Babic, Sophia Learning
Katie Rodriguez MacInnes, Capella University
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
General Session | The Pulse of Higher Education (LIVE): The 2024 Online Enterprise Benchmarking Survey Results REVEALED
In this multi-modal session, we will consider the online enterprise. The 2024 UPCEA Online Enterprise survey examined the organizational composition of our online units and what foundations are necessary to create engaging and learner-centered online experiences. Join the UPCEA dynamic duo of research, Jim Fong and Bruce Etter for a deep dive into the survey results. They will be followed by a panel of peers who will help us break down the data presented and provide guidance on the data points that can inform your organizational and resource planning.
Presenters:
Jim Fong, UPCEA
Bruce Etter, UPCEA
Panelists:
Pam Wimbush, University of California, Sacramento
Susan Seal, Mississippi State University
Dave Cillay, Washington State University
Tatum Thomas, DePaul University
Moderator: Yakut Gazi, Duke University