Nominations will be accepted until Jan. 31, 2025, and this year, the award categories available include:

• Accessibility (updated for 2025!)
• Individual Leadership
• Innovation
• Open Education Impact
• Teaching
• Team Leadership

Nominations will be scored by chairs from COLE and the Online Consortium of Oklahoma (OCO).

Award winners will receive numerous accolades including:

• Signed letter from the Chancellor
• Profile feature on the Online Excellence Awards archive
• Physical award plaque
• Digital badge award issued through Credly
• Invitation to author a blog post for http://dev.ocolearnok.org/
• Ticket(s) and travel support for the 2025 Oklahoma Learning Innovations Summit on March 13-14, 2025 at Rose State College
• Formal recognition at the May 2025 meeting of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

For more information and to submit a nomination, visit the Online Excellence Awards webpage here at OCOlearnOK.org. Questions and award documentation may be submitted to online@osrhe.edu.

The post 2025 Online Excellence Awards: Submit Nominations by January 31 appeared first on Online Consortium of Oklahoma.

We are thrilled to announce the planned spring 2025 rollout of the Oklahoma OER Commons Micro-site.  This vast and diverse collection of high-quality, freely accessible teaching materials, will be curated to support and enhance educational experiences across Oklahoma higher education. Join us at this event to contribute to the planning of this resource before its launch!

View Event Information

Request a Seat

Call for Proposal Information Details 

Priority Deadline for Proposals: Friday, September 20, 2024, 5 p.m.

• Proposals submitted after this date may be considered as the schedule permits.

Contact online@osrhe.edu with any questions or to discuss any special accommodations needed to fully engage in the on-site event.

The post 2024 Oklahoma OER Summit – November 1 appeared first on Online Consortium of Oklahoma.

The Rose State College Writing Committee was honored with the Oklahoma Online Excellence Award for Open Education Impact. The recipient of the Oklahoma Online Excellence Award for Accessibility is the University of Central Oklahoma Digital Accessibility Coalition (DAC) led by Darren Denham. Dr. Susmita Hazra, assistant professor at Cameron University, was honored with the Oklahoma Online Excellence Award for Teaching. Dr. Melissa Brevetti, coordinator for teacher education programs for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, was honored with the Oklahoma Online Excellence Award for Individual Leadership. The CACE (Carl Albert State College, Connors State College, and Eastern Oklahoma State College) Educational Partnership was honored with the Oklahoma Online Excellence Award for Team Leadership. Oklahoma State University’s College of Arts and Sciences (OSU CAS) Outreach Team received the Oklahoma Online Excellence Award for Innovation.

“Online learning is an increasingly integral part of Oklahoma higher education,” said Chancellor Allison D. Garrett. “With nearly 550 fully online degree programs available, our colleges and universities provide vital online education options that expand college access and enhance flexibility for students working to complete their degrees, including adult learners.”

The Rose State College Writing Committee, led by the writing program coordinator and staffed by volunteer English professors, improved course content and streamlined the assessment process, impacting over 4,750 students and enhancing the online teaching capabilities of more than 30 professors. These efforts created blueprint courses and free, openly licensed textbooks, which strengthened both accessibility and affordability for students. The committee also addressed the challenge of online final exams by developing a new format that maintains academic integrity without additional cost.

UCO’s Center for eLearning and Connected Environments (CeCE) has supported eight graduate and nine undergraduate online programs, with over 1,400 courses and nearly 1,000 certified faculty members, accounting for almost one-third of UCO’s total enrollment. To address the need for inclusive digital access, UCO established DAC in 2019, an innovative and collaborative initiative to enhance digital accessibility across UCO through a micro-credential system that deepens understanding and application of accessibility principles, benefiting students, faculty, and the broader institutional framework.

