May 25, 2023: Don’t miss tomorrow’s Free Friday Webinar

An item from the folks at the USDLA.

5/25: USDLA Brief Happy Thursday, USDLA friends! We are just two months from the start of the USDLA National Conference in July, and today we want to share three more presentations you won’t want to miss! Behind the Scenes: A Look at My Approach to Storyboarding for Gamification with Mallori Steele, Growductive Consulting Implicit Bias and Its Impact on Family Engagement with Yazmin Guevara Alvarez, Founder, Alvarez Consulting & Advocacy Raising equity through multiple means of expression while naturally combatting AI usage with Page Durham, Instructional Support Services and Terri Milroy, Curriculum Designer – Workforce Programs, Germanna Community College, and Alan Manley, Director of Sales, Harmonize Tomorrow: Don’t miss our webinar on the Sound of Conversation in 5 Steps with Pecha Kucha with Kelli Erwin, Director of Education, Learning.com. See details below, and click here to register. If you still need to book your spot at the 2023 USDLA National Conference in Orlando, FL, from July 17-20: Click here to join us! We’ll talk again on Tuesday! — Pat Cassella, USDLA Executive Director Tomorrow’s USDLA FREE FRIDAY WEBINAR May 26, 1-2 pm Eastern Sound of Conversation in 5 Steps with Pecha Kucha Presenter: Dr. Kelli Erwin, Director of Education, Learning.com Session: Pecha Kucha is the sound of conversation. Learn how to use this storytelling tool to help share information or communicate ideas. Pecha Kucha, Mini Pecha Kucha, and Ignite can all be used to get the message across in an organized and succinct way. Each type serves a purpose in delivering a message, sharing a story, and helping an audience to understand. Learn how to create each and experience the value of Pecha Kucha for teaching, learning, and communicating. Participants will be introduced to the three different styles related to Pecha Kucha and how to use these with different audiences. A template to follow will be shared to help guide participants through creating their own Pecha Kucha. In small groups, participants will work together to create then share out their Pecha Kucha. Resources will be provided to help you implement tomorrow. About Dr. Kelli Erwin: With more than 20 years in education as a classroom (K-2), tech apps (K-5) and GT (K-5) teacher, district administrator for instructional technology (K-12), professional development trainer, instructional design manager, and product owner, Kelli has a passion for understanding how we learn, Dr. Erwin keeps her focus on the science behind learning, best practices for pedagogy and andragogy and best practices for delivering virtual and in-person learning opportunities. Her current focus is in the K-12 learning space. Click here to register for the May 26 webinar! Behind the Scenes: A Look at My Approach to Storyboarding for Gamification Presenter: Mallori Steele, Growductive Consulting Session: Take an exclusive peek into Mallori’s approach to storyboarding for gamification as she reveals her strategy for crafting a storyboard for an engaging and