TOPcast: The Teaching Online Podcast

Guests Dr. Michelle Pacansky-Brock (“Brocanksy”) and Dr. Alejandra (“Alex”) Pickett unpack decades of experience in conversation with hosts Tom and Kelvin on the topic of scaling high-quality, impactful online design/teaching through preparing and supporting faculty. This episode is the final episode in a mini-series of “pillar panels” offering distilled insights from esteemed community members on key, “structural support” topics essential in the future of strategic online/digital education. Podcast Recording Download Transcript: PDF Dr. Michelle Pacansky-Brock Dr. Alex Pickett Episode 199 Show Notes: Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete list of episode highlights via Twitter Coffee Links  Make Your Own “Mayan Mocha Powder” “What is Mocha? A Rich History and Modern Coffee Classic” Content Links Dr. Michelle Pacansky-Brock’s Online Profile Dr. Alex Pickett’s Online Profile Resources Suggested By Dr. Pacansky-Brock [Gallup Research] “How to Improve Teacher Retention and Burnout” [Book] The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World (Pugh, A., 2024) [US Surgeon General’s Report] “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation” (Murthy, V., 2023) [Research Briefs/Resources] “Humanizing Online Teaching” (from Dr. Pacansky-Brock ad others) Resources Suggested by Dr. Pickett The SUNY Online OSCQR Rubric [From SUNY Online] “Teach Online Step by Step: Online Course Design” Inclusive Online Teaching Practice Project Peralta Online Equity Rubric Critical Digital Pedagogy (from Jesse Stommel & Sean Michael Morris) [From Tulane University] Feminist Online Pedagogy [One-Page Research Brief] “The Spiral Curriculum” (from Education Partnerships Inc. based upon the work of Dr. Jerome Bruner) Previous TOPcast Episodes #165 – “Why Still Prepare Faculty for Online Teaching? #IYKYK” #64 – “Principles for Humanizing Online Education… and Remote Teaching/Learning” (featuring guest Dr. Pacansky-Brock) #24 – “International Connections in Online Education” (featuring guest Dr. Pickett) Extra Special Feature Video Version of This Episode!

Guests Dr. Tanya Joosten and Dr. Patsy Moskal unpack decades of expertise in conducting research and fostering evidence-based practice in conversation with hosts Tom and Kelvin. This episode is the second in a mini-series of “pillar panels” offering distilled insights from esteemed community members on key, “structural support” topics essential in the future of strategic online/digital education. Podcast Recording Download Transcript: PDF Dr. Tanya Joosten Dr. Patsy Moskal Episode 197 Show Notes: Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete list of episode highlights via Twitter Coffee Links  Rishi Tea & Botanicals (Milwaukee, WI) “Truffle THiNS Lemon” (from Edward Marc Chocaltier) Content Links Dr. Tanya Joosten’s Online Profile Dr. Patsy Moskal’s Online Profile National Research Center for Distance Education and Technological Advancement (“DETA Center”) DETA Research Toolkit 2.0 (“DETA Center”) Research Study: “Online Learning Readiness” (Joosten & Cusatis) Research Study: “A Cross-Institutional Study of Instructional Characteristics and Student Outcomes: Are Quality Indicators of Online Courses Able to Predict Student Success?” (Joosten & Cusatis) Historic Impact Evaluation Publications from UCF’s Research Initiative for Teaching Effectiveness (RITE) Research Study: “Student Ratings: Skin in the Game and the Three-Body Problem” (co-authored by Dr. Moskal) Research Study: “Dancing With a Bear: One University’s Experience With Evaluating Blended Learning” (Moskal) [From SUNY Oswego] “Tea for Teaching” Podcast [From Oregon State University] “Research in Action” Podcast (2016-2020) Past TOPcast Episodes #15 – “It’s More About the Social than the Media” (with guest Dr. Tanya Joosten) #96 – “25 Years of “Conscientious, Methodical Research” (with guest Dr. Patsy Moskal) #103 – “Learning from 2021: Our Listeners Speak” (featuring an appearance by Dr. Patsy Moskal) #130 – “Data, DETA, Design, and More” (with guest Dr. Tanya Joosten)

