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Event

Postcards from Long Beach – Takeaways from WCET 2024

Photo of a small lake set against a green lawn with palm trees. The sky is very foggy.
View from the conference hotel. Yes, it was foggy. Every morning.

Welcome to Frontiers! It’s getting colder on my side of the country, so I’m fondly thinking of our week in CA earlier this month.

Today, I’m sending you all the sandy, sunshine-filled highlights from WCET’s 36th Annual Meeting! Picture this: Nearly 300 digital learning enthusiasts swapping tales of AI adventures, chatting about accessibility, and finding the best culinary options Long Beach offers! From impromptu beachside brainstorms to deep dives into student success, this year’s event was a fun ride through the latest in higher ed digital learning policy and practice. So, grab your shades and settle in for a postcard-perfect recap of WCET 2024!

The most trending topics presented this year included:

  1. Generative AI in Higher Education – Discussing ethical use, inclusion, and innovative applications of AI in digital learning.
  2. Student Success and Digital Equity – Strategies for fostering first-year persistence, student affordability, and support for underrepresented learners. Our fantastic keynote, Marina Aminy, Executive Director of the California Virtual Campus,  highlighted students’ lived experiences. Her unique perspective, gathered from her own higher education journey, plus those as a parent to a college student, made the message about the challenges students face and what we can do to support them genuine and practical. I especially appreciated the discussion on transcripts and the vast and unnecessary barrier this is to student success. Thank you, Marina!
  3. Compliance and Regulation Updates – New DOJ accessibility guidelines, federal policy updates, and implications for online education.
  4. Digital Transformation – Exploring effective strategies for LMS selection, online quality frameworks, and digital fluency.

Exciting Moments

Photo of Luke Dowden and Russ Poulin holding award plaques in front of a blue curtain.
Luke Dowden and Russ Poulin accept the Richard Jonsen/ Mollie McGill Award

This year, we shined a well-deserved spotlight on Russ Poulin, our fearless Executive Director, who will retire at the end of the year.

From surprise awards to fun treats and even more memorable photo ops, we cherished the opportunity to celebrate Russ and express our gratitude for his remarkable dedication to the higher education community.

We also honored this year’s WCET Award Recipients at the annual WCET Awards Lunch and Program.

We’re proud to showcase these outstanding individuals, initiatives, and institutions that are driving innovation, advancing student success, and shaping the future of digital learning in higher education.

Learn more about all of our awards and the 2024 recipients on our Awards page.

Voices from the Field

This year’s Annual Meeting attendees joined us from around the country to explore the latest advancements in digital learning, navigate the evolving regulatory landscape, and network with the outstanding WCET community. Here is what some of our attendees had to say about this year’s conference:

Grid of quotes from the Annual Meeting. All text included in list below image.
  • “The informal networking that occurs throughout the meeting is one of the most valuable aspects of the annual meeting but there were great sessions right through to the end. I liked the different tracks so I could easily see the sessions that were most relevant for me.”
  • “I am beyond thankful for the great work of the WCET team in putting together this annual meeting. This was a great opportunity to learn, network, and gather valuable input and resources. The layout of the event was great in terms of sessions, organization, flow, and scheduling. The whole WCET team was welcoming. The mobile app was very user-friendly and I am glad that it had the sessions, time, location, and all the relevant information all in one place. The food was great. All the sessions added value to my experience. I got to network in a way that was meaningful and valuable. I met great people and made connections. I would recommend this event to others. I joined last year and this year was my second time attending. This has become my go-to annual meeting and has helped improve my professional development. I always learn something new and get to take home valuable resources.”
  • “I really liked the opening keynote speaker – she was thought-provoking and engaging.”
  • “#freethetranscript”
  • “The people! Everyone is so friendly, helpful and impressive with their work!!!”
  • “The people. I met so many great people.”
  • “Being in community with practitioners. I just love the community vibe of the annual meeting. No other conference achieved the “closer conversations” and feeling of closeness that I experienced at WCET.”

We “heard” your suggestions for improvements too! Here are some of the improvements you requested:

  • More snacks, coffee, and black tea!
  • Tracks for specific levels of expertise and role types.
  • Larger rooms for the more popular topics.
  • Re-structure the expert library and keep it for next year.

We are already using your feedback to help us plan and prepare for WCET 2025!

Actionable Strategies

While I didn’t get to attend as many breakout sessions as I wanted, I’ve heard many compliments for our speakers this year! Kudos! However, I gathered some ideas that resonated with me as essential steps to consider now that we are all back home.

  • Create an AI Ethics Statement aligned with your institution’s mission, vision, and values. The statement should consider transparency, justice, fairness, equity, non-maleficence, responsibility and accountability, privacy, and accessibility.
  • #FreetheTranscript!
  • Digital learning practices that embrace culturally responsive teaching and prioritize humanizing the student experience can directly influence student success. When we meet students’ needs beyond the classroom, we positively impact their in-class performance. Digital learning empowers faculty to tailor instruction to diverse needs, foster collaborative learning, and provide more accessible student support.
  • Updates to Title II of the ADA establish requirements for digital, web, and application accessibility for public entities. These entities must comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards for services, programs, and activities. If you have not already, it’s time to plan for compliance with these requirements.

Continuing the Conversation

At the end of the conference, Russ had us all fill out some WCET postcards with our takeaways from the meeting. WCET will mail those out to those who completed one so you can remind yourself about what you learned and what next steps you will take. As always, we want you to have the necessary resources to take those actionable steps toward student success and digital learning improvement. Here are some of our recommendations:

  • WCET Practice Page on Artificial Intelligence (includes links for member-only and open resources).
  • Caring for the Whole Student – report from Every Learner Everywhere on how faculty and staff can address student mental health.
  • WCET Policy Resources—This page includes all of our policy work, including resources on Regular and Substantive Interaction, State Authorization, Professional Licensure, Digital Accessibility, and more.
  • The State Authorization Network (SAN) is a devoted team that supports those navigating state and federal regulatory compliance in higher education.
  • WCET Frontiers – my shameless plug to check out other blogs here on Frontiers, plus subscribe to receive notifications of new posts. We’ve got articles from our talented staff, plus guest posts from outstanding practitioners and experts in digital learning and higher education.

Finally, pencil in WCET 2025 now (or, really, just add it to your online calendar)! Next year’s event in Denver, CO, will be held October 21 – 23, 2025, and bookended by the annual SAN Coordinator Meeting and Gathering and the Annual Summit for Women in eLearning (ASWE).

Save the dates and keep a look out for more information coming soon – like the call for proposals, which opens in March.


Categories
Practice

Bridging the Distance: How AI Helps Educators Connect with Students in Washington and Arizona

Digital Learning technologies can foster meaningful engagement even at a distance. New approaches in Washington and Arizona show how AI can help support distance education students. These tools help schools provide personalized, timely communication. AI-driven initiatives like Washington’s OTTERS project and Arizona’s Ask Benji make students feel more connected and supported. We are happy to welcome Jason Fife from Mainstay to discuss these initiatives. Thank you to Jason and these project teams for sharing your work!

Enjoy the read and enjoy your day,

Lindsey Downs, WCET


The Challenge of Engagement in Distance Education

One of the greatest challenges for educators and institutions committed to distance learning is fostering meaningful engagement with students who may never set foot on campus. The difficulty of reaching learners across distances—both physical and personal—has been a long-standing issue in higher education. For institutions focused on distance education, establishing meaningful engagement can feel like an uphill battle. Students often struggle to feel connected and supported when their interactions with institutions are largely remote. The stakes are even higher for students navigating complex processes like financial aid and college enrollment, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds who may lack the support systems of their peers.

However, recent initiatives in Washington and Arizona demonstrate how AI, often viewed as a tool for efficiency, can actually be a bridge to deeper, more personal connections with students.

The OTTERS Project: Using AI to Address Student Needs

At the forefront of tackling this issue is the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), in collaboration with MDRC and Mainstay, through the OTTERS project (Optimizing Texting Technology through Engagement Research with Students). The initiative, funded by the Capital One Foundation, seeks to leverage AI-powered messaging to support students during critical stages of their educational journey. The goal of this project is to close information gaps that prevent Washington students from successfully enrolling in college or completing their financial aid applications through the delivery of personalized, timely messages.

Washington’s OtterBot: Personalized Support at Scale

In Washington, the OTTERS project focused on identifying barriers that students face when completing key tasks like FAFSA submissions. The overall FAFSA completion results were telling: only 39% of college-bound students submitted their FAFSA forms without errors, and only 41% successfully transitioned to postsecondary education. The data also revealed significant equity gaps—students from lower-income families and first-generation college applicants were particularly affected.

To address these challenges, the WSAC team implemented OtterBot, an AI-powered platform designed to communicate with students at scale. The messages, refined through A/B testing and insights from behavioral science, were personalized and contextually relevant. These changes paid off—students from rural areas and those with lower GPAs engaged more frequently, and opt-out rates dropped. The ability to tailor communication to each student’s needs showed how AI can be a powerful tool for supporting students remotely, particularly those who are hardest to reach.

alternative messaging led to higher response rates

students with alternative messaging responded at a higher rate versus those who received standard messaging

Arizona’s Ask Benji: Early Interventions for Lasting Impact

Arizona students faced similar challenges when enrolling in post-secondary education or completing FAFSA. Initially, their “Ask Benji” initiative targeted high school seniors, helping them complete FAFSA forms and navigate the college application process. However, the team realized that engaging students earlier—during their junior year—could provide more consistent support throughout their high school journey. Juniors, they found, felt less supported in their planning for post-high school life compared to seniors.

