Issue No. 31
July 2026
President’s Message
Dear GSOLE Members,
The start of July represents an important transition for the GSOLE community as it is when we welcome our newly elected and rising GSOLE leadership. First, we want to thank everyone who ran for a GSOLE leadership position and voted in this year’s elections. To have talented voices who want to contribute to the mission and vision of the organization is a gift, and one that shows GSOLE continues to grow and improve year after year. This July, we welcome our rising President, Kevin DePew; newly elected Vice President, Mary Lourdes Silva; rising Treasurer Kathleen Turner Ledgerwood; newly elected Secretary, Jennifer Smith Daniel; and four new At-Large Board Members, Ann Marie Ade; Tess Evans; Trent Kays; and Maryam Vaezi. We also want to thank the GSOLE Leaders cycling out of their service positions: Cat Mahaffey, Immediate Past President; Amy Cicchino, President; Elle Tyson, Treasurer; Nikki Chasteen, Secretary; and At-Large Board Members Tina Calandrino, Alex Evans, and Patrice Johnson. We are so grateful that you have contributed your time, expertise, and labor to this organization.
GSOLE has an exciting year ahead. July marks the time of year when we start planning for the Annual Conference. In February 2026, we had Heidi McCauley and Maha Bali help us celebrate the first ten years of the organization. We look forward to the 2027 conference–that will be held from February 3-5, 2027–that will kick off the next decade of GSOLE. To that end we need your help to design and organize the conference, setting the tone for our future. If you are interested in participating on the conference committee, please fill out the interest form. Your commitment to the conference committee is solely based upon the amount of time and bandwidth you have to dedicate to it. Some people focus on the planning stages (i.e., the call-for-papers, plenary recruitment, reading proposals); others focus on the moderating and administrating during the conference. And others are involved throughout.
As a way to begin his tenure as GSOLE President, Kevin will be attending the August Cyber Salon with this being an opportunity for him to listen to your visions for the future of the organization and of online literacy instruction. This will be considered in shaping his agenda for the next two years. We hope to see you there.
Best,
Kevin DePew
President, GSOLE
Amy Cicchino
Past President, GSOLE
We are pleased to welcome our new GSOLE Leaders following our annual election:
President: Kevin DePew (Old Dominion University)
Vice President: Mary Lourdes Silva (Ithaca College)
Secretary: Jennifer Smith Daniel (Queens College)
Treasurer: Kathleen Turner Ledgerwood (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University)
Executive At-Large Board Members: Ann Marie Ade (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University); Tess Evans (Miami University of Ohio); Trent Kays (Augusta University; Interim through 2027); and Maryam Vaezi (University of Arizona)
We are excited to work with these talented folks when they begin their terms on July 1.
Join us for regular Salon events, spaces where you can informally gather to talk about timely topics with other GSOLE members and online literacy educators. These events take place on the first Tuesday of every month and are open to anyone, regardless of GSOLE membership status.
Visit the Cybersalon Hub →This July, GSOLE celebrates the mid-summer season as a time for both active planning and essential rest. As we welcome our new leadership cohort and look ahead to the 2027 conference planning cycle, we also hope you are finding time for personal and professional rejuvenation. Thank you for your continued dedication to online literacy education—enjoy the warmth of the season!
Volunteer Opportunity
GSOLE invites you to volunteer for the Conference Planning Committee. Each year, GSOLE offers a virtual conference in February, and this important virtual gathering is only possible because of generous volunteers. Any active GSOLE member can join the committee.
To join, we ask that you complete this brief Conference Committee Member survey, which will help us identify the best way to contact you and learn about your workflow preferences and needs. We realize that our community thrives when we have different perspectives and points of view serving on this committee and hope if you have the interest and bandwidth, you’ll consider joining us!
Conference Committee members will have a voice in shaping and promoting the call for proposals, reviewing presentation proposals, designing the conference experience and preparation materials, and facilitating conference sessions during the conference event. Want to just join us for part of this preparation work? That’s great! We’ll take whatever help you are willing to give whenever you are willing to give it. On the survey, you can indicate what project you’d like to be involved in and when you can volunteer.