Hosts Kelvin and Tom synthesize themes from three 2025 industry reports and more in this episode to focus on the importance of aligning leadership ambitions of presidents/provosts and quality assurance operations of online education. Podcast Recording Download Transcript: PDF Episode 195 Show Notes: Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete list of episode highlights via Twitter Coffee Links  “Malabar Hazelnut” from Rosso Caffe L’OR Barista System [On Philips Website] Content Links [LAST CALL] Your Questions/Comments Invited! Provide Input for the Final Episode of TOPcast Now. “CHLOE 10 | Meeting the Moment: Navigating Growth, Competition, and AI in Online Higher Education, 2025” [From UPCEA] “Benchmarking Online Enterprises:Insights into Structures, Strategies, and Financial Models in Higher Education” (2025) [In OnEdTech Newsletter] “Great Expectations, Fragile Foundations” (Dr. Glenda Morgan) [From CDLRA] “2025 Pan-Canadian Report on Digital Learning Trends” (Dr. Nicole Johnson) [In The Chronicle of Higher Education] “The Colleges That Prospered During the Pandemic” (Phil Hill; contains quote mentioned in the episode) Related Past TOPcast Episodes #194: “Becoming Ambassadors of ‘Acceptance’” (with guest Dr. Jennifer Mathes) #193: “Pillar Panel #1: Leadership Vision in Online Ed” (with guests Ray Schroeder and Dr. Melissa Vito) #190: “When Will Online Learning Stop Growing?” (with guest Dr. Glenda Morgan) #180: “Pan-Canadian Digital Learning Report – 2024” (with guest Dr. Nicole Johnson) #173: Campus-Based Student Demand for Online Options (and More!) from CHLOE 9 [plus links to all the other CHLOE-based TOPcast episodes] Extra Special Feature Video Version of This Episode!

Guests Ray Schroeder and Dr. Melissa Vito unpack decades of practical wisdom on leadership vision in conversation with hosts Tom and Kelvin. This episode is the first in a mini-series of “pillar panels” offering distilled insights from esteemed community members on key, “structural support” topics essential in the future of strategic online/digital education. Podcast Recording Download Transcript: PDF Ray Schroeder Dr. Melissa Vito Episode 193 Show Notes: Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete list of episode highlights via Twitter Coffee Links  Coffees from “8th & Roast Coffee Company” (Nashville, TN) Green Mountain Half Caff Coffee Pods Content Links Ray Schroeder’s Online Profile Dr. Melissa Vito’s Online Profile Resource Recommendations From Our Guests [Magazine] Quanta (Recommended by Ray Schroeder) [Blog] “Ray’s Daily Update – Curated Reading List” [aka “Online, Continuing & Professional Education Update” from UPCEA] (Recommended by Ray Schroeder)  [Column] “Online: Trending Now” from Inside Higher Ed (Recommended by Ray Schroeder) [News Digest] “APLU Morning News Scan Sign-Up” (Recommended by Dr. Melissa Vito) [Book] Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear (Recommended by Dr. Melissa Vito) Recommendations and Shameless Plugs From The Hosts [Book] The Chief Online Learning Officers’ Guidebook: A Framework for Strategy and Practice in Higher Education (Recommended by Tom) [Newsletter/Podcast] “The Lift: Insights and inspiration for academic innovation, digital learning, and leading” (Recommended by Kelvin)  [Web Resources] Books, articles and videos on effective storytelling from “Scientist-Turned-Filmmaker Randy Olson” (Recommended by Kelvin) [TED Talk] “What happens in the brain when we hear stories?” with Dr. Uri Hassan (Recommended by Kelvin) [Website] Research Publications on Storytelling and More from “HassanLab” (Recommended by Kelvin) Extra Special Feature Video Version of This Episode!

