Online Learning Consortium Selects Award Recipients

• By Michael Hart
• 09/15/14

The Online Learning Consortium (OLC), formerly known as The Sloan Consortium, has selected the recipients of its 2014 OLC Awards and its Effective Practice Awards.

The awards each year go to individuals and colleges and universities around the world that make advances in online learning. The awards will be presented at an October 30 luncheon during the annual Online Learning Consortium International Conference in Orlando, FL. The OLC is a professional association committed to improving the quality of online learning.

This year's OLC award recipients:

• The Frank Mayadas Leadership Award goes to Meg Benke of the State University of New York Empire State College "for transformative leadership in advancing innovative models of online education for adult students;"
• The John R. Bourne Outstanding Achievement in Online Education Award goes to Janet K. Poley at the University of Nebraska "for exemplary work and leadership that have helped to provide access to higher education on a national and international level;"
• The Bruce N. Chaloux Award for Early Career Excellence in Online Education goes to Luke Dowden at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette "for outstanding early-career contributions and leadership that have increased learners' access to quality online education;"
• The Excellence in Institution-Wide Online Education Award goes to Ball State University "for embracing online education as a key strategic element of its mission;"
• The Excellence in Faculty Development for Online Teaching Award goes to Oregon State University Extended Campus "for delivering a comprehensive, responsive, flexible, and effective faculty development program that helps faculty take their online teaching to the next level;"
• The Outstanding Online Program Award goes to the San Jose State University School of Information Master of Library and Information Science program "for developing and delivering an online master's degree that educates leaders who organize, manage and enable the effective use of information and ideas;" And
• The Excellence in Online Teaching Award goes to Diane M. Reddy of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee "for the development of the U-Pace online instructional approach, which has proven to increase student success by integrating concept mastery and proactive instructor support."

The Effective Practice Awards:

• Scott E. Hamm, Charles Ruot and Wade Ashby of Hardin-Simmons University, Cisco College and Abilene Christian University for "Teacher Text;"
• Angela Gibson, Priscilla Coulter and Susan Sartory of the American Public University System for "Bringing the Library to Life: Live Librarian Instruction in a First-Year Online Course;"
• Marie Hulme and Jaya Kannan from Sacred Heart University for "SHUsquare: A Digital Networked Community to Engage Students and Faculty Across Disciplines and to Enhance Traditional, Blended and On-line Teaching and Learning;"
• Melanie Shaw of Northcentral University for "Teaching Through Feedback."
• Matthew A. Eichler, Joshua Book and Debbie Thorne from Texas State University for "Self-certification of online courses by faculty from narrative to checklist - a simpler route;"
• Mary C. Zatta and Robin J. Sitten of the Perkins School for the Blind for "Accessible Online Course Design;" and
• Naza Djafarova, Melissa Abramovitz and Maureen Glynn from Ryerson University for "Lake Devo – Creation, Collaboration and Reflection through a Customizable Online Role-Play Environment."

Sandra Coswatte, director of the OLC Institute, said, "Members of the OLC community continually strive to make quality online education accessible and affordable for anyone, anywhere, at any time. These awards recognize this commitment and provide a way for members to demonstrate what's working in online education."