Students, faculty and staff mark National Distance Learning Week
EVMS this week joins academic centers and organizations across the country in celebrating National Distance Learning Week (NDLW).
Sponsored by the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA), NDLW seeks to generate greater awareness and appreciation for distance learning, discuss current issues and emerging trends, highlight best practices and recognize leaders in the field.
EVMS’ Distance Learning programs are particularly robust and far-reaching, notes Brielle Ashley, MEd, MAEd&HD, Director of Instructional Design and Technology.
“EVMS offers 15 graduate certificates, master’s degrees or doctoral degrees that are either online or hybrid — and 40% of students in the School of Health Professions are enrolled in an online course,” Ms. Ashley notes. (See additional stats about Distance Learning at EVMS in the graphic online.)
Throughout the week, the EVMS Instructional Design and Technology team will host a number of events, including webinars focused on leadership in education, practice and research offered by both EVMS and USDLA. NDLW will also include a panel discussion featuring distance learning students enrolled at EVMS. Members of the panel will discuss their experiences and challenges in online education. Details about the schedule of events and links to Zoom sessions can be found here.
Support, Services and Connections
Helping staff, faculty members and students make the most of online and hybrid learning through training, technology and support is a hallmark of EVMS Instructional Design and Technology year-round, Ms. Ashley says. “Our team includes three talented Instructional Designers: Katrina Dash, Kathy Gabana and Jennifer Panton. Our team applies robust educational theory to the design, development and assessment of student-centered courses and professional development. We collaborate with subject-matter experts and use research-based processes of curricular development to create environments of rich, meaningful, and engaging learning experiences. As part of bringing attention to Distance Education at EVMS, we want the community to know that we are available to assist with projects across all programs and course modalities.
“Online and hybrid programs at EVMS have dedicated and talented faculty eager to share their knowledge with students,” she explains. “As part of National Distance Learning Week, we are highlighting just a few of the exceptional faculty teaching online courses at EVMS.”
Heather Newton, EdD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, for example, is one faculty member who has benefited from the support services offered by Instructional Design and Technologies — including how to increase engagement in an online environment.
“One of my biggest teaching strategies to engage students online is to be vulnerable and share my real-life experiences — successes and lessons learned,” Dr. Newton says. “Learning isn’t always about what’s in the textbook, but letting students know how to make that real-life connection that they can then apply to their work environment. I have found the more we share educational experiences, the greater and richer the conversations.”
Mohan Pant, PhD, Associate Professor in the School of Health Professions, is another faculty member who has worked with the Instructional Design and Technologies team to streamline and enhance his efforts. He says fluency in technology and strong communication are key — for online instructors and learners.
“The most important advice for online students is that for success in an online course, students should access course content from Blackboard on a regular basis, read course content and the course schedule to learn about different assessments and how they are graded,” Dr. Pant says. “Another important [piece of] advice is that students should communicate with professors for any questions they may have on the course content.”
For Dara Wissinger, MPH, DHSc (MPH ’17, DHSc ’22), distance learning has been an empowering way to reach and extend her academic and professional goals.
“I chose the Doctorate of Health Science online program at EVMS because this program offered me flexibility on my learning journey,” she says. “The greatest challenge for me was the lack of social interaction with other students throughout the program. This challenge was overcome by the group assignments given in several courses. This was a great way to connect with other students whom I otherwise never would have gotten to know.
Celebrate National Distance Learning Week
Read more about the event, find the full schedule of activities, read additional faculty and student spotlights and access Zoom links for all NDLW activities.
Have a question or need support for an initiative related to Distance Education? Reach out to the Instructional Design and Technology team, evmsonline@evms.edu, 757.446.5051.