Hosts Tom and Kelvin consider the role well-designed online learning can play in institutional efforts to increase student retention.  Podcast Recording Download Transcript: PDF Episode 191 Show Notes: Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete list of episode highlights via Twitter Coffee Links  “Buckle Down” Coffee Blend from 8th & Roast Coffee Company, Nashville, TN “Est. 1927 by Marigold” at the Speed Art Museum Content Links Info and Question Contribution: “Last Call at the TOPcast Cafe” Plenary Panel (OLC Accelerate 2025)  [Book] The SAGE Handbook of Online Higher Education (Wa-Mbaleka, Thompson, and Casmiro, Eds., 2024) [Research Study] “A Cross-Institutional Study of Instructional Characteristics and Student Outcomes: Are Quality Indicators of Online Courses Able to Predict Student Success?”(Joosten, Cusatis, and Harness, 2019)” [Article] “Retention in Online Courses: Exploring Issues and Solutions—A Literature Review” (Bawa, 2016) [Framework] TILT = Transparency in Learning and Teaching (Winkelmes, 2009-2025) [Book] Teaching Naked (Bowen, 2012 – not to be confused with TILT above)  [LinkedIn Post(s)] “Five years from now, the primary job of an instructional designer won’t be instructional design.” [Book] How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen (Brooks, 2023) [Book] The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters (Parker, 2020) Past TOPcast Episodes Springboarding from the SAGE Handbook and Its Chapters #171: “The ‘North Star’ of Online Learners’ Needs” (Refs Ch. 5) #163: “The Online Syllabus: ‘A Welcome Mat for the Course’” (Refs Ch. 18) #161: “Taste the Rainbow of Online Ed’s Possible Futures” (Refs Ch. 50) #155: “High-Quality Online Discussions — Here’s How.” (Refs Ch. 27) #150: “A Global, Holistic, 360 Degree Perspective on Online Higher Education” (Introduces SAGE Handbook) Extra Special Feature Video Version of This Episode!

Hosts Kelvin and Tom examine recent trend data on the academic readiness and unique challenges of current K12 students who will be college students soon. Digital learning professionals can bring our strengths to the table to partner with other colleagues in better supporting these learners. Podcast Recording Download Transcript: PDF Episode 189 Show Notes: Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete list of episode highlights via Twitter Coffee Links   Panoramic Blend from Excelsior Coffee (San Francisco, CA) Fellow’s Take On Excelsior Panoramic | Brew Recipe Content Links [Blog Post/White Paper from Ruffalo Noel Levitz] “TWO Demographic Cliffs? How and Why to Diversify Revenue Streams” (2024) [Report from Center for Democracy and Technology] “Out of Step: Students, Teachers in Stride with EdTech Threats While Parents Are Left Behind” (2025) [AASCU/EAB FREE Webinar Recording] “Bridging Student Readiness Gaps: A Call to Action for Institutional Preparedness” (June 2025) Research Study: “A Cross-Institutional Study of Instructional Characteristics and Student Outcomes: Are Quality Indicators of Online Courses Able to Predict Student Success?” (Joosten & Cusatis, 2019) Research Review: “Educational Technologies and Their Impact on Student Success for Racial and Ethnic Groups of Interest” (Joosten et al., 2021) Previous TOPcast Episodes Mentioned in This Episode #98: “‘I Don’t Ever Want To Do [Online] Again’!” (with guest Ryan Rogers) # 166: “High Structure Course Design for Online STEM Courses” ( with guest Dr. Justin Shaffer) All the Previous Student-Related TOPcast Episodes Kelvin’s Not-Quite-A-Newsletter, The Lift – insights and inspiration for academic innovation, digital learning, and leading (plus coffee tips!) Just for Fun Pop Culture Links The Monorail Mug from #KelvinsCupCollection of Annotated Photos on Twitter The Monorail Safety Spiel and Music from Disney’s Magic Kingdom on SoundCloud Extra Special Feature Video Version of This Episode!

