Ohio State is in the process of revising websites and program materials to accurately reflect compliance with the law. While this work occurs, language referencing protected class status or other activities prohibited by Ohio Senate Bill 1 may still appear in some places. However, all programs and activities are being administered in compliance with federal and state law.

About

The Office of Distance Education team standing outside on Ohio State's campus.

The Office of Distance Education (ODE) engages in college-level strategic planning and operational facilitation to leverage opportunities created by developing our distance education portfolio and supporting effective course delivery across the College. We are dedicated to enhancing the quality of teaching with digital technology-enabled solutions guided by evidence-based pedagogical best practices, providing foundational support in instructional design and multimedia production, and creating community conversation and resources related to teaching and learning in our contemporary environment. 

 

Some of the many services we offer the College of Arts and Sciences include:

  • We support academic unit development of online programs. 

  • We manage ASC’s online degree programs and certificates and facilitate collaboration with Ohio State Online’s support team.  

  • We create and manage professional and continuing education offerings in the College’s non-credit platform in partnership with units and departments.  

  • We maintain a rigorous quality assurance process for all ASC DL, DH, and H courses in partnership with the ASC Curriculum Committee.  

  • We facilitate and manage online course sharing across OSU campuses and with cross-institutional partners.  

  • We pilot, launch, and administer other special projects related to technology-enabled teaching and distance learning.  

  • We aid instructors with the creation, maintenance, and revision of high-quality courses that utilize engaging and accessible digital learning tools and research-driven educational strategies to improve student learning outcomes.  

  • We help instructors identify technologies that will best serve their intended purpose, and support faculty in learning these technologies and introducing them to students.  

  • We support multimedia production for instruction through podcast and instructional video production, virtual site tours, software recordings that facilitate complex technical trainings, video for case-based simulations and scenario-based learning, 3D imaging, immersive and AR experiences, and more.   

  • We maintain a teaching toolset for the College to complement our enterprise toolset. 

  • We facilitate the vetting process for all digital teaching tools used in ASC. 

  • We advise our OTDI colleagues on the university’s needs for teaching and learning technology after soliciting feedback from our faculty.  

  • We offer a wide range of distance education resources to support instructors in developing and delivering courses. These resources include instructional strategies, information on new tools including tutorials, syllabus and Carmen course templates, and effective methods for using CarmenCanvas. We also contribute to the Teaching and Learning Resource Center.  

  • We help ASC instructors, staff, and administrators stay up to date on emerging trends and best practices in higher education, such as the use of AI for teaching and learning and updated digital accessibility Title II requirements, through research and guidance distilled in our quarterly newsletter and on our website.  

  • We host Teaching Forums featuring panels of ASC instructors, staff, and other experts who discuss key topics related to technology-enabled course delivery and distance education, including course design, online community enablement, motivation and engagement, assessment, and more. These forums are conducted live online, recorded, and made available on the ODE website.   

  • We facilitate technology-specific workshops designed to help instructors learn more about available technologies. 

  • We support the creation of strategically important high-quality online ASC courses with a self-paced, asynchronous Guided Course Creation CarmenCanvas course. 

  • We maintain and facilitate the Teaching with Technology Learning Community to assist and support faculty in meaningfully integrating technology into their instructional practices.  

  • We look out for opportunities and advantages offered through our evolving curriculum and range of expertise to support student success and strategic goals across the university.