Dr. Norman Bier, Executive Director for the Simon Initiative and Director of Open Learning Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University, argues that not-for-profits “are in a unique position to leverage learning science, data and the affordances of technology to improve outcomes and advance our understanding of human learning”. He discusses how learning engineering can be applied to fundamentally improve our teaching practices and learning environments through good design, instructional engineering and assessment of learning outcomes hypotheses. Digital learning dashboards, representing a cognitive model associated with a specific learning objective for a course, are presented. The value of learning dashboards in providing student and instructor feedback to improve class and student-specific outcomes are discussed.

Dr. Kenneth C. Greene, Founding Director of Campus Computing Project and Director, Association of Chief Academic Officers, discusses innovation, infrastructure and digital learning. Dr. Greene shares his thoughts on the role of technology and great aspirations within the higher education community and the inherent change associated with technology implementation. He also identifies data as a resource to assess our IT investments for instruction to ensure student and faculty needs are placed first in the digital learning environment.

Under development….  Dr. Joan Lorden, Provost & Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UNC Charlotte and 31 other Chief Academic Officers

Supported by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the ACAO Digital Fellows Program is designed to provide provosts and chief academic officers (CAOs) with critical information, effective resources, and tested strategies to help CAOs and their faculty understand and adopt high quality digital courseware. The goal of this project is to explore ways to use digital technology to increase the retention and persistence to graduation among undergraduates, especially those who are first generation, low income, or students of color. Additionally, the ACAO Fellowship Program will curate a rich, public archive of resources on digital learning and related issues to serve the community of CAOs who want to leverage digital curricular materials to foster student engagement and enhance student learning at their institutions.

Dr. Joe West, UNC Pembroke, discusses how human communication has evolved in favor of face-to-face and written communication. As a result, he argues, impediments are created in online learning that lead to decreased student satisfaction with this mode of education delivery as compared to traditional classroom-based education. However, Dr. Bice’s inclusion of educational technologies that increase real-time engagement, such as Webex, are helping to close the gap in student satisfaction in his online and classroom courses.

Dr. Lance Cummings, UNC Wilmington, uses Yammer in his online business course to increase a free-flow of student comments, which he feels is more effective and efficient as compared to using online course discussion boards. Yammer, Dr. Cummings adds, helps to prepare his students for practical communications in the workforce, developing their social media skills and their ability to write clear and concise communications. He offers that accessibility issues are less “visible” in social networks and, contrary to popular opinion, not all students have developed social network communications skills. Therefore, educators must address these concerns in their design and use of enterprise social networks, especially when they are using these tools as part of distance learning courses.

Learn how Appalachian State University’s Dr. O’Shea is using virtual worlds to include international expertise and experience in his instructional designs.