March 2, 2021
Pedersen supports professional development of HLC peer reviewers
Global Campus Dean Karen Pedersen was an invited speaker for two Higher Learning Commission webinars designed as professional development opportunities for the commission's peer reviewers.
HLC peer reviewers play an important role in all stages of the accreditation process, assuring that institutions are complying with the accreditation criteria while also helping institutions advance within the context of their missions. Given the movement of most higher education institutions to remote instruction over the last year, the sessions supported greater understanding of the changing higher education landscape.
Pedersen teamed up with Marius Boboc from Cleveland State University. As an active peer reviewer, Boboc layered in his insights and perspectives into the session through the lens of a peer reviewer. Pedersen's role was that of an online learning expert having worked in online education for more than 20 years.
The session used the "Delivering High-Quality Instruction Online in Response to COVID-19 Faculty Playbook" as a pre-read and attendees worked in small groups to analyze one of five fictitious institutional case studies Pedersen designed focusing on the changing distance learning landscape. The recorded sessions will be made available for the approximately 1,600 HLC peer reviewers.
Pedersen believes her long history of supporting quality online learning operations was in large part why she was selected to serve in this role.
"Having experienced more than one HLC accreditation visit during my career, I was excited to share my insights and perspectives with this critical and influential audience," Pedersen said.