Hosts Kelvin and Tom speak about (and to) the “core audience” of online faculty, instructional designers, and administrative leaders, alongside many other roles, to unpack the podcast’s conceptualization of online education as centered on optimizing course design and teaching. Podcast Recording Download Transcript: PDF Episode 187 Show Notes: Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete list of episode highlights via Twitter Coffee Links  “Longest ‘94” House Blend from Heine Brothers Coffee (Louisville, KY) Content Links All TOPcast Episodes Tagged “faculty” All TOPcast Episodes Tagged “instructional designers” All TOPcast Episodes Tagged “leadership” Specific Prior TOPcast Episodes Mentioned in this Episode #25 – “But FIRRST… Lead Innovation” #37 – “6 Deadly Sins of Online Teaching” #72 – “Pro Tips on Vocal Care for Faculty” #99 – “The Importance of ‘Faculty Voice and Faculty Valuing’ in Online Education” #105 – “How Roasted is Your Course?” #122 – “More Equitable Outcomes Through Instructional Design” #167 – “Cultivating a Startup Mindset” Extra Special Feature Video Version of This Episode!

With ten years in the rear view mirror, hosts Tom and Kelvin talk through insights gained about the field of online education and the podcast itself after they reviewed the “Top10” episodes of TOPcast. [Spoiler: Tune in for a big announcement!] Podcast Recording Download Transcript: PDF Episode 185 Show Notes: Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete list of episode highlights via Twitter Coffee Links  Single-origin Guatemala from Heine Brothers Coffee (Louisville, KY) Content Links Full List of “Top 10” TOPcast Episodes Other TOPcast Episodes Referenced in This Episode Episode #183: “No Lemmings! Avoid the Enrollment Cliff with a Values-Driven Strategy“ Episode #134: “Self-Care and Online Education: Saying Yes, Saying No, and Why” (with guest Dr. Dylan Barth, related to knowing when to stop) All 11(!) TOPcast Season Kick-Off Episodes [Book] Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away (Duke, 2022) [From UCF] “Teaching and Learning with AI Conference” [Book] The Chief Online Learning Officers’ Guidebook: A Framework for Strategy and Practice in Higher Education (Widmer and Cavanagh, 2025) [From UofL] “AI Ate My Homework” Podcast The Lift, Insights and inspiration for academic innovation, digital learning, and leading [On LinkedIn] Not-Quite-A-Newsletter Version [On Soundcloud] Audio Edition Just-for-Fun Pop Culture Link [From Biography] “Did Yoko Ono Break Up the Beatles?” Extra Special Feature Video Version of This Episode!

Hosts Tom and Kelvin discuss how institutions can avoid the enrollment cliff by embracing a values-driven strategy in online higher education. Learn key insights to navigate demographic shifts, economic pressures, and the evolving digital learning landscape. Podcast Recording Download Transcript: PDF Episode 183 Show Notes: Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete list of episode highlights via Twitter Coffee Links  Single-Origin Ethiopia Yirgacheffe from Just Love Coffee (Murfreesboro, TN) Content Links Case Study Items from this Episode [In Yale Daily News] “Yale Pushes for Largely In-Person Courses, Discourages Asynchronous Course Requests” [From UICToday] “UIC’s Online Initiative Expands Access and Opportunity in Online Learning” [Resource Guide] “Strategies for Building Online Learning at Regional Universities” (by Jeff Selingo) [On Wyoming Catholic College’s Website] “WCC Announces Partnership Between COR Expeditions and Hallow App” (articulating unique value proposition of institution) [OLC Innovate 2022 Keynote Plenary] “Let’s Not Romanticize 2019 for Online Learning” (Hill and Moreau. edited transcript and video on OnEdTech blog) Related Past TOPcast Episodes #182: “When Is Good Teaching Just ‘Good Teaching’?” #181: “Help in Grasping ‘Good Online Course’” Just-for-Fun Pop Culture Link [Hosted by the University of Kansas] “History of American Journalism – 1930s” (including Edward R. Murrow, Walter Winchell, and other iconic figures) [From Ripley’s Believe It Or Not] “Or Not: Do Lemmings Jump Off Cliffs?” Extra Special Feature Video Version of This Episode!

