Organizational Best Practices Track

From Piece-meal to Programs: The challenges of taking the next step in blended learning

In 2008, with the generous support of the Sloan Foundation, Simmons College embarked upon a project to train and support faculty members in transforming their face-to-face classes for blended delivery. To date, over 50 courses have been offered in the blended format, and more than 25% of Simmons faculty have attended an intensive week-long institute taught by the Department of Academic Technology at Simmons College. But where do we go from here? How do we turn our success at the course level into programs or institutional policies? In light of changing administrative priorities and a challenging economic climate, we need to reassess our goals and craft a new vision for the future. Participants will hear the successes and challenges of implementing a blended learning initiative at Simmons College and learn the steps Academic Technology took to hear multiple voices on campus and engage administrators, faculty, and students in the process of determining the next steps for blended learning.

Presenter: Bill Wisser

Bill Wisser, Ph.D. is an instructional desginer at Simmons College. He leads the Blended Learning Initiative at Simmons College and has presented at numerous regional and national conferences on blended learning. He is interested in efforts to meet the academic needs of nontraditional students and ensuring that effective teaching practices are maintained in the online environment.