Few industries are as fast-paced as higher education. The industry is constantly changing, whether due to new technologies, student enrollment trends, or funding priority updates. Staying connected with other educators and aware of broader industry trends is critical for faculty member success. Understanding emerging tech and trends helps you identify threats and opportunities and can help your institution adjust pedagogically and methodologically.
That’s why conferences and other events are so critical for educators. These events allow some of the brightest minds in their fields to connect, review, and discuss the significant changes in their field.
The 2024 QM Connect conference will be in Chicago this November 3-6 and is poised to be one such event. This event boasts an all-star cast of speakers, informative lectures, and helpful workshops, all with the expressed intention of preparing the online education community for the future of virtual education. Read on to learn about what you can expect from the 2024 QM Connect conference and why we are so excited to attend.
QM 2024 Schedule
Pre-Conference Workshop Options
The 2024 QM Connect conference will feature several informative workshops for your edification. Key focus areas include evangelizing quality assurance methodologies to the broader campus community, implementing and executing a quality assurance review, tying quality assurance efforts to accreditation, and determining how AI can increase your productivity. More detailed rubrics and agendas for workshops can be found here.
The World of AI
Generative AI looks to be the latest and greatest emerging technology of the 21st century. No industry will go unscathed by the AI Revolution, but digitally-driven verticals such as online education face unique challenges. Generative AI threatens to upend traditional quality assurance and plagiarism-prevention practices. Institutions of higher education cannot merely ignore artificial intelligence. Students and their future employers won’t ignore AI, and institutions of higher education that don’t incorporate AI education and AI quality assurance into their coursework are doing their students a disservice.
The 2024 QM Connect conference will feature several AI lightning talks, including the following:
- Lightning Talks Part 1: 8:45 AM CT
- Lightning Talks Part 2: 9:40 AM CT
- Design Smarter, Not Harder: The AI Advantage
- Employing AI to Create Just-In-Time Feedback that Supports Learner Success
- Rapid, Quality Course Development: AI, Faculty Flexibility, and QM Synergy
- The AI Authoring Advantage: Balancing Speed and Substance in Course Creation
- The AI Empowered Instructional Designer
- Using AI to Generate Engaging Course Content
Frequently Asked Questions
Key frequently asked questions are summarized below for your review. However, we recommend reviewing the complete list of FAQs here.
Who Should Attend?
QM 2024 is open to all who are dedicated to quality assurance in education, whether as faculty, instructional support, administrators, or institutional higher-ups.
How Do I Get Approval?
The main benefits of attending the 2024 QM Connect lie in the tools and strategies you’ll receive from the event. The information you obtain from this conference will be extremely valuable for your organization, and you should return to your organization with proven tools and strategies to implement immediately. You’ll also connect with other educators and professionals in the space, giving your organization a broad list of contacts for future problem-solving and institutional problems.
We have found that specificity and passion are two crucial elements of the approval process, so be sure to incorporate these into your submissions to your institution. Please see a sample email linked.
What Is the Newcomer’s Breakfast?
The Newcomer’s breakfast is a chance for the conference to welcome all newcomers and give them the layout of what they can expect while at the conference. There is no fee for this event, but registration is required for all newcomers.
Where Should I Stay When Attending the Conference?
A block of rooms is reserved for attendees at the Loew’s Chicago O’Hare Hotel in Rosemont, IL. Availability is limited, so please reserve as soon as possible.
Find Instructional Connections at the 2024 QM Connect Conference
Instructional Connections will have several speakers and attendees in Chicago this November 3-6, and we would love to connect with you if you are attending! The Sunday, November 3 reception is a great time to connect with the Instructional Connections team and learn more about how our Academic Coaches augment your institutional quality assurance initiatives. If this conference is not in the cards for you this year, stay tuned! More information about the 2025 QM Connect is expected to be announced in January.