Hazra, an online STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) educator at CU, has over eight years of experience creating engaging online courses. She integrates active learning through multimedia tools, varied assessments, and community-building activities like think-pair-share and peer evaluations. Her commitment to accessibility is evident in her ongoing efforts to improve mobile responsiveness and inclusivity for learners with disabilities. Hazra’s approach to modern learning includes using technology to facilitate micro-learning and innovative assignments, such as using stargazing applications in astronomy. A Quality Matters certified peer reviewer, Hazra has shared her strategies in various educational settings across the country.

Brevetti has been a pioneer in integrating technology within education; she introduced SMART Boards to students early in her career and significantly increased online learning engagement. As a professor, she contributed to increased graduation rates in her program through well-designed online and hybrid courses that emphasize the use of educational technology tools. Serving as an American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) online reviewer and authoring influential papers, she has led substantial growth in State Regents’ grants and professional development programs across Oklahoma universities.

Through the CACE consortium, CASC, CSC and EOSC have successfully expanded educational access for rural students in southeastern Oklahoma. This collaboration has enabled the sharing of resources, including courses and faculty, significantly enhancing academic opportunities and addressing workforce needs. To date, the consortium has shared about 40 courses, directly impacting 637 students and saving approximately $80,000 annually. By implementing innovative solutions such as hybrid courses and utilizing diverse communication platforms like social media and virtual meetings, CACE has effectively overcome geographic and logistical challenges.

The OSU CAS Outreach team, in partnership with the National Groundwater Association (NGWA), has developed “Awesome Aquifer 360” (AA360) for K-12 students and “NGWA University” (NGWAU) for adults, two unique initiatives to address the impending job shortage in the groundwater industry. The AA360 program integrates physical science kits and an online portal with virtual tools to ignite interest in geoscience careers among K-12 students, reaching over 13,000 students across 42 states. The NGWAU, hosted on OSU’s online learning platform, offers professional training through courses designed to meet industry standards and includes interactive elements and assessments that have enhanced learning for over 400 individuals to date. This educational content is being expanded to include Spanish translations, underscoring the program’s comprehensive approach to fostering industry-ready professionals.

The State Regents’ Online Education Task Force formed the COLE in 2016. COLE is comprised of faculty, staff and administrators representing each tier of Oklahoma’s public and private colleges and universities, as well as other entities connected to online learning technologies. As part of the ongoing effort to improve online learning, COLE members recognize the excellent work of faculty, staff and administrators at Oklahoma’s colleges and universities. The Oklahoma Online Excellence Awards were established in 2017 to formally recognize individuals and teams for exceptional work in online or hybrid learning. Nominations are submitted by peers and judged by a committee of COLE members. For more information about the awards and current and previous awardees, visit http://dev.ocolearnok.org/recognition/oklahoma-online-excellence-awards/.

The post 2024 Oklahoma Online Excellence Awards Recognized appeared first on Online Consortium of Oklahoma.

Thursday, April 25 Pre-Conference Workshops

• Option 1 (Free; In-Person Only) – ACRL Open Educational Resources Roadshow
  • Time: Morning session 9:00 am – noon, lunch on your own, afternoon session 1:30 – 4:00 pm
  • Venue: Learning Resource Center, LRC 230 and 231, at Rose State College
  • Description: ACRL’s Open Educational Resources (OER) and Affordability RoadShow will help you understand the basics of OER and how libraries can be involved in affordability initiatives at your institution. This day-long, introductory workshop is intended for academic librarians and library staff interested in learning about OER and/or developing OER initiatives. The workshop begins with a morning of foundational knowledge about OER: What are OER? How do they impact faculty and students? Throughout the day, we also discuss examples of and opportunities for library involvement in affordability initiatives, analyze stakeholders and institutional context, and determine appropriate strategies and goals for real-world application.
  • Register for the ACRL OER and Affordability Roadshow

• Option 2 (Free; Zoom Events) – OKLIS Virtual Presentations
  • Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
  • Venue: Zoom Events
  • Description: If you are not able to attend in person, consider joining us for the virtual portion of the day with presentations streamed via Zoom Events.
  • Register for April 25 Virtual Presentations

Friday, April 26 – In-person (Paid) or Virtual (Free)

The Friday, April 26 in-person event, held at Rose State College Student Union, will include breakfast and lunch with an early registration fee of $45 (before April 19) or late registration fee of $55 (April 20 – April 24). All attendees, including presenters, must register for the event. Some funding assistance may be available to member institutions of OCO. Please contact your OCO representative for inquiring about funding eligibility.