To close this gap, the Ask Benji team expanded its AI-powered communication to juniors, sending personalized, bi-weekly messages focused on FAFSA completion and college preparation. Early results have been encouraging—students feel more connected and supported, even though the interaction happens entirely through their phones. This expansion into earlier intervention represents a significant step forward in helping students prepare for the future, even when they aren’t physically present on campus.

Juniors feel less supported than seniors when it comes to post-high school goals. Juniors: 11% not supported, 32% slightly supported, 29% mostly supported, 27% very supported versus Seniors: 11% not supported, 22% slightly supported, 27% mostly supported, 39% very supported

AI’s Role: Supporting, Not Replacing, Human Interaction

What makes the AI-driven efforts in Washington and Arizona stand out is the intentional focus on enhancing, rather than replacing, human interaction.  Both AI systems, powered by Mainstay’s platform, handle routine communication, such as sending reminders and answering frequently asked questions. This allows educators to spend more time on high-touch, personalized interventions that require human expertise.

By scaling outreach in a way that feels personal, these tools ensure that students don’t fall through the cracks—especially in distance learning environments where in-person check-ins are less frequent. The AI enables institutions to listen and respond to students at scale, making every interaction feel timely and relevant, no matter where the student is.

A Blueprint for the Future of Distance Learning

The OTTERS and Ask Benji projects offer a practical model for how distance education institutions can use AI to bridge the engagement gap.

photo of blueprints

With the upcoming release of the OTTERS Toolkit—complete with messaging prototypes, survey instruments, and process mapping resources—other institutions will soon have the opportunity to adopt these strategies and tailor them to their own student populations.

As distance education continues to grow, these and other AI tools offer a way forward. They show that, when used thoughtfully, technology can foster the kinds of personal, human-centered connections that are crucial to student success. The work being done in Washington and Arizona is paving the way for a future where AI helps institutions not only scale their outreach but also deepen their relationships with students, even across great distances.

This article was written by Jason Fife.

Categories
Practice

Empowering Students and Educators: Crafting a Zero-Cost, Culturally Inclusive Textbook for Hawai‘i’s Future

Welcome to the third part of our series highlighting the work of the 2024 WOW Award winners! Check out the first and second parts of our series. Today’s guest authors join us from the University of Hawai’i System to tell us all about the Anatomy and Physiology OER Project. Thank you for all of the outstanding work helping students feel more connected to their institutions and for sharing how your team created and used the great resources.

Enjoy the read and enjoy your day,

Lindsey Downs, WCET


Imagine your students browsing an expensive textbook they are required to purchase for class. Do your students see themselves represented on the pages? It’s important that students feel like they belong in their classes. Thankfully, open educational resources (OER) exist, or can be created, that address belonging, dignity, and justice while removing potentially formidable costs for access to education.

Group of University of Hawai'i students

The University of Hawai‘i System is an indigenous-serving institution with seven community colleges and three universities–consistently ranked as among the most diverse in the nation–with nearly 50,0000 students on campuses throughout our islands.

Annually, over 4,000 students take our human anatomy and physiology (A&P) courses, paying around $200 for just one of their many textbooks, so we knew a zero-cost textbook that reflects their culture would instill a sense of belonging and have a significant cost benefit for them.

Student Centered Open Resource Project

When we began our zero-cost textbook program, we knew it needed to be a student-centered process from the very beginning. Students were asked their opinions about their current textbooks and what they wanted in their ideal textbook.

We used Mural, a visional platform for collaboration, to organize our ideas. The student voice was integral to this process and is necessary moving forward. Students are being surveyed about their experiences with the textbook, and the results will guide us in creating the second edition.

We will also incorporate instructor feedback based on formal surveys and systematic collection of errata.

Connecting Our Teachers

We have nearly forty A&P instructors with backgrounds in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, medicine, kinesiology, and neuroscience, among others. Most faculty had never even met each other in person, so this was an excellent opportunity for building pilina (relationship). We engaged in professional development activities, providing opportunities for instructors to discuss teaching with the textbook, increasing student success, and creating system-wide student learning outcomes. Our newly created pilina within our A&P instructional community is an enduring gift from this project.

Eleven A&P instructors dedicated themselves to the writing process led by Book Sprints’ wholehearted facilitator, Karina Piersig. Their motto is “From zero to book in five days,” so now you know why the word sprint is in the name! We all agreed this process is not to be undertaken without an expert facilitator. Our OER A&P textbook was one of the company’s largest ever in terms of original content. Book Sprints wrote a post in their blog with additional details about our sprint process. Originally planned as a five-day in-person event, our sprint was delayed one year and converted to entirely online due to, you guessed it, all that happened in 2020. At first, it seemed daunting to start the process through online sessions with nothing in-person. But we shared a common goal and got to know each other well through those online writing sessions. Fortunately, modern technology allows us to express ourselves fully. Our hope is that the team’s good intentions are reflected in our work.

Textbook Authors During an Online Book Sprint.

Luria Namba
Lissandra Baldan Jenkins
Gabriel Peckham
Amanda Lee Alimboyoguen (not seen in photo)
Rachel Lindsey
Sheryl Shook
I-Chia Shih
Trenton Niemi
Jason Kenji Higa
Rebecca Romine 
Joel Kaufmann

A book sprint is precisely structured and complex, and (no surprise here) it moves at a rapid pace. To start, paired-up authors speedily draft a chapter in a timed session, then move through several stages of contributing to and editing each other’s chapters. Using this method, a single chapter ultimately has the voices and expertise of several authors. Our Book Sprints facilitator was friendly, dedicated, goal-oriented and, from the other side of the globe, guided us through two sprints–each lasting two weeks and spaced a year apart–     to complete a textbook that covers two semesters of content. As we diligently worked together, the feeling of oneness was a treasure. Textbook co-author, I-Chia Shih noted, “This was a challenging process but we pulled through because of everyone’s effort and continuous support from our administrators. When combining the interdisciplinary expertise of every author plus the existing A&P OER resources, the development of our textbook became a creative, open-minded, and achievable process.”

Building Connection to Hawaiian History and ‘Āina

Honu, kākau, and kapa image created by Native Hawaiian student, ‘Iwalani Clayton

We live on Native Hawaiian ‘āina (land) and want our students to build their connection to that ‘āina and Native Hawaiian ways of being; this was an essential value in our process. We are grateful for our Native Hawaiian advisor on the project, Ululani Kahikina, who helps ensure our content is genuine and authentic. Additionally, we are proud that several of our authors have extensive professional development on indigenous educational frameworks and ‘āina-based learning. This year, with Native Hawaiians from multiple campuses, we will expand the indigenous content of the book.

Hawaiʻi is a gathering place for a variety of cultures. We aimed to reflect that diversity in our textbook by representing the broader perspective of our student body. When students see themselves represented in the material, they are more likely to relate and engage with the content, advancing our aim for a harmonious and inclusive classroom. Including a wide range of cultural examples broadens students’ perspectives by helping to dispel stereotypes and misconceptions. This, in turn, will facilitate compassion between healthcare professionals and patients. In addition, textbook co-author Jason Kenji Higa explained, “We hope that by seeing themselves and others in the textbook, students will experience and express empathy, interest in learning about each other, and form a diverse social network during their academic journey.”

Creating Interactive Content for Students

Previously, our students shared how they enjoy interactive content in their online textbooks. To increase the interactivity of our content, LynleyShimat Lys, a doctoral student at the University of Hawai‘i, used H5P (an HTML content creation tool) to create drag-and-drop chapter summaries and interactive quizzes. To our students’ delight, Lissandra Baldan Jenkins, textbook co-author, expanded the H5P exercises. H5P offers a platform for designing interactive content, so Baldan Jenkins was able to craft learning activities that go beyond the traditional textbook format. She transformed static content into dynamic, engaging experiences that encourage active participation from learners. Innovation was key in the process, and she found it rewarding. Utilizing H5P’s wide array of interactive tools—crosswords, flashcards, videos, drag and drop—she made complex concepts more accessible, enhanced comprehension, and ensured that each activity aligned with the textbook’s learning objectives. Baldan Jenkins shared, “The process encouraged me to experiment with ways to engage students more deeply. The H5P activities enriched the textbook content, making learning more interactive, personalized, and effective.”

Gabriel Peckham, textbook co-author, advises future OER creators, “I had checked out a stack of my favorite textbooks but never needed to use them as writing the chapter drafts was much easier than expected. Following my lecture slides, I knew what I wanted to say.” He found that there is a tendency for repetition of words and concepts when writing as if lecturing, but it was easy to edit those for conciseness. The consulting editors did minimal trimming in this regard, perhaps due to dense scientific content, so Peckham advises, “For collaborative projects, don’t be shy editing each other’s content. Also, chapters drafted from an existing OER textbook were more challenging to proofread as it’s very difficult to rearrange large volumes of text. Best to begin from scratch.” Yet for some chapters of our book, the existing OpenStax OER A&P textbook provided the essential foundation.

