Teaching Online Academy Project
Winner of the Blackboard Catalyst Award 2017 in the Professional Development category in Orlando, Florida.
The Center for Instructional Design (CID) has been selected as 2017 Blackboard Catalyst Award winners. Founded in 2005, the annual Catalyst Awards recognize and honor innovation and excellence in the Blackboard global community of practice. The CID has been named the winners in the “Professional
Development” category. The unit has been recognized for exceptional use of Blackboard Learn for faculty professional development, specifically the Teaching Online Academy (TOA), which has certified over 500 instructors to teach online at The University of Texas at El Paso. The TOA provides participants with skills such as experience using Blackboard Learn for online, and online pedagogical approaches.
Hypothesis
In an effort to increase online courses more online faculty needed training. Our department created the TOA and a campaign to increase academy enrollment and certify faculty to teach online.
My Role
Identity Designer: Logo / Course Interface. My role was to oversee the logo development working with a web developer. Create interface design elements fo the academy online in Bb LMS. In 2020 I rebranded to logo including the Teaching Hybrid Academy logo.
Content Marketing: SM content (cover photos, posts, landing page banners, newsletter editorials)
Research & Co-Facilitator: Instructor role in TOA to interact with participants and assist with Instructional Design skills, tools and best practices.
Solution
Develop the identity and promoted the Teaching Online Academy to train and certify more faculty by increasing workshop participants. Train how to teach in an online forum, focusing on engagement, presence, and accessibility. Teach online pedagogy using Blackboard tools for communication, assessment, and feedback.
Challenges
Results
Reverse mentoring approach: faculty and support team learn online best practices from one another, building strong networks.
Over 750+ participants certified to teach online at UTEP.
What I Learned
Social Media
Featured Ally campaign cover photo across all platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Linked In.
Scheduled campaign posts throughout semester to push awareness, educational material, workshops and webinars.
(Screenshots of large scale devices.)
CID newsletter
Featured Ally in cover Summer 18 and inside spread reaching (x) number of faculty. (specify reach analytics)
In Fall 19 issue featured award recognition for Ally campaign in cover and additional Ally educational content in spread.
(Images complete newsletter spreads, Summer 18 and Fall 19.)
UTEP Websites
The Ally campaign was distributed as a landing page banner in campus websites which redirected audience to newsletter and additional educational content in our and other websites.
CID website | Provost Office | UTEP Edge | CFLD | U Connect | EU
(Screenshots of large scale devices.)
e-Blasts
Ally campaign was reformatted to fit e-blast version distribution to our mailing list of UTEP faculty, deans and directors.
Reformatted and promoted Ally campaign in UTEP Campus Bulletin targeting entire campus audience.
(image of bulletin in outlook and in web version)
2017 Blackboard Catalyst Award for the professional development category, which honors users of Blackboard programs that support and enhance the professional development of their faculty and staff.
This award illustrates the commitment to advance online learning and to support UTEP faculty. Work diligently through research and customer feedback to customize its Blackboard Teaching Online Academy (TOA) to best fit the needs of UTEP’s faculty and teaching assistants. As a result, more than 500 instructors have been certified to teach online at UTEP.
Blackboard, a global education technology leader, founded its awards program in 2005 to recognize innovation and excellence in the use of its products and services.
“Blackboard is proud to recognize this year’s Catalyst Award winners for their commitment to leveraging technology to improve the education experience,” said Blackboard Chairman, CEO and President Bill Ballhaus. “We look forward to continuing to work with these educators and institutions to support learner success, and to share best practices widely for the benefit of the education community.”
https://www.utep.edu/www-engage/UTEP-CID-Wins-Blackboard-Catalyst-Award.html