NATIONAL DISTANCE LEARNING WEEK
The University of Toledo is excited to celebrate National Distance Learning Week 2025! Each year, UToledo joins institutions across the country in partnership with the National Distance Learning Association to spotlight the power of online education. This annual event brings the Rocket community together for a week of activities that share best practices, celebrate success stories, and explore the future of digital learning.
monday, nov. 3
Kick-off day: Discover UToledo Online!
Stop by our information table to explore the many opportunities and support available for online learners at The University of Toledo. Learn about helpful resources, get tips for thriving in the digital learning space, and chat with our team about your questions. Whether you’re taking one online class or completing a fully online degree, see how UToledo empowers Rockets to succeed from anywhere, no campus required—and don’t miss your chance to spin the prize wheel for UToledo Online swag!
Student Union (Food court area)
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
tuesday, nov. 4
faculty appreciation day
UToledo Online is proud to celebrate the incredible faculty and staff who bring innovation, dedication, and excellence to online teaching and learning. Watch your inbox for an email invitation to this special event to recognize those who have developed new online courses and programs, advanced professional development initiatives, and achieved the milestone of Quality Matters course certification. It’s our way of saying thank you for the impact you make on our students and the future of online learning.
wednesday, nov. 5
blackboard day
UToledo Online is bringing Blackboard to campus for an exclusive site visit, and faculty won’t want to miss it! Dive into interactive workshops led by Blackboard experts, discover new ways to elevate your courses, and get an insider’s look at the future of the platform during a dynamic Roadmap Lunch & Learn. Register by session: morning, lunch, afternoon, or for all 3!
Seats are limited—only the first 60 registrants will secure a spot in each session. Register by Oct. 29 be part of this high-energy, forward-thinking event! Click the registration button to select your sessions
Blackboard Workshop Series Registration
Agenda:
Morning Session | 9 - 11:30 a.m.
- 9 - 10 a.m. Assessment Essentials: Tests, Pools, and Settings
- 10 - 10:30 a.m. Blackboard Office Hours: Ask the Experts from Blackboard and UToledo Online!
- 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. AI in Ultra: Save Time, Engage Students
Lunch & Learn | 12 - 1 p.m.
- 11:30 a.m. - Noon Boxed lunches available
- 12 - 1 p.m. Blackboard Ultra Roadmap
- 1 - 1:30 p.m. Networking
Afternoon Session | 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
- 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. From Columns to Calculations: Navigating the Ultra Gradebook
- 230 - 3:30 p.m. Blackboard Office Hours: Ask the Experts from Blackboard and UToledo Online!
- 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Accessibility Made Simple: Practical Tools in Blackboard Ally
thursday, nov. 6
instructional design day
Celebrate innovation and excellence in online teaching during Instructional Design Day! This special event features a series of faculty-led webinars alongside sessions from UToledo’s instructional design team. Hear success stories from colleagues who are transforming their courses, discover creative strategies and best practices, and explore tools that enhance the online learning experience. Join us to learn, share, and be inspired by the achievements of our Rocket faculty. Register by Tuesday, Nov. 4 by clicking on the titles of the sessions below:
10 - 10:30 a.m. Webinars (Pick one):
Quality Matters: Quality Assurance for Online Course Design
Rachel Barnes, Lead Instructional Designer & Coordinator Quality Assurance, UToledo
Online
Join us to learn more about Quality Matters (QM), a research-supported rubric of quality
assurance standards for online course design in higher education. This session will
cover the basics of how to use QM standards and resources from UToledo Online to improve
upon your course design, as well as your options for reviews and certification.
Beyond the Screen: How Meaningful Assignments Drive Student Engagement Online
Dr. Tavis Glassman, Professor, Population Health
In this session, participants explore how thoughtfully designed, personally relevant
assignments can transform student engagement in online courses. Drawing from a Community
Mental Health class, examples include a “Happiness Journal” where students practice
gratitude, engage in random acts of kindness, and explore self-compassion through
reflective writing. The assignment culminates in connecting personal experience with
the science of happiness and its implications for public health. This presentation
also highlights ways AI tools can enhance both teaching and learning, while reinforcing
the central philosophy: when students find meaning in the material, deeper learning
and better outcomes follow.
Dr. Carmen Cioc, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Technology
This session covers Dr. Cioc’s QM certification journey and ABET-aligned assessment
practices, highlighting the skills engineering students are expected to master by
graduation. Attendees will explore examples of student-centered teaching strategies
implemented in Applied Fluid Mechanics (MET 4100) and Mechanical Design II (MET 4200)
QM certified courses, demonstrating how active learning strategies can thrive in a
virtual environment. The session will conclude with assessment strategies to close
the loop, including direct and indirect measures such as student surveys and project
evaluations, illustrating how feedback drives continuous improvement.