Thank you for your support, labor, and expertise.
Ready to help shape GSOLE's upcoming virtual conference?
Complete the SurveyGrant Submission Update
Our Call for Proposals officially closed on May 22, 2026. The GSOLE Research Committee has begun reviewing the outstanding pool of applications for projects ranging from $500 to $2,000.
We are thrilled by the range of innovative inquiries into online literacy education, especially those prioritizing inclusive pedagogy and support for emerging scholars.
Fresh Insights
ROLE Issue 4.2 (2025)
The latest issue of Research in Online Literacy Educators (ROLE) is now available! Issue 4.2 (2025) is a tribute to ROLE’s founding editor, Michael Greer, and the values he held dear: access, student agency, and the ability of online online literacy educators to respond to emerging writing technologies. Please check out this issue and celebrate our contributing authors: Jessie Borgman, Casey McArdle, Ann Marie Francis, Heidi McCauley, Cat Mahaffey, Justin Cary, and Jason Snart.
Read ROLE 4.2 →New OLOR Effective Practices Pieces
Scott Ortolano (2026)
New OLOR Reviews Pieces
Cat S. Williams-Monardes (2026) | OLOR Reviews
Read Review →Research in Online Literacy Education (ROLE) is currently accepting proposals, due November 1, 2026. This issue engages with the now seemingly ever-expanding conversation surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and online writing instruction (OWI) and research.
See the full call for proposals →GSOLE is proud to support research and excellence in online literacy education through our annual grants and awards programs.
Recognizing outstanding dissertation research that contributes to the field of online literacy education, particularly studies focusing on pedagogy and inclusive practice.
Celebrating excellence in the daily practice of OLI, awarded to those whose instructional materials and course design demonstrate exceptional commitment to student success.
Interested in applying for a grant or nominating a colleague?
View All Awards & CriteriaNicole Golden is receiving the Global Society of Online Literature Educators (GSOLE) IDEA Innovator Award. The award is an initiative sponsored by the GSOLE Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Committee and is designed to highlight teaching practices that enhance diversity, equity, and/or access.
This award comes as part of Golden's work on "The Participation Contract."
Read "The Participation Contract" →OLI Publications
If you are looking for some OLI reading over the break, check out this new publication from WAC Clearinghouse by GSOLE members Jennifer Cunningham, Mary K. Stewart, Natalie Stillman-Webb, and Lyra Hilliard. This book represents the culmination of years of research on applying the Community of Inquiry framework to online writing courses and is a valuable contribution to OLI scholarship and research.
Cunningham, Jennifer M., Mary K. Stewart, Natalie Stillman-Webb, & Lyra Hilliard. (2025). The Community of Inquiry Framework in Writing Studies: Designing for Learning with Peer Review. The WAC Clearinghouse; University Press of Colorado.
Extended Reading
Borgman, J., Cicchino, A., McArdle, C., McCauley, H., Warnock, S. (2026). From correspondence to cloud: The history of research and online writing instruction. Computers and Composition, 80(103003).
Sheppard, J. (2025). Pandemic-era workload in the online writing classroom: Lessons in sustainability for the future. Composition Studies, 53(2), 104–123.
Read on Composition Studies →Share Your Work
TYCA Midwest will host a virtual day, in collaboration with GSOLE. Hosted by Metropolitan Community College of Omaha, this year's conference theme, The Cutting Edge, offers an excellent opportunity to engage in dialogue about two-year colleges as sites of innovation in writing instruction. It also asks participants to consider how we are managing to innovate and carry on in the current environment of political hostility toward our rights, our students, and the value of education upon which the two-year college is built.
Proposal Submission Deadline: Monday, June 15, 2026
Show your community pride! Visit our online Redbubble shop to explore our expanded apparel collection, hoodies, stickers, and custom accessories.