Open images were added throughout, but mostly after proofreading. This necessitated rereading and editing narratives to match the images, which didn’t always match the image wishlist. For this reason, if your content is highly image-driven, Peckham strongly recommends doing the painstaking work of finding images first, then drafting your chapters around them. Looking back, he believes this could have saved us many hours of proofreading. Thankfully, we overcame these challenges and it was truly a rewarding experience. Though each book is unique, we hope our blog here helps you plan your next OER project!

We are grateful to WCET for honoring our project with the WOW award and we are committed to helping others serve their students, address equity, and build community among instructors through OER projects. You are welcome to reach out to us!

This blog was written by:

  • Lissandra Baldan Jenkins, Assistant Professor of Biology, Hawai‘i Community College
  • I-Chia Shih, Associate Professor of Physiology, Leeward Community College
  • Jason Kenji Higa, Associate Professor of Physiology; Medical Pre-Clerkship Course Director, University of Hawai‘i
  • Gabriel Peckham, Associate Professor of Physiology, Honolulu Community College
  • Sheryl Shook, Associate Professor of Physiology, Kapi‘olani Community College

Categories
Practice

Empowering Education Through Collaboration: The Success of the Mississippi Virtual Community College

WOW award 2024 logo

Hello and welcome to the second part of our series showcasing this year’s WOW Award winners! Last week, we featured the incredible work of the SUNY COIL+OSCQR Standards team. Today, we’re excited to spotlight the Mississippi Virtual Community College (MSVCC) and hear from Christa Wilhite and Krista LeBrun from the Mississippi Community College Board.

MSVCC’s innovations, including their custom-built enrollment tool, have transformed the student experience by streamlining processes for both learners and faculty. Their efforts have not only expanded educational opportunities but have also strengthened connections within the community and delivered significant cost savings.

Congratulations to the entire MSVCC team on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for joining us today on Frontiers!

Enjoy the read and enjoy your day,

Lindsey Downs, WCET


The Mississippi Virtual Community College (MSVCC) is a shining example of what can be achieved when institutions collaborate to transform education. Through a partnership between Mississippi’s 15 community colleges and the Mississippi Community College Board (MCCB), the MSVCC has evolved over the last two decades by:

  • expanding access to online learning and digitally enhancing instruction,
  • improving affordability, and,
  • fostering innovation in teaching.

As we reflect on our journey, we are proud to share key strategies that have led to our success and are honored to be recognized for our contributions to distance education.

Mississippi Virtual Community College logo

20 Years of Progress: The Origins of MSVCC

Formed during the technology boom of the 1990s, the MSVCC emerged as a response to state leaders’ vision of expanding access to education through virtual learning. The consortium model united community colleges across Mississippi, pooling resources to offer instructional support, training, and cutting-edge technologies.

Over time, as digital learning transformed, so did the MSVCC. Today’s students, having grown up immersed in technology, expect flexible, digitally enhanced courses. The MSVCC has stayed ahead of this curve, providing students with innovative and accessible education, grounded in the original mission of equity and opportunity for all.

Key Innovations Driving Success

Christa Wilhite leading a faculty development session
Christa Wilhite leading a faculty development session on Regular & Substantive Interaction at Mississippi Delta Community College. (Photo: Carmen Brown, MDCC)
  1. The Enrollment Tool (ET): A standout innovation, the custom-built Enrollment Tool simplifies course registration across all 15 colleges. Seamlessly integrated with the learning management system, it allows students to access a wide range of courses through a single login, personalizing their learning experience.
  2. MSVCC Academy for Faculty Development: Excellence in distance education relies on well-prepared faculty. The MSVCC Academy provides no-cost, high-quality training for educators across the state, focusing on best practices in online teaching, technology integration, and student engagement. This ongoing professional development ensures that instructors are equipped to meet the evolving needs of digital learners, not only in fully online settings but also in hybrid and digitally enhanced face-to-face courses.
  3. Cost Savings through Resource Sharing: By pooling resources, the MSVCC has significantly reduced technology costs for its members, allowing funds to be reinvested in student support and faculty development. The MCCB manages these contracts, ensuring that every institution benefits from equitable access and optimal pricing.
  4. Continuous Improvement through Collaboration:  The MSVCC is a model of collaboration. In addition to adopting a shared academic calendar, course evaluation standards, and a unified Policies & Procedures Manual, the Mississippi eLearning Association (MeLA), which includes Deans and Directors from each of the community colleges along with members of the MCCB, meets regularly to share best practices, address challenges, and drive innovation. This ongoing partnership fosters a culture of collaboration that has kept MSVCC at the forefront of digital education in Mississippi.

Lessons for Other Consortia

  • Collaboration is Key: The MSVCC’s success comes from pooling resources and expertise. This collective approach has expanded access, reduced costs, and continuously improved the quality of education across the state.
  • Adapt to Change: The online education landscape is always evolving. The MSVCC’s ability to remain flexible and adopt new technologies and modalities has been essential to its success and will continue to drive its future growth.
  • Invest in Faculty: Comprehensive professional development ensures that educators are always equipped to meet the demands of digitally enhanced instruction, which is crucial for student success.
  • Equity Matters: The MSVCC’s standardized systems and support services are designed to provide equitable student access. Closing the equity gap remains a top priority.
A group of professionals wearing MELA shirts - each representing the 15 Mississippi community colleges and the MCCB at the 2023 Mississippi eLearning Association (MELA) Retreat.
Members of Mississippi’s 15 community colleges and the MCCB at the 2023 MELA Retreat. (Photo: Michele Mitchell, Pearl River Community College)

This award is a testament to the remarkable dedication and collaborative spirit between Mississippi’s community colleges and the MCCB. It is through our shared commitment to innovation and student success that the MSVCC has accomplished so much over the past two decades. We are deeply honored to accept this recognition on their behalf, as it truly reflects the collective efforts of those who have worked tirelessly to transform education in Mississippi.

As we look to the future, the Mississippi Virtual Community College remains more committed than ever to enhancing learner success and equity. Our focus will continue to be on developing technology-driven solutions that remove barriers to education while fostering a sense of community among students and educators.

Post Authored by Christa Wilhite and Krista LeBrun


Categories
Practice

Enhancing Global Virtual Learning: SUNY COIL+OSCQR Standards

Each year, the WCET Awards Program highlights innovative practices in higher education digital learning, honoring individuals and teams that have dedicated their time and effort to advancing our field.

WOW Award logo

Coordinating this program is one of the highlights of my role, especially because it allows me to work with the WCET Outstanding Work (WOW) Award recipients.

From the beginning of our “awards season,” where we receive nominations and work with our amazing volunteer judges, I am consistently in awe of the nominated projects and initiatives. The innovation happening in higher education is truly inspiring. This year, we are thrilled to feature our four WOW Award recipients, whose work is not just innovative, but also impactful.

I want to thank each of the individuals and teams that submitted a nomination. You’re all doing inspirational and vital work, and narrowing it down to just four awardees was no easy task.

Congratulations to this year’s WOW Award Winners:

  • Mississippi Community College Board – Mississippi Virtual Community College
  • SUNY COIL, Maritime, NCC, Oneonta, UCAB & SUNY Online – COIL+OSCQR Standards
  • Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board – Division of Digital Learning
  • University of Hawai’i System – Anatomy and Physiology OER Project

We’re kicking off the series with a post from Alex Pickett, the Director of Online Teaching with SUNY Online, to share about the COIL + OSCQR Standards, which were developed through a collaboration between several SUNY organizations. Be sure to follow along throughout the month to learn more about our other honorees, and join us in celebrating them at the Annual Meeting in Long Beach in just a few weeks!

Enjoy the read and enjoy your day,

Lindsey Downs, WCET


SUNY MaritimeSUNY OneontaNassau Community College & the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello in Venezuela, together with the SUNY Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Center & SUNY Online, have designed a set of COIL+OSCQR standards that have been incorporated into the SUNY Online OSCQR rubric.

These COIL-centered standards support Virtual Exchange (VE) & intercultural online learning experiences.

Colleges and universities are seeking new ways to provide students with global competencies that complement traditional forms of physical mobility and academic exchange. Virtual exchange, including one of its most comprehensive forms, collaborative online international learning, is an innovative educational model for meeting this growing need. Using novel teaching approaches that foster online student and faculty collaboration, the VE/COIL approach connects students and classrooms around the world through co-taught multicultural and blended online coursework that bridges physical distance.

– American Association of Colleges and Universities, 2022

Advancing Quality in Global Learning

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Virtual Exchange is a unique way of incorporating an international experience into a curriculum as learners engage with peers from another country, culture, and context. Virtual Exchange (VE) collaborations have become a prevalent part of Higher Education’s inclusive, high-impact practices in the U.S., Latin America, and beyond.