immersive gamified experience. Deep dive into her creative process, you’ll gain valuable insights on how to keep storyboards coherent and well-structured while discovering effective techniques for using them to build captivating gameplay experiences. By the end of this session, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and skills to leverage the power of storyboarding to enhance your game design skills and create more dynamic and entertaining learning experiences. So, if you’re ready to level up your game design expertise, join Mallori and unlock the secrets of successful gamification with storyboarding. Implicit Bias and Its Impact on Family Engagement Presenter: Yazmin Guevara Alvarez, Founder, Alvarez Consulting & Advocacy Session: Participants will explore implicit bias and how it can affect family engagement. Participants will explore the importance of family engagement and awareness of expectations. Participants will learn strategies to counter implicit bias and way to build sustaining relationships with families. The goal is to become aware and to challenge individual assumptions. Raising equity through multiple means of expression while naturally combatting AI usage Presenters: Page Durham, Instructional Support Services and Terri Milroy, Curriculum Designer – Workforce Programs, Germanna Community College, and Alan Manley, Director of Sales, Harmonize Session: Hear how Germanna Community College is focused on encouraging different modes of expression in music and Government courses to make their students more comfortable engaging with the content and getting their ideas out without worrying as much about grammar anxiety and being judged for their writing skills. A more recent benefit of this structured open expression is that it naturally sidesteps the worry about AI writing in the classroom. We’ll see you in Orlando in July! 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 D2L, Instructure, JDL Horizons,  Poly,  TSU,  TEDU, Verizon, Edu Alliance Group, Harmonize, FDLA, IAP, IPX, Nearpod, ViewSonic, Wolfvision, Yellowdig, Anatomage,  Arizona Telemedicine Program and Southwest Telehealth Resource Center, Huddly, Softchalk, NC Sara, Proctorio, Simple Syllabus, VDO360,  VirtualCare, Waldorf University, XanEdu, Merlot, IntelliBoard, FlexPoint, Logitech, Skills Commons, BocaVox, PIP, Upswing, Yahama Unified Communications, Thank you for supporting USDLA, our Sponsors, and our State Chapters. Eric Jones, President Chuck Sengstock, President-elect   About United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) The USDLA, a 501(c) 3 non-profit association formed in 1987, reaches 20,000 people globally with sponsors and members operating in and influencing 46% of the $913 billion. U.S. education and training market. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking, and opportunity. Distance learning and training constituencies served include pre-K-12 education, home schooling, higher education, and continuing education, as well as business, corporate, military, government, and telehealth markets. Visit USDLA.org USDLA | www.usdla.org

