31st Showcase on Teaching and Learning

Our Keynote speaker for the 31th Showcase is Dr. Thomas J. Tobin, Coordinator of Learning Technologies in the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago. 

Universal Design for Learning That You Can Do Today
11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. PSU Ballroom

In the field of online-course and -program quality, Dr. Tobin is best known for his work on administrative-evaluation techniques; his article on “Best Practices for Administrative Evaluation of Online Faculty” (2004) is considered a seminal work in the field, and has been cited in more than 150 publications. His latest work is Evaluating Online Teaching: Implementing Best Practices (Wiley, 2015) with B. Jean Mandernach and Ann H. Taylor.

Since the advent of online courses in higher education in the late 1990s, Tom’s work has focused on using technology to extend the reach of higher education beyond its traditional audience. He advocates for the educational rights of people with disabilities and people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Dr. Tobin serves on the editorial boards of InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching, the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration and the Journal of Interactive Online Learning, and he is an internationally-recognized speaker and author on topics related to quality in distance education, especially copyright, evaluation of teaching practice, academic integrity, and accessibility/universal design for learning.

For more information, call or contact the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning.

Our Plenary speaker for the 31th Showcase is Wes Pratt, Assistant to the President/Chief Diversity Officer

Inclusion of Diversity at Missouri State University
8:00–8:50 a.m. PSU 313

Missouri State University has been committed to promoting inclusion and valuing diversity for a number of years and those efforts have been consistent with its public affairs mission. Understandably, there have been a few challenges as the university has initiated and collaborated with other stakeholders in developing diversity programs and projects. However, despite such challenges MO-State views them as opportunities to continue moving forward in striving to achieve inclusive excellence on campus and in the general community.

Wes Pratt, Assistant to the President/Chief Diversity Officer, will present on the background, history and the future for the inclusion of diversity on campus as well as in the Springfield community. Collaborations with the business/corporate, non-profit, faith-based and regional public entities have been an integral part of the valuing diversity and inclusion process and will continue to be so for the future as well.