A set of COIL+OSCQR standards has been designed to supplement and extend the online course quality standards found in the SUNY Online OSCQR rubric. These research-based pedagogical approaches and best practices focus on virtual international exchange and the design of intercultural online learning experiences. With support from a SUNY Innovative Instructional Technology Grant (IITG) and in collaboration with the SUNY Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Center and SUNY Online, a team of SUNY instructional designers and researchers developed the COIL+OSCQR standards. These standards have been incorporated into the SUNY Online OSCQR course quality rubric, which WCET previously recognized with a 2018 WOW award, and has been endorsed and adopted by the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) as their online course quality Scorecard for online course quality since 2016. The COIL+OSCQR standards and process provide a systematic and consistent approach to accommodate the complexity of Virtual Exchange methodologies, varying degrees of partnership commitment, and differing assessment levels. The COIL+OSCQR standards are designed to help COIL coordinators and practitioners implement online international collaborations that are learner-centered and informed by research and to facilitate connections between COIL activities and existing campus instructional design expertise and support. 

a photo of a globe on a tablet with lines drawn around the globe to indicate connection across the world.

The COIL virtual exchange model is a strong and innovative approach that can be leveraged to enhance and extend the academic experiences of learners beyond the classroom. COIL pedagogy calls for collaboration, communication, and teamwork between two or more international instructors within their courses, and between their students. Instructors partner to collaborate on the design of a virtual experience, and the learners across the courses and cultures are partnered to complete the activities designed. The virtual COIL experience becomes part of each instructor’s course, enabling all learners to have a virtual intercultural experience, each within their own course of study. COIL+OSCQR standards have been developed to support the design of effective, high-quality international virtual learning experiences and to provide a framework of standards for the structural support for instructors and instructional designers interested in Collaborative International Online Learning. 

This model and the COIL+OSCQR standards support collaboration, intercultural communication, cultural awareness, and teamwork skills through ice-breaking activities, intercultural assignments, and a culminating team project or presentation.

Creating Impactful Intercultural Experiences

Helping students develop intercultural competencies (skills that facilitate effective and appropriate interactions with people from other cultures) is important in 21st century higher education. VE represents an effective approach to developing these skills through intentional online academic collaboration with peers around the world. Cultural sensitivity, global awareness, and global citizenship are required skills and competencies that also dovetail with the new SUNY General Education Learning Outcomes. The COIL+OSCQR standards also support the SUNY DEI Action Plan (2021) through intercultural collaborations, the integration of relevant world issues into course activities, and using media and language to positively engage faculty and learners by leveraging the power of story as an effective teaching tool. When coupled with the COIL+OSCQR standards, they serve to educate and facilitate positive changes in learning experiences that foster the development of intercultural communications skills and competencies.

According to Darla Deardorff, former executive director of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA), intercultural competence requires effective and appropriate behaviors in cross-cultural environments. VE provides the opportunity to develop these skills by scaffolding activities and interactions to build awareness about and bridge cross-cultural differences with deeper understanding and appreciation for issues around diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to help make all course participants feel like they belong.

quote box: We need to show a commitment to ensure “that all students have opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills they need to be informed and responsible global citizens. The VE/COIL model supports that goal by allowing institutions to provide global learning experiences equitably and at scale.” AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population of all minorities in the country has grown since 2010, and the multiracial population in particular climbing by 276% over the past 10 years. Therefore, under the guidance of José Luis Jiménez, from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Venezuela, the COIL+OSCQR standards and all associated web materials have also been initially translated into Spanish to provide access to all Spanish language speakers across the US, and world-wide. To promote equity and multicultural perspectives, translation of the standards and materials into additional languages are also planned (i.e., Arabic, all Romance languages, Dutch, and Russian/Ukrainian–languages spoken in countries that are currently actively involved in COIL activities).

In addition, there is national support for the VE/COIL model. The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has embraced COIL Virtual Exchange as a pedagogic practice. According to AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella, they are “…committed to ensuring that all students have opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills they need to be informed and responsible global citizens. The VE/COIL model supports that goal by allowing institutions to provide global learning experiences equitably and at scale.”

COIL+OSCQR standards offer a comprehensive approach to the design of engaging, effective, and efficient COIL Virtual Exchange (VE) modules. In conjunction with the OSCQR rubric for online course review and refresh, the COIL+OSCQR standards support high quality online teaching and instructional design in the implementation of a COIL Virtual Exchange module in any course discipline or content.

Each COIL+OSCQR standard provides:

  • A full explanation of the standard.
  • A list of examples, ideas, and suggestions to improve or address the standard.
  • Related research that provides reputable evidence and scholarly support for the standard.
  • The opportunity to submit examples, evidence, and best practices for consideration to be added to the site.

SUNY Online and the SUNY COIL Center are committed to quality and innovation in online education, and to sharing tools, materials, and resources freely and openly for anyone to use/adapt. The SUNY Online OSCQR rubric is freely available to all. The OSCQR rubric and COIL+OSCQR standards provide a firm foundation for developing effective intercultural collaborations and engaging virtual exchange experiences that are adaptable to various contexts, disciplines, and use cases.


This post was authored by Alejandra Pickett.

COIL+OSCQR Project Collaborators:

Categories
Practice

What’s Trending in Digital Learning for Fall 2024

a ripped piece of paper showing fall leaves underneath - words "hello fall"

This weekend marks the official end of summer and the beginning of fall. Pumpkin spice is back (everywhere), hopefully everyone is settling into the new semester well, my fantasy football team is already doing poorly, and it’s time for one of my favorite traditions—a back-to-school post on Frontiers!

As we roll into the fall semester and look ahead to 2025, we’re seeing some exciting shifts in higher education. I wanted to get a sense of what’s trending and what’s getting everyone buzzing, so I asked my colleagues to share their thoughts.

Here’s a peek at the trends catching our attention and shaping the future of higher education digital learning. You can count on WCET to keep you updated on these topics and more.

Higher ed is constantly evolving; this past year and the new year are no different. Here are some of the key trends we’re seeing:

  • Generative AI is Everywhere: AI tools are no longer just for the techies. We’re seeing more instructors adopt AI to create personalized learning experiences, assist with grading, and develop interactive learning tools. Students are using AI for self-directed learning and some editing for their work, and it’s opening up new possibilities in the classroom.
  • Meeting Students Where They Are: More and more institutions are offering hybrid courses, flexible scheduling, and increased support for mental health. And equity is top of mind, with a growing emphasis on making learning more inclusive and accessible for all.
  • Preparing for Tomorrow’s Workforce: The gap between education and the workforce is closing fast. Institutions are partnering with industries to ensure students learn theory and philosophy while developing the skills they need for an evolving job market.

What’s Sparking Excitement This Fall?

While staying current is essential, it’s not just about what’s trending—it’s about how these changes are transforming digital learning.

To explore this further, I asked some of my team members to share what excites them most as we progress through the fall semester. Thank you to each of them for sharing your thoughts!

Megan Raymond, Senior Director, Membership and Programs, WCET

Fall is in the air in Colorado, and campuses are buzzing! Especially CU with Coach Prime and the traffic that brings with it on game days. There are a few trends I’m watching this year.  

One is, of course, AI. By now, AI is no longer fearsome, and institutions are no longer trying to put it back into Pandora’s box. There is a broad understanding of what AI is, what the definitions mean, and how it can be used for teaching and learning. We are now at a point where the questions we do have about AI are much more complex. Institutions are no longer concerned with AI being a ‘cheating machine’ and are considering issues around data privacy, student privacy, copyright issues, and computing capacity challenges. These are robust challenges. I know our members are thinking about these complexities.  

Cell phone bans during the school day became common at the local middle and high schools this fall. My friends who are teachers are excited about teaching without constantly vying for attention from students engrossed in their mobile devices or tuned out within. This movement seems to be gaining traction across the US, and I’m watching to see if colleges and universities will begin implementing similar bans.  

It’s going to be an interesting academic year for sure! 


Laura DaVinci, Associate Director, Every Learner Everywhere

As we embark on the new school year and look ahead to 2025, several exciting trends are shaping higher education, particularly the teaching and learning environment. One of the most significant developments continues to be artificial intelligence and how it is integrated into education.

The acceptance of AI across institutions has been widely varied, from skepticism, discouraging its use and bringing back non-digitally supported assessment methods like writing exams to fully embracing its full potential and implementing faculty training programs and comprehensive policies.

Unsurprisingly, the largest contrast between use is between the students and faculty. Students are eager to test and explore the multitude of AI tools, incorporating them into their learning process and showing greater adaptability. A recent survey from the Digital Education Council showed that 86% of students said they use AI in their educational journey. This generational divide will pose challenges and new opportunities for faculty. It’s up to the institutions to support their faculty in finding the balance. As the future will likely require graduates to be comfortable with AI, the institutions that successfully maintain rigor yet balance the use of AI to enhance learning will most likely emerge as leaders in innovative education.


Cheryl Dowd, Senior Director, State Authorization Network & WCET Policy Innovations

cheryl dowd

The evolution of higher education delivery continues. It is interesting and exciting to watch institutions address and improve access and accessibility to serve learners and help them reach their goals.

  • Access: In this post-COVID era, there is an increased demand for distance education, not only for what is often referred to as “non-traditional” learners but also for residential learners. Institutions must evaluate how to best serve learners at their institutions and help them reach their goals with flexibility through in-person, online, and hybrid course options. Clear communication about the modality is a must to ensure that learners understand the expectations related to the learning format.
  • Accessibility: There’s growing emphasis on ensuring that distance education is accessible to all students, including those with disabilities, through better use of technology and inclusive design. There is a sense of urgency for public universities and colleges to address accessibility due to new Department of Justice regulations released last June. To learn more about the accessibility regulations please review our WCET Frontiers post: Accessibility in the Spotlight: Department of Justice Regulations.