USDLA | 10 G Street, NE, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20002

May 23, 2023: In Honor of Mental Health Month Emily Petitt shares information from her webinar, “Partnering to Care for the Well-Being Needs of Your Campus Community”

An item from the folks at the USDLA.

5/23: USDLA News Good morning, friends! May is National Mental Health Awareness Month — a time to raise awareness of those living with mental or behavioral health issues and help reduce the stigma many experience. Hospitals and health systems play an important role in providing behavioral health care and helping patients find resources available in their community, as do educational organizations. “Started by the by the Mental Health America, Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in May in the United States since 1949,” explains Emily Petitt, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, The Virtual Care Group, who provided a Free Friday Webinar on May 12, entitled, “Partnering to Care for the Well-Being Needs of Your Campus Community.” It was such a powerful presentation that we asked Emily to write an article on the topic. See that below. Click here to watch Emily’s webinar (free for 30 days). And click here to learn more about Mental Health Awareness Month. Stay tuned for more: In our Thursday USDLA Brief, we’ll share more Free Friday Webinars and a handful of presenters you won’t want to miss at our National Conference July 17-20 in Orlando, FL. Sign up here: usdla.org/2023-national-conference/ In the meantime: More great webinars Wednesday, May 24, 1 pm Central: Please check out tomorrow’s webinar on Open Science with our sponsor EDEN NAP. Click here for details and to register. Wednesday, May 24 and Thursday, May 25: Logitech presents the “Unlocking the Power of Flexible Work.” Click here to register. Friday, May 26, 1 pm Eastern: USDLA Free Friday Webinar, “Sound of Conversation in 5 Steps with Pecha Kucha” with Kelli Erwin, Director of Education at Learning.com. Wishing you all good mental health and well-being. — The USDLA Communications Committee A Note from Emily Petitt, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, The Virtual Care Group I served on the Student Services front line for 25 years at 2yr, 4yr, public and private institutions, most recently as the Associate Vice President for Student Success and Title IX Coordinator. In these roles, my greatest concern was always about the success of my students and the resulting retention and graduation rates. The concern for the well-being of my students worried me the most and kept me up at night! I know that for many students, their success is less about what happens in the classroom and more about life outside the classroom and the competing responsibilities they may have. The top two reasons my students paused their education or “stopped out” were financial and mental/physical health. As the AVP for Student Success, I partnered with The Virtual Care Group to address both issues by adding unlimited virtual urgent care, counseling, crisis counseling, and life coaching services. This gave me peace of mind in an uncertain world where my students were supported 24/7 with a sustainable well-being solution.   Caring for student well-being was such a passion for me. I joined The Virtual Care Group to serve as a solution partner to other “Emilys” across the nation. Thank you for the work you do every day to help your college students achieve their educational goals! Based on my webinar, I hope the following information will provide insight. Partnering to Care for the Well-Being Needs of Your Campus Community By Emily Petitt, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, The Virtual Care Group   Addressing collegiate mental health needs has become critical for Higher Education professionals. According to recent studies, approximately one in four college students experiences a mental health disorder. Conditions such as anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders are among the most common challenges students face. Factors contributing to these issues include academic pressures, social isolation, financial strain, the transition from adolescence to adulthood, and the lingering impacts of a global pandemic. The Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (above), conducted in the Fall semester of 2022, shows the distress level among entering college students from residual pandemic impacts. Shockingly, almost 50% of students surveyed reported mental/emotional exhaustion as they began their collegiate educational journey. Will they have the resilience to manage normal, expected college stressors if they are exhausted? The increase in student well-being places pressure on both fiscal and human resources as student-facing staff and faculty grapple with the complexities of complicated sustainable solutions. As you can see from the graphic (right): Students experiencing mental health issues may find it challenging to concentrate, retain information, meet deadlines, and suffer from pervasive procrastination. This can lead to declining grades, academic probation, and stop-outs which could become dropouts. Gallup and Lumina surveyed cross-comparison of enrolled, not currently enrolled, and never enrolled adults across the US.  