Supporting Online Education in Maryland
Mission
MarylandOnline (MOL) is a future-focused consortium of Maryland higher education institutions that serve its members through expertise, networking, and advocacy, drawing on the strengths of its member institutions to advance excellence in online education and fuel student success.
Vision
MOL will be recognized as a resource for the leadership, collaboration, and best practices needed to help Maryland higher education institutions achieve excellence in students’ online education.
About Us
Launched in 1999, MarylandOnline (MOL) is one of the country’s most longstanding state online education consortia. With 19 member colleges and universities, MOL’s mission is to promote online education in Maryland and support member institutions through expertise, networking, and advocacy.
MarylandOnline’s activities and services include an annual professional development webinar series, the MOL Leadership Institute (MOLLI); the MOL Seat Bank; and the MOL Database of Online Learning Information (DOLLI).
Throughout its history, MOL has fostered collaborative projects and programs among its members. Some projects, such as the early training of 4,000 Maryland faculty to teach online and the creation of Quality Matters, have earned state and national recognition. A brief history of MOL can be found here.
Membership in MOL is open to all Maryland higher education institutions, public and private, licensed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and accredited by a federally recognized institutional accrediting commission.
Our Roles
MOL Supports Online Education Through Three Primary Roles.
Expertise
Under expertise, MOL’s goal is to help MOL’s member institutions excel in the practice of online education. The consortium incubates new products and services that leverage collaboration among members, promotes and delivers professional development for online faculty and administrators, and, through its online-focused leadership institute, prepares leaders in the field.
Networking
Under networking, MOL’s primary goal is to facilitate networking among stakeholders. The consortium addresses common challenges in online education by fostering the sharing of information, ideas, and resources among member institutions. Through direct services or access to information, members also benefit from MOL’s collaborations with other online education organizations in Maryland and beyond.
Advocacy
Under advocacy, MOL’s goal is to champion excellence in online education through engagement with initiatives that support students and teachers. Some areas of focus—such as diversity, equity, and inclusion; academic integrity; and the quality and affordability of instructional materials—carry over from year to year. Others are emergent issues that come to the consortium’s attention. On behalf of its members, MOL uses its influence publicly at the state and national levels to promote online education.