Hosts Kelvin and Tom discuss the challenge, still present after 30 years, of helping others (e.g., policymakers, potential students, etc.) understand what a  “good online course” is without experiencing one themselves. They discuss why this still matters and what approaches might help. Podcast Recording Download Transcript: PDF Episode 181 Show Notes: Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete list of episode highlights via Twitter Coffee Links  Single-Origin Costa Rica – “Finca Ines San Roque” – from Loquat Coffee (Los Angeles, CA) [From Wikipedia] Background on National “Cup of Excellence” Coffee Competitions Content Links  [Article with embedded video] “Bill Gates on What Sets UCF Apart:The philanthropist and Microsoft founder described UCF as a pioneer in digital learning.” [From UCF] “Knights Online” Video Series for Prospective Students [7-minute video] “Webcourses@UCF [LMS] Student Tour” [From UCF’s “Quality Review Showcase”] Example of Aligning Course Excerpts with Online Course Quality Standards (“Introduce Course Modules”) An Example Written “Portrayal,” Telling the Story of an Online Course (from Kelvin’s Dissertation) Overview of Kelvin’s Dissertation (Constructing Educational Criticism of Online Courses: A Model for Implementation by Practitioners) A Remembrance of UCF Colleague Dr. Barbara Truman All the Past TOPcast Episodes Tagged with “Quality” Just-for-Fun Pop Culture Link “Whitman’s Sampler” of Chocolates Extra Special Feature Video Version of This Episode!

As US higher ed institutions experienced shifts to remote work and instruction in early 2025, it’s an ideal time for us as digital learning professionals to reflect on key lessons learned in ensuring continuity of operations as we seek to support successful future transitions. Podcast Recording Download Transcript: PDF Episode 179 Show Notes: Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete list of episode highlights via Twitter Coffee Links  Coffee “Tote” from Panera Bread Catering Starbucks Blonde Roast Content Links [In USA Today] “Brutal Winter Storm Pounds Midwest, East Coast As Over 60M Face Treacherous Conditions” (from January 5, 2025) [In Inside Higher Ed] “California Colleges Confront Loss as L.A. Burns” (from January 17, 2025) [From UofL’s Delphi Center] “Continuity of Instruction” (updated)  [In Wikipedia] “2009 [H1N1] Swine Flu Pandemic in the United States by State” TOPcast Episode #152 “‘Still Be Prepared’ for Disruption with Digital Learning” (with guest Patti O’Sullivan)  TOPcast Episode #168 “More Positive Hope than Ever Before” (with guest Melissa Loble) Extra Special Feature Video Version of This Episode!

In celebration of 30 years of OLC conferences and with input and reactions from our community of online/digital learning professionals, including a live audience(!), hosts Tom and Kelvin discuss the issues inherent in predicting and shaping a desirable future for online/digital education over the next 30 years. Podcast Recording Download Transcript: PDF Episode 177 Show Notes: Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete list of episode highlights via Twitter Coffee Links  [Book] Thanks A Thousand: A Gratitude Journey (by A.J. Jacobs) Content Links  [From CERN] “A Short History of the Web” [On the Bavablog by Jim Groom] “Archie, Veronica, and Other Old Gold Technologies” [OLC/Sloan-C History] “Pioneering Higher Education’s Digital Future: An Evaluation of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Anytime, Anyplace Learning Program (1992-2012)” (Picciano et al.) [From the Carnegie Foundation] “The Carnegie Unit” [From the Christensen Institute] “Disruptive Innovation Theory” Background on 2024 OLC Accelerate Keynote Dr. Christina Katopodis [Book via Project MUSE] Learning Online: The Student Experience (by George Veletsianos – quoted in this episode) Quote attributed to Alan Kay: “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” On Being Uniquely Human – Poet, Philosopher, and Theologian Examples [From the On Being podcast with Krista Tippett] “Seeking Language Large Enough” – Interview with Poet David Whyte [Via Wikipedia] Martin Buber’s “I/Thou” Relationships Summary of Karl Barth’s Criteria for Authentic Human Meetings (Built on Buber’s I/Thou) in Relation to AI [in Book Review: “Kinstler on Herzfeld, ‘The Artifice of Intelligence: Divine and Human Relationship in a Robotic Age’”] Just for Fun Pop Culture Links [Video] “You Look Marvelous” (Billy Crystal) Extra Special Feature Video Version of This Episode!