Designing learning experiences with quality and accessibility in mind requires us to step back in order to move forward. Pausing to rethink old paradigms will allow us to lean in to innovation. The glittering temptation of the emerging space of digital learning environments offers inspiration, and new tools provide new possibilities, but not without the anchors of learning science, flexible learning spaces, and a student-centered focus.

One of the best parts of education conferences is the resource sharing that faculty can take back to their classrooms and departments, and ADAPT 2021, a virtual equity-centered digital learning showcase, was packed with them.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed much of how people responsible for faculty development approach their work in higher education, and many of those changes have been positive. The lessons learned from remote faculty support should be integrated into future offerings as we chart a new path for faculty development moving forward.

The second annual Strategies for Success webinar series hosted by Every Learner Everywhere in January 2022 featured several presentations from college and university leaders on increasing online student engagement. Collectively they emphasized that methods for increasing engagement are key to ensuring equity for minoritized and poverty-affected students in digital learning environments.

Because the use of active learning is characterized by a broad range of activities in the classroom, comparing technology and determining which option provides more benefit to an active learning classroom can be difficult. The Rubric for Active Learning Technology Evaluation can provide some differentiation when comparing technology offerings. It has been designed to reveal subtle but impactful differences between technology in the context of active learning.

The Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health is leveraging the remote teaching versions of its core curriculum courses to develop a high-quality, fully online master of public health (MPH) program.The review model we developed for the online MPH program is being used for targeted improvements to the current blended and in-person core curriculum courses and can serve as a template for the review and development of other online education programs

Colleges and universities can improve their quality of learning, equity of access, and affordability. HIPs such as undergraduate research, service learning, and capstone courses inspire greater effort and foster more learning by students. Students from previously underserved groups benefit even more than other students from such practices.

A survey recently conducted by the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET) and the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) with support from Every Learner Everywhere, explores the practices higher education institutions use to support adjunct faculty and their ability to provide quality, inclusive online learning.

The Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health is leveraging the remote teaching versions of its core curriculum courses to develop a high-quality, fully online master of public health (MPH) program.The review model we developed for the online MPH program is being used for targeted improvements to the current blended and in-person core curriculum courses and can serve as a template for the review and development of other online education programs

When implemented well, digital learning demonstrates the power to close equity gaps in gateway courses and throughout curriculum. Leveraging digital learning components, such as interactive and individualized course materials, leadership, and faculty across institutions opens the door to creative, effective strategies for improving student outcomes in gateway courses. With the adoption of adaptive courseware and accompanying data analysis, several colleges and universities reveal that digital learning is a promising tool for improving student success — and ultimately closing equity gaps — in high-enrollment, introductory courses.

Zaire McMican didn’t know there was a name for what he’d seen and experienced growing up in Newark, New Jersey until reading The Autobiography of Malcom X in eighth grade. McMican’s teacher, Miss Wallace, introduced him to topics such as internalized oppression and systemic racism, and a lightbulb clicked in McMican’s head.

Realizing the potential benefits of adaptive learning requires research-based approaches, thoughtful instructional design, strategic implementation, processes for continuous improvement, and a commitment to equity and student care.