4/23: USDLA News — Virtual Conference Update

An item from the folks at the USDLA, who I should note have been somewhat K-12 friendly – but are primarily higher ed focused.

USDLA NEWS Tuesday, April 23: USDLA National Conference Update Check out the Virtual Sessions Things are really heating up as we prepare to greet you in St Louis for the 2024 Conference. Seats are still available, but sign up soon before we sell out. We also wanted to remind you that even if you can’t travel to be with us in person, you can join us virtually for some amazing programming. There were just too many great sessions to squeeze into the on-site program, so we added two virtual days before and after the conference to allow you to extend your learning journey. Your virtual experience starts on Tuesday, June 4, with sessions including the ones below. You will then be able to attend special keynotes, featured speakers, the awards ceremony, and workshops live from the onsite event. Finally, to wrap things up, you will have a final virtual day on Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Click here to register for the onsite or virtual options: usdla.org/2024-conference-registration/ Scroll down for details about the virtual sessions. Our 2024 Conference program is now available: Click here to view our schedule of amazing speeches, workshops, and events you won’t want to miss! Special offer: Exhibit-only tables — Available for only $1,500. Click here for details: usdla.org/2024-sponsorship The 4 G’s: A Framework for Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Presenter: TeAna Conaway-Manson and Ashley Bridges, CulturED Connections, LLC About the presentation: Embark on a transformative educational journey with The 4 G’s: A Framework for Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. Join us as we dive into each subsection: The Grounding, The Growing, The Gifting, and The Gain. Uncover the power of culturally responsive pedagogy and anti-racist curriculum in a session that redefines the learning landscape. This workshop is not just about teaching; it’s about sparking a revolution in education. Get ready to uncover an innovative framework for culturally responsive pedagogy. ‘This isn’t boring!’ Overcoming Short Attention Spans with Virtual Programs Presenter: Brandan Adams, The Mariners’ Museum and Park About the presentation: The Education Department at The Mariners’ Museum and Park used the pandemic as a springboard to create virtual programs that cater to a variety of age groups and learning styles. Post-pandemic, our virtual programs continue to be popular with our local and national audience. This session will discuss the multiple ways our interactive virtual programs feature collection artifacts and utilize an interdisciplinary and multimodal approach to teaching science and history through art, dance, math, and abstract thinking. Audience participation is strongly encouraged. Long Overdue: A Chat With Your BFF Presenter: Rebekah Adderley Tarrant County College About the presentation: Let’s talk about your BFF! Black female faculty have the unique experience of navigating race and gender within their respective institutions. This session explores the intersectional experiences of Black female faculty (BFF) and the experiences of Black women in other workspaces. Attendees will learn about intersectionality, microaggressions, microinvalidations, gendered racism, and cultural taxation. Additionally, recommendations will be provided for organizations that seek to strengthen their equity, inclusion, and belonging policies. 2024 Trends in Online Education: Student and Administrator Insights Presenter: Melissa Venable, BestColleges About the presentation: This 10th annual survey project integrates feedback from online program administrators and online students (prospective, current, alumni) collected through two online surveys. This session presents findings related to student demographics, program development and marketing, and student satisfaction. New topics covered this year include: the impact of artificial intelligence, OPM partnerships, and microcredentials. The goal of this long-term initiative is to inform institutional decisions about program design, recruiting, and student support. Attendees are encouraged to share current trends, practices, and experiences in their online programs. Fostering Service and Student Leadership in Online Learning (K-12) Presenter: Kathryn Fishman-Weaver, Ericca Thornhill, Karen Scales, Sherry Denney, Alicia Bixby, Mizzou Academy About the Presentation: In our blended and global school, we often tell K-12 students that they don’t have to wait to start making a difference in their communities. Join us for a panel about instructional and support practices to foster student leadership and agency in online programs. Our experienced panelists will share stories, strategies, and best practices to support students in leveraging their talents around complex local and global issues. Service and community-engaged projects require both skills and content, which will prepare young people not only to be leaders in the future but also to practice leadership in their daily lives. Through this panel, learn with educators who are using online learning tools to foster global cooperation, collaboration, critical thinking, communication across borders, and difference-making. Additional Virtual Conference sessions will include: Now What? How to leverage Instructional Technology to Prepare for the Next Crisis, Hanna Howell, University of North Alabama Performance Based Education (PBE): Foundations, Renee Blackshear, Texas State Technical College Unlocking the Invitational Design Door with AI: Experimentation & Results, Karen Tinsley-Kim and Francisca Yonekura, UCF Center for Distributed Learning For a complete listing of all conference sessions, refer to our online schedule. Become a MEMBER of USDLA Become a SPONSOR of USDLA Higher Education Certification Professional Learning Certification Support USDLA When You Shop @Amazon Smile Thank You to Our National Sponsors Instructure, Google, Verizon, Carolina Distance Learning, Harmonize, IAP, Nearpod, Wolfvision, Anatomage, GoReact, Huddly, InScribe, BocaVox, Softchalk, NC Sara, Simple Syllabus, VDO360, Symbiosis, VirtualCare, Waldorf University, Merlot, Questionmark, Perlego, Padlet, BrightThinker Thank you for supporting USDLA, our Sponsors, and our State Chapters. Chuck Sengstock, President Valary Oleinik, President-elect   About United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) Formed in 1987, USDLA is a 501(c)3 non-profit association formed in 1987. Our weekly newsletters reach more than 100,000 people globally, including our members and sponsors working in industries including pre-K-12 education, homeschooling, higher education, continuing education, corporate, military, government, and telehealth. Our mission is to promote the development and application of distance learning for education, training, advocacy, and networking: USDLA.org USDLA | www.usdla.org

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