University of Phoenix Learning Innovation Leadership Present on Digital Innovation for Working Adult Learners in Higher Ed at UPCEA Summit
2024年7月18日 - 1:28AM
ビジネスワイヤ(英語)
Director of Learning Innovation and Strategy
Mary Elizabeth Smith and Senior Manager of College Operations
Jessica Sylvester will lead sessions on AI skills as well as
engagement in competency-based models
University of Phoenix is pleased to share that Mary Elizabeth
Smith, M.Ed., director, Learning Innovation and Strategy, and
Jessica Sylvester, MBA, senior manager, College Operations, will
join the co-located 2024 UPCEA Summit for Online Leadership and
Administration and the Distance Teaching & Learning conference,
in Minneapolis, MN, an event bringing together professionals and
thought leaders to discuss, collaborate, and propel the future of
online and distance education. Smith will lead two sessions,
“Improving the Competency-Based Model: Onboarding, Refining the New
Student Experience, and Overcoming Isolation,” on Tuesday, July 23,
2024, at 1:45 p.m. CDT, and with Sylvester, “Identifying and
Activating Student Foundational and Advanced AI Skills,” on
Wednesday, July 24, at 10:00am.
“Higher education will absolutely be shaped by innovation like
generative artificial intelligence and competency-based,
learner-centered models,” states Smith. “It’s up to us to inform
what that looks like and how it best serves our working adult
learners. Our insights and engagement with this conference help
guide us forward on those next steps.”
The Summit invites colleagues from across the online enterprise
to join a comprehensive community experience discussing rapid
shifts and adaptations and focused on how digital transformation is
reshaping the educational experience, from leveraging cutting-edge
tools for teaching to reimagining administrative processes.
The session Smith leads on competency-based model engagement
will help attendees learn about the actionable results of a
competency-based education (CBE) continuous quality improvement
initiative. It will detail the insights gained from in-depth
research, revealing student perspectives and unveiling
opportunities for improving student onboarding, curriculum
enhancements, faculty practices, and the integration of a social
learning platform for community building and professional
networking.
The session which Smith co-presents with Sylvester delves into
the challenges of defining foundational and advanced AI knowledge,
skills, and abilities, and learn how collaborative approaches with
diverse stakeholders led to the identification of seventeen key
skills, forming the basis for the future of AI in the University
curriculum. They will share the research resources used as the
starting point, the final grouped skills, and how the foundational
AI skills framework translated into a framework for advanced
program-level skills.
In March, Smith co-authored a University of Phoenix white paper
describing how a skills-aligned ecosystem provides a vehicle to
help students realize the power of their education more quickly and
efficiently by validating skill acquisition throughout their
educational journey.
Smith is the Director of Learning Innovation Strategy in the
Center for Teaching and Learning at University of Phoenix, and
previously served as the Research and Implementation Strategist and
the Director of Curriculum Development. For over 30 years, Smith’s
career in education has included working in curriculum development,
learning design, faculty development, faculty, and e-learning roles
for four universities and several community colleges, as well as
two educational software companies. She holds a bachelor’s in
Speech Communication and Journalism from Southern Illinois
University and an M.Ed. in Educational Media and Computers from
Arizona State University.
As a Senior Manager of College Operations, Sylvester leverages
data-driven insights, fosters collaboration, and increases
strategic efficiency to enhance student success and contribute to
the University’s strategic initiatives. She is a faculty member
facilitating courses for the College of Social and Behavioral
Sciences and the College of Education, and currently serves as the
Co-Director of Membership for the University’s Phoenix Women Rising
employee resource group (ERG). Sylvester is a Doctor of Education
candidate within University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies,
specializing in Higher Education Administration, and her
dissertation focuses on the retention and progression of
non-traditional women students pursuing online higher education.
She earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Arizona State University
and a Master of Business Administration from University of
Phoenix.
Learn more here about the 2024 UPCEA Summit for Online
Leadership and Administration and the Distance Teaching &
Learning conference.
About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance
their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world.
Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning,
skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree
programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students
more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while
balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit
phoenix.edu.
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Sharla Hooper University of Phoenix
sharla.hooper@phoenix.edu