Ada L. Verdejo Carrión, Ed.D.

Dra. María del R. Medina Díaz
Catedrática
Universidad de Puerto Rico Recinto de Río Piedras

Catedrática de la Facultad de Educación del Recinto de Río Piedras de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. Dicta cursos de Métodos de investigación en la educación, Evaluación de programas, Evaluación en la sala de clases, Construcción de instrumentos y Teoría de la medición en el Departamento de Estudios Graduados. Obtuvo su grado doctoral en Psicología Educativa, en el programa de Métodos Cuantitativos, en la Universidad de Wisconsin-Madison. Posee un grado de Juris Doctor y una maestría en Investigaciones Pedagógicas de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. Fue Maestra de Matemáticas en la escuela Rafael M. Labra y Presidenta de la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Maestros de Matemáticas. Ha escrito críticas de pruebas en el Buros Mental Measurement Yearbook y artículos sobre evaluación del aprendizaje, validez y construcción de instrumentos en Applied Psychological MeasurementEl SolPedagogíaRevista de Educación de Puerto RicoAlteridadRevista Jurídica de la Universidad de Puerto RicoBoletín de la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Maestros de Matemáticas INEVA en Acción. También es autora del libro Construcción de cuestionarios para la investigación educativa. Es co-fundadora y Presidenta de la Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Evaluación. Estudiosa e investigadora de la evaluación del aprendizaje y de programas y la integridad académica en las instituciones educativas.

Contact information:
Email: ada.verdejo@upr.edu

Dra. María del R. Medina Díaz

Dra. María del R. Medina Díaz
Catedrática
Universidad de Puerto Rico Recinto de Río Piedras

Catedrática de la Facultad de Educación del Recinto de Río Piedras de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. Dicta cursos de Métodos de investigación en la educación, Evaluación de programas, Evaluación en la sala de clases, Construcción de instrumentos y Teoría de la medición en el Departamento de Estudios Graduados. Obtuvo su grado doctoral en Psicología Educativa, en el programa de Métodos Cuantitativos, en la Universidad de Wisconsin-Madison. Posee un grado de Juris Doctor y una maestría en Investigaciones Pedagógicas de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. Fue Maestra de Matemáticas en la escuela Rafael M. Labra y Presidenta de la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Maestros de Matemáticas. Ha escrito críticas de pruebas en el Buros Mental Measurement Yearbook y artículos sobre evaluación del aprendizaje, validez y construcción de instrumentos en Applied Psychological MeasurementEl SolPedagogíaRevista de Educación de Puerto RicoAlteridadRevista Jurídica de la Universidad de Puerto RicoBoletín de la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Maestros de Matemáticas INEVA en Acción. También es autora del libro Construcción de cuestionarios para la investigación educativa. Es co-fundadora y Presidenta de la Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Evaluación. Estudiosa e investigadora de la evaluación del aprendizaje y de programas y la integridad académica en las instituciones educativas.

Contact information:
Email: maria.medina2@upr.edu

Dr. Marcos Torres

Dr. Marcos Torres, IR Certificate
Inter-American University of Puerto Rico-Ponce Campus

Dr. Marcos Torres-Nazario teaches online and face-to-face courses of statistics and research, at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico (IAUPR) Ponce Campus.  He received the degree of Doctor of Education in Educational Administration from the Inter American University Metro Campus.  Also completed a Post Master Certificate in Institutional Research from Florida State University.  In 2013 completed a Master Degree in Research and Evaluation at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus.  During the Summer of 2015 completed the ELearning Expert Certificate from FATLA.

Contact information:
Email: mtorres@ponce.inter.edu

Heather Craig Alonge, Ph.D.

Heather Craig Alonge, Ph.D.
Walden University

Heather Craig Alonge, Ph.D. is dedicated educator with over 13 years of teaching experience in higher education administration and executive leadership. Dr. Alonge has extensive experience serving as the chair of the public health program and managing a faculty body of 60+ while overseeing a bachelors, masters, and doctoral program. Dr. Alonge currently serves as core faulty for the DHA program at Walden University where she teaches, mentors, and works with curriculum development and improvement.

Contact information:
Email: heather.alonge@mail.waldenu.edu

Authors Volume XI, Spring Issue

Article 1: An Open Educational Resource for Revision: Flesch-Kinkaid Readability Statistics

Beth Counihan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of English,
Queensborough Community College-CUNY

Beth Counihan is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York.  While in an administrative position at Lehman College, she worked on the HETS Virtual Plaza FIPSE grant and she has been teaching at Queensborough since Fall 2001.  Her interests include High Impact Practices, reading theory and pedagogy, and nature across the curriculum.  Her work has been published in English EducationCommunity College Humanities Review, and the edited volume ​What is College Reading.

Contact information:
Email: bcounihan@qcc.cuny.edu


Article 2: Comparison of Connectedness in Online, Blended, and Face-to-Face Research Methods Courses among Hispanic and Low-Income Students      

Kristen Faye Linton, MSW, Ph.D.,

Assistant Professor
California State University, Channel Islands

Dr. Linton has a PhD in social work and has been teaching and mentoring Latinx students for seven years; she utilized high-impact practices, such as service learning and undergraduate research. As a social worker and disability expert, she is dedicated to assessing and addressing inequities in education.

