USDLA Soundbites: Recent Episodes
Dr. Georgianna Laws
Welcome to the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) soundbites podcast! Whether you are in the corporate world, in K-12 or higher education, in telehealth, government, or the military, you'll learn useful tips to provide leadership in the industry. To learn more about USDLA, visit usdla.org.
Mr. Nicolo Bates is the CEO and founder of TEDU Inc. The mission of the TEDU (pronounced "tee-doo") is to enable higher education with sophisticated academic support technologies so that no student is left without access to the help they need to perform to their best ability in each class. To learn more about this education technology company, please visit https://tedu.app/about.
In the post-covid education environment, the dependence on out-of-classroom academic support to combat compounding learning loss has never been higher. At this year’s USDLA national conference, Nicolo will review innovative practices to increase student participation and access to academic support programs, while also improving student-deficiency data collection and analysis practices. To hear TEDU's CEO and founder speak on this topic, please join us at this year's 35th anniversary conference by registering at usdla.org.
In our next podcast episode, we'll be joined by Will Bowden, who will preface his USDLA keynote speech by sharing a few soundbites about how the Complaint Free Movement. To stay up to date with upcoming episodes and USDLA events, please follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast. Thank you!
Dr. Makola M. Abdullah is the President of Virginia State University. An internationally-renowned educator recognized for outstanding research, Dr. Abdullah is a leader and academic visionary committed to excellence. At this year’s USDLA national conference, Dr. Abdullah will keep us motivated mid-week with a speech addressing the profound pandemic shift and its impact on the distance learning community. To hear VSU President Abdullah speak, please join us at this year's 35th anniversary conference by registering at usdla.org. In our next podcast episode, we'll be joined by Will Bowden, who will preface his USDLA keynote speech by sharing a few soundbites about how the Complaint Free Movement. To stay up to date with upcoming episodes and USDLA events, please follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast. Thank you!
Dr. Kelvin Thompson is the Executive Director of the University of Central Florida Center for Distributed Learning and Co-Host of the TOPcast Teaching Online Podcast. In this special NDLW 2021 edition of the USDLA Soundbites podcast, Dr. Thompson and NDLW producer, Dr. Georgianna Laws, have a conversation around the theme of this free and virtual national conference that attracted close to 500 distance-learning professionals from the U.S. and around the world. Listen to this interview to get a taste of what Dr. Thompson's keynote will be about.
It is not too late to join us! To listen to Dr. Thompson's NDLW 2021 keynote live stream, and to participate in this year's conference, please register at https://usdla.org/events/2021-ndlw/#Registration
USDLA Board Member and CEO of Oiada International, Eric Jones has been opening doors to global education for many years. Oiada is a non profit organization providing award winning educational programs via videoconferencing. Over 450,000 students have participated in 50 US states and 32 countries.
As part of Black History Month, Oiada International is offering two live virtual tours. "Slave Dungeon" and "Eye Opener" tours are led by tour guides in Ghana. "The Eye Opener" focuses on the reality of the African continent, fact vs. myth, not seen in modern day media. The "Slave Dungeon" is an historical account of what slaves experienced. This dungeon is the largest slave port built to hold 1500 slaves, where they spent 2 weeks to 3 months waiting for the slave ships.
Tours are available through February 23rd. To register, please visit https://www.oiadaintl.org/black-history-month.
In this season finale, you will meet Dr. Shana Garrett, who serves as Dean at Walden University, overseeing the School of Criminal Justice, the School of Psychology, and the School of Public Policy and Administration. At this year’s USDLA national conference, Dr. Garrett will offer a presentation titled “Pure Heart Leadership: An Authentic Approach to Leadership Development”. Dr. Garrett authored the Pure Heart Leadership model based upon over 20 years of professional experience within higher education; utilizing several key psychology theories of Maslow, Rogers, and Bandura; and blending in a mindfulness approach to developing talent. To learn more about this model, visit https://shanagarrett.com/.
In this podcast episode, Shana provides keen insights into key aspects of the Pure Heart Leadership approach and how it can benefit you on your higher-education career development journey. To participate in Dr. Garrett’s presentation, please join us at this year's July 21 to 24 virtual conference by registering at usdla.org.
Thank you for following the first season on USDLA Soundbites and please stay tuned for season two, highlighting the next major event at the United States Distance Learning Association. Please follow USDLA on social media and subscribe to this podcast, to stay up to date with upcoming USDLA events!
Tara Powers is a global thought leader on remote work and international best-selling author. She serves as CEO of Virtual Teams School (https://virtualteamschool.com/) and well as CEO of Power Resource LLC (https://powersresourcecenter.com/). She authored the book “Virtual Teams for Dummies” and her latest book, “Working From Home For Dummies” is being released this year - so stay tuned!
At this year’s USDLA national conference, Ms. Powers will offer a presentation titled “How Remote Workers Can Collaborate, Communicate & Connect”. People aren’t just learning from afar; they are working that way too. Today, half of U.S. workers work remotely at least part time. Through her USDLA conference session, Tara will teach you how to collaborate, communicate, connect, and navigate technology to succeed in this transformative workplace shift to virtual work.
