Welcome to the Technology Test Kitchen

Phylise Banner, Phylise Banner Consulting, LLC

Phylise Banner is an online teaching and learning consultant with extensive experience in planning, designing, developing, delivering, and evaluating online courses, programs, and faculty development initiatives. Her work focuses on aligning institution-wide approaches to program, course, and professional development with teaching and learning effective practices and the Community of Inquiry framework. As an online learning evangelist, she actively seeks out opportunities to experiment with emerging technologies in order to best serve faculty and students, and to create communities of lifelong learners.  She is featured regularly at regional, national and international conferences, speaking on the topics of online teaching and learning, faculty development, instructional strategy, experience design, social media, information visualization and GIS technologies. She also teaches Digital Storytelling online for SUNY Polytechnic Institute, and in person for the Academy for Lifelong Learning at Empire State College.  She is an Adobe Education Leader, STC Fellow, performance storyteller, avid angler, aviation enthusiast, and currently training to be a private pilot. She is also the proud owner of a 1967 Amphicar.

Ask Phylise About: Progressive education, the visualization of relational data, and the art of play

Venessa Ball, The University of Arizona

Venessa Ball is the Senior Graphic Designer for the Office of Digital Learning at The University of Arizona. She studied Graphic Design at Utah State University – during that time, she studied abroad in Switzerland where she learned the power of gathering inspiration from everything around her. Following her graduation, Venessa served as a Senior Product Designer for an industry-leading scrapbook company in Utah. It was there that she learned how the design thinking process, when applied to a product development timeline, could foster stellar results through collaborative ideation, industry research and numerous prototypes.  Venessa’s enthusiasm and passion for all things design led her back to her home state and The University of Arizona. At the UA, Venessa works with a team of instructional designers, utilizing design thinking to produce course visuals for UA Online. She is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design.  When she’s not designing, she’s exploring the best of Southern Arizona with her boyfriend and two dogs.

Ask Venessa About: design thinking, graphic design

Kim Bolton,  Walters State Community College

Kim Bolton, Dean of the Claiborne County Campus for Walters State Community College. Over 10 years of experience at Walters State Community College as Faculty, Head of the Biology Department, and now Dean. Years of experience leading faculty in the use of emerging technology, in and out of the higher education classroom and through K-12 workshops. 

Ask Kim About: Smart Gadgets and Tools

Rick Franklin, Northern Virginia Community College

Rick is a Computer Operations Tech that also works as a Student Technology Support Specialist for the Extended Learning Institute of Northern Virginia Community College. Rick has over 30 years of customer service, training, voice and data experience. Rick also has over 30yrs of experience performing Acoustic Finger-style Blues with vocals.

Ask Rick About: Use of PC, Mac, iPad, iPod, Android, Tele-Presence devices and applications used with Education Technology, Piedmont Blues style and technique, and Resophonic Guitars

Angela Gibson, American Public University System

Dr. Angela M. Gibson is a Professor at American Public University System (American Military University and American Public University), an adjunct Lecturer in the doctoral Educational Leadership program, the Higher Education Administration Leadership doctoral certificate, and master Adult Education program at Texas A&M University – Kingsville, and an instructor, facilitator, and mentor for the Online Learning Consortium Online Teaching Certificate (OTC) program and for workshops. Angela does volunteer STEM/STEAM and space outreach in her community and enjoys wildlife gardening.

Ask Angela About: Being New to Online Teaching/Learning/Technology, Developing Multi-modal Classrooms

Dave Goodrich, Michigan State University

I am a LX Designer at Michigan State University’ Hub for Innovation in Learning and Technology. I am an entrepreneur & change agent who is immersed in collaborations with that improve learning & working environments. Sometimes, I go fishing.

Ask Dave About: LX Design, Design Thinking, Podcasting

Michael Griffith, The University of Arizona

Michael Griffith directs the instructional and learning technology team at the University of Arizona College of Education.  On any given day you might find him supporting students in telepresence courses using a low-cost telerobotics platform, working with faculty to create engaging learning experiences for fully online courses using modern web standards, or shooting broadcast quality video in the College’s production studio that he designed and built.  Michael holds the award for most charging cables in a single office and to ensure that his stress level never falls too low, he likes to participate in 48-hour film competitions where he and his friends write, shoot, and edit a 3-7 minute short film in two days.  His shorts have taken home best editing, audience favorite, and best film awards.

