OLC Accelerate 2024 - Summits
Take a deep dive into critical topics, featuring expertise from thought leaders in the field of online, blended, and digital learning.
HBCU | Research | Instructional Design
These immersive summits are participant favorites, and are included with your OLC Accelerate 2024 Conference Pass registration at no additional charge. All summit sessions are held during the conference in Orlando. We ask that during the registration process you RSVP for the summit(s) you plan to attend.
The OLC HBCU Summit: An Community-Centered and Community-Designed Event for HBCU Institutional Success and Advancement
- Tuesday, November 19, 2024
- 1:15pm – 3:00pm U.S. Eastern Time Zone
Northern Hemisphere E3/E4
1:15pm – 2:00pm: HBCU Summit – Part 1: Initiating and Navigating HBCU Online Learning Programs: Turning Challenges into Opportunity and Impact (Presenters: Morris Thomas, PhD, PMP, Assistant Provost for Digital and Online Learning and Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Assessment (CETLA), Howard University; Tracy Barley, J.D., PhD, Vice Provost Digital Learning and Extended Studies, Virginia State University; Valora Richardson – session moderator, Director, Digital Solutions and Innovation, United Negro College Fund)
2:15pm – 3:00pm: HBCU Summit – Part 2: Advancing Culturally Relevant AI Futures: Recommendations and Solutions (Presenters: Osen Bowser, Director of Digital and Online Learning, Howard University; Michael Nettles, PhD, Full Professor and Endowed Chair of Predictive Analytics and Psychometrics, and Dionne Thorne – session moderator, Instructional Design Coordinator, Morgan State University).
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
9:30am – 10:15am U.S. Eastern Time Zone
Northern Hemisphere E3/E4
HBCU Summit – Part 3: Community Forum and Networking Event (Presenters: Cristi Ford – Summit historian, Vice President of Academic Affairs, D2L Corporation; Dionne Thorne – session facilitator, Instructional Design Coordinator, Morgan State University; Yan Xu, – session facilitator, Online Program Director, Spelman College).
We cordially invite you to the HBCU Summit, a dedicated space for community-building, collaboration, establishing partnerships, capacity building, and action-oriented change, with the goal of empowering HBCU communities, thereby enriching the overall educational landscape. This summit continues the tradition of focusing on enhancing education opportunities for underrepresented communities within Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through diversity, inclusion, and equity-driven initiatives. It also represents an opportunity to showcase that HBCUs are at the forefront of advocating for and implementing equity-minding institutional changes. The summit this year is composed of two topically-specific sessions and a community forum and action-planning event.
Who Should Attend? The summit welcomes HBCU faculty, staff, students, and all advocates for affordable education who are dedicated to the success of underrepresented communities in higher education.
HBCU Summit Onsite Ambassador Initiative: While we would love to see as many people onsite for the summit as possible, we know that being able to attend a conference like this is often a tremendous privilege. With this in mind, the OLC is pleased to announce the “HBCU Summit Onsite Ambassador Initiative,” which provides free, unlimited, live-streaming access to the HBCU Summit for qualifying institutions.
Please note that only HBCU institutions can qualify for participation in this initiative. Additionally, all qualifying institutions must have at least one institutional representative registered for the conference who 1) plans to attend the summit onsite in November, and 2) is willing to serve in the ambassador role (which does require them to forward correspondence and communications on behalf of the OLC to their institution). A single institution can have more than one ambassador, but must minimally have one person represent their institution onsite in order for that institution to qualify for initiative benefits.
To sign-up or express interest in becoming an HBCU Summit Onsite Ambassador, please complete the following Google form: Link to Sign-Up Form.
For more information on becoming an HBCU Summit Onsite Ambassador, please email OLC’s Director of Global Outreach, Dr. Madeline Shellgren (madeline.shellgren@onlinelearning-c.org), with the subject line “HBCU Summit Onsite Ambassador.”
Registration information: Any HBCU that formally sends an “Institutional Representative” to the HBCU Summit will also receive free live-streaming access for additional members of their institution to attend the HBCU Summit sessions. For information on becoming an “HBCU Summit Institutional Representative,” please email OLC’s Director of Global Outreach, Madeline Shellgren madeline.shellgren@onlinelearning-c.org, with the subject line “HBCU Summit Institutional Representative.”