Van Davis – Chief Strategy Officer, WCET

This coming academic year feels especially monumental as institutions recover from a tumultuous spring term. Where is higher education going this fall? I think there are a couple of trends that institutions need to watch.

  1. AI will continue to dominate the conversation as more students press their institutions to provide them training for an AI-enabled workforce, more faculty work to find appropriate ways to embed AI in their classes, and more institutions strive to find ways to leverage AI for student success and institutional efficiencies.
  2. Who our students are will continue to change. Dual enrollment will continue to increase as will the number of post-traditional students looking to re-skill or earn their first degree. Institutions will need to find new ways to help these very different student populations.

Russ Poulin, Executive Director, WCET and Vice President for Technology-Enhanced Education, WICHE

Institutions have changed. We just need to acknowledge it.

Russ Poulin

During the pandemic, there was worry that there would be a great backlash against planned online learning, given the negative experience with emergency remote learning. That did not happen. The recognition of the positive acceptance of technologies by faculty and students has been slow to reach across the academy. It will be hard to deny the new reality this year.

How is this transition playing out? Students are increasingly incorporating online courses into their schedules, and faculty are offering online, hybrid, synchronous, and asynchronous versions of their courses. The hallowed halls of the ivory-towered buildings named after prosperous alumni are increasingly empty. Is in-person learning going away? No. But the campus has changed.

For the past two years, we have been guessing at the direction and reacting to the impact of the increased use of digital learning. As future strategic plans and budgets are created, I predict that serious conversations will be held on shifting resources from traditional uses to:

  • Prepare and support faculty in effectively using existing and emerging digital technologies.
  • Focus student support services to better address an increasingly remote or hybrid enrolled population.
  • Invest in the technologies required for faculty and student support.
  • Better communicate to students about the technologies to be used, the expectations to be at a location, and the synchronous requirements for each and every class.

Well…at least I hope that will happen.


Your Turn!

Now that we’ve shared some of our thoughts, we’d love to hear from you. What trends are you seeing at work or on your campus? What are you excited for in the year ahead? Drop your thoughts in a shared post on LinkedIn or reach out directly—we always enjoy hearing from our community. We’ll also send out a question through wcetDISCUSS – our online member community.

The leaves are starting to change, football stadiums are packed, and sweater weather is officially here. So, grab your warm latte (pumpkin spice or not!), and let’s tackle the rest of the year together.


Post written by Lindsey Downs, WCET

Categories
Practice

Words From the Wise: Tips for Success from Experienced Distance Education Compliance Professionals

Distance Education or State Authorization Compliance refers to the set of rules, regulations, and standards that educational institutions must follow when offering remote (often online) learning opportunities to students. Ensuring institutional compliance is an arduous task, as rules, standards, and legal requirements are ever- evolving and can vary depending on the state or territory.

Recently, there has been an increasing awareness and growing interest in distance education regulatory requirements. Colleges and universities were forced to grapple with the distance education compliance conundrum during the onset and proliferation of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then that higher education institutions needed to quickly shift to online platforms due to lockdowns and social distancing measures.

Also adding to the regulatory complexity was the July 2020, U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) mandate (34 CFR §668.43(a)(5)(v)) requiring institutions to provide public disclosures for both enrolled and prospective students in programs leading to a professional license or certificate. It is clear why professionals working in the field play a vital role at their institutions, as they are leading distance education compliance efforts, while simultaneously fostering environments conducive to student success.

Guidance for Newcomers to State Authorization

Amid these shifts, the State Authorization Network (SAN) has seen an uptick in members who are new to the profession, many of whom have limited prior experience in higher education compliance. To help those newcomers better understand some of the complexities they will likely face, SAN surveyed six experienced colleagues so that they might offer advice and support as they prepare to manage their new roles.

With the survey, SAN sought to garner these veterans’ take on themes they perceived to be pervasive in the field. It should be noted that these individuals are well-qualified and well-versed in the intricacies of higher education compliance, as they collectively possess over 70 years of professional experience. Interestingly, several themes and four categories for tips/suggestions contributing to success emerged from the surveys.

Tip #1: Build Relationships & Never Underestimate the Power of the Network

three professionally dressed individuals talking

Within any profession, it is imperative for those seeking sustainability to build and maintain professional relationships. Building internal partnerships, engaging regularly, and maintaining regular communications is paramount.

For that reason, the significance of networking is critical to success. It can open doors to opportunities, as a strong network provides emotional support and encouragement, which is a prime vehicle for building knowledge and self-confidence.

Several survey participants shared their thoughts on the importance of collaborative interactions:

Yolanda Cunningham recalls, “Years ago, I met with our social work school’s leadership during a critical time for their distance education programs. During that initial encounter, I approached with the mindset that compliance was my area of expertise, and I was there to assist them through issues. Because they appreciated my work to achieve authorization and compliance, they became some of my staunchest advocates across campus and paved the way for me to participate in key meetings I otherwise would not have initially been privy to.”

Brandie Elliott-Woodall shares, State Authorization [compliance] can be overwhelming, especially to those who don’t deal with it on a daily basis. But this is a challenge you can overcome by arming yourselves with knowledge and nurturing your relationships.”

LaDonna Rodvold advises, “I have several staunch advocates at USD. It began by providing credible information in digestible portions to the Associate Provost and General Counsel. I explained the regulations coming our way and specifically included potential challenges, solutions, and reliable resources. When that information reached the Provost, I was invited to Provost Council and Deans’ Council meetings to present the regulations and steps needed to invest in compliance. Having the confidence and support of the Provost, Associate Provost, and General Counsel then opened the door to buy-in from all other institutional stakeholders.”

quote box: They became my advocates across campus, paving the way for me to attend meetings I otherwise would not have been privy to or would have had to network relentlessly in order to attend”.

Networking with external peers is also critical, as doing so provides opportunities for discovering industry standings and understanding best practices. Attending conferences and workshops is an excellent way to network and meet peer experts, better understand the latest requirements, decipher regulations and learn about best practices and innovations in the field.

Bill Hall recommends that professionals, “Cultivate relationships with State Authorization professionals at other schools.”

Erika Swain proposes, “Know that we’re all going to be approaching these kinds of rules and regulations from the perspective of our individual institutions, which means [that] compliance will look different in many ways for each of us.” [Connect with others as] you might also find some great ideas in unexpected places. So, never be afraid to ask someone how or why they made a decision. You will likely learn something new that you can use.”

Brandie Elliott-Woodall informs, “My supervisor and the entire Program Coordination team have been amazing! During the development of new online programs and [the] retooling of existing programs, the Program Coordinators work with Program Directors and have built-in questions on their in-take forms that open the door to the wonderful world of State Authorization.” [We have learned that] “We all just need to find our advocates, whether that is in Academic Affairs, General Counsel, etc.”

Tip #2: Leveraging Systems of Support and Key Advocates

A related second theme or a sub-theme surrounding the importance of networking and building partnerships was that of leveraging the help of supporters and nurturing relationships with key partners, stakeholders, and staunch advocates.

To bolster your integrity, make certain that you schedule regular updates with key partners. Keep those stakeholders informed about regulatory requirements, updates, changes, and important deadlines.

Yolanda Cunningham states, “Remember to identify your lifelines both within your institution and beyond (e.g. WCETSANNC-SARA, etc.). When I first assumed the role as the university’s compliance professional, leadership advised me to join SAN and WCET. This was even before I actually began my research on national organizations. For that I am appreciative.”

It is in this same spirit that Bill Hall advises, [I work closely with] “the Offices of the Provost and General Counsel. My Provost trusts my expertise and knowledge base regarding State Authorization, which I have acquired during my tenure in this role. My personal expertise was achieved in part by heavily utilizing SAN resources along with some one-on-one mentoring from patient professionals at other schools.”

Shawn Fields shares, “We work very closely with Admissions, especially graduate Admissions. When we started providing advanced licensure advising, Admissions realized how much effort we saved them and how much happier the students were.”  

Tip #3: Understand the Requirements of the Profession: Stay Updated, Stay Informed

Quote box: staying informed about the relevant laws and guidelines, implementing best practices, and continually assessing distance education programs is critical to the success of any compliance program.

Regulations governing higher education are dynamic and frequently change at federal and state levels. To ensure compliance, institutions must remain cognizant with federal regulations, each state’s laws governing higher education, as well as the array of modifications of policies and updates.

A recent example of a notable change that has impacted distance education compliance roles and compounded duties is the ED’s July 2024 expansion of the requirements for institutions enrolling students in professional licensure and certification programs (34 CFR 668.14(b)(32)(ii)). Now, not only are many compliance professionals required to manage the research and disclosure processes at their institution, but they must also ensure that their institutions are not enrolling learners in states where their programs fail to meet that state’s licensure requirements.

Therefore, staying informed about the relevant laws and guidelines, implementing best practices, and continually assessing distance education programs is critical to the success of any compliance program.

