WCET’s 7th Annual Leadership Summit

June 15, 2018.Reading time 22 minutes.

word cloud with words: inclusion, financial aid, learning, worstudy, data, equality, faculty, studnet, diversity, skills, future, access OER, equity, digital, accessibility, success, technology, diverse, innovation, competencies, highered, worforce, education,a chievement, committment

We just got back from the annual WCET Leadership Summit in Newport Beach, CA where we deliberated on how digital learning can help higher education can embrace: Equity as a demonstrated priority for the institutions’ students, faculty, and staff. Accessibility as the lens through which the institution examines its resources, policies, services, and infrastructure. Data […]

Student Device Preferences for Online Course Access and Multimedia Learning

June 12, 2018.Reading time 12 minutes.

What technology devices do you have close to you right now? I have a desktop computer, two laptops, a Smartwatch, and a Smartphone. Students also have a numerous devices which they use for a variety of different purposes. But do you know what devices your students prefer? Do these preferences change depending on the reasons […]

UDL in Action in College Online Courses

June 7, 2018.Reading time 10 minutes.

Do you have much experience with Universal Design? Today we’re thrilled to welcome a guest author who has not only implemented UDL on her own, but is assisting her colleagues in applying the principles in their classrooms as well. Tianhong Shi, instructional designer with Oregon State Extended Campus, joins WCET Frontiers today to tell us […]

Comparing Credentials: An Update on the Credential Engine

May 24, 2018.Reading time 7 minutes.

showcasing how the credential engine works (starts with common credential description language, publishing the credentials to the Credential Engine Registry, ensuring the credentials are live on the Credential Finder (a search tool), and finally developing a comunity of organizations, developers, and users who will have support and resources from credential engine staff.

What does the “higher education of the future” look like? Will it be online? On campus? Virtual? Will we still have the same 4 – 7 year undergraduate degree programs? Or will alternative credentials change the higher education landscape? This future seems a bit complex! Luckily, today we’re joined by Carrie Samson, Communications Manager for […]

Opening a New Path to Success – A Journey with Open Textbooks

April 26, 2018.Reading time 21 minutes.

Z Degrees (Zero-Textbook Cost Degrees) are what many consider the holy grail of Open Educational Resources (OER) accomplishments. Today’s guest blogger, Tanya Grosz, Ph. D., Dean of Graduate, Online & Adult Learning, led the open initiative at the University of Northwestern St. Paul—the first institution in Minnesota to create a Z Degree. Tanya and I […]

WCET Summit: Ensuring Ethical and Equitable Access in Digital Learning

April 24, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

In June 2017, I had the outstanding opportunity to attend my first WCET Leadership Summit. Last year’s event focused on the essential institutional capacities needed to encourage and lead innovation. I specifically remember feeling so invigorated by every session I attended and I truly enjoyed the hallway conversations and the incredibly active social media backchannel. […]

Teaching with Wikipedia: A High Impact Open Educational Practice

March 29, 2018.Reading time 14 minutes.

This week’s Frontiers Blog is written by one of my OER heroes, Dr. TJ Bliss. Like so many others working to reduce costs and increase open access to education, I was inspired, mentored, and empowered by TJ. In his previous position as the OER Program Officer at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, TJ granted […]

Open Textbooks and OER in Colorado: Lots of Interest and Great Promise

February 9, 2018.Reading time 12 minutes.

image of quote: {“Use of OER is a very clear strategy to speak to two very important concerns/barriers to education for today's learner populations: cost and convenience. Judiciously applying OER to these two critical decision-making issues can lower the barriers for a wide variety of students.” Mike Abbiatti, Exec Director of WCET

This week on WCET Frontiers Blog, Tanya Spilovoy, Ed. D., Director of Open Policy for WCET, discusses the outcomes of the Colorado Open Educational Resources (OER) Council recent work in open textbook initiatives, her research and consulting role with WCET, and how OER can be leveraged to meet state higher education goals. WCET is thrilled […]

Adaptive Learning: Research-Based Principles for Developing Effective Courses

January 18, 2018.Reading time 8 minutes.

This week on WCET Frontiers, we are happy to welcome back Niki Bray, Instructor and Instructional Designer with the School of Health Studies at the University of Memphis. Niki is here today to discuss another aspect of adaptive learning: research-based principles for developing effective courses. Niki reviews why higher education leaders should have a solid […]

Looking Back, Looking Forward

January 16, 2018.Reading time 15 minutes.

word cloud with the words "technology, buzz, CBE, tradition, distance ed, personalized, teaching, virtual reality, copetency, augmented rality, accessibility, data, content learning, instructional design, enrollment, digital, magic, platform, accomodations, evidence, digital learning, innovation, student, SARA, policy, online learning, govnerment, hype, OER, student

It seems like all the cool kids are writing about last year’s trends and predicting what will come to pass in 2018. Well, we WCETers don’t want to be left out of the fun! Over the last few weeks I’ve discussed 2017 and 2018 with some of the movers and shakers in the higher ed, […]