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. Spring 2025 Webinars are listed below. To download a pdf please go to: Spring 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 Spring webinars, you will find links to other professional resources relevant to online educators.

Spring 2025 Webinars

 

 

February

Academic Focus: Spotlight on AI: Information Literacy and Its
Evolution in the Age of Generative AI

Wednesday, February 12, 2025
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m

Learn about the evolving landscape of information literacy, and explore how information access, evaluation, and usage are being impacted by current technologies, including generative AI. We’ll discuss the challenges of distinguishing reliable sources from misinformation, the ethical implications of AI-generated content, and the critical skills needed to navigate this new information ecosystem.

Brandy Whitlock (Instruction Librarian, Anne Arundel Community College)
Moderator: Isabel Defeo (Associate Professor and Communication Arts Division Chair, Carroll Community College)

To REGISTER: Go to: Information Literacy and Its Evolution in the Age of Generative AI

 

How To: Spotlight on AI: Generative AI: A New Frontier for Higher Education Pedagogy

Tuesday, February 18, 2025
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m

Generative AI is a rapidly developing field with the potential to revolutionize education. Higher Education faculty are in a unique position to lead the way in adopting Generative AI to support student learning and success across different course modalities. This session will help you discover Generative AI tools to help students develop AI literacy skills.

Shawn Crosby (Senior Instructional Designer, Community College of Baltimore County)
Moderator: Alissa Harrington (Instructional Designer/Technologist, Towson University)

To REGISTER: Go to: Generative AI: A New Frontier for Higher Education Pedagogy

 

 

March

How To: Spotlight on AI: Beat the Bot: Showing Students they can Outperform LLMs

Wednesday, March 12, 2025
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m

In this talk and workshop, I explain how I developed and teach first-year composition with a “Beat the Bot” theme, which instructs students about AI, shows them they can do better, and gives our class a fun and safe space to practice writing. Then, participants will have a chance to take on the bot themselves and discuss how they could incorporate something similar in their own classes.

Naomi Gades (Assistant Professor of English, Frostburg State University)
Moderator: Stephanie Vehrs (Director of Online Learning, College of Southern Maryland)

To REGISTER: Go to: Beat the Bot: Showing Students They Can Outperform LLMs

 

 

April

Academic Focus: Spotlight on AI: Is There Such a Thing as “Ethical AI”?

Wednesday, April 9, 2025
10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m

A rationale for why I’ve chosen to discourage my composition students from using AI in my courses. There is an ethical dimension to generative AI tools that seems to have been ignored within the larger push to incorporate AI into higher ed’s teaching & learning areas. Instead, it seems we’ve sacrificed what we know about knowledge generation and the writing process to a blind acceptance of AI’s supposed benefits. This begs the question: “Who’s winning in the fight for ethical AI?” Is there such a thing as an “ethical” use of AI?

David Buck (Professor of English, Howard Community College)
Moderator: Brian Terrill (Director of eLearning and Instructional Technology, Baltimore City Community College)

To REGISTER: Go to: Is There Such a Thing as “Ethical AI”?

 

Leadership: How Do We Get Faculty to Adopt OER? A Case Study of Stevenson University

Thursday, April 24, 2025
10:00 a.m. - 11:00a.m.

In this session, we will examine the process of getting faculty on board with OER adoption and Open Educational practices. This session will discuss challenges, successes, and provide recommendations for institutions looking to increase faculty adoption or openness to OER.

Jesse Schneiderman (Faculty Director - Zirkin Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning & Assistant Professor in Education, Stevenson University)
Moderator: Kimi Lichty (Instructional Technologist, Wor-Wic Community College)

To REGISTER: Go to: How Do We Get Faculty to Adopt OER? A Case Study of Stevenson University

 

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

Additional Resources for Online Professionals