Six faculty members from across the university have been selected to receive the Winter Session Online Course Development Grant for 2026-2027. Led by the Center for Teaching Excellence in collaboration with the Graduation and Retention Network, the initiative supports the development and revision of high quality undergraduate online courses for Winter Session.
The grant provides funding, instructional design support, pedagogical guidance, and technology resources to assist faculty in developing fully online, asynchronous courses. Each project focuses on creating courses that are clearly organized, aligned with learning outcomes and assessments, and structured to support student success in a condensed term.
Faculty collaborate with CTE instructional designers throughout the process to refine course structure, develop materials, and ensure courses meet quality standards prior to delivery. A kickoff meeting provided an opportunity to share ideas and connect with colleagues across disciplines.
Courses developed through this initiative are designed for the Winter Session format, requiring intentional planning for engagement, pacing, and clarity within a shorter timeframe. Projects will be completed by August 2026, including a quality review and finalization of course materials in Blackboard, in preparation for the Winter Session term from December 28, 2026 through January 17, 2027.
Winter Session Online Course Development Grant Recipients
College of Information and Communications
- Alamir Novin, Assistant Professor, ISCI 203: The Bias in Artificial Intelligence Systems and Human Cognitive Decision-Making
College of Social Work
- Lana Elkins, Clinical Senior Lecturer, Director of Assessment & Compliance, SOWK 222: Social Welfare Policies and Programs
McCausland College of Arts and Sciences
- Elena Osokina, Professor, HIST 102: European Civilization from the mid-17th Century
- Sara Peters, Senior Instructor, PSYC 221: Research Methods in Psychology
- Sarah Rogers, Senior Instructor, CRJU 322: Drugs & Crime
Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing
- Travis Dalton, Instructor, ITEC 362: Introduction to Web Systems