With 41% of students polled having considered stopping coursework in the past six months, the need to support retaining students may be more urgent than ever. Additional data from this survey show 69% of students noting emotional stress as a cause for stopping out. Combined with the broadly anticipated decline in the number of students attending college over the next decade, are a call to action. Institutions must seek solutions to retain students. A compounding factor in supporting student well-being is ensuring access and equity among an increasingly diverse student population. Traditional-age student populations expect individualized, on-demand, easily accessible access to services to support their educational journey. These incoming students also represent the historically most diverse population of learners to attend higher education institutions, noted, for example, by increased numbers of BIPOC students, First Generation College Students, and students who identify as part of the LGBTQ community. The onus is on the institution to provide equally diverse and accessible support services for its student population. The Jed Foundation is a nonprofit organization that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults nationwide. The graphic, right, summarizes the latest CDC data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and the data are alarming. In aggregate data among our nationwide campus partners, we have been able to help colleges care for their students. Students using The Virtual Care Group Services most frequently contact us on evenings and weekends, and 54% report an improved ability to remain enrolled in school after ONE session! Additionally, our telehealth services reach students who are not otherwise being served by institution services, as 84% report they have not sought services on campus. As campuses grapple with establishing a comprehensive care model, telehealth partnerships are increasingly a part of sustainability planning. Collegiate mental health needs should be recognized as a critical priority within higher education. Partnerships, both internally and externally, are essential to meet this demand. Internal partnerships showcase a campus-wide responsibility and care for the student. External partnerships can leverage expertise, and accessibility (24/7, diverse practitioners) and offer affordable, customizable options versus simply adding staff to the payroll. By investing in mental health services, creating a supportive campus environment, and fostering collaboration, educational institutions can empower students to navigate the challenges of college life while maintaining their mental well-being.   With concerted efforts and a holistic approach, colleges can play a transformative role in shaping a generation of mentally resilient and successful individuals while retaining their community of learners. If you missed it: Check out Emily’s webinar here: usdla-org/zoom Topic: Partnering to Care for the Well-Being Needs of Your Campus Community Presenter: Emily Pettit, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, The Virtual Care Group Session: Almost 50% of 2022 entering college students report being “Mentally Exhausted” (BCSSE, 2022) as they begin college. With the increase in student need running head first into the employee Great Resignation/Quiet Quitting, sustainable solutions are complicated. This session will highlight the national data on campus wellness, review a telehealth partnership case study and share some resources for caring for your campus community. About Emily: I have served on the Student Services frontline for 25 years at 2-the and 4-year institutions, most recently as the Associate Vice President for Student Success and Title IX Coordinator at a university in Georgia. Using my degrees in Psychology and Counseling, I have enjoyed developing and implementing initiatives supporting student success – carefully attending to wellness and retention concerns. As the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at the Virtual Care Group, I shift my care and concern for students from the micro level (on campus) to the macro level (supporting colleges nationally) to focus on the well-being of ALL college students. Click here to learn more about Virtual Care: Telehealth for Higher Ed. 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 D2L, Instructure, JDL Horizons,  Poly,  TSU,  TEDU, Verizon, Edu Alliance Group, Harmonize, FDLA, IAP, IPX, Nearpod, ViewSonic, Wolfvision, Yellowdig, Anatomage,  Arizona Telemedicine Program and Southwest Telehealth Resource Center, Huddly, Softchalk, NC Sara, Proctorio, Simple Syllabus, VDO360,  VirtualCare, Waldorf University, XanEdu, Merlot, IntelliBoard, FlexPoint, Logitech, Skills Commons, BocaVox, PIP, Upswing, Yahama Unified Communications, Thank you for supporting USDLA, our Sponsors, and our State Chapters. Eric Jones, President Chuck Sengstock, President-elect   About United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) The USDLA, a 501(c) 3 non-profit association formed in 1987, reaches 20,000 people globally with sponsors and members operating in and influencing 46% of the $913 billion. U.S. education and training market. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking, and opportunity. Distance learning and training constituencies served include pre-K-12 education, home schooling, higher education, and continuing education, as well as business, corporate, military, government, and telehealth markets. Visit USDLA.org USDLA | www.usdla.org

