About
OUR MISSION
Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies improves student learning by fostering faculty digital fluency, partnering with faculty to design and develop successful digital learning experiences, and creating technology-enhanced learning environments for traditional, distance, and hybrid courses. In each of these endeavors, TLOS provides essential support, strives for inclusivity, and actively pursues opportunities for innovation.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
- Everything we do is designed to improve student learning.
- We seek to understand and balance faculty needs, institutional priorities, and emerging approaches in the field of learning technologies.
- We believe that all faculty have the potential to thrive in technology-rich environments. We inspire faculty to reach that potential by connecting them with the tools, services, and collaborators that will help them succeed.
- We work to make our programs and services as flexible and individualized as possible.
- In the spirit of Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), we support activities and events that advance the mission of the university.
- We value and apply Virginia Tech’s “Principles of Community” in all we do.
- We measure our work and hold ourselves accountable.
HOW WE HELP
We approach our mission primarily in three ways:
Faculty Digital Fluency
It is important that all faculty have the confidence and knowledge to thrive in technology-rich environments. We help faculty by providing training, workshops, and other learning opportunities to increase their level of technical expertise.
Instructional Design
We have resources that are dedicated to designing effective course curriculums that take advantage of the latest advancements in technology-enhanced pedagogies. Our teams work with faculty to help augment and redesign courses to fit this paradigm.
Technology-enhanced Learning Environments
We support and prototype the integration of technology into the classroom. We also partner with faculty and staff to look at ways the university can innovate the design of classrooms and the technological capabilities of those learning spaces.
OUR ORGANIZATION
Executive Leadership
Our Executive Leadership team directs the activities and initiatives of all groups within TLOS.
Dale D. Pike
Associate Vice Provost for Technology-Enhanced Learning
dalepike@vt.edu
540-231-7108
Quinn Warnick
Assistant Vice Provost for Technology-Enhanced Learning
qwarnick@vt.edu
540-231-8321
OUR HISTORY
Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies was created in 2013 as a result of the redesign and restructuring of Virginia Tech’s award-winning entities previously known as Learning Technologies and the Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning. Dale D. Pike assumed leadership of TLOS as its first executive director in 2014.
During the following years, TLOS led major initiatives to replace the university’s learning management system, modernize platforms for video streaming and storage, strengthen faculty grant offerings for online and hybrid instruction, and explore emerging practices including learning data analytics and adaptive learning. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed TLOS into a greatly expanded role of supporting all instructional faculty in their use of digital learning tools and methodologies.
In early 2022, a Flexible/Online Learning Working Group, co-chaired by Pike and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs Rachel Holloway, was charged by Provost Cyril Clarke with assessing the current state of online and distance learning at Virginia Tech and recommending actions to advance the university’s strategic plans. The working group’s visioning process led to a reorganization and realignment of TLOS as a unit in the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, with Pike promoted to the role of Associate Vice Provost for Technology-Enhanced Learning.
TLOS serves the Virginia Tech community by partnering with colleges and departments to develop effective digital learning experiences, providing professional development opportunities for all instructional faculty, designing cutting-edge learning environments, and fostering a culture of accessibility and universal design for learning. In each of these areas, TLOS furnishes support and documentation for foundational technologies, while also exploring, evaluating, and piloting emerging technologies.
WANT TO TALK?
Contact us now to discuss how we can better serve your instructional technology needs or to discuss how our
partnership opportunities may fit well with your innovative ideas.