Stephanie Delaney, then the Dean of the Center for Extended Learning at Seattle Central Colleges, was our keynote for eLearning Day in September 2015. Her keynote was Improving Online Courses to Improve Student Outcomes. She also did a breakout on "Authentic Assessments." Here are the descriptions of the sessions and the handouts are in the next module links.

Improving Online Courses to Improve Student Outcomes: Put yourself in the shoes of the student and learn what would make it easier for them to learn. You’ll hear about the leading ideas in online course design and student psychology. With a keen eye on outcomes, you’ll work with your peers to develop simple ways for you to implement these ideas into your own courses. Note that much of the information in the document can be applied to other modalities than online.

Authentic Assessment: How do your courses allow students to use real life skills in reflecting their learning? Are your students able to work to their strengths? In this hands on workshop, you’ll explore your own assessments and work with your peers to add variety to your online courses. With our continued focus on outcomes, these changes will make learning more effective for students and grading more enjoyable for you.