Instructional Designer and Online Learning Specialist for the Elizabethtown College Teaching and Learning Design Studio (TLDS) Crystal Donlan recently presented research at two national conferences in October 2022.
Donlan presented research for the Commission for Distance and Learning Technology at the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education’s annual conference held on Oct. 11 in Milwaukee, Wis. Her presentation, “Using Mindful Scaffolding to Promote Student-Centered Online Learning” concentrated on the significance of online teaching and learning and the importance of supporting adult learners in online platforms.
“Mindful scaffolding can provide a sense of peace and consistency in the facilitation of the learning journey for all students,” Donlan said.
On Oct. 20, Donlan presented again at the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) annual fall virtual conference, for the second consecutive year. Her presentation, “Fostering Deep Learning through LMS-Based Discussions,” focused on how to support purposeful connections and conversations on learning platforms by creating opportunities for these interactions to take place.
“Learners in the 21st century need discourse opportunities that engage inquiry and allow deeper connections with both content and cohort,” Donlan said.
In addition to facilitating national-level professional development, Donlan is currently offering two workshop series for the Etown campus community through the TLDS. The “Everyone Designs” series focuses on design-centered issues and innovative solutions, while the “Leading from Any Level” series focuses on the premise that all members of the teaching and learning community, regardless of rank or status, possess leadership potential and professional authority.
This virtual how-to series offers synchronous one-hour brainstorming sessions where participants receive a brief overview of a design-centered issue and then explore innovative solutions.
About the Elizabethtown College Teaching and Learning Design Studio (TLDS)
The Elizabethtown College Teaching and Learning Design Studio promotes and supports a relationship- and learner-centered culture of instruction, guidance, and scholarship, with a focus on evidence-based pedagogies from the scholarship of teaching and learning that foster student academic engagement, advance the College’s mission, and cultivate innovative teaching.
The Studio supports the integrated professional development of faculty, staff, and students by providing opportunities and resources applicable to all stages of the career trajectory.