Join “TOPcast Live!” A Recorded-Live Podcast and Connection Session for the Digital Learning Community

Over the past 8.5 years, OLC has promoted TOPcast: The Teaching Online Podcast co-hosted by Tom Cavanagh and Kelvin Thompson from UCF’s Center for Distributed Learning and (recently) UofL’s Delphi Center for Teaching and Learning. This twice-monthly 30-minute podcast for digital learning professionals emulates a collegial conversation on relevant issues over a shared cup of coffee. During this session, OLC’s Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Angela Gunder, and the TOPcast hosts will provide a brief review of milestones from the evolution of higher ed podcasting, our COVID-recovery era, and TOPcast prior to presenting a “recorded live” episode of TOPcast based upon crowd-sourced topics suggested by leaders in our digital learning professional community. (To suggest a topic NOW for this session, please visit: https://bit.ly/vote_TOPcastLive2023. Following the recording, in a Q&A session participants will have the opportunity to dialogue with the TOPcast hosts and OLC’s Chief Academic Officer about the opportunities for creative problem solving and collaborations in our online/blended/digital learning work and how community resources such as TOPcast can help move us forward. Following established TOPcast practice, participants are encouraged to bring their favorite beverage to accompany collegial dialogue.

Consistent with the Accelerate conference emphases on driving quality online learning, advancing best practice guidance, and accelerating innovation and the particular focus of the Leadership and Institutional Strategies track, the intent of this conference session is to add value to those seeking to lead in online education, whatever their title/position, so that each of us can be more effective in meeting the challenges of our own institutional context and of the field as a whole. This session will provide an opportunity for current leaders to dialogue on high-level issues and an on-ramp for professional development growth for those seeking to “lead from where they are.” Participants will be encouraged to exchange contact information to expand their personal network.

TOPcast is currently enjoyed regularly by many members of our online education community (3,500+ monthly downloads currently) and additional colleagues who listen occasionally. The target audience of TOPcast is those who seek to move digital learning forward from their vantage points as administrative leaders, instructional designers, and online faculty. TOPcast episodes are available on the OLC website (http://bit.ly/topcast_olc) or via all of the mainstream podcast outlets (e.g., Apple Podcasts). The OLC website links to resources and interaction opportunities associated with each episode. A previous TOPcast Live! session was part of the 2018 OLC Accelerate Conference and resulted in a popular TOPcast episode along with bonus content archived at https://cdl.ucf.edu/topcast-s04e44/. The Every Learner Everywhere network recently selected TOPcast: The Teaching Online Podcast to top their curated list of “10 Teaching and Learning Podcasts in Higher Education.” (See https://www.everylearnereverywhere.org/blog/10-teaching-and-learning-podcasts-in-higher-education/.)

Outcomes

Participants in this session will:

• Consider pressing leadership issues in online education
• Dialogue with participants and presenters about the needs of leaders in our field
• Connect with other online learning leader colleagues for follow-up

SESSION OUTLINE

1. Context for TOPcast (10-15 minutes)
   1. OLC Podcasts & TOPcast
   2. Milestones since 2018 (COVID, higher ed podcasting, and TOPcast)
   3. How does TOPcast work?
   4. How will our “recorded live” session work today?
2. Live Recording of TOPcast on Crowdsourced Topic (20 minutes)
3. Q&A with OLC and UCF Presenters (10-15 minutes)
   1. Pair-and-share question formation
   2. Whole group dialogue
   3. Wrap-up/Exchange contact info