Thursday 3/14: USDLA Brief
Q&A with Tiffany Morgan, Industry News, Upcoming Webinars
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We hope you have had a great week, USDLA friends!
On Tuesday, we introduced you to USDLA Board Member Tiffany Morgan. Today, we share a Q&A with the woman who has worked at Iowa PBS for the last 16 years. She is an instructional designer for distance learning courses, professional development initiatives, and educational and general audience media productions. Scroll down for more.
Industry News: European Parliament, “The EU’s landmark new AI law bans social scoring and limits biometric identification.” See more below.
Also: Be sure to register for these educational, information-packed events:
Have you registered for our 2024 National Conference?
Today is the day: usdla.org/2024-conference-registration
We’ll talk to you again on Tuesday! — All our best, USDLA’s Communications team
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Q&A with USDLA Board Member Tiffany Morgan
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USDLA: Tiffany, you have been on the Board of Directors for a few years. Tell us what first drew you to the organization.
Tiffany: Previously I had been active in the Iowa chapter of USDLA, Iowa Distance Learning Association (IDLA), serving both as a board member and then president of the organization. I had always found that time valuable both in terms of the people and connections I made, as well as the knowledge and skills I gained. When the opportunity presented itself to run for the USDLA board, it seemed like another great opportunity to serve the distance learning community which had given me so much, and to continue to grow and learn from a talented group of distance learning leaders across the nation.
USDLA: You have a remarkable background as an educator. Tell us about your work and what you are most proud of.
Tiffany: I’ve been lucky that my career has allowed me to work on a wide variety of projects. I initially started in the military and government community, building online- and computer-based instruction for first responders, military personnel and government staff. In 2007 I began my position at Iowa PBS as an instructional media designer. While I’ve been here, I have been most proud of our work serving Iowa students, teachers and school districts through the creation and delivery of distance learning courses, resources and professional development opportunities.
USDLA: Tell us about some of the initiatives you have worked on with USDLA.
Tiffany: In 2023, I enjoyed assisting with the Annual Conference by providing support and technical assistance to those attending the conference virtually. Most recently I’ve joined the membership team and I’m excited to be a part of the efforts to promote all the benefits of USDLA with members, old and new.
USDLA: What are you most excited about regarding the future of distance learning in the coming years?
Tiffany: Distance learning has never been “one-size fits all.” Distance learning professionals continue to develop tools, technologies and techniques to better meet the unique and diverse needs of all learners. It’s really exciting to be part of those innovations and creativity.
USDLA: Thank you so much for your hard work at USDLA. We look forward to a great 2024!
About: Tiffany Morgan serves as an education program coordinator and conducts research, design, production and implementation of locally created educational media resources.
In her 17 years at Iowa PBS, Tiffany has been an instructional designer for distance learning courses, professional development initiatives, and educational and general audience media productions. Most recently she led Iowa Science Phenomena, a collaborative project between Iowa PBS, Iowa organizations and educators to curate and share a growing collection of Iowa-specific NGSS phenomena, receiving a 2022 National Educational Telecommunications Association Public Media Award for Innovation in Education. Over her 20+-year career she has designed eLearning training for military and government clients and instructed graduate courses in distance learning practices and pedagogy at Iowa State University School of Education. She has served on the Iowa Distance Learning Association board, the PBS Children’s Media & Education Station Leadership Committee, and most recently serves as the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition executive committee secretary. A graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in History and a Masters of Science degree in Curriculum and Instructional Technology, Tiffany enjoys researching the intersection of science, technology, data and the arts.
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Distance Learning Industry News
The EU’s landmark new AI law bans social scoring and limits biometric identification
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On Wednesday, Parliament approved the Artificial Intelligence Act that ensures safety and compliance with fundamental rights, while boosting innovation.
The regulation was endorsed by MEPs with 523 votes in favour, 46 against and 49 abstentions. It aims to protect fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of law and environmental sustainability from high-risk AI, while boosting innovation and establishing Europe as a leader in the field. The regulation establishes obligations for AI based on its potential risks and level of impact.
Banned applications: The new rules ban certain AI applications that threaten citizens’ rights, including biometric categorization systems based on sensitive characteristics and untargeted scraping of facial images from the internet or CCTV footage to create facial recognition databases. Emotion recognition in the workplace and schools, social scoring, predictive policing (when it is based solely on profiling a person or assessing their characteristics), and AI that manipulates human behavior or exploits people’s vulnerabilities will also be forbidden.
Read the entire article here.
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REGISTER FOR THESE EVENTS!