Contact information:
Email: kristen.linton@csuci.edu

Jaime Hannans, PhD, RN, CNE
Associate Professor, Nursing
California State University, Channel Islands

Jaime Hannans PhD, RN, CNE is an Associate Professor of Nursing at California State University Channel Islands. Dr. Hannans obtained her BSN and MSN from CSU, Chico, and PhD from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Dr. Hannans has been teaching at CSUCI since 2009, with 20-years of critical care nursing experience. She is also the CSU Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$) Campus Co-Coordinator, where the campus effort has saved students over five million dollars in the past five years. Her research interests focused on immersive virtual reality, mixed reality, simulation, technology in teaching and learning, textbook affordability, and the use of open educational resources in higher education.

Contact information:
Email: jaime.hannans@csuci.edu
Webpage: jaimeahannans.com

 Lydia Dixon, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Health Science
California State University, Channel Islands

Lydia Z. Dixon is an Assistant Professor of Health Science at California State University, Channel Island, and holds a PhD is in Anthropology from the University of California, Irvine. Her research is primarily ethnographic and examines health systems and health disparities in the US and Mexico. Specifically, Dr. Dixon has published on midwifery, reproductive health, community health and obstetric violence. Her teaching focuses on ethics, community health, and research methods. She is passionate about inspiring her students towards careers in research and practice through active learning in the classroom and virtual spaces.

Contact information:
Email: lydia.dixon@csuci.edu

Prof. Megan Everhardt-Alstot
Learning Design Lead
Lecturer, School of Education
California State University, Channel Islands

Megan Eberhardt-Alstot is the Learning Design Lead for California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) Digital Learning Unit. She is also a Lecturer in the School of Education. She earned her BA and Teaching Credential from Pepperdine University and her Master’s in Educational Leadership and Administrative Credential from CSUCI. Prior to joining CI, Megan spent ten years as a K-12 Educator. As part of the Learning Design Team she designs, develops and facilitates faculty learning experiences specific to online and mixed-modality teaching. She also co-created Learning Online 101, an online micro-course to prepare students for success as online learners.  Megan is interested in learning innovation, learning science, and the intersection of pedagogy and technology to create empathetic, equitable and responsive learning environments.


Contact information:
Email: megan.eberhardt-alstot@csuci.edu


Article 3: Developing Graduate Student Workshops at a Predominantly Hispanic Serving Institution

Dr. Amanda (Mandy) Giust
Director, Graduate Student Research Center
Albizu University, Miami Campu

Dr. Amanda Giust holds an Ed.D. in Adult Education and Human Resource Development from Florida International University. She has experience educating young children, adolescents, and adults of all abilities. Dr. Giust has eight years of experience managing a variety of community and federal grants and three years of experience in classroom teaching. Dr. Giust’s research interests include diverse learners, learning across the lifespan, self-directed learning, and career development.

Contact information: 
Email: agiust@albizu.edu 

Dr. Diana M. Valle-Riestra
Project Director, Title V PPOHA Graduate Grant
Albizu University-Miami Campus

Dr. Diana M. Valle-Riestra is the Project Director of the Title V PPOHA Graduate grant and a faculty member in the Speech & Language Pathology graduate program at Albizu University-Miami Campus. She has a Ph.D. in Special Education and Reading and an M.S. in Learning Disabilities and Emotional Disturbance from the University of Miami, School of Education. She has over 16 years of experience in higher education teaching undergraduate and graduate courses and has served as the Project Director or Principal Investigator for several multi-year education grant projects totaling over $9.5 million in competitive funding. In addition to Dr. Valle-Riestra’s project management experience and grant writing activities, she is a researcher with interests in the areas of special education, postsecondary inclusive education, working with diverse families, and leadership and advocacy issues within the context of special education. She has experience managing and coordinating undergraduate and graduate programs in special education, research projects, and local school district program evaluations; has consulted and published research on exceptional populations; and has served on several professional Executive Boards.

Contact information:
Address: 2173 NW 99th Avenue, Miami, FL 33172


Article 4: Integración del aprendizaje móvil en la Educación a Distancia en Puerto Rico

Dr. Yubelkys Montalvo
Executive Director
HETS Consortium

Yubelkys Montalvo has been working for the Hispanic Educational Technology Services Consortium (HETS) since 1999. Since she was appointed Executive Director in 2006, her main focus is the growth of the organization and the diversification of benefits for the Consortium’s member institutions. Among the initiatives developed is the creation of new services such as the peer-review publication: HETS Online Journal, the Ambassador Students program, and the collaboration to propose new technological educational alternatives and share best practices through educational events such as the Best Practices Showcase and the Student Showcase Leadership and recently, webinars for faculty, administrators and students. In addition, she has coordinated and overseen numerous international workshops in universities in Colombia and Mexico and has participated in numerous national and international conferences and forums. Dr. Montalvo holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, and a master’s degree in Public Relations from Universidad del Sagrado Corazón. Currently, she completed his doctorate in the program: Education in Leadership and Instruction in Distance Education of the Inter American University of PR, Ponce Campus. 

