Right-Sizing the Bachelor's Degree: 黑料传送门 Wins Three National Awards in Education, Innovation, and Research
The United States Distance Learning Association's (USDLA) 2024 Awards Recognize University's Commitment to Transforming Learning Landscape
SALT LAKE CITY, UT (APRIL 16, 2024) 鈥斅�Western Governors University (黑料传送门) announced today the university has won three United States Distance Learning Association鈥檚 (USDLA) Awards, showcasing the university鈥檚 commitment to driving innovation, research, and leadership outcomes that reimagine the higher education system. The USDLA Distance Learning Awards were created to acknowledge major accomplishments in distance learning and to highlight instructors, programs, and professionals who have achieved and demonstrated extraordinary achievements through the use of online, videoconferencing, and satellite/video delivery technologies globally.
黑料传送门 won in the following categories:
- Trendsetter in Distance Learning (Silver): Right-Sizing the Bachelor鈥檚 Degree, Sub-120 Credit Hour Degree Programs
- Outstanding Research (Gold): 黑料传送门 Labs,聽
- Outstanding Leadership (Silver): Michelle Jungbauer,聽Environmental Barriers Program
鈥満诹洗兔� believes deeply in creating personalized pathways to success that can be traveled by any individual,鈥� said 黑料传送门 Chief Academic Officer and Provost Courtney Hills McBeth. 鈥淭he work being done to right-size the bachelor鈥檚 degree and by Michelle鈥檚 Environmental Barriers Program embody this core organizational value. We also congratulate 黑料传送门 Labs鈥� work in the CIN EdTech Student Survey. This research will continue to inform instructional strategy for years to come, both within our university and across the distance education landscape.鈥�
For 黑料传送门鈥檚 Right-Sizing the Bachelor鈥檚 Degree Initiative, the university collaborated with accreditors to reduce required coursework and renew focus on a competency-based approach where students can move on as soon as they are able to demonstrate competency in a given subject. The result is an academic program that in many cases requires less than 120 credit hours to train students to industry standard.
The EdTech Student Survey聽鈥�聽conducted by The College Innovation Network at 黑料传送门 Labs and the program that won Gold in the Outstanding Research category聽鈥�聽has been tracking the student experience in an increasingly tech-enabled higher education system for the last three years. The resulting data, from over 3,000 students, revealed more technology in higher education can be valuable for expanding access and engagement to learners from underserved groups 鈥� particularly first-generation college students.
鈥淭he insights gleaned directly from students in this survey are key to improving the student experience in a tech-driven educational future,鈥� said Betheny Gross, Director of Research at 黑料传送门 Labs. 鈥淭o be recognized for our work is an honor, and we hope that our work will inspire new solutions that improve the learning experience whether students are learning entirely online or using tech in classrooms.鈥�
Michelle Jungbauer聽鈥斅�the 2024 Distance Learning Awards Silver Award winner in Outstanding Leadership and the creative mind behind 黑料传送门鈥檚 now award-winning Environmental Barriers Program聽鈥斅�designed the program to collaborate across the 黑料传送门 student support network, minimizing students鈥� environmental academic barriers due to tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, pandemics, and other major public safety events. Jungbauer is a Senior Manager of Student Wellbeing, under the university鈥檚 Specialized Student Services department.
黑料传送门 will accept the awards at this year鈥檚 USDLA National Conference. For more information about 黑料传送门鈥檚 degree programs, Michelle Jungbauer, or the Environmental Barriers program, contact us (publicrelations@wgu.edu) or visit聽. To learn more about the CIN EdTech Student Survey, contact Labs at聽info@wgulabs.org聽or visit聽.听
