Trending Online, Digital and Blended Learning Topics
Join the Online Learning Consortium for a dynamic series of webinars showcasing research-backed practices, strategies, and ideas from the OLC Community.
Attendees selected each of these presentations as best in their track at the OLC Innovate 2026 conference last spring.
This series is truly for the community, by the community.
Emerging Tools and Digital Learning Technologies
July 8, 2026 | 2:00 – 3:00 pm (ET)
Navigate the rise of “artificial instructors” in online education through an instructional designer’s lens! As campuses become AI literate (but not necessarily fluent), the role of the instructional designer is evolving dramatically. Drawing from real faculty collaborations, this session explores the humorous and insightful experiences of supporting faculty who use AI for online content development—and the difficult conversations needed to maintain quality while leveraging AI’s potential.
Presenter:
Student Success and Empowerment
July 21, 2026 | 2:00 – 3:00 pm (ET)
The shift to online learning has intensified student wellness challenges, with research showing increased rates of anxiety, isolation, and burnout among remote learners. As educators and designers, we have a unique opportunity to embed wellness practices directly into our course delivery, creating more supportive and effective learning environments. This interactive session will equip participants with immediately applicable wellness strategies and practices across all 8 dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental, occupational, and financial.
Presenter:
Learning Design and Teaching Innovation
August 5, 2026 | 2:00 – 3:00 pm (ET)
This webinar explores how immersive, student-built virtual environments can transform learning in online courses. Drawing on a case study from a large-enrollment asynchronous archaeology course, participants will see how students used accessible 3D modeling tools to reconstruct ancient Egyptian tombs and then explored those spaces together in a shared virtual environment. Rather than passively consuming content, students became active creators—designing, interpreting, and inhabiting the past—while developing technical skills, deepening engagement, and building a surprising sense of community in a fully online setting.
Presenters:
Digital Learning Leadership and Workforce Futures
August 19, 2026 | 2:00 – 3:00 pm (ET)
As higher education continues to respond to shifting workforce expectations, AI integration, and the growth of alternative credentials, faculty and academic leaders are being asked to align curriculum with emerging skills, often without clear guidance on how to do so while preserving disciplinary integrity. This webinar introduces a structured approach to workforce-aligned learning that begins with curriculum, not tools.
Presenter:
Registration and Call for Proposals are Now Open!
OLC Accelerate is the premiere online learning conference showcasing groundbreaking research and highly effective practices in online and digital learning across K-12, higher education, and corporate L&D.
Registration and Call for Proposals are Now Open!
OLC Elevate is a bold new initiative from OLC that brings high-impact digital learning discussions, hands-on workshops, and thought leadership directly to your regional community.