Dr. Sheri Hardin and Samantha Marchant recognized by peers for developing a technology-rich, engaging, and pedagogically sound course
Clarkesville, GA – North Georgia Technical College (NGTC) is proud to announce that Instructional Designers Dr. Sheri Hardin and Samantha Marchant were recognized by their peers with the Exemplary Course Program (ECP) Award. The ECP Award, presented by education technology company, Anthology, recognizes faculty and course designers from schools, colleges, and universities around the world who develop engaging and innovative courses that represent the very best in technology and training.
Hardin and Marchant were selected as a winner for their Blackboard: Training, Organizing, Creating course. The course demonstrated excellence in four areas:
- Course Design: The elements of instructional design, such as its structure, learning objectives, and instructional strategies
- Interaction and Collaboration: The level of engagement offered by the course and the level of student interaction and collaboration
- Assessment: The evaluation of student work toward the achievement of learning outcomes and the quality and type of student assessments
- Learner Support: The resources made available to students, which may be accessible within or external to the course environment
For nearly two decades, the Exemplary Course Program has honored instructors and course designers whose courses demonstrate best practices. The Exemplary Course Program Awards were expanded when Blackboard combined with Anthology in 2021. Since its founding, thousands of instructors, teachers, and designers have used the Exemplary Course Program to evaluate and improve their courses with recognized best practices. To be considered for the honor, applicants must be a user of the Blackboard Learn by Anthology learning management system. Submitted courses are evaluated by other course developers, instructional designers, teachers, and professors using the Exemplary Course Program Rubric.
“These educators represent some of the very best when it comes to developing courses that engage learners and drive student success,” said Jim Brigadier, President Global Markets at Anthology. “At Anthology, we’re proud to announce the 2023 cohort of Exemplary Course Program Award winners and thank them for their commitment to engaging students and helping them achieve their goals.”
“I am immensely proud of Dr. Hardin and Mrs. Marchant who have been recognized with the prestigious Exemplary Course Program Award,” said NGTC Vice President of Academic Affairs Mindy Glander. “Their commitment to excellence and innovative online teaching practices has set a shining example for all educators. This achievement is a testament to their unwavering passion for education and their continuous efforts to create an engaging and transformative learning experience. Together, they have elevated the standards of education, and I couldn’t be prouder to have such outstanding online learning mentors as part of our team.”
“It was an honor and a privilege to represent North Georgia Technical College on a global stage,” said Dr. Sheri Hardin, NGTC distance education specialist. “Participating in the Anthology Exemplary Course Program challenged me to improve my skills in online course design. Adhering to best practices in online design, Sam and I were able to create an online course that is engaging and collaborative while also providing targeted assessments and learner support.”
“Sheri and I worked hard to create and build the Blackboard: Training, Organizing, Creating course according to the Anthology standards,” said Samantha Marchant, NGTC educational technology coordinator. “Knowing that we were competing against other courses submitted from around the world helped to motivate us to do our very best. Words cannot express our excitement when we received word that our course was selected as an ‘exemplary’ course. I’m genuinely excited about this award’s impact on our mission to help other educators create high-quality, engaging, and learner-centered courses. The creation of this course reinforces our commitment to making a positive change in the way others develop and deliver course information. I am proud to have represented North Georgia Technical College in this endeavor.”
Hardin and Marchant are being recognized alongside other outstanding recipients on the Anthology website as well as in the Anthology Community, a platform where the largest organized network of users connect, collaborate and learn from their peers.
To learn more about the Exemplary Course Program, visit https://learn.anthology.com/exemplary-course-program.
For more information regarding North Georgia Technical College programs or admission, visit northgatech.edu or call 706-754-7700.
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