USDLA | 10 G Street, NE, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20002

May 18: Meet 3 more presenters you won’t want to miss at the July conference

An item from the folks at the USDLA.

5/18: USDLA Brief Happy Thursday, USDLA friends! We are just two months from the start of the USDLA National Conference in July, and today we want to share three more presentations you won’t want to miss! Novel distance learning partnerships to reduce health disparities and promote early/post-secondary health care careers with Erica Bell, Director of Regional Centers and Online Programs, University of Tennessee at Martin and Jacen Moore, Assistant Professor of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center Engage Learners Everywhere with Nearpod with Kevin Pridemore, Nearpod Higher-Education Partnerships Esports: the new frontier of engagement and competition with David Palmer, Esports head coach/teacher, Twin Falls School District If you still need to book your spot at the 2023 USDLA National Conference in Orlando, FL, from July 17-20: Click here to join us! We’ll talk again on Tuesday! — Valary Oleinik, chair, USDLA National Conference 2023 Novel distance learning partnerships to reduce health disparities and promote early/post-secondary health care careers. Presenters: Erica Bell, Director of Regional Centers and Online Programs, University of Tennessee at Martin and Jacen Moore, Assistant Professor of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center Session: Health care and education in rural communities were social determinants significantly impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. These communities continue to experience substantial challenges regarding healthcare access and inadequate college and career preparation for secondary students. To address these challenges, the University of Tennessee campuses at Martin (UTM) and the Health Science Center (UTHSC) in Memphis developed a partnership to offer a diverse array of health education programming designed to reduce health disparities and increase academic learning experiences throughout rural West Tennessee using distance learning (DL) technology. Supported by grant funding from the Rural Utilities Service – Distance Learning Technology (RUS-DLT) program, five rural high schools, four rural off-campus sites, UTM, and UTHSC received new DL technology and telehealth carts to provide these opportunities. The collaboration is creating and providing content with ancillary health benefits that address issues such as substance abuse and telemedicine awareness. Coupled with an NIH R25 Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA), new DL-based dual enrollment courses, STEM-based laboratory experiences, data and laboratory science training for high school students, health informatics and medical laboratory science career information and guidance, summer enrichment activities, and professional development opportunities for regional K-12 educators and administrators are in process. Engage Learners Everywhere with Nearpod Presenter: Kevin Pridemore, Nearpod Higher-Education Partnerships Session: Join Kevin for a fun and interactive experience. We will take a field trip, get instant feedback from our group, and even race for the fastest correct answers, all within the simple Nearpod format.” Audience members can all participate by bringing an internet-capable device (like a phone). We will use these devices to gather real-time data through formative assessments in various assessment types. Attendees will leave able to create a custom presentation. Esports: The New Frontier of Engagement and Competition Presenter: David Palmer, Esports head coach/teacher, Twin Falls School District Session: Designed to illuminate the benefits of an esports program in a school setting, this session will be beneficial whether your organization is brick-and-mortar, hybrid, or virtual. Esports provides a platform for student engagement, SEL fundamentals, leadership growth, and relationship development. As distance learning opportunities continue to open the world to students, esports gains traction in schools nationwide. Discover how esports can help give marginalized student groups a place to belong. Find ways to incorporate elements of the esports ecosystem into any school setting to help reach students in a new and novel way. 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 D2L, Instructure, JDL Horizons,  Poly,  TSU,  TEDU, Verizon, Edu Alliance Group, Harmonize, FDLA, IAP, IPX, Nearpod, ViewSonic, Wolfvision, Yellowdig, Anatomage,  Arizona Telemedicine Program and Southwest Telehealth Resource Center, Huddly, NC Sara, Proctorio, Simple Syllabus, VDO360,  VirtualCare, Waldorf University, XanEdu, Merlot, IntelliBoard, FlexPoint, Logitech, Skills Commons, BocaVox, PIP, Upswing, Yahama Unified Communications, Thank you for supporting USDLA, our Sponsors, and our State Chapters. Eric Jones, President Chuck Sengstock, President-elect   About United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) The USDLA, a 501(c) 3 non-profit association formed in 1987, reaches 20,000 people globally with sponsors and members operating in and influencing 46% of the $913 billion. U.S. education and training market. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking, and opportunity. Distance learning and training constituencies served include pre-K-12 education, home schooling, higher education, and continuing education, as well as business, corporate, military, government, and telehealth markets. Visit USDLA.org USDLA | www.usdla.org

USDLA | 10 G Street, NE, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20002

May 16, 2023: Save the date for these upcoming USDLA Free Friday Webinars

An item from the folks at the USDLA.

