Digital Learning

Courseware in Context Framework Gets Update, New Features

• By Rhea Kelly
• 09/21/17

The Courseware in Context (CWiC) Framework today released a number of new features aimed at improving usability. Originally released last year through a collaboration between the Online Learning Consortium and Tyton Partners, the suite of resources is designed to "help postsecondary decision-makers make informed selections of digital courseware products, and support effective adoption and implementation of these solutions," according to a news release.

Updates for 2017 include:

• Revisions to the product taxonomy, to help differentiate courseware products;
• Updates to the product primer, to guide courseware selection for various scenarios;
• Suggested CWiC use cases, tailored for institutions at different stages of the courseware decision-making process;
• Expansion of the LearnPlatform's interactive CWiC Framework functionality;
• A new adoption checklist for assessing readiness to adopt courseware; and
• New case studies profiling pilot implementations of the CWiC Framework at Arizona State University and the University of Central Florida.

The CWiC Framework also announced its Executive Committee members for the 2017-2018 term:

• Kelvin Bentley, former vice president of academic affairs at Tarrant County Community
  College;
• Jeff Borden, chief innovation officer at Saint Leo University;
• Cristi Ford, associate vice provost, Center for Innovation in Learning and Student Success at University of Maryland University College;
• Tanya Joosten, director of e-learning research and development at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee;
• Mark McBride, library senior strategist for the State University of New York System;
• Joe Moreau, vice chancellor of technology at Foothill de Anza Community College;
• Dale Pike, executive director and associate provost, technology-enhanced learning and online strategies, Virginia Tech;
• Penny Ralston-Berg, senior instructional designer at Penn State World Campus;
• Philippos Savvides, manager of learning technologies at EdPlus, Arizona State University; and
• Emma Zone, CWiC executive committee chair and vice provost at Colorado Technical University.

"The CWiC Executive Committee brings a range of expertise, institutional perspectives and professional backgrounds to help achieve the CWiC mission of advancing the adoption of quality courseware in higher education," said Zone in a statement. "We look forward to building on our work over the past year and the 2017-18 Executive Committee will retain the knowledge of six members returning from the 2016-2017 term. As CWiC Executive Committee Chair, I am excited by the prospect of working with this group of distinguished digital learning experts to improve digital learning and outcomes for postsecondary students."

The Courseware in Context Framework is available on the CWiC Framework website or through the LearnPlatform.