How to Learn Online: Strategies for Success

Nina Huntemann serves as Senior Director of Academics and Research at edX, following 15 years as an associate professor in Communication and Journalism at Suffolk University. Her academic credentials include a PhD in Communication from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research focuses on digital media studies, particularly gaming and gender studies, as evidenced by her co-edited works "Gaming Globally: Production, Play and Place" and "Joystick Soldiers: The Politics of Play in Military Video Games"

Robyn Belair serves as Learning Designer at edX, bringing over 16 years of experience in higher education and educational technology. Her expertise spans developing online and hybrid courses for undergraduate and graduate programs, with particular focus on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and accessibility. She partners with faculty and instructional librarians to create engaging learning experiences, incorporating user experience (UX) design with pedagogical frameworks in what she terms "learning experience design" (LX). Her contributions include designing the "How to Learn Online" course at edX, where she collaborates with Dr. Nina Huntemann and Ben Piscopo to help new online learners develop effective study strategies. Beyond course development, she specializes in coaching faculty for online instruction and creating accessible learning experiences for students with cognitive disabilities.

Ben Piscopo now serves as Product Manager at 2U following the edX acquisition, bringing over a decade of experience in educational technology and learning design. His career spans roles as Senior Learning Designer at edX (2019-2022) and Learning Designer (2016-2019), where he advised practitioners on designing learning experiences at scale. Previously, he taught at international institutions including Jinan University and managed online learning development at Huajie Group in China. His expertise includes high-stakes assessment planning, learner-centered design, and educational technology implementation. He holds certifications in Instructional Design and Technology (University of Maryland), UDL Core Foundation, and UX Research (HEC Montréal). Beyond his professional work, he recently launched Ben's Raclette, specializing in Alpine cuisine in Metrowest Boston, while serving as an advisor to BanklessDAO's learning experience platform.