In this podcast episode, Ms. Powers provides keen insights into key aspects leading to success in virtual teams, including strategies for onboarding remote workers, types of team assessments to use and the ideal timing of their administration, construction of effective team agreements, and much more. To participate in Tara’s presentation, please join us at this year's July 21 to 24 virtual conference by registering at usdla.org.
In our next episode, we'll be joined by Dr. Shana Garrett, an authentic higher-ed leader and author of the Pure Heart Leadership approach. Dr. Garrett will preface her USDLA conference presentation by sharing a few soundbites about how Pure Heart Leadership can be helpful to you.
In this episode, we are joined by two guests from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM): Dr. Langenau & Ms. Shultis. Dr. Erik Langenau is PCOM's Chief Academic Technology Officer and Director for Professional Development in Online Learning, and Ms. Brooke Shultis is the Assistant Director for the PCOM Department of Professional Development in Online Learning. At this year’s USDLA national conference, Dr. Langenau & Ms. Shultis will offer a presentation titled “Online Method to Introduce Classroom-based Faculty to 21 st Century Learning”. While professional schools of health sciences traditionally rely on face-to-face learning, classroom-based faculty have been increasing their adoption of online teaching and learning tools. In this podcast episode, Erik and Brooke discuss PCOM’s solution to bridging this unique training gap: a four-week, asynchronous, facilitated online faculty-development program called “Crash Course: Engaging Today’s Learner”. To participate in Dr. Langenau’s & Ms. Shultis’ USDLA presentation, please join us at this year's July 21 to 24 virtual national conference by registering at usdla.org.
In our next episode, we'll be joined by Ms. Tara Powers, a global thought leader on remote work and international best-selling author. Ms. Powers will preface their USDLA conference presentation by sharing a few soundbites about ways in which remote workers can collaborate, communicate, and connect.
Ms. Carrie Purcell is head of strategy and partnerships as well as the co-founder of Tech Adaptika. At this year’s USDLA national conference, Ms. Purcell will offer a presentation titled “Live Virtual Classroom and the eLearning of Tomorrow”. Tackling some of the most prevalent challenges of eLearning today, LiVe Virtual Campus by Adaptika breaks the mold by creating an engaging new synchronous learning and collaboration environment. Employing gamified learning principles, LiVe keeps learners coming back and enables live sessions, meetings, and tutorials connecting a global community.
In this podcast episode, Carrie describes the LiVe Virtual Campus by Adaptika and offers keen insights regarding the future of online learning. To participate in Ms. Purcell’s presentation, please join us at this year's July 21 to 24 virtual conference by registering at usdla.org.
In our next episode, we'll be joined by Dr. Erik Langenau & Ms. Brooke Shultis from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. They will preface their USDLA conference presentation by sharing a few soundbites about an online faculty-development method meant to Introduce classroom-based faculty to 21st-century learning.
Dr. Richard Tillman is an educator and research psychologist teaching at the University of Cincinnati psychology department. At this year’s USDLA national conference, Dr. Tillman will offer a presentation titled “Creating Meaningful Connections in Distance Learning When Time is Limited”. Students feel more of a connection to their classroom community when they feel valued as individuals. Yet how can this time-consuming endeavor be achieved by faculty members without self-depleting, when we know that these professionals wear so many hats and have such limited time? Some strategies Dr. Tillman shares involve strategically using high-touch approaches to connect with students through short videos, email and messaging options, and discussion-board interactions, in addition to automating anything possible.
In this podcast episode, Richard offers insightful advice on how you can authentically and meaningfully engage your learners without becoming overwhelmed and without compromising your life-work balance. To participate in Dr. Tillman’s presentation, please join us at this year's July 21 to 24 virtual conference by registering at usdla.org.
In our next episode, we'll be joined by Carrie Purcell, co-founder of Tech Adaptika, who will preface her USDLA conference presentation by sharing a few soundbites on how the Adaptika LiVe Virtual Campus is ushering in tomorrow's eLearning solutions today.
Valery Oleinik is a fellow USDLA board of directors member, gamification expert, and all-around fascinating person. At this year’s USDLA national conference, Ms. Oleinik will offer a presentation titled “Syllabus Resuscitation: Revive Your Course Using Gamification”. If you put together some amazing course content but your learners still aren't engaged, please don’t be discouraged and know that you are not alone! Though her an interactive and collaborative conference session, Valary will help you start at the very beginning, and explore ways to turn your syllabus into a document learners don’t just gloss over but genuinely want to read!
In this podcast episode, Valary talks about why learners often do not read the course syllabus and what you can do to strategically change that, among others, tapping into some of the basic principles of gamification. To participate in Ms. Oleinik’s engaging keynote presentation, please join us at this year's July 21 to 24 virtual conference by registering at usdla.org.
In our next episode, we'll be joined by Dr. Richard Tillman, an educator and research psychologist teaching at the University of Cincinnati psychology department, who will preface his USDLA conference presentation by sharing a few soundbites on how faculty members can foster meaningful connections in distance learning, despite the limited time available to them.
