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Academics

VCSU Collaborates with NDUS Institutions to Host Course Design Workshop

Jun 4, 2026

VCSU clocktower graphic with the words "Valley City State University AI Institute for Teaching and Learning"VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSU) – Valley City State University, in collaboration with several North Dakota University System institutions, is bringing faculty and instructional staff together this summer for a four-part virtual workshop series focused on enhancing online course design.

Hosted by the VCSU AI Institute for Teaching and Learning, the series introduces participants to the High-Impact Design for Online Courses (HIDOC) model while demonstrating how artificial intelligence tools can accelerate and strengthen course development.

The workshop emphasizes hands-on application, with participants working directly on their own courses throughout the sessions. By following structured HIDOC design steps and utilizing guided AI prompts, faculty will make measurable progress improving course alignment, clarity and overall learning effectiveness for online students.

VCSU is partnering with Bismarck State College, Williston State College, Lake Region State College, the University of North Dakota and Mayville State University to offer this timely professional development opportunity. The VCSU AI Institute is covering the majority of the cost, with partner institutions also contributing to support workshop delivery.

As of June 4, about 100 participants have signed up for the workshop.

Workshop Presenters

The series will be led by two nationally recognized experts in online learning with more than 45 years of combined experience:

Penny Ralston-Berg, M.S.
An award-winning instructional designer with more than 25 years of experience, Ralston-Berg currently serves as Senior Instructional Designer for Penn State World Campus at The Pennsylvania State University.

Bethany Simunich, Ph.D.
Simunich is Vice President of Innovation and Research at Quality Matters, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing quality online learning. Over her 20-plus-year career, she has held roles in faculty instruction, instructional design, faculty development, research and higher education administration.