2025 Concentrations

Select the concentration headings below to see descriptions. The concentration descriptions include prompts to help you generate ideas. Proposals are not restricted to the prompts. Collaborative sessions with admins, faculty and/or IDs mixed together are encouraged. Collaborations between institutions are also encouraged.

• Enhancing Faculty Practice: Development and Collaboration

  This concentration focuses on improving the quality of online education through faculty development and collaborative efforts. Proposals could address the crucial role of faculty in shaping and enhancing quality assurance processes; encouraging teamwork among administrators, faculty and IDs; and using feedback from learners to refine and improve teaching practices.

  Example areas of focus for Administrators

  1. Adapting to the changing landscape of higher education
  2. Addressing systemic barriers to faculty success in online teaching and learning
  3. Creating a culture of sharing and learning
  4. Developing a faculty community of practice
  5. Incentives to encourage faculty development and innovation

  Example areas of focus for Faculty

  1. Building strong mentoring relationships and quality assurance
  2. Work-life balance strategies for faculty
  3. Using data analytics to improve learner outcomes
  4. Fostering interdisciplinary collaboration
  5. Using research findings to inform and improve educational practices.

  Example areas of focus for Instructional Designers

  1. Strategies for effective team communication
  2. Overcoming challenges in collaborative projects
  3. Designing effective professional development programs for faculty
  4. Promoting a culture of continuous improvement

• Advancing Excellence: Continuous Improvement and Innovation

  If quality assurance has been a part of your institution for several years, how do you continue to enhance quality assurance practices? This concentration is about the belief that there is always room for improvement, the role leadership and transparency play, the need to encourage innovation , and the small but continuous improvements that lead to learner and institution success.

  Example areas of focus for Administrators

  1. Adapting quality assurance processes
  2. Data-driven decision making
  3. Aligning with accreditation standards
  4. Strategies for managing course revisions and reviews

  Example areas of focus for Faculty

  1. Interactive elements in online teaching  
  2. Continuous improvement strategies
  3. Student-centered course design
  4. Assessment and feedback mechanisms
  5. Teaching from a learning perspective

  Example areas of focus for Instructional Designers

  1. Collaborative course design models
  2. Iterative design and using feedback
  3. Data analytics and instructional design
  4. Assessing how instructional design influences learner outcomes and experiences

• Case Studies in Effective Implementation

  This concentration is designed to share the process and results of successful implementation, the accompanying objectives and strategies, and points of improvement for the implementation of a quality assurance program. Included in this concentration are methods of evaluating the results of implementing a quality assurance program. Proposals should use the case study as essential background to provide context, but the focus of the presentation should be on the broader implications and transferable lessons that other institutions can apply to their own contexts.

  Example areas of focus for Administrators

  1. The role of administrators in driving quality assurance initiatives
  2. Strategic planning and aligning with institutional goals
  3. Resource allocation
  4. Engaging stakeholders
  5. Policy development

  Example areas of focus for Faculty

  1. Developing and implementing effective online assessment strategies
  2. Maintaining student engagement and motivation in online courses
  3. Balancing quality assurance with the demands of online teaching
  4. Utilizing data and analytics to inform teaching and improve learning outcomes
  5. Utilizing technology to personalize the learning experience for online learners

  Example areas of focus for Instructional Designers

  1. Developing and implementing innovative online course designs
  2. Utilizing open educational resources (OER) in online courses
  3. Utilizing technology effectively to enhance teaching and learning
  4. Implementing quality assurance practices for AI-powered learning tools

• Accessibility, Engagement and Belonging

  Accessibility, engagement and a sense of belonging impact opportunities and outcomes for learners across different levels and contexts of education. Share how your ideas, initiatives and proactive approaches to addressing these three critical issues have helped ensure learner success. 

  Example areas of focus for Administrators

  1. Self-care Initiatives for learners and faculty
  2. Humanizing learning in diverse educational settings
  3. Cultivating a culture of community that promotes a sense of belonging and well-being for all
  4. Accessibility initiatives
  5. Assessing the effectiveness of accessibility implementation strategies

  Example areas of focus for Faculty

  1. Developing culturally responsive learning environments
  2. Addressing hidden struggles of learners
  3. Strategies to improve accessibility
  4. Pedagogical innovation in online courses

  Example areas of focus for Instructional Designers

  1. Embedding accessibility features early in the instructional design process
  2. The advantages of accessible learning environments for both learners and institutions
  3. Practical tools and strategies to make learning more accessible and inclusive
  4. Applying UDL principles 

• Advancing Learner Success: Exploring Learner Journeys

  This concentration focuses on the collaborative efforts of administrators, designers and faculty to enhance learner success. It involves providing comprehensive support services, such as scaffolding, feedback, counseling, and peer support, to assist learners in their academic, personal and professional development. By integrating diverse support mechanisms and leveraging learner feedback, educational stakeholders create effective and engaging learning experiences based on sound pedagogical principles and theories.

  Example areas of focus for Administrators

  1. Resource management for learner support programs
  2. Advocating for policies that enhance learner support 
  3. Using learner feedback to guide strategic decisions in curriculum development and learning experience design
  4. Evaluating policy impact on learner-centric education

  Example areas of focus for Faculty

  1. Addressing learner challenges for deeper understanding and providing useful feedback
  2. Balancing learner support with academic integrity
  3. Collaborative efforts in integrating learner support
  4. The role of faculty in adapting teaching and course design based on learner feedback and needs

  Example areas of focus for Instructional Designers

  1. Learner-centered support strategies based on needs assessment 
  2. Aligning learner support with educational objectives 
  3. Designing learner-centric experiences
  4. Innovative design approaches for enhanced learner engagement

• AI and Emerging Technologies

  This concentration aims to provide an understanding of how AI and emerging technologies can be leveraged to enhance the quality and effectiveness of online learning. It offers a platform for sharing knowledge, discussing challenges and exploring future directions in the field. Proposals could explore AI-driven tools that provide real-time feedback and grading, using AI to analyze learner data and predict learning outcomes, implementing AR/VR to create immersive learning experiences, using blockchain for credentialing, ethical concerns, and ensuring algorithms are fair and unbiased.

  Example areas of focus for Administrators

  1. Predictive analytics and identifying at-risk learners and tailor interventions
  2. Metrics to measure the effectiveness of AI-driven tools and emerging technologies in enhancing learning outcomes
  3. Policies to protect learner data and ensure ethical use of AI
  4. Collaboration between IT departments, instructional designers, and faculty to implement and use these technologies

  Example areas of focus for Faculty

  1. AI-driven tools to provide timely and personalized feedback
  2. Adaptive learning technologies that tailor content to individual learner needs
  3. Using data analytics to monitor learner engagement and performance, identifying trends and areas where support may be needed
  4. Using AI to create gamified learning experiences
  5. Learning communities to share best practices and experiences with AI tools and technologies

  Example areas of focus for Instructional Designers

  1. Using AI to streamline creation of course materials, lesson plans, assignments, and assessments
  2. Adaptive learning systems to create customize learning paths
  3. Simulations that provide hand-on experiential learning

Presentation Formats

Select the format name to see the definition.

Evaluation Criteria