5/16: Welcome to this week’s USDLA News Hello USDLA friends! One of our favorite events is the USDLA Free Friday Webinar series from 1-2 pm Eastern time. Scroll down to meet our presenters, and mark your calendar for dates: May 26, 2023: Sound of Conversation in 5 Steps with Pecha Kucha, presented by Kelli Erwin, Sr. Instructional Design Manager June 2, 2023 Tech + SEL = DigiCit, presented by Seth Fleischauer, President, and Courtney Dayhuff, Director of Curriculum, Banyan Global Learning June 9, 2023: Onboarding — It’s More than 1-N-Done for Success, presented by Bill Ryan, Founder & Principal Consultant, Ryan Consulting, LLC If you haven’t already booked your spot at the 2023 USDLA National Conference in Orlando, FL, on July 17-20: Click here to join us! Awards Celebration: Be sure to join us on Wednesday July 19th as we present the 2023 USDLA awards during our national conference. There will be dinner, dancing and delightfulness for all! Simply select the awards dinner option when you register for the conference. We’ll talk again on Thursday: We’ll introduce you to more of our conference presenters. Until then, have a great week! — Valary Oleinik, webinar organizer and chair, USDLA National Conference 2023 May 26, 1-2 pm Eastern Sound of Conversation in 5 Steps with Pecha Kucha Presenter: Kelli Erwin, Sr. Instructional Design Manager at Learning.com Session: Pecha Kucha is the sound of conversation. Learn how to use this storytelling tool to help share information or communicate ideas. Pecha Kucha, Mini Pecha Kucha, and Ignite can all be used to get the message across in an organized and succinct way. Each type serves a purpose in delivering a message, sharing a story, and helping an audience to understand. Learn how to create each and experience the value of Pecha Kucha for teaching, learning, and communicating. Participants will be introduced to the three different styles related to Pecha Kucha and how to use these with different audiences. A template to follow will be shared to help guide participants through creating their own Pecha Kucha. In small groups, participants will work together to create then share out their Pecha Kucha. Resources will be provided to help you implement tomorrow. About Dr. Kelli Erwin: With more than 20 years in education as a classroom (K-2), tech apps (K-5) and GT (K-5) teacher, district administrator for instructional technology (K-12), professional development trainer, instructional design manager, and product owner, Kelli has a passion for understanding how we learn, Dr. Erwin keeps her focus on the science behind learning, best practices for pedagogy and andragogy and best practices for delivering virtual and in-person learning opportunities. Her current focus is in the K-12 learning space. Click here to register for the May 26 webinar! June 2, 2023, 1-2 pm Eastern Tech + SEL = DigiCit Presenters: Seth Fleischauer, President, and Courtney Dayhuff, Director of Curriculum, Banyan Global Learning Session: Today’s youth average 6.5 hours per day of screen time. They are effectively citizens of two worlds — the flesh and blood and virtual worlds. As tech makes the world smaller, creating a culture of belonging is more important than ever. In addition to course and skill-specific content, educators must prepare students for responsible citizenship in both worlds. Self-awareness and relationship skills are as important in the virtual world as IRL. Educators are responsible for furthering the whole child’s development in both worlds. SEL and technology can combine to foster good citizenship in both. Content-driven, tech-infused classrooms often pose challenges to regularly incorporating SEL into the curriculum. Participants will have opportunities to discuss their successes and challenges. Presenters will share research-informed ways, methods, and best practices they use to leverage technology to help students develop social-emotional skills and become responsible digital and real-world citizens. This interactive session will allow participants to practice some of these methods. Learn more at banyangloballearning.com/project. About Seth Fleischauer: A graduate of Princeton University, Queens College School of Education, and the New York City Teaching Fellows Program, Seth taught in NYC public schools before founding Banyan Global Learning in 2008 and establishing its unique distance learning model. Seth lives in Portland, OR but still loves the New York Mets. About Courtney Dayhuff: Since earning a degree in Multilingual/Multicultural Education from Arizona State