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Last fall, faculty and staff attended OLC Accelerate and QM Connect Conference — two conferences offering invaluable opportunities for professional development and networking as well as sharing innovative practices in online learning.  

OLC Accelerate Conference 

Marissa Lajaunie, Department of Health Sciences senior instructor; Latasha Holt, associate professor and assessment coordinator in the College of Education & Human Development; Laura Guichard Latiolais, assistant professor in the Department of Accounting; Francesco Crocco, Office of Distance Learning assistant director for instructional support; and Reneé Fiser, Office of Distance Learning instructional technologist, all attended the OLC Accelerate Conference, which reinforced the importance of AI literacy among both faculty and students in higher education.

Marissa hoped attending OLC Accelerate would give her new tools to enhance her professional development and improve her teaching.

“It was an incredible experience with a diverse lineup of inspiring and knowledgeable speakers,” she said. 

The biggest takeaway for most of our attendees was the importance of integrating AI into classrooms while teaching students ethical use in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

One conference speaker discussed the need for an AI-focused course in university curriculums, which is already a reality at the University of Louisiana at �鶹��ýapp.  

This spring, the University deployed the Empowering AI Literacy Microcredential, in conjunction with stakeholders across the University of Louisiana System, to give students a foundational understanding of effective and ethical AI use.  

Students can enroll in the course themselves or be enrolled by a faculty member as part of another course. There is a separate course, Empowering AI Literacy Microcredential – Faculty, with resources designed to support faculty in using the microcredential to as a course supplement. 

QM Connect Conference 

Alise Hagan and Andrea Leonard presented "Lessons Learned from a Revamped QM Subscriber-Managed Process" at the QM Connect Conference, sharing preliminary results comparing how their reviewed courses performed before and after implementing  a cohort model for course review and certification at the University.  

The course certification process provides a pathway to ensure online and hybrid courses meet Quality Matters standards. Faculty may also receive stipends for course improvement, depending on their department and level of changes made in their course.

Their presentation was well-received, with audience members engaged and asking questions about customizing the review process for their institutions. Dr. Deb Adair, Quality Matters CEO, invited them to expand their research and prepare another presentation proposal for next year.

Conferences like these provide faculty and staff with valuable insights and experiences that enhance the University's online learning initiatives. To support ongoing faculty development, departments may use E-Learning Support Fund dollars for faculty to attend such events.