The world has changed, and it's time we caught up!

Hello Colleagues,
A lot has changed in the digital landscape since 2022. As distance and online learning continue to evolve at breakneck speed, the need for a collaborative community is greater than ever.
We are officially "rebooting" the Distance & Online Learning Interest Group, and we’d love for you to help us dust off the cobwebs. We’re starting with a blank slate and a fresh pot of coffee (virtual or otherwise). This isn't just another meeting; it’s a chance to reshape how we support each other and our students in this "new normal."
At our first meeting, we will:

Define our Vision: What do we want to achieve this year?
Collaborate: Share the biggest challenges we’ve faced during our hiatus.
Connect: Meet new faces and reconnect with old ones.

Join the Zoom Conversation: Wednesday, April 29, 2026 @1pm EST (https://gocc.zoom.us/j/8209051079?omn=84812845676)
The Proposed, but Flexible Agenda:

Welcome (back)…let’s get to know each other by introducing ourselves
1. Who are you? Name
2. Where are you from? Organization and/or Location
3. What do you do there? Position
4. What do you hope to get from this IG?
The Group & Its Future
1. Currently, leadership is the IG Chair position, do we want to add any others?
2. What should the focus/purpose of this group be? If we could only solve one problem as a group this semester, what should it be?
3. What do we want to do as a group (activities)?
  1. What is the one topic you’d be most excited to discuss (e.g., AI in the classroom, student retention, new tech tools)?
  2. What is one "small win" or cool tool you’ve discovered for online learning in the last year that you’d be willing to share for 2 minutes?
4. Any ideas on events we could host?
  1. Monthly/bi-monthly newsletter
  2. Host a mini-conference or webinar (topic of interest?)
  3. Present at the annual conference (as a group with volunteers presenting)
  4. Discord (or similar app) server creation
Learning more about each other…
1. What are you doing at your institutions to support your distance and online learners? Tell us about those activities!
2. Do you have services specifically aimed at your distance and online learners at your institution? We would love to hear about them!
3. Does your institution have committees that focus on online learning endeavors and students? What are they called, and what do they do?
4. What would you like your organization to do better or start doing to support students participating in online/distance/hybrid courses?

Meetings will be the last Wednesday of the month at 1pm EST with the next few meetings (and their topics of interest) tentatively:

May 27, 2026 (Marketing tactics, best practices, & outreach tactics)
June 24, 2026 (Curriculum design practices/tips, tutorial creation, & tips for meaningful engagement in a virtual/hybrid world)
July 29, 2026 (AI’s influence on distance/online learning, including hybrid courses, and how educators can integrate it)