University, Courtney has worked in ESL/EFL classrooms in the U.S., Costa Rica, Taiwan, and China. She oversees Banyan Global Learning’s unique daily transpacific distance learning program (Learning Live), including facilitating feelings-forward international student collaborations. When not in the classroom, Courtney enjoys playing music, traveling, adventurous outdoor activities, and time spent with family, friends, and her dog Wallace. Click here to register for the June 2 webinar! June 9, 2023, 1-2pm ET Onboarding: It’s more than 1-n-done for success Presenter: Bill Ryan, Founder & Principal Consultant, Ryan Consulting, LLC Session: Remember your first day at the new job? Remember the data dump of benefits, medical plans, payroll and tax forms, CEO’s video, and amazing day, right? And then the email was working, your supervisor’s ready to talk and get you oriented to everything, right? With the transition to a remote workforce, this is the opportunity to reach out and begin the process by engaging the person in advance of their start date, whether they’re new or an existing employee moving to a new role. A structured onboarding program is key to the person’s long-term success and involves a strategic long-term plan. In this session I will share a process that combines tactical training targeted around the needs of the role using the 4 ‘C’s’ +1 model that centers on constant communication, feedback, and performance measurement – all factors that impact employee retention and engagement. We’ll explore the employee lifecycle for mentoring and development and how connecting people together builds the internal network and supports collaboration. Onboarding is more than a 1 and done session, it’s a process that prepares people to be successful for the long-term performance. About William J. Ryan, Ph.D.: The Founder & Principal Consultant with Ryan Consulting, LLC, Bill uses learning as a strategic business tool to develop and impact people to improve retention, engagement, and performance. He has a demonstrated record of corporate and industrial management experience leading performance support and instructional design teams globally, including government (Dept. of Energy), high technology (IBM & Westinghouse), and health-related industries such as home health care and insurance (Humana). Recent client work included developing a strategy on a page (SOAP) as well as a leadership development plan for a national financial firm, a comprehensive talent staffing and development plan for a manufacturing concern, an implementation strategy for a Hiring for Competency model used by the National Retail Services, and a state initiative focused on workforce development helping businesses retain and develop employees. Additional work has supported a nationwide clinical start-up focused on improved neonatal techniques for clinicians and a blended leadership and coaching program for a multi-state manufacturing concern. Bill holds an M.S. from Ithaca College focused on Instructional Design and a Ph.D. in Computing Technology in Education from Nova Southeastern University. For more information, please visit www.williamjryan.com, send an email to bill@williamjryan.com, or call (502) 797-2479. Bill is active on switter (@WmJRyan) or welcomes connections on LinkedIn. Click here to register for the June 9 webinar! 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 D2L, Instructure, JDL Horizons,  Poly,  TSU,  TEDU, Verizon, Edu Alliance Group, Harmonize, FDLA, IAP, IPX, Nearpod, ViewSonic, Wolfvision, Yellowdig, Anatomage,  Arizona Telemedicine Program and Southwest Telehealth Resource Center, Huddly, NC Sara, Proctorio, Simple Syllabus, VDO360,  VirtualCare, Waldorf University, XanEdu, Merlot, IntelliBoard, FlexPoint, Logitech, Skills Commons, BocaVox, PIP, Upswing, Yahama Unified Communications, Thank you for supporting USDLA, our Sponsors, and our State Chapters. Eric Jones, President Chuck Sengstock, President-elect   About United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) The USDLA, a 501(c) 3 non-profit association formed in 1987, reaches 20,000 people globally with sponsors and members operating in and influencing 46% of the $913 billion. U.S. education and training market. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking, and opportunity. Distance learning and training constituencies served include pre-K-12 education, home schooling, higher education, and continuing education, as well as business, corporate, military, government, and telehealth markets. Visit USDLA.org USDLA | www.usdla.org