Reimagining Research: The Role of Generative AI
- Wednesday, November 20, 2024
- 1:00pm – 3:45pm U.S. Eastern Time Zone
- Northern Hemisphere E3/E4
In the two years since the launch of Chat GPT in November 2022, generative AI has transformed all sectors of everyday life – from healthcare to higher education. Its integration into higher education has not only unlocked new possibilities for research collaboration and innovation but also raised critical questions about academic integrity and the future of work. This summit will showcase opportunities for generative AI to help us enhance student engagement, anticipate future educational trends, and develop innovative strategies for integrating AI into research and teaching practices. First, we will delve into the impact of generative AI on student engagement in higher education, exploring how AI influences students’ motivation, behavior, and cognitive processes based on recent research findings. The second session will empower participants with strategic foresight tools to anticipate and navigate future trends in AI-powered research, helping us create actionable plans for integrating AI tools into their educational practices. We extend a warm welcome to researchers across roles and disciplines and those who teach research practices to join us for these important conversations.
1:00pm-1:45pm: Research Summit – Part 1: Illuminating Student Perspectives: AI’s Impact on Student Engagement in Higher Education (Presenters: Kristen Gay, Ph.D., Director of Research, and Dylan Barth, Ph.D., Vice President of Innovation and Programs, Online Learning Consortium)
2:00pm-3:45pm: Research Summit – Part 2: Create the Future: GenAI-Powered Research in 2030 (Workshop) (Presenters: Jenay Robert, Ph.D., Senior Researcher, and Nicole Muscanell, Ph.D., Researcher, EDUCAUSE)
Please RSVP for the Research Summit when you register for the Conference Pass.
Pioneers of Change: Leading Innovation in Instructional Design
- Thursday, November 21, 2024
- 9:45am – 12:30pm U.S. Eastern Time Zone
- Southern Hemisphere II
Instructional designers are frequently tasked with leading innovation. Most often, they lead by influence to ensure their organization navigates the latest issues and trends in digital learning successfully At the same time, they’re continuously advancing their own skills and knowledge to stay ahead. Through a series of interactive and thought-provoking sessions, participants will gain valuable insights and practical tools to effectively navigate the critical roles of change management and leadership within instructional design.
Session topics will include Change Management, Innovate Leadership, and Career Pathways.
Join us for a thought-provoking morning at the Instructional Design Summit, an integral part of the 2024 Accelerate Conference. This summit is specifically designed for current and aspiring instructional designers, leaders of instructional design teams, and other stakeholders involved in learning design projects.
9:45am – 10:30am: Instructional Design Summit – Part 1: Igniting Curiosity for Innovative Learning (Presenters: Sean Nufer, Senior Director of Teaching and Learning and Mark Labbett, Senior Instructional Designer, TCD Education System).
10:45am-11:30am: Instructional Design Summit – Part 2: Innovative Leadership for Instructional Designers (Presenters: CC Franklin, Associate Professor, Dept. of Student Leadership and Success Studies, Amy Baird, Instructional Designer, and Marinda Ashman, Associate Professor, Dept. of Student Leadership and Success Studies at Utah Valley University).
11:45am – 12:30pm: Instructional Design Summit – Part 3: Navigating Career Pathways in Instructional Design (Presenters: Katie Wolfe-Burleson, Director of M.S. in Instructional Design and Learning Technology Program, Anderson University; Heidi Echols, Instructional Designer & Technologist II, University of North Carolina at Charlotte).
Please RSVP for the Instructional Design Summit when you register for the Conference Pass.
We look forward to seeing you at the OLC Accelerate 2024 Summits! As you participate in these “deeper dives” into critical topics in the online learning world, we are certain they will complement your Accelerate 2024 experience! Questions? Contact us at conference@onlinelearning-c.org
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HBCU Summit Chair Dionne Thorne, Morgan State University |
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HBCU Summit Chair Madeline Shellgren, Online Learning Consortium |
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HBCU Summit Advisor Robbie Melton, Tennessee State University |
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HBCU Summit Advisor Gerry Hanley, MERLOT and California State University-Long Beach |
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Instructional Design Summit Chair Josh Herron, Online Learning Consortium |
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Research Summit Chair. Kristen Gay |