An item from the folks at the USDLA.

Happy Tuesday, USDLA friends! We are excited to share episode 7 of the Distance Learning Roundtable. Our guest is Jennifer Williams, Executive Director of Take Action Global and Transformational Leader in Education. She’ll also be our keynote speaker at the July 17-20 conference. Click here to listen to the podcast on the Distance Learning Roundtable Radio Show. Click here to watch the video interview on Distance Learning Roundtable TV. And please scroll down for details about Jennifer. The Members Director nomination process is now closed. The election will take place next month. If you are a paid member, you will receive instructions by email on how to cast your vote. The member login link is on the main menu: usdla.org. Public Policy: We need your input. As many of you know, many noteworthy public policy issues impact K-20 education. We’d like to know which ones you believe warrant more discussion and representation, so we have created a brief survey. Select from the topics that most interest you or share an insight that can serve as a roundtable discussion during the upcoming USDLA National Conference in July. Click here to take the survey. Early Bird Registration ends this Friday. Register by March 31st for the early bird conference rate and book your hotel now, as this year’s conference will have something for anyone involved with distance/digital learning. Check out the schedule below. We’ll be back next Tuesday with another issue of USDLA News. I’m looking forward to seeing you in Orlando July 17-20! — Pat Cassella, USDLA Executive Director Join us for episode 7 of the Distance Learning Roundtable Meet our guest — Jennifer Williams, Executive Director, Take Action Global and Transformational Leader in Education A Note from USDLA executive director Pat Cassella and Edu Alliance Group exec Dean Hoke — We invite you to tune in for episode 7 of our podcast and video show, Higher Ed Without Borders, where for 30 minutes, we gain insights from industry experts. Meet our guest: Jennifer Williams, Executive Director, Take Action Global and Transformational Leader in Education. Today’s Topic: Get Ready for Change – Instructional Design Practices Through Meaningful Uses of Technology About this episode: At the heart of innovation and social good are purpose, empathy, and a strong desire to make a positive difference in people’s lives.” Join Distance and Digital Learning Specialist, global educator, and author Dr. Jennifer Williams for this interactive keynote session for distance learning organizations ready to activate positive change through engaging instructional design practices and meaningful uses of technology. Dr. Williams will share examples from her work in distance learning with schools and organizations worldwide from 149 countries and partnerships with the United Nations, the U.S. Department of State, the NYC Department of Education, LEGO, and Microsoft. Digital learning programs and tools will be modeled during the session for use in future-focused learning environments. Participants will leave with ready-to-go action plans to teach boldly and questions to consider in preparing for multiple futures and new shifts in teaching and learning. We ask Jennifer: Pat: Jennifer, you have been an educator and instructional designer for most of your career with a wide variety of experiences worldwide. Share with our listeners some of the most memorable projects and the groups that were part of these. Dean: Your book Teach Boldly: Using Edtech for Social Good has received high marks from educators. A reviewer on Amazon said, “This book is an excellent resource for educators looking to incorporate lessons for empathy into their classroom learning experiences that help students see their impact on the world. Tell our listeners and viewers about the book and what you tried to accomplish. Pat: Jennifer, you will be presenting at our National Conference in Orlando this July. Can you give our audience a little teaser on your presentation and what they will learn if they join us? Dean: You train future classroom teachers as a University Professor. What are the biggest challenges for K-12 teachers to use Educational Technology effectively? Pat: Jennifer, we would like your thoughts about the future of distance learning in the K-12 world both from an educational technology perspective and, more importantly, as a teaching tool. Dean: Jennifer, let me read what some of your colleagues have said about you: “Jen’s work is inspired by passion, and she is driven to share the message of engaged global learning for all students.” “What really impresses me about Jen is just how amazing she is when presenting to large groups of people to motivate them to do social good.” Jennifer, what makes you so passionate about education? About our Guest: Recognized as a transformational leader in education, Dr. Jennifer Williams has dedicated herself for nearly 25 years to the field of education through her roles as an education activist, professor, school administrator, literacy specialist, and classroom teacher. She speaks, writes, and consults on practices that develop global perspectives and social good through creative uses of technology. Her research interests include innovations in teaching and learning, equity and diversity in education, and social action. Jennifer is inspired daily by teachers and students who are catalysts for improving the world! Learn more at jenwilliamsedu.com. About Jennifer’s book Teach Boldly: Using Edtech for Social Good Transformational education leader Jennifer Williams offers design- and empathy-driven practices to help teachers activate positive change in student learning. “Today’s students are ready to design, dream and MAKE the future,” says Jennifer. “Teach Boldly: Using Edtech for Social Good ” guides educators ready to apply innovative practices, meaningful technology use, and global collaboration to drive the change they want to see in the world. Readers will learn how to create a customized plan for education innovation, with strategies for constructing agile classroom environments, digital storytelling and communicating