Dr. Scales began her Baylor career in 1999 as a faculty member in the School of Social Work. Focusing on development of future faculty, she served from 2004-2018 as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Professional Development in Baylor’s Graduate School and from 2008-2018 she served the School of Education as Professor of Higher Education. In 2016, Baylor honored Dr. Scales with its highest teaching award, Baylor Master Teacher. Moving into online education in 2018 and returning to the Garland School of Social Work in 2019, Dr. Scales began applying her faculty development skills to Baylor through Baylor’s Academy for Teaching and Learning and Learning Design. In 2021, she began as co-facilitator of the Designing for Online Teaching Success (DOTS) program for doctoral students and in 2022 co-created Designing Instruction for Virtual Engagement (DIVE) with Baylor’s Learning Design team. She was appointed co-director of the Garland School of Social Work’s online PhD program in 2022, where she teaches courses in Ethics and Qualitative Research and facilitates a teaching practicum seminar. An accomplished researcher and writer, Dr. Scales has authored, co-authored, or co-edited eleven books and over fifty articles and chapters in the areas of case method teaching, rural social work, doctoral education, and history of Baptist women in higher education.

Dr. Zakrzewski has spent over 21 years in higher education working with administrators and faculty to develop a culture of innovative empowerment. Chris believes strongly that teaching innovation is a journey and that it requires a commitment to positive one-on-one interaction with faculty to flourish. Chris has spent time in the classroom teaching undergraduate and graduate class in-person, online and in hybrid formats. Chris most recently spent time as the Director of Educational Technology and the NYU School of Professional Studies and before that as the Assistant Provost for Technology and Instructional Innovation at Saint Xavier University. Chris speaks across the country on creating cultures of innovation and on the development of innovative learning spaces. Most recently Chris' work on Experiential Problem-based Learning was published in the Journal of Problem-based Learning in Higher Education.

We will review strategies for setting up a welcoming course tone and safe online learning climate, providing a safe space to explore intersections between faith and course content, implementing practical approaches to foster a caring online learning community. Participants will use a Canvas demo course to demonstrate various components covered in OFI.

Systemic planning for effective online courses (course mapping, objectives, backward design).

We will delve into the fundamental aspects of learning, exploring major learning theories and crafting our own definitions of learning. Participants will also examine distinctive aspects of online and learning and focus on adult learners. We will also address common barriers to learning and potential solutions.

We will explore diverse approaches for delivering course content. Participants will delve into the effectiveness of videos, podcasts, and visual aids like graphics and infographics as powerful tools in enhancing engagement and comprehension while disseminating information.

Our focus will center on discussion as a way of learning. Participants will practice writing effective discussion questions for both asynchronous discussion boards and for live-session discussions. Strategies for promoting active participation, practicing critical thinking, and assessing effective discussions will be emphasized. 

We will explore scaffolding methods that support learners in developing knowledge and skills. We'll also focus on designing and implementing authentic assessments, as well as enhancing effective group work. Additionally, our discussions will cover strategies for creating effective rubrics.

Our focus includes the following key components: strategies aimed at delivering meaningful feedback to foster student growth. This will cover composite feedback, growth-oriented approaches, and tools tailored to enhance feedback efficiency within larger classroom. Additionally, we'll delve into strategies to ignite and sustain motivation in learners using feedback.

Participants will focus on three crucial aspects of academia. First, well-being for remote faculty should be taken into consideration. Working remotely can often blur the boundaries between personal and professional life. Online faculty working remotely need strategies for sustainability: establishing connections, practicing balance, and working productively. We also will explore the role of research alongside teaching for lecturers or tenure-track faculty. In addition, we will explore the various service opportunities and guidelines available for online faculty at Baylor University, ensuring that our faculty are well-equipped to excel in their roles.

We will review how instructors can use both student and peer feedback to elevate the quality of their courses. We will introduce various quality assurance tools to enrich the learning experience and optimize outcomes. We will then wrap up the program with a self-assessment and program evaluation, allowing participants to reflect on our learning journey and provide valuable feedback for program improvement.