Join a Learning Community
We believe bringing together people who are solving big problems is key for successful innovative work–whether they’re exploring creating new online media for learners, designing and building new education models, or using new software or pedagogies to support online and residential learners.
Here are just a few examples of the groups we have created to help people brainstorm, collaborate, and create new solutions together.
Gameful Learning Community
People who teach using gameful strategies assemble about six times during the academic year. In our meetings, we share examples of best practices, strategize about common challenges, and discuss ideas for the future.
Consider joining this Learning Community if:
- You are interested in designing new course structures, where students have agency over how they demonstrate their understanding and mastery of course content.
- You’ve seen what good learning environments games can be.
- You want to make school a better game.
Online & Hybrid Program Community
This community has multiple groups to support the diverse roles that work together to launch U-M’s online and hybrid degrees:
- Program administrators and leadership
- Operations specialists
- Student services and support staff
- Learning experience and instructional designers
- Marketing and admissions staff
- Technology directors
- Media designers
Members connect with peers through Slack or meet in person:
- Degree program leadership meets four times a year
- Support staff meet every other month
- The whole community meets three times a year to discuss overarching challenges
Consider joining this community if:
- Your academic unit is considering developing an online or hybrid degree and you want to better understand various facets of what it takes to successfully launch a program
- Your academic unit is in the process of developing an online or hybrid degree program and you wish to connect with peers to identify and share specific challenges you are facing
- Your academic unit has launched an online degree and you want to share innovative ways you’ve addressed challenges you encountered
- You are interested in hearing how launching online and hybrid programs can create opportunities to refine and improve a unit’s operational processes.
- You are curious about new models for credentialing learners to support the shifting landscape of work in society and make degrees more affordable
To join, contact us.
Simulations Community
People who use role-playing simulations for learning gather together five times a year. They learn design principles behind role-playing simulations, workshop their simulation ideas, and share tips and tricks for facilitating successful simulations.
Consider joining this Community if:
- Teaching empathy skills and perspective-taking are some of your goals as an instructor.
- Understanding collective decision making is important for your learners’ professional success.
- You want to provide your students with an immersive experience to help them understand important concepts and processes.
