Posts by Pat Cassella
Policy Pulse Check: Trends, Impacts, and What Educators Need to Know
Learning From the Resiliency of HBCUs Through the COVID-19 Pandemic
According to Pew Research, 34 percent of Black Americans don’t have high-speed internet and 42 percent don’t have personal computers. This obviously makes it very difficult for students and faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to be successful as they transition to remote learning. In addition, many HBCUs are experiencing a decrease in enrollment…
Read MoreInterview with Eric Jones
Interview with USDLA Board Member and CEO of Oiada International, Eric Jones Eric Jones has been opening doors to global education for many years, providing award winning educational programs via videoconferencing to over 450,000 students in 50 US states and 32 countries. As part of Black History Month, Oiada International is offering two live virtual tours. “Slave Dungeon” and…
Read MoreMeasuring the true benefit of classroom technology might be getting a bit easier
Measuring the true benefit of classroom technology might be getting a bit easier by Pat Cassella, USDLA President When it comes to measuring the effectiveness of technology in the classroom how does one measure success? Having spent the better part of the past 20 years empowering students and teachers with the latest visual communication tools…
Read MoreStorytelling, Humor, and the Art of the Online Lecture
This blog written by: Janine Lim USDLA Board Member Associate Dean, Online Higher Education Andrews University Department of Digital Learning and Instructional Technology As a social media online instructor myself, I was thrilled to learn about USDLA 2017 Award Winner Kinda Wilson, online social media instructor. Her creative work is an inspiration to any online teacher! Professor Kinda…
Read MoreReducing Procrastination with Frequent Engagement
Lately I’ve been thinking about procrastination in online courses. Procrastination can be caused by so many things – feeling inadequate for the task, a sense that the task is hard, deciding that other things are more important. Have you noticed in your email habits that you tend to answer the easy questions, but if someone…
Read MoreUSDLA Board of Directors Met October 22-23, 2015
October 22 and 23, the United States Distance Learning Board of Directors met in Greenville, South Carolina, for the Fall Board Meeting. Highlights included reports from committees, discussion of National Distance Learning Week, and a review of the new USDLA.org website. A theme throughout the meeting was finding additional ways to add value for Association…
Read MoreMobile Apps to Support and Enhance Online Courses
How can specific mobile apps support and enhance online courses? From LMS apps, organizational apps, and university apps to apps specifically design to support a unique course, explore the variety of ways mobile learning can enhance online learning. This cross listed blog post shares links and resources for using mobile apps in three areas of online…
Read MoreUSDLA President Visits Alaska
USDLA President, Elaine Shuck, recently visited Alaska to share and to learn best practices in educational videoconferencing. USDLA members and friends are invited to read about her experiences on her blog. Here’s another area that’s a little intimidating. Educational videoconferencing is my world and I love it. But in Alaska, I’ll be with some highly…
Read MoreHigher Ed Examiner Features USDLA President Elaine Shuck
Melanie Graysmith, writer for the Higher Ed column of Examiner, recently conducted an interview with Elaine Shuck, USDLA President. Below is a snippet from the interview: MG: In reviewing your impressive background in education and extensive experience with educational technology, how do you keep it fresh and exciting? Is it the students who excite you?…
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