Dr. Gerry Hanley is the director of the California State University Long Beach Center for Usability in Design and Accessibility (CUDA), executive director at MERLOT and SkillsCommons, and an emeritus professor of psychology. Prof. Hanley will open up this year’s USDLA national conference with a keynote presentation titled “Opening Learning for All by Serving Stone Soup Globally”. In the keynote, Dr. Haney will talk about how free and open educational resources and services are being used to expand access to education for diverse communities nationally and internationally, which can improve equitable access to sustainable employment. The Stone Soup folktale serves as an effective change management strategy for digital and distance education by providing inclusive methods that leverage free and open educational resources and services.
In this podcast episode, Gerry offers insights into open education resources (OER), framing OER in a global context and highlighting both MERLOT (www.merlot.org) and SkillsCommons (www.SkillsCommons.org) - two indispensable OER resources for today’s educational institutions and workforce. Among other fascinating thoughts, Gerry also graciously offered keen insights into change management, explaining how the adoption of OER in a higher-education institution, for example, has ripple effects touching just about every office on campus, and benefitting everyone from the institution to the faculty and, most importantly, to the student.
To hear Dr. Hanley’s captivating keynote presentation, please join us at this year's July 21 to 24 virtual conference by registering at usdla.org.
In our next episode, we'll be joined by Valery Oleinik, a fellow USDLA board of directors member, gamification expert, and all-around fascinating person, who will preface her USDLA conference presentation by sharing a few soundbites on how we can use gamification to infuse new life into syllabi and, by extension, into any document capturing the essence of a training program.
Dr. Melissa Venable is an online advisor at BestColleges, in which capacity she leads and writes the annual Online Education Trends Report. At this year's USDLA national conference, Dr. Venable will offer a presentation titled “2020 Online Education Trends: Student & Administrator Insight”. This 6th annual report from BestColleges presents trends in online education gained through feedback from 398 online program administrators and 1500 students. This year's trends are presented in five categories: learner demographics, online learning experience, marketing and recruitment, program design and development, and student satisfaction.
In this podcast episode, Melissa offers a few insights into the topic, sharing some of the history of the annual BestColleges Online Education Trends and how the report has improved over the years. To hear Dr. Venable’s full presentation, please join us at this year's July 21 to 24 virtual conference by registering at usdla.org.
In our next episode, we'll be joined by Dr. Gerry Hanley, executive director at MERLOT and SkillsCommons and emeritus professor of psychology, who will preface his USDLA conference presentation by sharing a few soundbites on open educational resources.
Dr. Toni Sims-Muhammad is the associate vice president for academic affairs at Allen University. At this year's USDLA national conference, Dr. Sims-Muhammad will offer a presentation titled "Do I have to Take Online Classes? Capturing the Millennial Experiences at a Private HBCU”.
In this podcast episode, Toni offers a number of insights into the topic, covering the perceptions that students of color have about taking online courses and the challenges they associated with the experience. To hear Dr. Sims-Muhammad's full presentation, please join us at this year's July 21 to 24 virtual conference by registering at usdla.org.
In our next episode, we'll be joined by Dr. Melissa Venable, the online advisor to Best Colleges, who will preface her USDLA conference presentation by sharing a few soundbites regarding the Best Colleges’ 2020 Online education Trends Report.
Dr. Reggie Smith III serves as CEO and executive director of the United States Distance Learning Association. In our initial USDLA Soundbites episode, Dr. Smith sets the stage for this first podcast series, by offering unique insights into the history and mission of the association and describing the broad constituency it serves. Dr. Smith also discusses the unique role the association plays in the distance-learning industry, offers an overview of the events and publications that the association offers, and mentions a variety of ways in which you can get involved with USDLA, beginning with attending our upcoming virtual conference. Subsequent episodes in this series will feature presenters from the USDLA 2020 virtual national conference.
In our next episode, we will be joined by Dr. Rhonda Blackburn, the current USDLA president, who will preface her conference presentation by sharing a few soundbites on how best to lead virtual teams.
Dr. Rhonda Blackburn is the past president of TxDLA and the newly elected president of the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA). At this year's national conference, Dr. Blackburn will offer a presentation titled "The Music of Virtual Management", during which she will discuss the management of our current workforce, where more and more companies and schools are hiring virtual employees. From creating the right culture to staying on the same page, Rhonda will touch on a variety of aspects that will help you supervise, manage, and support your virtual team.
In this podcast episode, Dr. Blackburn offers a few tips on how best to lead new virtual teams as well as existing teams switching to a virtual format in light of the pandemic. To hear Dr. Blackburn's full presentation, please join us at this year's July 21 to 24 virtual conference by registering at usdla.org.
In our next episode, we'll be joined by Dr. Toni Sims-Muhammad, associate vice president for academic affairs at Allen University, who will preface her USDLA conference presentation by sharing a few soundbites on how to engage millennials in the online classroom.
This podcast provides an overview of the USDLA National Conference held virtually July 21 - 24, 2020. Visit us at usdla.org to learn more about this premier event.