It is well established that a higher degree of faculty engagement positively influences student satisfaction and retention in online programs (Garrison, 2007; Anderson & Elloumi, 2004; Shea, Pickett & Pelz, 2003).  However, faculty members often report several challenges in their classrooms.  Heavy workloads, lack of time, and inexperience with the latest instructional tools can restrict even the most diligent faculty (Public, 2011).  For the past five years, Deltak has been developing methods of faculty engagement that are effective and efficient to overcome some of these obstacles.  This presentation offers an array of solutions that foster faculty engagement and drive results. 

Lauren Wright has been a Program Development Manager with Deltak for two years.  She has 17 years experience in instructional design, management, and leadership.  She has designed, produced, and managed the administration of course development for graduate programs in Nursing, Allied Health, Psychology, MBA, Teacher Education, Law, Criminal Justice and others at over 10 universities.  Lauren earned her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the University of Denver in Denver, Colorado and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Irvine, in Irvine California. She is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Professional Development Certificate Program in Distance Education.

 

Courtney Moke has been a Program Development Manager with Deltak for over four years, focus in her efforts on quality course development and comprehensive faculty training.  She served as a panelist at the 2011 IST conference in February 2011 and teaches online courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level.  Courtney has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration concentrating in Computer Information Systems from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. She also has a Master of Science in Education concentrating in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University and a Master of Business Administration from Benedictine University.