Houston,
26
June
2020
|
10:17 AM
America/Chicago

Added Fuel for UST’s Online Engine

Dr. Brandon Green, Ed.D. ’19, an adjunct professor of Technology Leadership in the Doctor of Education program at UST, is the newest member of the University’s online instructional design team. Green’s appointment further fortifies the team’s technological expertise and adds fuel to the educational engine driving it forward.

Under the oversight of Dr. Jim Monaghan, AVP of academic affairs, and an online education expert, the team of four is building UST’s Online Education Department. The goal is to be second to none.

The University learning environment will be a blended one, making the most effective use of both the virtual world and the bricks-and-mortar classroom.

Green said, “Our team is leading a rapid and thorough transformation driven by the pandemic. Instructional designers like us are first responders for the educational world.”

UST’s instructional designers have multiple roles. They research innovative technology for teaching and learning and function as facilitators, who support various faculty one-on-one to become comfortable and even masterful at designing and delivering high quality online courses and programs.

“The pandemic is going to enhance teaching,” Green said, “because our faculty will have a digital voice and their face-to-face classroom voice. They will maximize the best of both worlds.”

As an example, he told how online solutions beautifully addressed the concerns of an Irish Studies professor.

“COVID canceled the class trip to Ireland, but we were able to show the professor how the trip could still ‘happen’ using google maps. She was surprised and delighted.”

Among the advantages of incorporating online education strategies is the ability to record and store lectures in a virtual cloud, enabling students to go back and listen at their convenience.

Monaghan said, “This effort fits into UST’s focus on providing the best experience for online students, both during the pandemic and in the future as we grow our ability to offer online courses to students who are unable to come to campus due to constraints of work and family obligations.”

In the event of future situations that prevent on-campus attendance altogether, a blended learning environment will allow UST to pivot very smoothly, ensuring that students and faculty don’t miss an educational beat.

Any faculty needing to reach the team and schedule one-on-one consultation may contact: teachonline@stthom.edu.