10:45 - 11:15 a.m. Webinars (Pick one):
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Course Design
Dr. Sylvia Suh, Instructional Designer, UToledo Online
In this session we will explore how instructors can leverage AI to create engaging
and innovative courses that enhance student learning. We will examine how to use AI
for time-consuming tasks like writing objectives and summarizing content so that instructors
can focus more on designing dynamic learning experiences.
Improving Accessibility in Online Courses
Amber Sherick, Instructional Designer and Coordinator of Accessibility, UToledo Online
Discover how you easily can P.O.U.R. accessibility into your online courses using
Blackboard Ally, Microsoft Office, and PDF tools to quickly recognize and address
accessibility issues in online course materials. Join us as we tour through a Blackboard
course and demonstrate how to use accessibility best practices to improve our content
for all students. Attendees will leave with practical knowledge, steps, and tools
to create and improve the accessibility of their current and future Blackboard courses.
Engagement Strategies for Instructional Videos: Introducing the A-POISE Model
Dr. Peter You, Part-Time Instructor and Instructional Designer, UToledo Online
This concise, data-informed presentation introduces the A-POISE model, a framework
designed to support faculty in creating engaging instructional videos. The model outlines
six key strategies informed by the perspectives of three core stakeholders: faculty,
students, and instructional designers. While this is not a hands-on session, attendees
will gain actionable pedagogical insights into video engagement principles that can
be applied across disciplines and modalities.
Developing an Online Japanese Culture Course: Lessons from a Large Class Setting
Dr. Kasumi Yamazaki, Associate Professor, Director of Japanese Program
This presentation will share Dr. Yamazaki's experiences in designing and teaching
an online Japanese culture course for a large cohort of students (n = 100). Drawing
on her role as the course developer and instructor, she will discuss the project from
three key perspectives: (1) course design and materials development, (2) online learning
activities and student engagement strategies, and (3) challenges encountered and their
pedagogical implications. The presentation highlights how an online platform, when
designed creatively and intentionally, can effectively facilitate cultural exploration,
promote intercultural awareness, and foster meaningful student engagement appropriate
for an introductory-level course. It is her hope that these reflections will contribute
to broader discussions on effective practices for developing and delivering culturally
oriented online courses in higher education.
11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Webinars (Pick one):
Unlocking Engagement: Award-Winning Strategies for Active Learning in Ultra
Dr. Mingli Xiao, Associate Director of Instructional Design & Development, UToledo
Online
Join us for a showcase of innovative course design as we tour the Exemplary Course
Award winning course - CHIN1090: Chinese Culture! This session will share strategies
for crafting active learning experiences and authentic assessments in Blackboard Ultra
Course View. You will walk away with practical insights and creative ideas to enhance
your own course design, fostering an engaging and vibrant learning environment for
your students.
Empowering Students with Real-world Group Work as Authentic Assessment
Dr. Melissa Gleckler, Associate Director of Academic Technology & Marketing, UToledo
Online
Visual Communication II is an award-winning 4000-level course developed by Dr. Melissa
Gleckler and offered fully online at The University of Toledo. Recipient of the 2020
Blackboard Exemplary Course Award, Dr. Gleckler’s course employs module-level objectives
that map back to the course’s learning objectives, with specially curated content
and activities to imitate real-world scenarios in the communication industry. Students
are placed in design teams to create entire marketing packages for mock companies,
and work both individually and in groups to achieve the work products that serve as
assessments in the course.
Launching the Capstone MBA course in the online environment
Dr. Stephen Callaway, Associate Professor, Management
The Capstone MBA course, BUAD6900 Strategic Management, represents the culmination
of the entire program. Unlike other business courses that concentrate narrowly on
a particular functional area—accounting, finance, marketing, production, HR or IS,
strategic management is a big picture course. So experiential learning is essential
for putting it all together. Moreover, teamwork is a critical component of this course.
For these reasons, it is a challenge to launch this course successfully in the online
environment. This is a discussion on some ways to achieve this.
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Webinar
Flash Talk: Transform Learner Interaction with Ultra AI Tools
Suzanne Smith, Senior Lecturer, Distinguished University Lecturer, Composition; Dr. Fred Ahrens, Associate Lecturer, Information Operations and Technology Management; Dr. Mingli Xiao, Associate Director of Instructional Design & Development, UToledo Online; and Dr. Peter You, Instructional Designer, UToledo Online
This flash talk presents an initial sharing from our pilot project: Transforming Learner Interaction with Ultra Design Assistant and AI Conversation Tools. The session highlights faculty experiences with these emerging technologies, offering practical insights, strategies, and lessons learned. Participants will share tips for effective implementation and discuss common challenges to avoid when integrating Ultra AI tools to foster meaningful learner engagement.
friday, nov. 7
online student appreciation day
At UToledo, our students are at the heart of everything we do—no matter where they learn. In honor of Student Appreciation Day, we’re celebrating our online Rockets by sending a UToledo flag to our upcoming online graduates. It’s our way of sharing your Rocket pride! Keep an eye on your mailbox and know that you’ll always be part of the UToledo family!