Future of Online Learning the Focus at OLC Innovate Conference; Spring Dates Announced

• By Kristal Kuykendall
• 12/07/21

The Online Learning Consortium has announced its Innovate 2022 Conference, a joint conference presented by OLC and MERLOT, will be held virtually March 28 – April 1, 2022, and onsite in Dallas, April 11–14, where thousands of educators and innovators are invited to help shape the future of online, digital, and blended learning.

Ahead of OLC Innovate 2022, the OLC is also convening its first Leadership Network Symposium in Dallas on April 11. Building on the impact of the previous Leadership Network Events, this one-day highly collaborative event will serve as a dedicated meeting space for up to 150 senior leaders to participate in five tracks addressing the ubiquitous challenges and promising opportunities in our field. Insights from this event will then be shared during the OLC Innovate conference immediately following the symposium and through a report that will be co-authored by event participants and released following the conference.

"OLC Innovate serves as the perfect meeting ground to reflect and share learned experiences, turning challenges presented by the pandemic into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to look closely at the technology and approaches available to improve access and quality for learners everywhere," said Jennifer Mathes, CEO of the OLC. "We all have stories to tell in our shift from surviving the pandemic to thriving in our new world. But unless we commit to sharing our best practices and lessons learned, we won't be able to make the strides that we need to."

With one-of-a-kind onsite and fully-online offerings, the blended OLC Innovate experience offers flexible pathways to challenge teaching and learning paradigms, reimagine the learning experience, and ideate on how disruptions in education today will shape the innovative classroom of tomorrow.

The conference’s OLC Innovate program offers unique engagement experiences and unparalleled access across all modalities as a way to represent the diversity of voices and perspectives gathered at the conference, including:

• Over 350 live sessions focusing on learning innovations in research and practice, specifically tailored for educators of all experience levels and backgrounds to participate, learn, and engage collaboratively
• Community-driven engagement activities that push the boundaries of modern professional development and bring together participants in moving theory into practice in their own classrooms. Experiences include the Innovation Studio, space for hands-on learning in the heart of the exhibit hall, and the return of the thought-provoking gallery walk on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Inclusive gatherings of special interest groups within the OLC communities through formal Summits, include: Blended Learning, Community College, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Affordable Learning Solutions, Instructional Design, and Research
• Informal gathering points on Slack, in the Speed Networking Lounge, and with the Innovation Crews and Field Guides
• Impactful and resonant calls to action for educators to collaborate beyond the synchronous conference experience, including rich networks and communities of practice that sustain advocacy for equitable and inclusive learning.

Access to live streamed sessions and on-demand recordings are available for one year post-conference, giving participants the ability to ostensibly view the entire virtual conference program and featured selections from the onsite conference. Discounts are available for students, groups, and OLC Members. Additionally, sponsorship opportunities are available. More details on keynote speakers and the full conference agenda will be announced in January 2022. For more information or to sign up for updates, visit the OLC Innovate 2022 website.