Ask Michael About: Learning Spaces, Telepresence, Video Production & Live Streaming

Angela Gunder, The University of Arizona

Angela Gunder serves as Associate Director of Digital Learning and Instructional Design for the Office of Digital Learning, supporting faculty in the reimagining of experiential learning within fully-online courses. Her over fifteen year career as a web and graphic designer for higher education informs her instructional design practice, where she leverages her expertise in usability, visual communication, programming, and standards-based online learning. In her spare time, Angela geeks out on her two podcasts – The Innovation Labcast (with Dave Goodrich and Ben Scragg) and The Constructivist Kitchen (with Phylise Banner) – as well as composing, cooking and photographing original recipes for her food blog.

Ask Angela About: Open Educational Resources, Design Thinking, Narrative in Online Course Design

Jess Knott, Michigan State University

Jess is the Learning Design Manager for IT Services Teaching and Learning Technology at Michigan State University. She guides a team that helps faculty, staff, and academic programs effectively integrate technology into their teaching and research through consultations, demonstrations, workshops, and hands-on development. She lives in Lansing with her pretty amazing partner Ryan and two rescued pit bulls, and has spent more perfectly good hours playing Fallout 4 than she’s comfortable admitting in polite company.

Ask Jess About: LX/UX design and research methods, design thinking, finding and implementing student voice, incorporating Web 2.0 in online, blended, and F2F courses, research and editing

Denise Malloy, Southwest Tennessee Community College – Tennessee Board of Regents Mobilization Team

Denise Malloy is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Southwest Tennessee Community College, with over 18 years teaching experience.  She is has completing her 3rd year of doctoral coursework in Educational Leadership, Post-secondary and Private Sector Leadership at East Tennessee State University.  Her goal is to be a leader who improves teaching, learning, training or workforce development, using emerging technologies.

Ask Denise About: VR and AR in my sociology classes and how I used it in Australia with my Introduction to Sociology students; Why she thinks VR, AR, MR, AI and connected devices are necessary in education

Robbie Melton, Tennessee Board of Regents

The first proclaimed ‘App-ologist’ (the study of mobile apps for education and workforce enhancement). She currently serves as the associate vice chancellor for the Tennessee Board of Regents Office of Mobilization and Emerging Technologies. Chief responsibilities include strategic planning for higher education mobilization, assessment of emerging mobile technologies including smartphones, tablets, wearable, sensor tech, faculty PD and training, and creator and curator of the Educational and Workforce Mobile App Resource Center (Preschool – Careers) of apps aligned to academic programs and workforce careers. www.tbrmobile.org Speaker at the 2014 The United Nations Mobile Education Conference (UNESCO) in Paris, Panel Keynoter at the Mobile Learning International Conference, Madrid, Spain, 2013 Apple Distinguished Educator, 2012 Top Fifty Technology Innovation Educator from the Center for Digital Education and Converge, 2012 International ELES4-Africa Educator Technologist, WCET WOW Education Technology Award.

Ask Robbie About: Internet of Things (IoT) and Internet of Everything (IoE), Virtual and Augmented Reality

Stephen Merlo, Northern Virginia Community College

Stephen Merlo is a Student Technology Support Specialist at the Extended Learning Institute at Northern Virginia Community College.  He supports students, faculty and staff in all manner of software and hardware issues and piloted a tele-presence robotics program at the college.  Outside of the office, he enjoys fishing, craft beer and playing darts and hockey.

Ask Steve About: Tele-Presence Robotics

Ann Musgrove, Florida Atlantic University

Ann is an Assistant Professor of Instructional Technology in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Florida Atlantic University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate course online and F2F. She embraces the philosophy of pedagogy before technology. She has a Certification in Online Learning from the Online Learning Consortium and develops and facilitates workshops including Multimodal Design, Exploring Interactive Videos Tools, New to Online – Introduction to Online Tools, and Converting your Course Content. Dr. Ann Musgrove enjoys working with faculty and administrative teams to create, administer and deliver meaningful and flexible learning environments. She develops and creates curriculum for faculty transitioning to online and blended courses. Ann has developed 2 courses that have been nationally recognized by Quality Matters (QM). She has extensive QM experience serving as an Institution Representative, Active Peer Reviewer in Higher Education, K-12, and Continuing Education, and is an online facilitator for the QM foundation course “Applying the Quality Matters Rubric”. annmusgrove.com

Adam Nemeroff, Dartmouth College

Adam is an Instructional Designer at Dartmouth College. Adam helps faculty across the undergraduate college to develop student-centered learning experiences. At Dartmouth, Adam is the instructional design lead the Experiential Learning Initiative. Adam has experience with using iPads in the classroom, student media projects, student portfolios, and both MOOCs and distance learning projects.

Ask Adam About: App Smashing, iPads (including the Pro), Student-created media and assignments, Screencasting, Canvas, Experiential Learning and Reflection, and Italian opera.

