Good Practices in Online Teaching from Those Who Wrote the Books

Tony Bates

Author

The author of multiple books on educational technology, online, and distance learning, Tony’s most recent work is Teaching in a Digital Age. A lifelong educator in the United Kingdom and British Columbia, Canada, Tony has been at the forefront of education technology and the development of online coursework. He has also worked as a consultant, specializing in advising universities, colleges, and government agencies on strategies for online and blended learning. In this role, Tony worked with more than 50 universities and colleges, and several governmental agencies, in Canada, the USA, and Europe, and has consulted worldwide with the World Bank, UNESCO, and the OECD.

Shannon Riggs

Associate Vice Provost of Educational Programs and Learning Innovation, Oregon State University

shannon.riggs@oregonstate.edu

@ShannonRiggsLinkedIn Profile

Shannon Riggs serves as associate vice provost of educational programs and learning innovation for Oregon State University in the Division of Educational Ventures. Shannon is responsible for strategically expanding educational programs and credentials across Oregon State’s campuses and education platforms, including online degree programs and shorter-term alternative credentials. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Quality Matters and is the past chair of the WCET Steering Committee.

Russ Poulin

Executive Director, WCET & Vice President for Technology-Enhanced Education, WICHE (retired)

303-541-0305rpoulin@wiche.edu

LinkedIn Profile

Russ Poulin retired as the executive director for WCET in December 2024. He led the team’s work in supporting the efforts of postsecondary institutions from all 50 states with a focus on the policy and practice of digital learning. Russ was and continues to be a highly sought-after expert and leader regarding policy issues for distance education and on-campus uses of educational technologies. As WICHE vice president for technology-enhanced education, he advised on policy and projects for the regional higher education compact. Russ’s commitment to the field is continually noted, and he was honored to have represented the distance education community on federal negotiated rulemaking committees and subcommittees. Russ has received recognition from the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), the Presidents’ Forum, Excelsior College, and the National University Technology Network (NUTN) for his contributions to postsecondary digital education and educational policy.

Russ received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Denver and holds a master’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado. For no discernible reason, Russ also writes movie reviews for WCET members. As a movie enthusiast, Russ is most fascinated with characters and plots that surprise him. In addition, Russ is a recovering trivia guy who is also partial to cats and his wife, Laurie.