Pre-Conference Workshops
How to Build the Future of Teaching and Learning While Learning from the Changes and Challenges of 2020-21
Date Wednesday, Dec 1 Time –
During 2020-21, higher education around the world pivoted in-person teaching and learning online in response to the COVD-19 pandemic. As campuses re-open(ed) with vaccinations, what’s the longer-term positive impact of all of the rapid changes for students, instructors, and staff? How do we take the lessons learned from difficult times and great challenges to transition to a better future rather than just a blind return to the pre-pandemic state of teaching and learning?
In this workshop, we will go beyond just thinking about the transition to more digital but also consider the increased awareness of more student-centered teaching methods during a time of great attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. At the time of this workshop, some participants will have already experienced a semester or two of how this new future is developing at their institute along with the hurdles and early reactions.
Agenda
In this workshop, we will discuss how the events of 2020-21 have impacted the present and future of higher education in a beneficial way. We will work through the following categories involving teaching and learning: logistics of running a course, the tools, general student services and programs, successful course examples, how we work, attitudes, and relationships from a student, instructor, and educational staff perspective. The workshop will be led from the perspective of someone involved in online course development for 7 years at MIT prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will share the similarities and differences of what is working well within their institute and how they overcame difficulties in this transitional time for others to take what they learn back to their teams and students.
Outcomes
Reflect upon a time of change and challenge to identify beneficial impacts for the future of how students learn and how those those behind instruction work.
Strategise maintaining the good and stopping the bad practices not working for students or not based on evidence-based pedagogy.
Build systems to support instructors in higher education continuing some percentage of digital learning.
Adjust and adapt during a time of transition to the “new normal” of teaching and learning.
Audience
Ed tech staff, managers, or faculty in higher ed or institutes of life-long learning
As seats are limited, Pre-Conference Workshops require prior registration.
Mary Ellen Wiltrout
Lecturer in Digital Learning/Director of Online and Blended Learning Initiatives, Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States of America
Mary Ellen has led the execution of the digital learning strategy for the Department of Biology at MIT for over seven years. As a Lecturer and Director of Online and Blended Learning Initiatives, she trains and mentors instructors, postdoctoral fellows, and students, manages the digital learning projects for the department including MOOCs and hybrid learning experiences and conducts research on the design of digital learning experiences. She and her team created two of the MOOCs on the list of the best online courses of all time according to ClassCentral. Her group received a silver award in the science of learning category at the 2019 Reimagine Education conference.
Prior to her current position, Mary Ellen earned her PhD in Biology from MIT, and then taught at Harvard University.
Mary Ellen’s broader roles at MIT include being a senior member of the Digital Learning Lab, an organizer of workshops on digital learning and has positions on committees that span all departments at MIT.