UPCEA taps iDesign to offer on-demand training to support high-quality, online programs and courses
UPCEA, the Washington, D.C.-based association for college and university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education, today announced the launch of a new partnership that will provide on-demand training to help colleges and universities build their own online programs. The association will partner with pioneering instructional design firm iDesign to offer a new competency-based certificate program, called LX Pathways, for education professionals seeking skills in instructional design and online course development.
“At a time of unprecedented need for flexible and online offerings, we’re seeing massive demand among our member institutions to develop in-house expertise and capabilities required to build and scale high-quality online programs,” said Bob Hansen, CEO of UPCEA. “The collaboration with iDesign will help more colleges and universities develop their internal capacity to create online learning experiences that attract students and prepare them for in-demand careers.”
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Through the new partnership, professional and continuing education program leaders will gain access to courses in disciplines like instructional technology, learning design, and online course development. The certificate is based on core competencies to the instructional design process, including learning theories, project management, LMS fundamentals, mentoring and support, and accessibility requirements. The courses will enable participating college and university employees to access self-paced content, with optional opportunities to share their work and collaborate with peers.
Founded in 1915, UPCEA has for more than a hundred years supported the colleges and universities serving adult learners. The organization has worked to advance research and scholarship around the needs of online students. Earlier in 2020, UPCEA partnered with NASPA, the student affairs association whose membership includes more than 15,000 individuals, and student success coaching organization InsideTrack, to publish a report entitled “Future-Proof: Reimagining Student Affairs” focused on enhancing student support services for online learners.
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“The current moment has shown that instructional design truly is an indispensable skill set needed at every institution, but professional development options are in short supply for faculty and staff looking to develop skills in this critical field,” said Whitney Kilgore, co-founder and chief academic officer of iDesign. “This work is about empowering faculty and higher education professionals and helping them develop the skills required to create high-quality and engaging courses.”
LX Pathways coursework is geared toward the needs of aspiring instructional design and technology professionals, who will receive micro-credentials on their way to earning a certificate after demonstrating essential competencies required for each career path.
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