Robert Griffiths
Dr. Robert Griffiths is the Associate Vice President of Distance Education for the Office of Distance Education and eLearning (ODEE) at the Ohio State University (OSU). He began working at OSU in 2007 and has been advancing the University’s distance education initiative since 2013. Rob has been passionate about the affordances and possibilities of technology empowered learning opportunities since showing his family how to use the Apple IIc. The journey for life-long learning is an undercurrent that drives much of his professional and personal interests, whether it is formal education, tutoring, or coaching tennis.
As AVP, Rob coordinates distance education activities within ODEE, as well as informs university stakeholders about distance education issues and considerations. Rob manages program and course development efforts along with the state authorization program. He harmonizes with the ODEE marketing and communication team, learning systems team that oversees platforms for content delivery, and the ODEE fiscal office. He collaborates with key institutional stakeholders to discuss the challenges associated with distance education so that colleges and units can manage their own distance education responsibilities.
Rob has significant knowledge in deploying technology-empowered learning experiences; he spearheaded the ODEE grants program in an effort to study how the use of technology can engage students, increase instructor efficiency, and support anytime/anyplace learning. During the past half decade, the grants program has supported more than 60,000 students and 100 faculty. Further, he has helped drive the vision for MOOCs at OSU with more than 270,000 participants engaged with OSU content. Finally, Rob coordinates Extended Education Student Support Services where many Buckeyes enter the university through non-degree, Program 60, and contractual outreach paths.