Opportunities for Professional Development in Online Education

MarylandOnline’s Virtual Professional Development Series provides workshops and sessions on topics of interest to our members and online educators. This includes instructional design, use of new technology, accessibility, inclusive practices, and other topics directly related to the teaching and learning process. To download our Fall schedule please select: MOL Fall 2025 Webinars.

To view our list of upcoming spring and summer webinars, click on Spring and Summer Webinars 2021.

To view past webinars, go to the MarylandOnline YouTube Channel.

MarylandOnline also sponsors the MarylandOnline Leadership Institute (MOLLI), a comprehensive program designed to expand and nurture a strong network of emerging leaders in online education. MOLLI webinars and workshops cover a variety of topics related to leadership in online learning.

Beneath the list of MOL Fall webinars, you will find links to other professional resources relevant to online educators.

Fall 2025 Webinars


September

Academic Focus: 5 Years Later: Where Are We Now?

Tuesday, September 23, 2025
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m

Five years after COVID, how well are you prepared for instructional continuity in the event of an unexpected campus closure? Since COVID, faculty and faculty support roles have had ongoing work-related disruptions from the advent of Gen AI to the current DOJ Title II accessibility ruling. Folks working in faculty support, especially front line instructional designers, have had little time to pump the brakes. This presentation will consider lessons learned from COVID, discuss ways to apply Resilient Pedagogy to flexible course design and delivery, and offer front-end action steps to encourage faculty to design their courses resiliently, with elements that are resistant and adaptable to potential disruptions in the learning environment.

Teresa Valais (Senior Instructional Designer, Towson University)
Moderator: Jennifer Bopp (Manager, Instructional Design, IDEA Lab, Information and Instructional Technology Division, Anne Arundel Community College)

This webinar has already taken place. You can find the recording at MarylandOnline’s YouTube Channel

October

Leadership: What’s the Big Idea? Taking Online Course Development to the Next Level With an Inclusive Institutional Approach

Thursday, October 16, 2025
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m

In today’s dynamic educational landscape, developing online and blended courses requires more than just individual effort; it demands a cohesive, institutional strategy. This webinar focuses on transitioning from a traditional individual course development approach to an inclusive design approach. This topic is crucial for educational institutions aiming to enhance the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of their online and blended offerings. By fostering partnerships and collaborations at the institutional, programmatic, and course levels, institutions can create a more integrated and supportive environment for course development.

Natalie Johnson (Director of Instructional Design and Online Learning, Community College of Baltimore County)

TO REGISTER: Go to What’s the Big Idea? Taking Online Course Development to the Next Level With an Inclusive Institutional Approach

 

Access, Equity, and Inclusion: Inclusive by Choice: A UDL Game-Based Webinar

Tuesday, October 21, 2025
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m

Get ready for an engaging and interactive online experience with “Choose Your Path: A UDL Challenge for Inclusive Learning.” In this session, participants will explore real-world accessibility and inclusivity challenges through a virtual “choose your own adventure” game rooted in Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

Each scenario highlights a common learning barrier, and attendees will evaluate different tools and strategies to address the issue. Through collaborative problem-solving, participants will reflect on how to implement inclusive practices in their own digital or hybrid teaching and training environments.

All attendees will receive a fully customizable UDL game template, which can be adapted with their own scenarios, strategies, and tools—making it a practical resource to support accessibility and UDL in any learning context.

Wendy Torres (Senior Instructional and Digital Accessibility Specialist, Coppin State University)
Moderator: Sarah Felber (Portfolio Director, Writing Across the Curriculum, University of Maryland Global Campus)

TO REGISTER: Go to Inclusive by Choice: A UDL Game-Based Webinar

 

Academic Focus: Communicating with Emotional Intelligence

Wednesday, October 29, 2025
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m

Emotional intelligence (EI) significantly impacts communication in both personal and professional settings by enhancing self-awareness, empathy, relationship management, and conflict resolution. In this short session, we will (a) understand the connection between emotions and communication, (b) explore the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on effective communication, and (c) learn strategies to regulate emotions and improve communication skills.

Carrie Arnold (Assistant Professor of Communication, Chesapeake College)

TO REGISTER: Go to Communicating with Emotional Intelligence

November

Academic Focus: Adopting a Human Centered Approach in a Digital Learning Environment

Monday, November 10, 2025
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m

Building a sense of belonging in college courses is important for student success, and this includes online, remote, and hybrid courses. But how can instructors build that sense of belonging in a digital environment? Come to this one-hour roundtable discussion and share ideas on inclusive instruction in online and remote courses.

Paul Miller (Professional Development Director, Montgomery Community College)
Moderator: Tom Adams (Instructional Designer/Technologist, Chesapeake College)

TO REGISTER: Go to Adopting a Human Centered Approach in a Digital Learning Environment

 

Academic Focus: Small Changes, Big Impact - How Minor Tweaks in Your Classes Can Lead to Improvements in Student Engagement and Outcomes in the Community College Classroom and Beyond.

Tuesday, November 18, 2025
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Have you ever wished there was a magic potion that would make you a perfect educator? Some incredible resource filled with syllabus advice, in-class exercises, and conversation starters that immediately make you a better educator and engage your students to increase their success?

In this PD session, we will focus on how making small changes in your teaching can have big effects on student behavior and learning in the community college classroom and beyond.

Rachael Bateman (Associate Professor and Coordinator of Associate of Science in Environmental Studies Degree Program, College of Southern Maryland)

TO REGISTER: Go to Small Changes, Big Impact - How Minor Tweaks in your Classes Can Lead to Improvements in Student Engagement and Outcomes in the Community College Classroom and Beyond

 

More listings to be added - Check back often for updates.

Additional Resources for Online Professionals