Category: Learning Design

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is Working for Students at MSU

| November 13, 2019
In a world where budgets are tight, time is constrained, and it's not always clear where to invest your time and resources... universal design for learning strategies are a great way to support our students success in the learning environment.

By Nathan Evans and John McDaniel This was such a cool example of universal design for learning at MSU, I couldn’t help but share it here.  John McDaniel is an Academic Technology Coordinator in DigitalX who serves the College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM). A couple of years ago the College discovered that they would need to provide closed captioning as an…

What is Online Program Market Opportunity and Why Does it Matter?

| October 8, 2019
What does engagement mean in an online program? To us, it means finding students and helping get them interested in the top-notch programs that MSU has to offer.
Alicia Jenner

by Jessica Knott and Alicia Jenner In our role as online program stewards representing MSU, the Hub has entered into a number of agreements with external service providers. These partners aim to help us scale our ability to support departments seeking to launch or grow online programs, specifically in graduate and professional spaces. Some of…

Funding alert! Announcing the CFP for Round 2 of the Catalyst Innovation Program

| September 5, 2019
Our job is to always have our eye on digital learning futures here at MSU, and with this call I want to help you change the way you think about and approach the student experience!
Jess Knott

I have been busy this summer. If you’re my father you might ask – “Wait – isn’t higher ed like having the summer off?” My answer? A vigorous no. As mentioned earlier this summer, we at the Hub are here to help you accelerate your ideas and try new, daring, effective things with your teaching.…

Scholarship Opportunities and Looking Forward

| June 13, 2019
So much teaching work is invisible. It's hard and it's inspiring, and we find ourselves back at square one as often (if not more often) than we find ourselves advancing to square two. And that's how it was to be if we're going to ask tough questions and engage in the necessary inquiry required when an institution works to shift from looking at the now to looking at tomorrow.

One of the most important functions of the Hub is connecting people and ideas to opportunities to share and grow (and meet more people and generate more ideas!). To that end, I’m writing to share an opportunity that came through 2018 Hub Fellow (and 2019 College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Excellence in Teaching New…

What Would You Say You Do Here? Science Gallery Detroit.

| June 7, 2019
Science Gallery Detroit presents DEPTH - June 8 - August 17, 2019 at the Michigan Science Center

One of the questions we get a lot is “what is the Hub?” “Can you help me figure out how to make a video for my class?” Yes, we can connect you to people who are very good at this. “I need to re-design the curriculum for my program to draw more students.” Great, we…

Course Design Case Studies: An Inside Look

| June 5, 2019
"After you teach your course online the first time, you are going to find things to fix and change. Don't shoot for perfect the first time, shoot for good, and ask for feedback from your students to improve it the next time" - quote from Breana Yaklin, blog author

These are two development cases we’ve recently encountered with faculty creating online courses, and we wanted to share different considerations for approaching an online course or program development. The infographic below breaks down themes we frequently encounter in our work helping faculty design courses, curriculum, and experiences. Lessons Learned: One thing we’ve noticed is that…

Questioning the Compliance Narrative

| May 29, 2019
Could we begin to understand students as people who are interested in learning and growth for higher purposes beyond just compliance and grades?

I recently attended the 3rd annual Spring Conference on Student Learning and Success at MSU. The first year it ran, it was a joining of a couple of similar events across campus that previously had been taking place simultaneously. This year, there were more added to the party. Namely, what was previously a Student Success…

Can a university redesign itself? Yes – with your help.

| May 22, 2019

“Why would any human being anywhere in the world come to East Lansing, Michigan (of all places), for their education and spend lots of money to do so?” We ask this a lot, because in order to serve the needs of students and create a culture of care, we have to regularly interrogate what we…

Infrastructure, Power and Opportunity: Reflections from the Biosphere 2

| March 5, 2019
Building a Biosphere takes continuous experimentation and evaluation. So, too, does building learning experiences and infrastructure. Quote by Jess Knott on her recent experience designing inclusive curriculum and student experiences at Biosphere 2

by Jess Knott This week I have had the incredible opportunity to camp at the beautiful Biosphere 2 in Oracle, Arizona with a small group of interdisciplinary professionals engaged at the intersections of science, design, pedagogy and social justice. I am not locked in, and I have not met Pauly Shore, but as part of…

Opportunities in Digital Learning: Considering emerging trends in Postsecondary Education

| December 13, 2018
Black ceiling with light bulbs that are lit up

My prior two blog posts in this series on the Future of Digital Learning considered definitions and questions raised in our community this year. The writing thus far touches on opportunities present in these ideas about education and emerging potential in the digital era. This post will identify several in brief teases. Each of these…