NC Community Colleges Advance Digital Education at 4th Annual Online Learning Innovations Summit

Higher education leaders, faculty, and staff from across North Carolina gathered last month for the 4th Annual Online Learning Innovations Summit at Surry Community College in Dobson. The summit was hosted by the Virtual Learning Community, a collaborative network within the North Carolina Community College System that provides colleges with shared digital course repositories, professional development, and quality-assurance frameworks for online education. 

More than 250 attendees representing 56 of the state’s 58 colleges participated in the summit. The three-day summit focused heavily on leveraging emerging technologies, navigating digital accessibility regulations, and expanding workforce pathways to support the next generation of learners. 

“We’re not just imagining the future of learning, we’re building it together, leveraging innovation, data, and AI to empower faculty, staff, and students, open doors for every learner, and expand what’s possible across the Great 58,” said Kathy Davis, Associate Vice President of Distance Learning Technologies, Programs and Student Services at the System. 

The summit kicked off with a preconference day featuring a Microsoft AI Certification Workshop. On the final day, attendees transitioned into a Canvas Roadshow led by Instructure, which provided critical updates on the Canvas product roadmap, institutional support, and new AI-driven tools designed to boost educator efficiency and student success. 

National keynote speaker and consultant Dr. Dustin York delivered two sessions, challenging leaders to transform their academic expertise into powerful public brands to drive institutional growth, while also sharing strategies to ignite a collective hunger for digital transformation across campuses.  

The three-day schedule addressed four operational areas for the system:

• Artificial Intelligence: Presenters shared workflows for scaling course development under resource constraints and introduced a faculty guide covering classroom management and academic integrity.
• Accessibility & Quality: Sessions outlined shifting federal enforcement expectations and provided scalable frameworks for college-wide accessibility plans and Virtual Learning Community (VLC) Quality Matters pathways. 
  
• Data & Student Support: System Office researchers presented dashboards tracking online learning outcomes, while administrative panels reviewed student support platforms to stabilize retention during the Canvas transition.
• Affordability & Compliance: Participants received frameworks for launching Open Educational Resources (OER) to reduce textbook costs and step-by-step guidance on professional licensure student notifications.  

“When I first became an LMS Administrator, I had very little experience in distance learning. The Summit helped bridge that gap by connecting me with peers, vendors, and experts from across the state,” said Howie Stacy, Learning Management System and Website Administrator at Rockingham Community College. “I love this conference because it reminds me that I am not alone. Many of us are working through the same issues, and the Summit gives us a chance to learn from and support one another.” 

The Online Learning Innovations Summit demonstrated the system’s shared commitment to leveraging technology for student success and institutional growth. Through the collaborative efforts of the Virtual Learning Community, North Carolina’s community colleges are equipped with the actionable strategies, data, and tools necessary to advance distance education across the state. 

The next conference is June 15-17, 2027. 

About the Virtual Learning Community 

The Virtual Learning Community (VLC) fosters excellence in teaching and learning by bringing educators together to collaboratively develop engaging course content, share resources, and leverage innovative technology tools in a supportive and dynamic environment. Through its commitment to continuous innovation, the VLC empowers faculty with cutting-edge digital solutions and emerging best practices in online learning. From exploring the transformative potential of artificial intelligence and strengthening digital branding efforts to enhancing student engagement strategies and supporting workforce-aligned credential completion, the VLC serves as a catalyst for instructional advancement. The community also plays a key role in guiding the transition to a unified learning management system, helping ensure a seamless and effective learning experience for both faculty and students. 

About the North Carolina Community College System 

The North Carolina Community College System (NC Community Colleges or System) is the engine for workforce development in North Carolina and the only public entity dedicated to providing affordable college access to anyone in the state. The System is governed by the NC State Board of Community Colleges with administration from the NC Community College System Office, and support from the NC Community Colleges Foundation, and is powered by the 58 community colleges and their respective foundations. Together, the System serves 600,000 students and awards more than 60,000 degrees, diplomas, and certificates annually. For more information, visit https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/