Sue Picard, Northern Virginia Community College

Susan Picard is the Coordinator for Technology Development at Northern Virginia Community College’s Extended Learning Institute. She enjoys web development and design, and supervises a Help Desk specializing in support for online students, faculty, and staff. Favorite activities include any kind of water sport, especially those she can share with her family and two goofy yellow labs. Ask Sue about online collaboration!

Ask Sue About: Online Collaboration

Rae Pufal, Hollywood Hills Elementary

Rae Pufal is a fourth grade teacher in Broward County, Florida. She recently received her M.Ed in Instructional Technology from Florida Atlantic University and is excited to focus her work on the field of Instructional Design. A native Floridian, Rae absolutely loves when she gets to spend time skiing, hiking and sailing on the west coast of Washington.

Ask Rae About: App Smashing, Canvas K-12, Technology Integration Matrix

Tom Pyron, Northern Virginia Community College

Tom Pyron has served as the Computer Operations Manager with the Extended Learning Institute at Northern Virginia Community College for the past 11 years. He provides division-wide technical service and support for all aspects of technology; including but not limited to, software and hardware support, network troubleshooting, and training. When not supporting the staff and Faculty of ELI, Tom enjoys spending time with his newish wife and two Boston Terriers; going on hikes and taking trips to lakes and beaches.

Ask Tom About:

Amy Robertson, Northern Virginia Community College

Amy Robertson is a Student Technology Support Specialist in the Extended Learning Institute’s (ELI) IT Department at Northern Virginia Community College. She assists faculty, staff and students resolve technology issues and she conducts virtual training sessions on the LMS and Web Conferencing tools.  In her free time she likes exploring the many Virginia National Park trails and historic sites.

Ask Amy About: Blackboard Collaborate Ultra Experience

Thomas Sewell, Walters State Community College

Dr. Tom Sewell is the Dean for Technical Education at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tennessee. He has served as the dean since 2006, and has been the acting Department Head of Computer Science since 2011. He has designed and taught courses in iOS programming, wireless connectivity, app development, and computer programming, and has experience with Apple, Android, Linux, and Windows mobile systems, as well as with online courses in career and technical education programs.
 

Ask Tom About:

Clark Shah-Nelson, University of Maryland School of Social Work

Clark is Assistant Dean of Instructional Design and Technology at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Previously he led the instructional design team at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, coordinated and managed online and blended learning programs the State University of New York at Delhi and developed, designed and taught German for the Denver Public Schools Distance Learning Program and Colorado Online Learning. Aside from fostering rich learning environments, he loves biking with his family, weird electronic music, brewing beer, raising hens and lunchtime yoga.

Ask Clark About: project management, agile instructional design, communication and collaboration tools

Tara Tansil-Gentry, University of Tennessee at Martin / Tennessee Board of Regents

Tara is a lecturer at the University of Tennessee at Martin in the Health & Human Performance Department. She is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Educational Technology.

Ask Tara About: Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Fitness & Health Apps & Wearables

Laurie  Tenzer, St. Petersburg College
Laurie is on the faculty in the Digital Arts and Media department at St. Petersburg College and holds an Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership (EdTech). She has been a corporate technology trainer and higher education digital media instructor for more years that she can count. Laurie has been involved in EdTech and online learning since 2004 with her current focus on helping multimedia students and educators design user-centered learning experiences.

Ask Laurie About: Using Digital Media to promote classroom teaching and learning. User Interface/User Experience, Pedagogical Innovation

Frank Tomsic, Rush University

Frank is the Director of the McCormick Educational Technology Center at Rush University. He was the founding Director of Online Teaching and Learning at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, as well as the founding Director of Distance Education at Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies. A former teacher and corporate trainer, he earned his B.A. in teaching from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he studied language acquisition theory. He earned his M.S. in computing technology in education from Nova-Southeastern University where he focused on online learning environments. He also previously directed technology programs in both corporate and education environments, and is an active member of the Online Learning Consortium, iNACOL, and the eLearning Guild.

Ask Frank About: Language learning, Authentic assessment, Student-centered, active learning

Shereene Twum-Barimah
Shereene Twum-Barimah is an Educational Technology Specialist in the Office of Information Technology at St. George’s University on the beautiful island of Grenada. She trains and supports faculty and staff in their use of technology for teaching and learning and serves as a lead Functional Course Management System Admin. Shereene is an aspiring mindfulness practitioner, avid doodler and note-taker and finds ultimate joy in her husband and adorable 2 year old daughter.

Ask Shereene About: Faculty training and development in a blended environment, micro-tutorials and CMS administration