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

December 11, 2017

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…

Thought Piece: The Heat Map

October 27, 2017

In my early days as a director, I found that, even when doing my best to scope a course development cycle, there would inevitably come one-off request for “urgent course fixes or builds” that hovered around the beginning of the semester. Despite doing what we could to assist, I could never seem to explain to…

Thought Piece: Transforming Problem Sets into Authentic Assessments

September 18, 2017

Shelly Brazelle, an adjunct professor in Forensic Science at George Washington University, was drawn to the field like many others for the thrill of crime. TV shows like CSI and Forensic Files popping up, cast an allure revealing the drama and glamour of a career in Forensics. While there are still high stakes for her…

Instructional Design and Technology Teams: Work Experiences and Professional Development

April 22, 2017

The University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) conducted a research study in the spring of 2017 to learn more about the professional development needs and work experiences of instructional designers, instructional technologists, multimedia designers, and their team leaders. The goal was to determine how similar the team leaders and the team members felt about…

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


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More Blogs + Updates from UPCEA

Key Findings from 2024 UPCEA Marketing Survey

As more and more institutions face internal and external pressures to identify and cultivate new revenue streams, many are turning to online and professional continuing education to attract new learners and address fiscal shortfalls. While this continued increase in supply undoubtedly benefits the student, it makes an already saturated market even more competitive. UPCEA’s 2024…

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UPCEA Announces Retirement of Chief Research Officer Jim Fong, Reinforces Strength of Research and Consulting Division

Washington, D.C. – April 7, 2025 – UPCEA, the leading association for online and professional education, today announced the upcoming retirement of Jim Fong, its founding Chief Research Officer, after years of transformative leadership in the field of higher education research and consulting.  Fong first became involved with UPCEA as a volunteer leader while at…

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Observations from a (Pretend) Prospective Student: The Do’s and Don’ts of Enrollment Communication

I’ve been through the college enrollment process before, and to be honest, it’s not exactly something that I wish to do again. And yet, as part of my role at UPCEA, I regularly step into the shoes of a prospective student during our Enrollment Process Reviews. These “secret shopper” exercises involve posing as potential applicants…

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Data and Insights from the State of Continuing Education 2025 Report

The 2025 State of Continuing Education study examines the evolving role of online and professional continuing education (PCE) units in higher education, focusing on program offerings, institutional support, technology integration, and collaboration across academic units. This year’s findings highlight a growing emphasis on workforce-aligned education, with institutions increasingly prioritizing corporate training, industry credentials, and employer…

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Annual Conference Follow Up: Translating PCOE Innovation into the Future of Higher Education

In an era of heightened urgency, higher education institutions find themselves at a pivotal crossroads—confronting enrollment cliffs, shifting demographics, and growing skepticism about the value of a degree. Further, shifting federal policy and changes at the Department of Education will challenge postsecondary leaders like never before. Amid this turbulence, one area consistently demonstrates adaptability, innovation,…

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New report from UPCEA – 2024 Staffing & Structure Survey Results

Amid growing demand for flexible and career-oriented education, online and Professional and Continuing Education (PCE) units are at the forefront of institutional innovation and revenue sustainability. Whether through degree programs, microcredentials, corporate training, or other non-credit offerings, these units play a critical role in expanding access to education and meeting the evolving needs of learners…

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