2023-2024
Impact Report
“It is with great pride that I present the AY23-24 Annual Report for the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). This year has been marked by significant transitions, all of which build on the rich history and legacy of our unit—a history that stretches back over five decades and reflects our commitment to high-quality education and student success.”
In July 2023, eCampus was integrated under the newly established Center for Teaching and Learning. This reorganization was not just a structural change; it was a strategic move to broaden the scope of our work while preserving eCampus’s legacy as a leader in online education and innovation. The CTL now stands as a comprehensive hub, encompassing a range of initiatives that support faculty development, teaching excellence, and student engagement and success that span all learning modalities.
Our journey began in 1970, with the delivery of correspondence courses, TV-based instruction, and audio courses through the Alaska Rural Teacher Training Corps and other early distance education efforts. By 1987, these efforts were consolidated into the Center for Distance Education and Independent Learning, following state budget cuts that led to the creation of the College of Rural Alaska. This consolidation marked a significant milestone, as it brought together diverse distance delivery programs under one umbrella, laying the groundwork for what would eventually become eCampus.
Over the years, we have seen many transformations. In 2012, the Center for Distance Education was renamed UAF eLearning & Distance Education, reflecting our growing focus on online learning. In 2018, we embraced the name eCampus and under the leadership of visionary directors, eCampus continued to evolve. By May 2020 we were supporting 50 fully online asynchronous programs and degrees.
The establishment of the Faculty Accelerator in February 2020 and the launch of the AlaskaX initiative in April 2020 were pivotal moments in our history, further expanding our reach and impact. These initiatives, along with others detailed in this and previous reports, have established us as leaders in both traditional and non-traditional education ecosystems.
Since becoming Executive Director, my focus has been on building upon this rich legacy. The reorganization under the CTL has allowed us to expand our online asynchronous programs to 60, extend our global reach to over 210 countries, improve collaboration across all UAF campuses, provide stronger support for faculty, and promote a more inclusive, interactive learning environment that benefits all students.
As you review this year’s Annual Report, I hope you will appreciate the depth of our history and the breadth of our accomplishments. Our progress is a testament to the dedication and hard work of each member of our team, and it sets a strong foundation for the future.
Thank you for your continued support and collaboration as we continue to advance the mission of UAF.
Jennifer Pedersen
Executive Director
STUDENT SNAPSHOT
Unique Students Served in FY24
1781
Student Inquiries Addressed
Between July 2022 and July 2024 the eCampus advisor responded to 1781 student inquiries into eCampus programs.
13-82
Student Age Range
172
Alaska Communities Served
eCampus serves students from 172 different communities in Alaska.
US States
US Territories
Non-US Countries
eCampus Courses
Active Courses
Distinct Courses
Brand New Courses
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
ASLG F101X
ASLG F101X was a very popular course for Fall 2023 (it filled up in less than 2 weeks). The department also offered ASLG F202X for spring 2024.
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
LPN F248
LPN F248, Pharmacology for the Licensed Practical Nurse, was the very first online LPN (nursing) course ever offered at UAF.
MICROCREDENTIALS
Awarded by CTL this reporting period
A microcredential is a verifiable credential that show an individual’s competency or skill in a specific area.
COMPLIANCE UPDATE
Title IV
The CTL has heavily invested time and money to ensure UAF’s compliance with federal distance education regulations for Title IV eligibility and our continued ability to teach across state lines. As a consequence, eCampus was able to serve students in 49 US states during this year.
Data & Distance Education Compliance
We converted an existing position to a Data and Distance Education Compliance Manager in order to raise awareness and support compliance efforts at UAF.
Professional Licensure
We are part of a UA wide working group for Professional Licensure and were invited to be part of a multi-institution working group to talk about best practices and share resources.
RSI Awareness
CTL supports the faculty senate Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC) that was responsible for drafting an implementation policy for the chancellor. We offered multiple faculty development workshops to orient faculty to the concept of RSI and developed tools and resources to help faculty translate the regulation into pedagogical practice.
AlaskaX
New Enrollments (FY24)
8
New Published Courses
39
Total Active Courses
10%
Learners Upgraded to Verified Track
COURSE FEATURE
Iñupiaq Language and Culture
One of our primary goals at the University of Alaska is to lead the world in education of native language and culture. This course is an introduction to the Iñupiaq language and Iñupiat culture. It guides learners through the basics of the Iñupiaq language spoken throughout Northern Alaska by the Iñupiat people.
COURSE FEATURE
Yup’ik Language and Culture
This introductory course guides students through the Yugtun language with a focus on cultural traditions and connection to the land. These courses are led by faculty from native communities. They offer open resources, and the feature voices of community members.
Proposal Planning for Grant-funded Projects
“I really appreciated getting direct feedback from the professor on my answers! This course was especially helpful to just get started and think about the details of the project and overcome the obstacle of getting pen to paper to start a draft.”
