Valdosta State University’s Center for eLearning will present the Conference on Instructional Technologies, Innovations, and Educational Strategies — commonly referred to as the TIES Conference — Feb. 17-19 in the Student Union.
 
The TIES Conference is open to all VSU faculty, staff, and students, as well as members of the general public, who want to learn more about what educational leaders are doing to support student success both within and beyond the college classroom. Registration is $69 for all attendees and will be accepted up through 1 p.m. the first day of the conference. This fee includes all conference materials, breakfast and lunch on the second and third days, a social event, and more.
 
The TIES Conference features more than 80 presentations from faculty, staff, students, and experts from Valdosta State University, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, South Georgia State College, State Court of Lowndes County, Fusion Creative Marketing, CJB Industries, The Chrysalis Corporation, Columbus State University, Central Georgia Technical College, Georgia Military College, DeVry University, eScience Labs, Georgia Southwestern State University, Florida State University, Integra Rehabilitation Inc., Georgia State University, Northeastern Illinois University, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Turning Technologies, and Georgia Gwinnett College.
 
“The agenda for this year’s conference is one of the most diverse yet in terms of the presenters and the scope of content,” said Meg Giddings, director of VSU’s Office of Extended Learning. “It promises to be an exciting and enriching conference for all attendees.”
 
The TIES Conference’s keynote speaker is Dr. David Schejbal, dean of Continuing Education, Outreach, and E-Learning at the University of Wisconsin-Extension. He is considered an expert on the future of higher education and how social, economic, technological, and political forces shape that future. In 2012 he helped establish C-BEN: The Competency-Based Education Network: A National Consortium for the Development of Higher Education Models. He currently serves on the steering committee of that group.
 
Dr. Thomas J. Tobin, coordinator of Learning Technologies in the Center for Teaching and Learning at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, is the TIES Conference’s featured speaker. He is best known for his work on administrative evaluation techniques in the field of online course and program quality. His work also focuses on using technology to extend the reach of higher education beyond its traditional audience. He advocates for the educational rights of people with disabilities and people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
 
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Schejbal and Dr. Tobin as TIES Conference speakers this year,” Giddings said. “They are national leaders in online and competency-based education, and their presentations promise to provide insights on innovative learning models and the landscape of higher education.”