ABOUT THE TEAM
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is an intergovernmental organisation promoting the development and sharing of open learning and distance education knowledge, resources and technologies. COL focusses on quality learning that leads to secure livelihoods and economic opportunities, greater harmony among all members of society as global citizens, and protection of the environment. It is more than formal education, taking place in non-formal and informal settings, and can continue throughout life.
Athabasca University is Canada’s Open University and provides learning for life. Through the achievements of its students, faculty and staff, AU stands out as a provider of high quality post-secondary education, representing a rigorous, high quality university education accessible for adult learners worldwide. Athabasca University's MOOCs in partnership with the COL are offered through the Centre for Distance Education in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Athabasca University is Canada’s Open University and provides learning for life. Through the achievements of its students, faculty and staff, AU stands out as a provider of high quality post-secondary education, representing a rigorous, high quality university education accessible for adult learners worldwide. Athabasca University's MOOCs in partnership with the COL are offered through the Centre for Distance Education in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
YOUR INSTRUCTIONAL TEAM
Your instructional team will be working directly with you throughout the MOOC as you explore the course resources, share ideas, and participate in workshop sessions.
DR NATHANIEL OSTASHEWSKI
YOUR COURSE INSPIRER AND AUTHOR
Dr Nathaniel Ostashewski is Associate Professor of Open, Digital, and Distance Education at Athabasca University in Alberta, Canada. He teaches graduate courses in distance education, research design, educational technology, and online and blended learning. He has been incorporating digital technology in teaching since 1990, both at the K12 and graduate education level. Since 1995 Nathaniel has been training educators how to incorporate technology-enabled learning into "worth-it" classroom, blended, and online activities. Working at universities in Australia and Canada, he continues to develop and research high quality large enrollment courses and MOOC designs that incorporate Community of Inquiry and Networked Learning approaches. His extensive experience with digital media for education, online and blended instructional design/teaching strategies, and learner engagement tactics—which he is most willing to share with others—are evidenced in MOOCs he designs and teaches.
DR MARTHA CLEVELAND-INNES
YOUR COURSE INSTRUCTOR AND AUTHOR
Dr Martha Cleveland-Innes is Professor of Open, Digital, and Distance Education at Athabasca University. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the bilingual Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology and the author of the Guide to Blended Learning. Martha is instructor, co-designer, and researcher for the open online courses Blended Learning Practice and Leading Change in Teaching and Learning for a Digital World. The second edition of Introduction to Distance Education: Teaching and Learning in a New Era, which she co-edited, was released by Taylor & Francis in 2021. She has held major research grants supporting research on the digital technology-enabled student experience. In 2019 Martha received an Honorary Doctorate from Mid-Sweden University and the Leadership Award from the Canadian Network for Innovation in Education. Her research interest areas include online and blended learning, communities of inquiry, higher education reform and lifelong learning, and leadership in digital education. Martha is currently a member of the Advisory Group for Digital Literacy with the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education and Visiting Professor of Pedagogy at Mid-Sweden University and Virtual Educator in Residence, National University of Singapore.
ANGELO DELLI SANTI
FACILITATOR
Angelo Delli Santi graduated from the University of Alberta in 2007 as a secondary teacher and recently completed his Masters of Open, Digital and Distance Education (M.Ed.) at Athabasca University. He has been an online teacher for six years in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, experiencing and overcoming many of the various barriers online teaching and learning can create. Angelo experiences how students interact with each other, all in an online setting, and takes the opportunity to share new technology tools with students regularly, searching for and learning new technology tools to help enhance learning. Angelo has facilitated in Learning to Learn Online Express, Learning to Learn Online, Blended Learning Practice, and Technology-Enhanced Learning.
JENINE HAWRYLUK
FACILITATOR
Jenine Hawryluk is currently a doctoral student in distance education at Athabasca University and is particularly interested in the pedagogical approaches used in different intercultural contexts. She has taught English for Academic Purposes in Canada and Lithuania, specifically focusing on academic writing, as well as English Language and facilitated teacher training in several countries. Jenine has facilitated in Designing for Communities of Inquiry, Leading Change for Teaching and Learning in a Digital World, Teaching Chemistry with Technology, Learning to Learn Online, Blended Learning Practice, and Technology-Enhanced Learning.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT TEAM
In addition to the direct support from your instructional team, DCOI MOOC draws from the deep experience in leadership, digital education, and project management from both Athabasca University and the Commonwealth of Learning.
DAN WILTON
TECHNICAL AND PARTICIPANT SUPPORT
Dan Wilton is an instructional designer and analytics specialist for MOOCs and other online initiatives in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Athabasca University, where he is also currently completing his doctoral studies into educational research collaboration. As your technical and participant support for DCOI, he will be working closely with the instructional team to help monitor course activity, address any general questions or concerns, as well as being your direct contact for registration and your status within the course.
CARMEN JENSEN-TEBB
PROJECT ADMINISTRATOR
Carmen Jensen-Tebb is a graduate student in distance education at Athabasca University, where she is also the Project Administrator in Open, Digital, and Distance Education in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences providing support for special projects, collaborations, and the education MOOC offerings of Leading Change in Teaching and Learning for a Digital World, Blended Learning Practice, Technology-Enabled Learning, and Learning to Learn Online. Carmen also serves as the Managing Editor for the bilingual Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology.
DR SANJAYA MISHRA
DIRECTOR: EDUCATION, COMMONWEALTH OF LEARNING
Dr Sanjaya Mishra is one of the leading scholars in open, distance, and online learning with extensive experience in teaching, staff development, research, policy development, innovation, and organisational development. With a multi-disciplinary background in education, information science, communication media, and learning and development, Dr Mishra has been promoting the use of educational multimedia, eLearning, open educational resources (OER), and open access to scientific information to increase access to quality education and lifelong learning for all. He has designed and developed award-winning online courses and platforms, such as the Understanding Open Educational Resources, Commonwealth Digital Education Leadership Training in Action, and COLCommons.
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