Hosts Tom and Kelvin explore the various perspectives represented in the “Cameras-On vs. Cameras-Off Debate” with an eye toward finding common ground and actionable insights for designing effective synchronous online sessions beyond the emergency ad hoc remote instruction era.

While specialists in online education, such as instructional designers and administrative leaders, help carry out online courses and programs strategically, it is the faculty whose voice, wisdom, and human connections make online learning successful. In this episode, hosts Kelvin and Tom discuss the importance of this faculty voice and valuing.

Hosts Tom and Kelvin are joined by guest Dr. Julie Mendez to consider how to overcome challenges faced by STEM faculty who might be resistant to teaching online or blended courses. Spoiler: It’s about faculty talking to faculty!

From her time as CAO of Davis College, guest Dr. Cristi Ford joins Kelvin and Tom to talk about the impressive work of Rwanda’s Akilah Institute in providing educational access to women via a combination of blended learning, competency-based education, and international partnership.

Guest Shannon Riggs joins hosts Tom and Kelvin to discuss her book “Thrive Online” and a key principle that, when pursuing quality, regardless of online, blended, synchronous, or in-person course modality, “it really always comes back to design.”