How to Turn AI Panic into Institutional Learning
Think about the last AI conversation you were part of on your campus. Was it about a dazzling new tool someone wanted to get up and running immediately? A policy that got bogged down? A student question that made you realize you don’t have the answer? We’re all having those conversations each day, sometimes every day… and sometimes it’s even the same conversation but with different groups, different units! And […]
Discussion Boards Don’t Have to Suck
You open the discussion board on Sunday night and see twenty-seven versions of the same sentence. “I agree with your post.” A few students have added a polite compliment. Others have stretched their response just far enough to satisfy the word count. The timestamps cluster suspiciously close to the deadline. Somewhere in the course, a rubric box has been […]
The Holistic Instructional Designer: Why Cross-Sector Experience Benefits Us All
Instructional design has emerged as one of the most boundary-spanning professions in education and workforce development. Professionals increasingly move among K–12 education, higher education, corporate learning, healthcare, government, and non-profit organizations while continuing to apply many of the same core competencies: analyzing learning needs, designing effective instruction, evaluating outcomes, and facilitating organizational change. Instructional designers possess a diverse portfolio of competencies […]
From Isolation to Connection: Practical Approaches to Minimize Loneliness Among Students in Digital Classrooms
Online and blended education have opened doors and created greater flexibility for learning for millions of students. At the same time, however, the pressing issue of student loneliness persists. Whether students are exclusively online, alternating between modalities, or balancing education with employment and family responsibilities, students today often experience a sense of isolation and separation […]
What Happens When No One Owns Online Learning
A few months ago, I sat down with a provost at a small regional institution. They were frustrated. Enrollment and budget concerns hovered over every meeting and conversation, but their online programs felt like a genuine source of hope. There were signs of life, but something was still off. Everyone I spoke with at the […]