Yolanda Cunningham suggests, “Do your research and document your findings. Acclimate yourself to compliance/authorization. This work can seem daunting, but it can also be fulfilling. I recommend including in your initial research key issues and federal regulations. In addition, it is important to know where your institution is/is not authorized.”  

Shawn Fields warns, “Trust nothing; even state boards contradict themselves. Check everything by reading, calling, and confirming with others. Do not assume that anyone knows what they should; whether it’s faculty, staff, or students, people who should know certain rules or procedures often do not”.

Brandie Elliott-Woodall indicates, Arm yourself with knowledge! The State Authorization Network [SAN] is the perfect place to start. Review past Coordinator Calls [and] pour over the myriads of supporting documents created by SAN. [Also] check out the SANsational Award winners for inspiration.”

When considering the impact disbursing information related to new requirements, LaDonna Rodvold adds, “You will receive resistance from institutional stakeholders when presenting new regulations and compliance steps. Do not take it personally. Reassure them that you’re not doing this to add more work to their already filled plates, nor are you playing ‘Big Brother’.” You’re simply guiding progress toward compliance in the best interest of students.

Erika Swain echoes these sentiments and advises, “Know your institution’s policies and procedures around distance education and if you don’t have any work with leadership and those who work with the modality to understand what needs to be documented and why.”

Tip #4: Know Challenges and Recognize Potential Obstacles

A fourth theme emerged around the likelihood of challenges and obstacles facing distance education compliance. Survey respondents caution that professionals should understand and expect that there will be challenges and tough times. However, understanding the potential for pitfalls and recognizing opportunities will contribute to the overall success of a compliance program. Accordingly, these seasoned professionals identified some common issues facing compliance leaders:

Brandie Elliott-Woodall advises, “Navigating the fluid landscape of State Authorization can be difficult. There seems to be a reason the quote “it depends” seems to be the motto for the field.”  Know that things can change very quickly. “One day your licensing program meets state educational requirements in a state and the next day, after the licensure board makes a change, [that same program] no longer meets those educational requirements.”

Bill Hall recalls, “I was not prepared for the seemingly constant state of flux the regulatory sphere has been in over the past seven years.”

Yolanda Cunningham: “The biggest challenge would be the detractors who do not appreciate the need for our profession. I think it is mostly because they do not understand the scope and importance of our work. During difficult times, I remind myself that as a compliance specialist I am there to provide help although some stakeholders may not always want it. In time, you will learn to navigate the varying mindsets across your institution”.

Shawn Fields cautions, [A challenge exists with] “the regulatory overreach by the federal Department of Education, the overall hostility to higher education, and the disorganization of some states.”

LaDonna Rodvold states, Insufficient guidance, responses, and clarification from the Department of Education presents many challenges when preparing and implementing our institution’s regulatory compliance steps.”

Erika Swain reminds us, [A challenge that exists within this profession is the] “lack of knowledge by leadership and faculty about how this kind of compliance works, why it’s in place, and [understanding] that we can work with it [and] not against it.”

Navigating higher education distance education compliance requires a proactive and organized approach. SAN is dedicated to empowering our members in their pursuit of achieving and maintaining distance education regulatory compliance. We proudly offer an array of educational programs and training. SAN also provides insight and tools designed to enhance skills and expand member knowledge so that they are better able to focus on their core mission of educating, protecting, and supporting students. As the landscape continues to evolve, ongoing vigilance, adaptation, and implementation of best practices will be key to maintaining compliance and achieving institutional success.

As such, we remind you that each of these tips must be regarded simply as advice and accepted as suggestions and/or guidance for building upon your own compliance programs. Understand that each professional and each institution has their own unique needs and must tailor their programs and responses in accordance with those needs.


The SAN team would like to formally thank the dedicated professionals who contributed to this publication:

Brandie Elliott-Woodall

Brandie Elliott-Woodall serves as the State Authorization Compliance Manager with the Missouri Online, University of Missouri System in Columbia, Missouri. Brandie has worked in the field of Distance Education Compliance for 11 years.

Bill Hall

Dr. Charles “Bill” Hall serves as the Director of Institutional Research and State Authorization, at Campbell University, located in Buies Creek, North Carolina. Bill has worked in the field of Distance Education Compliance for 7 ½ years.

Erika Swain

Erika Swain serves as the Assistant Director of Academic Compliance and Authorization at the University of Colorado Boulder, located in Boulder, Colorado. Erika has worked in the field of Distance Education Compliance for 20 years.

LaDonna Rodvold

LaDonna Rodvold serves as the State Authorization Specialist at the University of South Dakota, located in Vermillion, South Dakota. LaDonna has worked in the field of Distance Education Compliance for 14 years.

Shawn Fields

Shawn Fields serves as the Director of State Licensure at Post University, located in Waterbury, Connecticut. Shawn has worked in the field of Distance Education Compliance for 10 years.

Yolanda Cunningham

Yolanda Cunningham serves as theOnline and Hybrid Learning Compliance Administrator with Case Western Reserve University located in Cleveland, Ohio. Yolanda has worked in the field of Distance Education Compliance for 10 years.

This post was authored by: Jana Walser-Smith.

Categories
Policy

Last Chance to Shape 2024 Distance Education Federal Regulations – Join the Rulemaking Process Now!

Proposed distance education regulations by the Department of Education will significantly impact programs and students.

Don’t miss your chance to provide input! Learn How to Help

There is one last chance for you to participate in the rulemaking process for the recently released distance education-related regulations to inform the U.S. Department of Education (Department) of any concerns prior to the Department issuing the final regulations.

We maintain, as discussed in our July WCET Frontiers Post and our public comment, that the regulations as proposed will have a serious impact on the delivery of distance education at your institution.

We encourage institutions and members of the public to participate in an Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the Office of Management and Budget review by asking for an Executive Order (EO) 12866 meeting. This EO 12866 meeting is the final opportunity for the higher education community to be heard about rulemaking concerns. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the Executive Office of the President directed to provide a review of the draft regulations. The OMB directs its OIRA division to facilitate this review. However, these meetings are not the same as public comments and are limited to “actions that are likely to have large impacts on the economy,” “ensure consistency in regulatory approaches across Federal agencies,” and “to ensure that regulatory actions are effective and durable.”

Timing is Critical! – How to Request an EO 12866 Meeting

There is a race against the clock to complete the review if the Department wants to release the final rules by November 1 so that the rules can be effective July 1, 2025. In recent years, an OIRA review of Title IV-related regulations has been completed in 3-4 weeks. You will need to act quickly. We will share how!

We urge you to begin preparing for an EO 12866 meeting now. The economic impact of the proposed regulations is unprecedented. Today, we will share information about the purpose and opportunity to request an EO 12866 meeting. Additionally, we will provide insights about common themes found in public comments during the recent public comment period.

Our intention in this post is to ensure that everyone knows how to request a meeting and how to access and review the public comments that were submitted. To be fully informed, you may wish to peruse other public comments for additional points of view. These meetings are available to everyone, not just a few organizations.

Generally, once regulations are released as final, they cannot be changed without going through a new rulemaking or cannot be vacated without a court challenge. We urge public participation in the OIRA review by requesting an EO 12866 meeting to inform this Executive Branch review.

Executive Order 12866 – OIRA Review & Meeting Opportunity

textbox with photo of a pile of coins. text: Why participate in a 12866 meeting? Feedback from institutions indicates that many feel that the Department greatly underestimated the effort and cost of compliance.

By Executive Order in 1993, President Clinton directed the Federal Government to begin a program to reform the regulatory process and make it more efficient. Executive Order 12866 includes regulatory philosophy, principles of regulation, and directs the organization of executive office entities to ensure efficient regulatory planning and review process. The OMB is assigned the responsibility to implement the review of agency rulemaking. Within the OMB, the OIRA was directed to conduct the review function and provide guidance to the rulemaking agency. That agency is expected to revise the regulatory package to address OMB/OIRA concerns and respond to any interagency review comments. The purpose of the review is to ensure that regulations are consistent with:

  • Applicable law,
  • Presidential priorities,
  • Principles as set forth in this Executive Order,
  • Not in conflict with policies or actions of another agency.

The public may participate by requesting an EO 12866 Meeting to express their opinions as part of the OIRA review. This is not a complicated process. Key considerations are as follows:

How does one follow or ask for an EO12866 Meeting?

  • Submit for an EO12866 Meeting AFTER the rules are posted on the OIRA/OMB website for review.
    • Watch the OIRA/OMB website to learn when rules have been sent for review.Look for SAN and WCET to send an update in MIX.
    • This WCET Frontiers post will be updated when the rules are submitted.
  • Note the various drop-down tabs on the OIRA/OMB website and click on Regulatory Review.
  • Under the Regulatory Review drop-down choose Regulatory Review Dashboard.
  • Choose the agency you wish to review.
  • After finding the rule, schedule a meeting by clicking the Request EO Meeting hyperlink.
  • Complete the form provided.
  • You will receive an email notice that your requested meeting has been scheduled and information to share documents for your meeting if you choose to.
  • You must confirm the meeting within two business days of the email.
  • Please DO NOT BE A NO SHOW!

What will the EO12866 Meeting be like (based on recent experiences)?

