The University of Nebraska Online and University of Nebraska Information Technology (UNIT) hosted the 2016 on May 10, 2016 in downtown Lincoln. The event brought together the full scope of University of Nebraska administrators, faculty and staff and was open to individuals involved in online and distance education and gave them the opportunity to meet-in-person, learn and share their experiences in the field.
Robbie Melton, Ph.D., Associate Vice Chancellor of Mobilization and Emerging Technology with the Tennessee Board of Regents, kicked off the day with her high-energy keynote presentation, The Emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) Smart Connected Devices and EduGadgets for Real-Time On-Demand Education Transformation. Melton used the time to expose attendees to the technology available and relied on them to determine how it could be integrated into their specific disciplines. She stressed that educators must focus on how integrating technology into education requires a new approach that infuses new technologies with teaching and learning.
Melton was joined by special guests, Malcolm Brown, Director of the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, presenting Of Trends, Trajectories and Key Issues: Thoughts about IT in Teaching and Learning and Tanya Joosten, Director of eLearning Research and Development at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, presenting Emerging Trends: Considerations in Instructional and Institutional Effectiveness.
Through the event theme, Digital Strategies for Student Success, attendees had access to 30+ breakout sessions conducted by colleagues active in online and blended learning at the University of Nebraska. Session tracks included individual and group presentations, as well as panel discussions in the areas of leadership and strategy, emerging technologies and pedagogy and instructional design.
The day of learning was ended with an interactive panel discussion when Mary Niemiec (University of Nebraska), Mark Askren (UNL Vice Chancellor for IT and CIO), Malcolm Brown (EDUCAUSE), Tanya Joosten (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) and Robbie Melton (Tennessee Board of Regents) took the stage for panel discussion, Pedagogy, Technology & Opportunities: What Should NU Be Doing? Panelists took questions from the audience as well as through social media channels.
A special thank you to the sponsors who made the event possible.
The 2017 event will be held at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel in downtown Lincoln next year. Speaking proposals will be open in December (2016).