CT Launches Virtual Summit on Distance Learning

Campus closures have led education institutions everywhere to scramble to move instruction to an online format. On May 5, the Campus Technology Distance Learning Summit will provide insight, ideas and information for education IT decision-makers grappling with the need for continuity of teaching and learning in these unprecedented times.

In three hour-long editorial-led sessions, ed tech experts and practitioners in the trenches will share their best practices and engage attendees with a live Q&A. Attendees will also have the opportunity to join the conversation in three post-session Twitter chats using the hashtag #CTSummit.

Session 1: Tips and Tool for Managing the Sudden Transition to Online Learning
These days, more faculty than ever before have been thrust into teaching remotely — sometimes with little preparation. From overcoming initial hurdles to fine-tuning approaches for the longer term, these expert best practices will help. Our presenters:

  • Errol St.Clair Smith, Global Project Director, RTOL: Rapid Transition to Online Learning, Academy of Active Learning Arts and Sciences
  • Thomas Mennella, associate professor of biology and director, Master of Science Program in Applied Laboratory Science & Operations, Bay Path University

Session 2: Help! How IT Can Best Train and Support Faculty Making a Quick Move Online
When Louisiana Tech University made the decision to take courses online in response to the COVID-19 threat, the timing couldn't have been worse: The move coincided with the start of the Spring semester, so faculty and staff had to hit the ground running. In this session, CIO Thomas Hoover will share how his institution went live with online classes in just two days, including a weekend of faculty training and an ongoing rollout of new tools and support to help with the transition.

Session 3: Innovations in Remote Learning
It is challenging to move courses online. However, there are proven next-generation best practices. Modern approaches using the latest technologies are being employed even in STEM courses which may be among the most challenging to move online, due to their reliance on hands-on labs and equipment. In this session, the founders of Virtually Inspired, an online showcase of innovations in online learning, will share some of the ground-breaking ways educators around the world are enhancing teaching with technology and solving challenges of online delivery. Our presenters:

  • Dr. Susan Aldridge, President (Ret.), Drexel University Online, Co-Anchor, Virtually Inspired
  • Marci M. Powell, CEO/President, Marci Powell & Associates, Project Director & Co-Anchor, Virtually Inspired, and USDLA Chair Emerita and Past President

Join us for this free event on Tuesday, May 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. PT. For more information and to register, visit the CT Summit site.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • connected professionals abstract network

    Educause President and CEO John O'Brien Announces Retirement

    John O'Brien, president and CEO of Educause, has announced his intention to retire in August 2027.

  • digital brain integrating legal regulation and security interface

    Agentic AI Moves from Pilot Phase to Production, Bringing Governance to the Forefront

    New research from Caylent, an AI-focused Amazon Web Services Premier Tier Services Partner, found that enterprises are already moving agentic AI beyond pilots and into production environments. At the same time, organizations are putting strict conditions around autonomy, making governance and control the next major challenge for enterprise AI adoption.

  • woman

    AI Giants Back Nonprofit Focused on Workforce Transition

    The AI industry's biggest names are investing in more than just models and infrastructure — they're focusing on workforce readiness. OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft and Amazon are backing Raise US, a new nonprofit that aims to raise $1 billion to help American workers prepare for an AI-driven economy.

  • robot hand holding stacks of coins

    Designing AI Systems for Financial Aid

    Financial aid offices have been slow to adopt AI, risking technological stagnation at a critical early student touchpoint. Systematic AI integration can improve student experiences and strengthen institutional positioning.