- Campus:
- IU South Bend
What did you want to be as a child, and how has that journey led you to where you are today?
What I wanted to be as a child, at first glance, may seem like it has nothing to do with where I am now. However, you could possibly make the case that each role involves presenting information to and teaching people. When I was little, I wanted to be a meteorologist (I could even say the word and knew what it meant!) I’ve always been interested in weather and wanted to gather and present the information, before I realized that “weathermen” (there were very few women at that time) often received blame for incorrect forecasts: when their outdoor event was interrupted by rain. So, a long path from that idea to acting as a hobby to television production – if I couldn’t always be on-camera I could control behind the scenes – to now: learning and teaching technology and its pedagogical uses to faculty.
Could you explain some of the responsibilities of your role at IU?
I help faculty use technology in their courses, both in the classroom and in online courses. I am located in UCET – the University Center for Excellence in Teaching, our campus teaching center. We provide professional development activities for faculty that help them improve and innovate their teaching. As part of my role, I lead workshops on the use of technologies such as Canvas and PlayPosit along with the best pedagogical practices and ways to successfully implement the many teaching tools provided by UITS. I also answer individual questions and provide consultations when instructors are looking to do something different with emerging technologies.
What professional development activity did you complete with the help of the IUWIT grant?
I attended and presented, with two UCET faculty colleagues, at the ISSOTL (International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) conference in French Lick, IN in October 2024. The title of the presentation was Expectations vs. Reality: Exploring Why Reports of Student Engagement May Be Higher Than Predicted in Online Courses. There is a belief held by opponents of online courses that they are not as rigorous nor as engaging for students as face-to-face instruction. We presented research my faculty colleagues had conducted in their courses that showed many students were happy with the engagement they found in the courses, as evidenced by post-course evaluations and the work they did during the courses. When faculty create courses with engagement as a goal, students can learn as effectively, if not more so, in online courses compared to face-to-face.
Is there a role model you look up to in your personal or professional life? ?
I’ve been at Indiana University for nearly 19 years, and I’ve experienced change in all aspects of university life: administration, instructional methods, failures and successes; and technology. I don’t look up to a specific person. With the rapid evolution of technology, I admire those who see the future, grab it and have the creativity to find meaningful ways of innovating it for teaching and learning.
WWhat is your favorite book, tv show, or movie that has had an impact on you?
During the fall of 2021 I was taking a class for my Master of Liberal Studies degree and The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World with the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu was on the reading list. I was dealing with personal issues, confusion with the country (we were still dealing with effects of the pandemic,) and questioning so many things I “knew” about the world up until that point. Reading this book at this time, with these two peaceful religious leaders discussing their philosophies, brought a bit of calmness to my chaotic mind. To know that such people with differing foundational beliefs, could become great friends with a similar goal of peace for the world – was extremely reassuring.