  1. You will receive a second email indicating a “teleconference” and the phone number to use.
  2. The meeting is for 30 minutes.
  3. The meeting is “typically” a listening session.
  4. A panel on the call will include several staff members from OMB and OIRA and at least one representative from the agency developing the regulations (for our purposes, that is the U.S. Department of Education).
  5. You will be introduced and given the floor to speak for the allotted time.
  6. The panel often does not ask questions, but be prepared just in case.

How should one prepare for the EO 12866 Meeting?

  • Given the limited time, be intentional about choosing your key regulatory issues of importance.
  • Review the Federal Register announcement of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the Authority for This Regulatory Action and the Regulatory Impact Analysis.  A review of these sections will help you to determine if your opinion is consistent or contrary to the Department’s explanation of meeting its statutory authority to regulate and the need for regulatory action.
  • For each regulatory issue, succinctly share two or three well-considered evidence-based (data or primary authority) points such as:
    • The actual cost and paperwork burden conflicts with ED’s reported estimates.
    • Conflict with Executive Branch priorities.
    • Issues of Federalism (Impeding upon state oversight due to the 10th Amendment).
    • Lack of statutory authority to regulate the issue.
    • Conflict with other regulations – inconsistent, incompatible, duplicative.
    • Lacking clarity of language to implement the regulation thus raising concerns of uncertainty and impossibility of compliance.

What if you do not have the authority to speak on behalf of your institution/organization?

  1. Like public comments, if you do not have the authority to speak on behalf of your institution/organization, do not give that impression. You do have the right to request a meeting as a private citizen.
  2. The meeting request form does include “Requestor’s Organization,” which is not a required field.
  3. It is best if you share that you are a member of the public who works at an institution/organization that would be affected or for which the students would be affected and are sharing points for consideration prior to the finalization of the agency’s regulations.

Why should you request an EO 12866 Meeting?

This is the final opportunity for the public to provide input on the development of regulations. This package of proposed regulations will have a deep impact on distance education and the students it serves. In our opinion, the impact and cost of compliance seem to be underestimated.

text box over a photo of a blank laptop: Yes, these meetings can be awkward. You may end up talking to a blank screen for 30 minutes. They may ask questions, or not at all.

As previously mentioned, typically, regulations released as final cannot be changed without a new rulemaking or cannot be vacated without a court challenge. Yes, there are paths to blocking a regulation (e.g., Congress defunding enforcement or the Congressional Review Act), but those are less likely to occur. More on that later. Therefore, we encourage those with final thoughts on these regulatory issues to participate in the process by sharing their information in an EO 12866 meeting to inform the OIRA review before the draft is sent back to the Department to finalize and release the final regulations.

Review of the Public Comments for Proposed Regulations for Distance Education and Return to Title IV (R2T4)

As with previous sets of proposed rules for which we participated in the public comment period, WCET and SAN are in full support of the intent of the Department to provide student protection and protect the integrity of the Title IV Federal aid programs. Our goal in providing public comments or providing testimony for an EO 12866 Meeting is to inform the Department of concerns about the detrimental impact as raised by our member practitioners. We seek to avoid the tilt in the regulatory balance that will ultimately cause more harm to students when attempting to address the problem raised by the Department. We also believe that, unlike any other set of proposed regulations in our experience, these rules will impact institutions economically in a way that has been overwhelmingly underestimated in the Department’s analysis.

The Regulations.gov website page for submitting public comments for the Program Integrity and Institutional Qualityregulations indicates that 454 public comments were submitted during the comment period. It is noted on this website that agencies do not publicly post all comments received. A bulk data download link is available at the bottom of the webpage.

We appreciated reviewing the public comments. Public comments provide the opportunity to inform the Department about opinions, actual experience and data with the issue, and to ask questions. There were a few organizations that provided public comments that supported the Department’s regulations and the public policy reasoning behind the regulations as shared by the Department. However, we found that many institutions and organizations representing institutions shared common themes based on their practical experience at institutions serving students.

Practitioners in the field shared the implementation frustration with many of these regulations. We noted that many comments corresponded very closely to the comments summarized in the recent Inside Higher Ed Post:  Universities Hit Back Against Proposed Online Attendance Policy

Common themes found in the comments include the following key concerns with the proposed regulations:

  • Underestimation of costs for attendance taking for distance education courses.
  • At the expense of many principled institutions, there is over-regulation of institutions to address the few unscrupulous institutions, for which enforcement of current regulations would be prudent.
  • Concern that these proposed regulations are directed specifically at distance education rather than all modalities, and this shows a distinct bias against distance education and the lack of understanding of the variation of uses and interconnection of modalities currently used by faculty and students at institutions.
  • Concern about ambiguous language in regulation.
    • The proposed regulation does not define “attendance taking” in the regulatory language of 34 CFR 668.22(b)(3)(ii).
    • Proposed regulation 34 CFR 600.2 definition of “virtual location” does not specify one virtual location for all academic programs that are 100% by distance education or separate virtual locations for each program.
  • Concern that the proposed language for the 34 CFR 600.2 definition of “virtual location” will entail state and accreditor approval as well as an update to the program participation agreement.
  • Concern that the NPRM preamble language referring to the elimination of asynchronous instruction for clock-hour programs can be misinterpreted as the language does not indicate that the elimination is limited to only those programs offered by distance education.
  • Conflict with the 2020 preamble to distance education regulations.
textbox illustrating a check list. Text: Via public comments, institutions are:
Worried about the cost of compliance.
Feel the innocent are being punished.
Are asking for oversight of all modalities.
Currently seeking many clarifications about the proposed rules.

Some public comments requested guidance in the preamble of the final regulations to clarify regulatory language. However, because the preamble has no legal effect, we encourage the Department to prepare unambiguous regulations that rely on the text of the language. We know that administrations may choose to follow previous guidance or not.

Specific to these proposed distance education regulations, we saw the Department reverse guidance from the 2020 preamble analysis as the Department has no legal obligation to follow the previous guidance.

We hope that the public comments as well as input received during the OIRA review will help the Department revise the regulations to include clear direction in regulation.

If you wish to review the comments on your own, you may download the released comments individually under the All Comments on the Docket tab, or in Bulk Data Download at the link at the bottom of the webpage.

Next Steps

WCET and SAN will provide notification through our online communications platform, MIX, and in an update to this blog post when the final draft rules are sent to OMB for review. We encourage you to participate in this last step of the rulemaking process if you have remaining issues and concerns about these distance education-related regulations.

As we shared, the process is not difficult and was created so that the public could be involved. The Administrative Procedures Act (APA) rulemaking process is based on core elements of transparency to provide notice and opportunity for public comment. Additionally, to complement the elements of the APA, Executive Order 12866 was issued to make the regulatory process more efficient.

The public should not consider this process a mystery and should share applicable direction to the Department. This will help ensure that the view of practitioners in the field will help inform practical and balanced rules. This is important since we share common goals of student protection, student access, and protection of the Federal financial aid structure.

Please continue to follow SAN and WCET as we navigate an EO 12866 meeting ourselves and continue to follow the rulemaking issues that were addressed in the Winter 2024 negotiated rulemaking meetings. We will keep you updated!

Post written by Cheryl Dowd, Van Davis, and Russ Poulin

Categories
Policy

Survey on New DOJ Regulation on Accessibility of Web Information and Services

On August 2, WCET published our post, Accessibility in the Spotlight: Department of Justice Regulations, on the Department of Justice (DOJ) final rule revising the regulation implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The new regulation establishes requirements for making accessible the services, programs, and activities offered by state and local government entities to the public through the web and mobile applications. In the post, we provided an overview of the updates made in the regulation, the compliance timeline, and a preview of additional resources and events focused on accessibility and this regulation that WCET is planning.

In order to inform ongoing plans to support WCET members and others in this complex work, we conducted a brief survey Iast month to better understand institutional awareness around the revised regulation. WCET collaborated with both the State Authorization Network and NWHEAT (a collaboration of the Northwest Academic Computing Consortium and the Orbis Cascade Alliance) to solicit responses.

We received 205 responses representing a range of institutions/organizations, with the highest number of respondents at four-year publics that primarily offer baccalaureate and/or graduate degrees (47%), then two-year publics that primarily offer associate degrees (35%). Nearly half (48%) of institutions/organizations responding reported having Fall 2023 headcount enrollments of at least 10,000.

We also asked respondents what office/service within the institution they represent:

Graph showing different program respondents belong to.

Respondents were asked if they were generally aware of the new regulation. An overwhelming majority (81%) answered “Yes.” When asked if their institution has taken any action to begin addressing compliance, a majority (61%) responded “Yes.”

Those who haven’t taken action or didn’t know did indicate that, in general and at some point, they have taken some sort of action to address accessibility requirements for web and mobile app usage by students, faculty, and staff, with the most common being consulting/working with campus Accessibility Services (45%) and working with vendors on accessibility (38%).

A majority or near majority of respondents who indicated that their institution has taken action to begin addressing compliance are in the initial planning phases, such as:

  • reviewing, analyzing, and/or discussing the regulation,
  • reviewing all web content and mobile apps to identify areas of non-compliance, and/or
  • consulting/working with campus Accessibility Services.

The highest percentage (17%) of the actions above that have been fully addressed or nearly done is for consulting/working with campus Accessibility Services. A key (if not surprising) takeaway here is that Accessibility Services is crucial to this work.