USDLA | 10 G Street, NE, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20002

May 11, 2023: Don’t miss these presenters at the USDLA National Conference

An item from the folks at the USDLA.

5/11: Welcome to this week’s USDLA Brief Hello USDLA friends! In this week’s Brief: We share information about two amazing presentations that will be featured at the 2023 USDLA National Conference in Orlando, FL, on July 17-20. Click here to join us! Scroll down to learn: Chat GPT is Great for Higher Education: Techniques to Improve Online Programs and Team Efficiency with presenter Joseph Evanick, Director, Graduate Instructional Design, Geisinger College of Health Sciences It Ain’t Wrong to Say with presenter Gabriela Johnson, Academic Program Coordinator, Walden University If you missed it: We are thrilled to announce our International Distance Learning Award Winners! Click here to read our official press release. (Correction: Rising Star Winner Meina Zhu is currently with Wayne State University not Indiana University as noted in the release) And be sure to attend tomorrow’s USDLA Free Friday Webinar: Partnering to Care for the Well-Being Needs of your Campus Community, presented by Emily Pettit, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, The Virtual Care Group. Scroll down for details, and click here to register. We’ll talk again next Tuesday in our USDLA News of the Week! — Valary Oleinik, chair, USDLA National Conference 2023 USDLA National Conference Presentation: Chat GPT is Great for Higher Education; Techniques to Improve Online Programs and Team Efficiency Presenter: Joseph Evanick, Director, Graduate Instructional Design, Geisinger College of Health Sciences Session: Chat GPT has taken higher education by storm, frightening many educators and administrators. Rather than ban the tool, we should use it to our advantage. Chat GPT is excellent for higher education in multiple ways. It can improve our online programs and enhance our team’s efficiency. The launch of Chat GPT has many higher education administrators and educators concerned, but they shouldn’t be. Courses must be updated if this technology allows students to cheat on assignments or exams. Institutions should fully move away from the old days of lecture-driven education assessed by essays or multiple choice exams, which have been out-of-date for a while, and there are far more effective alternatives. One opportunity is to implement active learning in courses. Instructional design teams can also use Chat GPT to improve efficiency in several ways. Chat GPT can quickly develop scenario-based learning assignments such as case studies. Chat GPT can also be used to write learning objectives. Anything generated by Chat GPT will surely need to be checked for quality; it could be better, but fixing Chat GPT’s mistakes is often much quicker than creating case studies or learning objectives from scratch. As we move into the future and Chat GPT becomes more robust, its uses will only expand within higher education and instructional design. Don’t miss it: Click here to view the conference schedule. USDLA National Conference Presentation: It Ain’t Wrong to Say Presenter: Gabriela Johnson, Academic Program Coordinator, Walden University Session: Standard English (SE) is one of many dialects of English in the USA, each with complex grammar rules. Historically, however, a lack of mastery of SE has been seen as a deficit in education or, worse, in intelligence. In academia, this misconception has translated into evaluating tools like rubrics so that students who have had little or no experience practicing SE and who then understandably struggle with the scholarly version of SE: Standard Academic English (SAE) can be penalized excessively. A student’s cultural language cannot be separated from their identity, and it can allow them to communicate meaningfully and effectively. Yet, in higher education, the uncritical promotion of SAE can marginalize students, especially students of color and multilingual students. The focus on mechanics over meaning unduly burdens student learning, particularly in undergraduate programs. SAE should be taught and framed as an academic and professional tool. Written demonstration of critical thinking skills, mastery of content, consideration of audience, and ability to express ideas clearly should supersede close adherence to SAE in students’ evaluations. This presentation will discuss linguistic diversity, how it celebrates students’ linguistic variants, and how it can help faculty practice equity and compassion in their classrooms. Don’t miss it: Click here to view the conference schedule. USDLA FREE FRIDAY WEBINAR: May 12, 2023 • 1-2 pm ET Topic: Partnering to Care for the Well-Being Needs of Your Campus Community Presenter: Emily Pettit, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, The Virtual Care Group Session: Almost 50% of 2022 entering college students report being “Mentally Exhausted” (BCSSE, 2022) as they begin college. With the increase in student need running head first into the employee Great Resignation/Quiet Quitting, sustainable solutions are complicated. This session will highlight the national data on campus wellness, review a telehealth partnership case study and share some resources for caring for your campus community. About Emily: I have served on the Student Services frontline for 25 years at 2-the and 4-year institutions, most recently as the Associate Vice President for Student Success and Title IX Coordinator at a university in Georgia. Using my degrees in Psychology and Counseling, I have enjoyed developing and implementing initiatives supporting student success – carefully attending to wellness and retention concerns. As the new Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at the Virtual Care Group, I shift my care and concern for students from the micro level (on campus) to the macro level (supporting colleges nationally) to focus on the well-being of ALL college students. Click here to register! 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U.S. education and training market. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking, and opportunity. Distance learning and training constituencies served include pre-K-12 education, home schooling, higher education, and continuing education, as well as business, corporate, military, government, and telehealth markets. Visit USDLA.org USDLA | www.usdla.org

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