The 2024 theme is The EduTech Matrix Reloaded: Redesigning Learning Realities, with tracks including:

1. Accessibility
2. Advanced Technologies (i.e. AI, VR, eSports, etc.)
3. Open Education Resources (OER)
4. Policy
5. Professional Development
6. Student Success
7. Technology Tools

Time: 8:00 am – 3:00 pm

• Registration and Breakfast are 8:00-9:00 am
• Presentations are 9:00 am-12:00 pm and 1:00-3:00 pm

Option 1 (Free; virtual only) – Register for the April 26 virtual presentations

Option 2 (Paid; in person only) Register for the April 26 in-person event

The post 2024 Oklahoma Learning Innovations Summit appeared first on Online Consortium of Oklahoma.

The State Regents’ Council for Online Learning Excellence (COLE) recognized faculty members, administrators and two university teams for their outstanding work during the Friday, May 26 State Regents meeting.

Dr. Kathy Essmiller, open educational resources (OER) librarian at Oklahoma State University, was honored with the Oklahoma Online Excellence Award for Open Education Impact. Kara Stanley, instructional designer at the University of Oklahoma, was honored with the Oklahoma Online Excellence Award for Accessibility. Dr. Niccole Leanne Miller, adjunct professor and senior director of strategic initiatives for student success at the University of Central Oklahoma, was honored with the Oklahoma Online Excellence Award for Teaching. Christala LaFay Smith, director of the Center for Instructional Development and Technology at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, was honored with the Oklahoma Online Excellence Award for Individual Leadership. The Oklahoma Mesonet Outreach Team was honored with the Oklahoma Online Excellence Award for Team Leadership. The IDEA Team of the Center for eLearning and Connected Environments at UCO was honored with the Oklahoma Online Excellence Award for Innovation.

“Online learning is a vital component of Oklahoma higher education,” said Chancellor Allison D. Garrett. “With more than 300 fully online degree programs available across the state system, our colleges and universities provide innovative, academically rigorous online education options that expand college access and enhance flexibility for the students we serve.”

The State Regents’ Online Education Task Force formed the COLE in 2016. COLE is comprised of faculty, staff and administrators representing each tier of Oklahoma’s public and private colleges and universities, as well as other entities connected to online learning technologies.

As part of the ongoing effort to improve online learning, COLE members recognize the excellent work of faculty, staff and administrators at Oklahoma’s colleges and universities. The Oklahoma Online Excellence Awards were established in 2017 to formally recognize individuals and teams for excellent work in online or hybrid learning. Nominations are submitted by peers and judged by a committee of COLE members. For more information about the awards and current and previous awardees, visit https://awards.ocolearnok.org.

CUTLINE: The Council for Online Learning Excellence (COLE) recognized faculty members, administrators and two teams for their outstanding work during the May 26, 2023 meeting of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Pictured, front row left to right: Brad Griffith, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education; Kara Stanley, University of Oklahoma; Dr. Niccole Leanne Miller and Gina NeeDels, University of Central Oklahoma; and Andrea Melvin, Oklahoma Mesonet. Back row, left to right: Dr. Kathy Essmiller, Oklahoma State University; Christala LaFay Smith, Southeastern Oklahoma State University; Sean Gausman, University of Central Oklahoma; Chancellor Allison D. Garrett; Robert Wall and Dr. Linda Banks, University of Central Oklahoma; Dr. Chris Fiebrich and James Hocker, Oklahoma Mesonet; State Regents’ Chair Michael C. Turpen; and Kevin Kloesel, Oklahoma Mesonet.

The post 2023 Oklahoma Online Excellence Awards Recognized appeared first on Online Consortium of Oklahoma.