Inupiaq Language and Culture
“This course was challenging, but very engaging and well guided with plenty of examples for every topic that was discussed. I am mostly a visual learner, so the videos and tables helped me personally to be able to keep up with the volume of new information.”
GIS Foundations
“The course structure and contents are well thought out and easily flow from one concept to the next. by using the “building block” approach where one GIS process learned/mastered becomes the foundation for successive, more complex topics and problems as the course progresses.”
DESIGN TEAM
UAF Instructors and Staff Supported
Hours of Facilitated Programming for UAF Instructors
Programs and Events Delivered
We are redefining what it means to teach and learn in higher education
Canvas LMS Migration
In FY24, CTL worked with faculty to complete the migration of all UAF courses away from Blackboard Learn to Canvas LMS. With multiple monthly workshops on topics from page design to grading practices in Canvas, the CTL Design Team delivered over 200 hours of Canvas-specific training. More about Canvas.
Faculty Development
The CTL is committed to supporting transformative learning experiences for all UAF students by offering evidence-based training and opportunities for creative collaboration to UAF faculty. In FY24, our inaugural SoTL@UAF program supported faculty working on gateway course redesigns, while our LEAP pedagogical partnership program entered its 3rd year running.
AI in Education
The CTL’s instructional design team supported faculty in adjusting to changes in higher education with the advent of widely accessible AI tools. In addition to workshops that included “AI and the Writing Process” and “AI for Image Creation,” instructional designers offered multiple conference sessions as part of UA’s Faculty Alliance Forum on AI.
The MILL
In FY24, the CTL collaborated with The MIX to launch our Making is Learning Lab (MILL). In addition to monthly makers’ challenges and arts-based activities, we’ve hosted multiple in-person courses and ideation studios.
EXAM SERVICES
This year, exam center changes modernized the process for scheduling exams, requesting remote proctors and to get exams to faculty much more reliably.
UAF Tests Proctored
276
SAT and ACT
Exams administered
152
Alaska State Exams
Journeyman, pesticide applicator, and water exams
146
LCE and CLEP
Exams administered
528
Professional Certification Exams
Professional exams for future lawyers, nurses, CPAs, electricians, firefighters, real estate agents, contractors and more
MEDIA TEAM
The Media Team continues to support UAF faculty and staff, and edX developments with a breadth of multimedia offerings.
3,346
Minutes of Captioned Video
Accessibility of media-based content is a priority. In FY24 we captioned 3,346 minutes of video at a cost of $1.75/min, for a total spend of $5,855.
Teaching & Learning Studio
This year the media team stood up the Teaching and Learning Studio (TLS). This is a one-touch, on-demand studio that makes recording easy for faculty staff and students. After a 10-minute training, an individual can book the studio on calendar and record from the camera, camera + lightboard, slide deck + voice, or slide deck + camera.
Capabilities
The CTL Media Team has significantly expanded its capabilities to meet the diverse needs of UAF departments, faculty and staff. Their expertise extends beyond campus studios to include greenscreen editing, drone cinematography, 3D object modeling with workflows for animation and 3D printing, on-site filming, and proof-of-concept virtual studio production. Additionally, the team supports media production for the AlaskaX edX courses, ensuring high-quality content delivery.
3D Modeling in WOMP
Collaboration & Communication for R1 Push
STAFF
Our staff strive to strengthen connections across the UAF campus.
NDAC Inclusive Excellence Award
Moss, one of our instructional designers, was recognized for the Nanook Diversity & Action Center (NDAC) Inclusive Excellence Award. The award is meant to honor a UAF staff, student, faculty member and program / initiative that is showcasing inclusive excellence surrounding UAF’s strategic goal #5: Embrace and grow a culture of respect, diversity, inclusion, and caring.
UA Giving Day
Challenge
CTL director, Jennifer Pedersen, joined the Giving Day effort and challenged the community. Jenn’s effort was to raise money for FirstGen students – students who are the first in their families to go to college.
Social Media Collab With Admissions Counselors
The CTL social media team participated in a collab with UAF Admissions counselors, Sam Urban and Jess Hildebrand.
From Jessica: “…I got a lot of positive feedback and interactions with the video. It led to a handful of rural students reaching out to me for help and guidance, which made me very happy. I am very grateful that your team made these videos and created a way for me to connect with my rural students.”
TIM STICKEL
This year we said farewell to Tim Stickel, who retired after 34 years of service to our university. We wish you all the best, Tim!
Associate Director of eCampus
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Student Services Manager
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Director of Admissions
Faulkner University, Montgomery, Alabama
University Registrar
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment
University of Alaska Fairbanks
University Registrar
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Assistant Dean of Students
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Associate Director of Residence Life
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Assistant Director of Residence Life
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Housing Officer / Residence Hall Director
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Residence Hall Director
Marquette University
Assistant Residence Hall Director
Truman State University