across lines of difference, and prioritizing feedback and active listening.” This book: Showcases the power of narrative and highlights the need for storytelling in education. Offers direction for seeking out authentic feedback and steps for iterating on ideas, emphasizing preservation of voice and creative expression. Discusses learning space design through the lens of empathy and amplification of students’ voices. Provides easy-to-implement ideas for transforming learning and classroom culture through space. With inspiration from real-world peaceMAKERS in education, Teach Boldly invites readers to create ready-to-go action plans for themselves as educators, for classroom communities, and for the global community. Audience: K-12 educators Explore more about the Distance Learning Roundtable: DistanceLearningRoundtable.com DistanceLearningRoundtable.tv USDLA.org EduAllianceGroup.co 2023 National Conference Schedule Conference at a Glance (All times are EST) Orlando, FL – Week of July 17th, 2023 Note: All keynotes and sessions will be on-site at the Wyndham Orlando Resort, our host location for the conference. And, unlike some conferences, the workshops are included! Bookmark https://usdla.org/2023-schedule/ for updates. Event Registration: Daily 9am to 4pm Exhibitor Hall: Open Tuesday and Wednesday 9am to 4pm Monday, July 17 9:00 am – 6:00 pm – Event Registration 11:00 am – 5:00 pm – Exhibit Hall Setup 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm – USDLA Pre-Conference Workshops Grant Writing Workshop: Learn from the pro with Kristin DeProspero Transformation Accelerator: Online Course Instructional Design with Geo Laws Innovations: Hands-on hot tools experience with Robbie Melton and Farah Bennani Instructional Design for Learner Engagement: The Design Behind the Design with Linda Lee Tapping into Tik Tok: Techniques for Teaching Today with Shaunice Sasser 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Opening Reception/Happy Hour with Hors D’oeuvres Event Kickoff Welcome First Time and Returning Attendees Members and Chapter Reach out Program Review and Attendee Q/A Sponsor Shout-out Entertainment Tuesday, July 18 6:30 am – 7:00 am – Yoga in the Lobby 7:30 am – 9:00 am – Hot Breakfast 8:30 am – 9:00 am – Conference Welcome and Kickoff 9:00 am – 4:00 pm – Exhibit Hall Open 9:00 am – 9:45 am – Concurrent Session 1 10:00 am – 10:45 am – Concurrent Session 2 11:00 am – 11:30 am – Networking and Meet the Sponsors 11:30 am – 12:30 pm – Keynote: Commencement, The Beginning of a New Era in Higher Education with Joe Sallustio and Kate Colbert 12:30 am – 1:30 pm – Lunch – Sponsor Shoutout – Games 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm – Featured Workshop — Freedom Writers to Freedom Warriors: Lessons for Life Through Education with Erin Gruwell and Freda Braddock 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm – Concurrent Session 3 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm – Concurrent Session 4 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Cookies and coffee with Erin Gruwell 5:00 pm – DAILY ON-SITE ACTIVITIES COMPLETE 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Dinner on the Town with the USDLA Board Members Dining information sheets are at the registration desk, multiple locations all around the hotel Wednesday, July 19 6:30 am – 7:30 am – Bill Jackson Memorial Sunrise Run/Walk 7:30 am – 9:00 am – Hot Breakfast 9:00 am – 4:00 pm – Exhibit Hall Open 9:00 am – 9:45 am – Concurrent Session 5 10:00 am – Workshops Session #1 11:30 am – 12:00 pm – USDLA and Sponsor Trivia 12 pm – 1:00 pm – Luncheon Keynote with Jennifer Williams – Get Ready for Change – Instructional Design Practices Through Meaningful Uses of Technology 1:30 pm – 2:15 pm – Poster Sessions and Table Talks 1:30 pm – 2:15 pm – Concurrent Session 6 2:30 pm – 3:15 pm – Concurrent Session 7 3:30 pm – 4:15 pm – K-12 Featured Session with Peter Noonan – Distance Learning in a Global Pandemic and Beyond 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm – Cookies with Keynotes – Jennifer Williams, Peter Noonan, and Amrit Ahluwalia 4:30 pm – 5:15 pm – Poster Sessions and Table Talks 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm – International Awards Dinner and Ceremony Thursday, July 20 7:30 am – 9:00 am – Continental Breakfast 9:00 am – 9:45 am – EDEN 9:00 am – 9:45 am – Concurrent Session 8 10:15 am – 11:45 am – Workshops Session #2 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Brunch Keynote with Amrit Ahluwalia – Bucking Enrollment Trends to Grow in a Challenging Environment 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm – Closing from USDLA BOD and Final Prize Drawing! 1:30 pm Meetups for FDLA, Members, and Planning for 2024 Become a MEMBER of USDLA Become a SPONSOR of USDLA Higher Education Certification Professional Learning Certification Support USDLA When You Shop @Amazon Smile Thank You to Our National Sponsors D2L, Instructure, JDL Horizons,  Poly,  TSU,  TEDU, Verizon, Edu Alliance Group, Harmonize, FDLA, IAP, IPX, Nearpod, ViewSonic,  Yellowdig, Anatomage,  Arizona Telemedicine Program and Southwest Telehealth Resource Center, NC Sara, Proctorio, Simple Syllabus, VDO360,  VirtualCare, Waldorf University, XanEdu, Merlot, IntelliBoard, FlexPoint, Logitech, Skills Commons, BocaVox, PIP, Upswing,  Yahama Unified Communications, Thank you for supporting USDLA, our Sponsors, and our State Chapters. Eric Jones, President Chuck Sengstock, President-elect About United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) The USDLA, a 501(c) 3 non-profit association formed in 1987, reaches 20,000 people globally with sponsors and members operating in and influencing 46% of the $913 billion. U.S. education and training market. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking, and opportunity. Distance learning and training constituencies served include pre-K-12 education, home schooling, higher education, and continuing education, as well as business, corporate, military, government, and telehealth markets. Visit USDLA.org USDLA | www.usdla.org

USDLA | 10 G Street, NE, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20002