Many institutions clearly are working to grapple with what is needed for compliance, especially in the face of a relatively short timeline. Our survey surfaced the following key needs to support this work: staffing, training, faculty buy-in, vendors and procurement, and legal issues.

Staffing

Identified staffing needs included:

group of students listening to a speaker
  • experts, whether on staff or consultants, on the regulation and digital accessibility in general;
  • librarians with expertise on archived content;
  • subject matter experts for “fields where there are content questions (data visualizations, art, maps)”; and,
  • instructional designers.

One respondent identified a need for “[s]ample updated language for job descriptions that incorporate the skill of authoring accessible content.

It is everyone’s job,” another for “new positions to serve as leadership” for this work.

Training

Numerous respondents indicated that professional development for staff, faculty, and administrators was crucial to assist in understanding and compliance.

One respondent suggested, “This is a huge undertaking on the instructional side to make sure faculty create accessible course materials. The training involved will be extensive.” Others suggested that this training needs to be mandated, given the circumstances.

Faculty Buy-In

The survey made it clear that faculty are considered crucial to ensuring compliance; however, many respondents expressed concerns that faculty members don’t understand their responsibilities around accessibility. There does seem to be a recognition of the extent of work that this would take: “Our instructors already are largely unaware of accessibility standards and trying to mandate this level of compliance in a short time, and then vetting/reviewing their materials to ensure compliance, is a very, very large lift for our already over-taxed faculty.” Another echoed such concerns: “So many files added to LMS and so many courses. Extremely time-consuming to review data and zero in on the inaccessible files!” But one respondent bluntly admitted, “The fear is people [faculty] will be deleting content.”

Vendors & Procurement

Respondents requested resources to assist in communicating with third-party vendors. Others suggested that a national list of vendors – particularly those who understand the often unique needs of higher education – that have had accessibility conformance reviews performed on their software would be helpful. As one stated, “I know there are some publicly available repositories of test results and VPATs [Voluntary Product Accessibility Template] but it would be nice to have a one-stop shop!” Challenges around existing multi-year contracts with vendors, who may not currently ensure accessibility of their products to the standard required in the regulation, also were mentioned.

The need for legal guidance, particularly around the exceptions in the regulation, was another topic of interest. One respondent asked, “[f]or our conversations with legal, help [to] determine how the new guidelines impact the risk profile of accessibility to help us compare it to other risks on campus.” Another suggested: “I think being able to break down the legal aspects into practical applications would be very helpful.”

This post only scratches the surface of the myriad of institutional and organizational needs to comply with the revised regulation, from a better understanding of the regulation itself as well as accessibility standards, to models of plans from other institutions and guidance for private colleges and universities on how future regulations may affect them. While work toward compliance may seem daunting, it should result in increased accessibility for all students . As one respondent argued: “I would like to see a shift from a ‘compliance mindset’ to a[n] ‘equity mindset’ with my faculty and staff. It’s not about lawsuits, it’s about providing access to a quality education for all!”

WCET is committed to developing resources to assist with these topics and others, and we will soon publish additional Frontiers posts from accessibility experts in the field. We held a very successful Closer Conversation event about the regulation for members, and we recently published Access for All: New Accessibility Rules For Public Entities. This resource outlines the regulation in greater detail and includes a flowchart highlighting key questions to guide an institution’s processes to ensure compliance. This resource is only available to WCET and SAN members. Click the links below to download.

Post authored by Judith Sebesta and Van Davis

Categories
Policy

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines – the ADA’s Requirements for Digital Content

This month, WCET is placing a spotlight on digital accessibility, with a particular focus on the newly updated requirements for public entities, including higher education institutions. We kicked off the month with an overview of the recent ADA updates, and today, we are thrilled to continue along this theme.

A warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to Jared Smith, Executive Director of WebAIM, for joining us today. Jared offers an exceptional overview of the guidelines that the ADA will use as the standard for digital content accessibility.

Be sure to stay tuned to WCET for more expert insights on accessibility in upcoming Frontiers posts. WCET members, we’re eager to connect with you at this month’s Closer Conversation, where we’ll be discussing plans to meet these new regulations. Plus, don’t forget to check out our latest member-only resource: Access for All: New Accessibility Rules for Public Entities. SAN members can download it here, and WCET members can access it here.

Thank you once again to Jared and the WebAIM team for today’s post. This is a the time to prioritize digital content accessibility—not just to comply with updated regulations, but to ensure that all learners can fully engage with the innovative resources and tools available today. Here at WCET, we admire the work of WebAIM, and we are committed to helping to advance the mission to bring digital learning to everyone.

Enjoy the read,

Lindsey Downs, WCET


A decorative image of the url field on a webpage with a computer mouse clicking on the field.

Earlier this month, WCET Frontiers shared how the ADA will begin requiring public entities to meet WCAG 2.1 A and AA success criteria as early as April of 2026.

This update to the ADA provides much-needed clarification of how discrimination for digital products can be measured. The US Department of Health and Human Services has issued a similar update to Section 504 regulations requiring WCAG 2.1 A/AA conformance for digital content in a wide array of health and human services.

What is WCAG?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are a set of international recommendations for digital accessibility. The guidelines are published by the World Wide Web Consortium or W3C. It’s important to recognize that WCAG itself is not a legal standard and it is not developed by the US government.

These technical guidelines are instead generated by representatives of interested W3C member organizations and invited experts – professionals who are interested in making the web more accessible to individuals with disabilities.

WCAG is not new. The first version of the guidelines, WCAG 1.0, was finalized 25 years ago in 1999. The guidelines were updated significantly in 2008 to version 2.0. In 2018, the 2.1 sub-version was finalized, and in 2023, version 2.2 was completed. WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 make very minimal changes to the requirements found in WCAG 2.0, but instead add new requirements to reflect modern innovation on the web, including mobile apps and devices and accessibility for users with cognitive and learning disabilities.

WCAG Conformance

WCAG is structured based on four main principles:

  1. Perceivable,
  2. Operable,
  3. Understandable,
  4. Robust.
Diagram of four principles of accessible design - with icons representing each.
Perceivable - with an open eye icon.
Operable - with a graphic of a computer mouse click.
Understandable - with simple icon of a human head and brain
Robust - icon of several difference types of electronic devices (smartphone, desktop, tablet)

These guiding principles provide a foundation to ensure that content:

  • can be received by a user’s senses,
  • can be navigated and operated,  
  • is likely to make sense, and,
  •  will work with the end user’s technology and assistive technology.

Within the WCAG principles are 13 high level statements about accessibility called guidelines. Examples of WCAG guidelines are “Provide text alternatives for any non-text content” and “Make all functionality available from a keyboard” – wonderful suggestions for making content accessible, but not very measurable.

Within the guidelines are success criteria which are measurable, pass/fail statements about accessibility. Success criteria require that images have alternative text, captions are provided for videos, form inputs are properly labeled, text has sufficient contrast, and much more.

Success criteria are where conformance with WCAG is measured. Each success criterion is assigned a level: A, AA, or AAA. The levels do not always align with end user impact, but in general, here is an overview:

  • When level A success criteria are not met there will likely be notable barriers to end users with disabilities.
  • When level AA success criteria are not met, then some users will likely have difficulty or frustration accessing the content.
  • Meeting the level AAA success criteria can provide benefit to many users with disabilities, but these success criteria are often more difficult to meet or may not be relevant or appropriate for some types of digital content. This is currently the highest standard to reach, however, it does not mean that all content will meet the needs of all end users.

The principles -> guidelines -> success criteria structure of WCAG results in each success criterion having a number designation. As an example, success criterion 2.4.3, which requires that navigation order be logical, is the 3rd success criterion in the 4th guidelines under the 2nd principle.

For a page or other digital product to meet the ADA technical requirements it, including any 3rd party content within that page or product, must fully meet all WCAG level A and level AA success criteria.

WCAG and the ADA

Because WCAG is the most common measure of digital accessibility, it has been a de facto standard for the ADA for many years. Many ADA and related lawsuits reference WCAG. The Department of Justice and other entities have long indicated that WCAG is a preferred measure of discrimination.

This year’s update to the ADA codifies WCAG 2.1 A/AA as being the technical standard for public entities. While WCAG 2.2 is the current version of WCAG, the new success criteria in version 2.2 are not legally required. Similarly, while AAA success criteria can be very beneficial to some users with disabilities, digital products are not required by the ADA to meet any AAA success criteria. This update to the ADA applies only to public entities, such as most higher education institutions, but these guidelines may be applied to private entities in the future.

Resources

WebAIM has found that accessibility barriers are pervasive on the web. While higher education web sites fare better than most others, barriers to users with disabilities and non-conformance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are widespread. With ADA soon requiring WCAG A/AA conformance, institutions must begin now to formulate or accelerate plans to full implement these guidelines.

Because WCAG is a technical specification with sometimes confusing or ethereal language, it can be daunting and overwhelming. WebAIM’s WCAG Checklist provides a simplified presentation of the guidelines. The WebAIM web site has many materials to help you better understand, implement, and measure accessibility. The WAVE accessibility testing tools can be used to measure many aspects of WCAG conformance.

Post written by Jared Smith – Executive Director, WebAIM