POTSDAM -- The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA), the leader in Distance and Digital Learning education, has awarded Clarkson University the winner of the 2021 Excellence in Teaching Award in the International Award program. This award honors the achievements of Clarkson’s Teaching & Learning Corner team for their work to advance faculty workforce development during the COVID pandemic specifically demonstrated by the team’s efforts to create and teach the Reframing Instruction for Success Everywhere (RISE) workshop provided to all university faculty. Credit goes to RISE co-creators and instructors Erin Blauvelt and Loretta Driskel for their work in designing the workshop experience to include learning objectives grounded in the Quality Matters principles; and with the goal of giving faculty the skills and resources they needed to shift from delivering emergency remote instruction when the pandemic first hit to thriving with purposefully-built, effective online and hybrid instruction. This unique experience allowed faculty to engage one-on-one with each other and with RISE instructors, gaining cross-departmental insight and advice.

This is the third award received this year to honor the Teaching and Learning Corner and the RISE workforce development initiative. Earlier awards include the 2021 OLC Effective Practice awarded by the Online Learning Consortium and 2021 Phalanx Distinguished Service Award awarded by Phalanx, Clarkson’s highest honorary society.