CHPE, Distance Learning Lab

Distance Learning Lab

Overview

The Distance Learning Lab (DL-Lab) is a core CHPE program that aims to provide support for USU faculty who wish to transition in-person instruction to distance delivery. The DL-Lab enables faculty success with distance learning (DL)  by offering “faculty-focused service” that is responsive to individual faculty needs.

The DL-Lab was initially created to support the conversion of face-to-face certificates and degrees to a blended learning format. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the DL-Lab responded by successfully adapting face-to-face courses for remote learning environments across multiple programs at USU School of Medicine. The DL-Lab continues to collaborate with academic leaders, faculty, and staff in the School of Medicine to develop and improve programs and courses for distance delivery.

The DL-Lab provides holistic programmatic support for distance learning programs in the university, especially in the School of Medicine. The DL-Lab, therefore, supports and promotes the instructional success of all faculty, students, and staff by working collaboratively to enhance distance learning. The DL-Lab accomplishes this through:

• Participating in distance learning innovation, planning, design, development, and evaluation;
• Providing training and professional development for faculty in DL instruction to include pedagogy, methodologies, evaluation and other best practices; and
• Serving as a resource to build support systems for faculty, learners, and administrators at a distance.

Individualized Approach

The DL-Lab uses an individualized approach to meet the individual needs of faculty to help them be successful. The DL-Lab’s faculty and staff have reached over 80% of local faculty with at least one consultation in addition to working with numerous undergraduate medical education (UME) modules and course directors. The support provided includes one-on-one and group consultations, a variety of regular workshops, and online resource pages and standard operating procedures to benefit faculty, staff, and learners.

The DL-Lab also provides annual distance learning orientation sessions for UME and graduate medical education (GME) learners.

DL-Lab Team

The DL-Lab team includes three faculty members with many years of experience with distance learning. They teach graduate courses at CHPE in blended learning formats and have a deep, first-hand understanding of distance learning pedagogies and technologies. The team is supported by a program evaluator and a program administrative specialist for quality assurance and a client-service focus.