Striving for Excellence in Online Learning Through Faculty Engagement

RReading Area Community College (RACC) had to change its online learning. Assessment results showed student success rates were at 55 percent in online courses, with critical concerns of missing or disengaged professors and lack of feedback. RACC confronted these dismal rates by implementing a new learning management system—Canvas—and designing professional development that addressed pedagogical and technical skills for faculty to increase student engagement and success in in online courses and programs. Within five years, RACC transformed online learning through faculty engagement, resulting in a 94 percent student satisfaction rate in 130+ online courses, 10 fully online programs, and Canvas-integrated face-to-face and hybrid courses. These efforts set a foundation to meet the challenges of COVID-19 as faculty have been able to pivot advising and teaching to best serve students during these unstable times.

Innovator

• Michael Gregory, Director, Teaching and Learning