eDesign Collaborative Blog

The eDesign Collaborative (eDC) Blog is a dedicated resource to announcements, updates, upcoming events, surveys, and other items for the eDC community. 

eDC ThinkTank Roadshow

Most conferences have the format of bringing people away from universities to share what they are doing… however, much is lost without seeing things in context. Ours is a “Flipped Conference Model” where we bring people to universities and show them how things work in real time. We meet the team, tour, and then spend time in panel discussions and Q&A to learn more. So why attend… to have a behind the scenes look at a university, network with those in your similar situation, and workshop best practices to bring home. Here’s the lineup for 2018:

  • April 12, 2018 – Utah State University (virtual conference)
  • June 18-20, 2018 – Georgetown University (in Washington DC and virtual)
  • September 21, 2018 – Oregon State University (virtual conference)

Mark your calendars for the 2018 Roadshow! Details and registration information available here:
http://conferences.upcea.edu/thinktank/.

  The eDesign Collaborative serves higher education instructional design teams (instructional designers, multimedia developers and team administrators) in higher education seeking networking and professional development.


Learn more about the UPCEA eDesign Collaborative here.


UPCEA Blogs and Updates:  

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Student Recruitment

I recently contributed a chapter in the recently released book, AI Applications in Online Higher Education Administration: Strategies for Maximizing Returns and Improving Outcomes edited by Kathleen Ives, Marie Cini, and Ray Schroeder. This blog highlights key take-aways from my chapter. Higher education recruitment is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in decades. Traditional…

Public Comment Period Opens on Workforce Pell Implementation Rules (Due April 8) | Policy Matters (March 2026)

Major Updates Public Comment Period Opens on Workforce Pell Implementation Rules (Due April 8) The U.S. Department of Education has officially opened the public comment period on proposed regulations to implement Workforce Pell Grants, with comments due April 8, 2026. These grants offer a new federal financial aid pathway that will allow students to use…

Leading Change in a Time of Financial Pressure: Insights from UPCEA Senior Leaders

In March 2026, UPCEA convened senior leaders from across higher education for a timely conversation about how institutions are navigating one of the most challenging periods the sector has faced in decades. Hosted in partnership with the UPCEA Council for Chief Online Learning Officers and the UPCEA Council for Credential Innovation, the 2026 Senior Leader…

Microcredentials at an Inflection Point

Microcredentials remain firmly embedded in the higher education landscape, but institutional momentum appears to be leveling off. In the recently released 2026 Institutional Perspectives on Microcredentials Report, jointly produced by UPCEA, The EvoLLLution, and Modern Campus, institutional leaders describe a sector that is committed to workforce alignment but constrained by structural and strategic barriers. Based…

New Book Explores How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Online Higher Education Administration

Release offers practical strategies for ethical, student-centered AI integration WASHINGTON, DC — March 11, 2026 — Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping higher education, particularly in online and professional continuing education. A new book published by Routledge in association with UPCEA, the online and professional education association, examines how institutions can thoughtfully integrate AI into administrative…

UPCEA’s Corporate Member Blog Series #2 | Fixing the Machine: How Corporate Partners Can Address COLO Needs in 2026

The current environment for online higher education is defined by what the 2026 Landscape of Higher Education Report calls a decade of “structural change,” making the job of a Chief Online Learning Officer (COLO) complex and intensely stressful. COLOs are not operating in a vacuum; they must manage a landscape of operational complexity. The Benchmarking…