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USDLA Free Friday Webinar: Is Anyone There? 7 Ways to Increase Instructor Presence in Online Courses
When: March 29, 1-2pm
Register: usdla.org/webinars
About: Students enroll in online courses for a variety of reasons. However, while asynchronous online courses may be ideal for many due to the flexibility offered, they can be extremely isolating for students. Research shows that instructor presence can help create a sense of community within an online course, can build trust between students and the instructor, and can increase student engagement while also increasing academic achievement. Every stakeholder involved in the course creation or facilitation of online learning wants students to feel valued, but getting started can be a daunting process.
Have you ever felt like “just a facilitator” within your course? Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the thought of giving detailed feedback to every student? As an instructional designer, have you ever wondered how to change your design practice to help subject matter experts be more present within the course? If you answered yes to any of these questions, come join us as we discuss seven ways to help increase instructor presence within online courses. These strategies will not only help instructional designers implement ways to increase instructor presence during the course design process, but also ways the instructor can insert themselves into the course in a positive way. This session will also focus on the four attributes of high-quality feedback and how these principles can be implemented within any course, no matter the size.
About the presenter: Hanna Howell, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Alabama in the College of Education and Human Sciences, Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership. Previously, she served as the Assistant Director of Instructional Technology Support Services at the University of Alabama. She is active in the Quality Matters organization as a certified peer reviewer and facilitator for Improving Your Online Course. Her research interests include: business and academic continuity, instructor presence, and use of artificial intelligence tools in the prek-12 classroom.
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Teaching Ordinary Subjects in Extraordinary Ways
When: March 19, 7-8pm
Register: NEDLA.org
About: Competition for highly qualified, technical talent will continue to intensify to keep pace with technological innovation. To meet the challenge, educators must develop a STEM curriculum, often, with limited funding. Educators will see aerospace/STEM resources, activities, textbooks, products, and programs to use in any classroom or after-school or enrichment programs. These educational tips and materials can be used across disciplines in both core and elective studies. Aerospace education learning resources/components augments and enhances existing classroom educational environment as well as motivating and stimulating student’s future job readiness and career growth. Diverse aerospace curriculum will develop an interest in and appreciation for aerospace/STEM subjects making education fun as our nation seeks to inspire the aerospace/STEM workforce of the next generation. Fortunately, there are available resources that provide the need for specialized future workforces through a variety of dynamic programs, products, and activities to assist educators. The challenge: getting the word out.
About the presenter: Lt. Col. Michael Catania, Civil Air Patrol taught high school for 35 years, earning himself the educational experience that laid the foundation for his career in Aerospace Education. Starting in 1996, Castania joined the Civil Air Patrol and quickly progressed through the ranks to lieutenant colonel. During his 25+ year tenure, he has received myriad of awards including but not limited to Master Ratings in Aerospace Education and Professional Development, Exceptional Service Award, Meritorious Service Award, National and Region Commander’s Commendations, National General Jeanne M. Holm Aerospace Education Officer of the Year Award, and induction into New Jersey’s Aviation Hall of Fame. Lt Col. Castania is a licensed pilot currently serving as the Director of Aerospace Education for the New Jersey Wing, CAP and Executive Director, NJ Aviation Education Council.
Learn more: nedla.org
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A.I. for ALL: Open Education Summit
When: June 5-7
Where: Tennessee State University, Avon Williams Downtown Campus, Nashville
About: Dive into the heart of innovation at the AI for ALL Summit, where inclusivity meets the cutting-edge of artificial intelligence (AI). Our vision is a future where AI technologies are within reach for everyone, fostering an environment of growth, learning, and empowerment through Open Educational Resources (OER).
Learn more: ai-tnstatesmartcenter.org/aiforallsummit2024
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| Thank You to Our National Sponsors
D2L, Instructure, JDL Horizons, Poly, Google, Verizon, Carolina Distance Learning, Harmonize, FDLA, IAP, Nearpod, ViewSonic, Wolfvision, Anatomage, Arizona Telemedicine Program and Southwest Telehealth Resource Center, GoReact, Huddly, BocaVox, Softchalk, NC Sara, Simple Syllabus, VDO360, Symbiosis, VirtualCare, Waldorf University, Merlot, IntelliBoard, Flo-ops, Upswing, Questionmark, Perlego, Padlet
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| Thank you for supporting USDLA, our Sponsors, and our State Chapters.
Chuck Sengstock, President
Valary Oleinik, President-elect
About United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)
Formed in 1987, USDLA is a 501(c)3 non-profit association formed in 1987. Our weekly newsletters reach more than 100,000 people globally, including our members and sponsors working in industries including pre-K-12 education, homeschooling, higher education, continuing education, corporate, military, government, and telehealth. Our mission is to promote the development and application of distance learning for education, training, advocacy, and networking: USDLA.org
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