Unpacking Innovation in Online Learning at a Community College

Presented by: Lené Whitley-Putz, Dean, Online Learning, Foothill College

Speaker Bio:

Lené is dean of Online Learning at Foothill College. Lené took her first workshop on designing online courses in 1995, while she was working on her PhD in Rhetoric and Communication from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and brings 30 years of experience in higher ed, as a teacher, in professional development, and in administration, to developing an online ecosystem to support excellence in online teaching. She believes in pushing the envelope of technology to aid students and faculty in creating positive collaborations that help students achieve their academic goals.

Session Info:

Administrators and faculty in online programs are often pushed to be “innovative,” but what does innovation really look like at a community college? Using Rogers’ theory of the Diffusion of Innovations, this presentation will explore current innovations across the system–including course design, professional development, technology tools, and equity initiatives–to break through the noise of hot trends and flashy software and drill down to essential innovation supporting quality online teaching and learning experiences. We’ll explore how to use critical assessment of “innovation” to create a strategic plan, develop an online learning ecosystem, and assess your progress toward your innovation goals.

Session Outcomes:

• Use the theory of Diffusion of Innovations to define innovation goals at their campus.
• Develop tools to help support innovation.
• Assess progress toward innovation goals.

Session Resources:

https://sites.google.com/view/unpackinginnovation/home