Dra. Yubelkys Montalvo 
Directora Ejecutiva
HETS Consortium

La Dra. Yubelkys Montalvo trabaja para el Hispanic Educational Technology Services Consortium (HETS, por sus siglas en inglés) desde el año 1999. Desde que fue designada Directora Ejecutiva en el 2006, su enfoque principal es el crecimiento de la organización y la diversificación de los beneficios para las instituciones miembros del Consorcio. Entre las iniciativas desarrolladas se destacan: la creación de nuevos servicios como la revista arbitrada HETS Online Journal, el programa de Estudiantes Embajadores y la colaboración para proponer nuevas alternativas educativas tecnológicas y compartir las mejores prácticas a través de eventos educativos como el Best Practices Showcase y el Student Leadership Showcase y recientemente, webinars para facultad, administradores y estudiantes. Además, ha coordinado y dirigido numerosos adiestramientos internacionales en universidades de Colombia y México, y ha participado en numerosas conferencias y foros Nacionales e Internacionales. La Dra. Montalvo posee un Bachillerato en Comunicaciones de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras, y una Maestría en Relaciones Públicas de la Universidad de Sagrado Corazón. Actualmente, completó su doctorado en el programa: Educación en Liderazgo e Instrucción en la Educación a Distancia de la Universidad Interamericana de PR, Recinto de Ponce.

Contact information:
Email: yubelkys_montalvo@inter.edu
Phone: (787) 616-3201


Article 5: Relación entre el nivel de liderazgo del profesor y la retención estudiantil de una institución de educación superior            

Dr. Frances Vázquez Padilla
Chancellor
NUC University

Dr. Frances M. Vázquez Padilla holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, a few years later completed a Master’s degree in Advanced Practice in Nursing. In 2020, she completed an Ed. D. in Educational Management, and recently she completed a professional certification in Neurolinguistic Programming and Coaching. She is currently doing another certification related to educational neuroscience. She has 14 years of experience working in the field of education in several positions as Faculty, Academic Director, Academic Dean at NUC University. Currently, she serves as Chancellor at NUC University, Ponce Campus in Puerto Rico.

Contact Information:
Email: fvazquez@nuc.edu / francesm.vazquez@gmail.com
Phone: 787-213-2101 – 787-840-4474 –Ext. 7009
Twitter: @DraFrancesVazq1


Article 6: Sistema de gestión de aprendizaje para la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera    

Dr. Brenda Lee Morales Gonzáles
Kaiser University

Dr. Brenda Lee Morales holds a Bachelor’s Degree in General Elementary Education from Universidad del Turabo in Puerto Rico. A few years later he completed a Master’s degree in Educational Administration at the same institution. In 2016, she completed a PhD in Educational Leadership at Keiser University where she had already earned a Specialist in Education degree. Finally, in the academic aspect, Dr. Morales holds a Post Doctorate in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Walden University. She is currently doing another Post-Doctorate at Walden University in the Human Resources area. In terms of work and professional career, she has 27 years of experience working in the field of education in several positions as a teacher, Curriculum Specialist, Director of Federal Educational Proposals, Academic Dean, among others. He has worked at all levels of the education system in Puerto Rico, from Head Start to High School and at the university level. Eleven years ago, she began as Director of Federal Proposals and Professor of University Institutions and currently serves as Dean of Academic and Student Affairs at Humacao Community College in Puerto Rico, in addition to offering online courses to Humacao Community College in Puerto Rico, in addition to offering online courses to university level at the Masters and PhD level.

Contact Information:
Email: bmorales@keiseruniversity.edu | Phone: 787-672-7661

Prof. Silvia Maria Ruiz Santiago
Indiantown Adult Learning Center (IALC)
Martin County School District

Prof. Silvia Maria Ruiz Santiago is a teacher originally from Spain, with two bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Education. Currently, she’s pursuing a Ph.D. in Education and Leadership. She has been teaching for twelve years in private and public institutions from kindergarten to university levels around the world; in Spain, France, Chile, and now the USA. Her expertise is how to teach a foreign language. In the United States, she worked for three years as a French Immersion School teacher and later on as a Spanish professor in College. Right now, she’s teaching ESOL for the District of Martin County.

Contact Information:
Email: srs_86@hotmail.com | Phone: 614-843-2726


Article 7: Understanding the Challenges of Teaching Writing Online during the Pandemic at an Urban Community College

Swan Kim, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of English
Bronx Community College at City University of New York

Swan Kim is an associate professor of English and Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) coordinator at Bronx Community College (BCC) at City University of New York (CUNY). She received her PhD in English at the University of Virginia specializing in Asian American diaspora. She teaches courses in composition and ethnic American literature. Her research interests include WAC/WID, first-year writing, antiracist pedagogy, diaspora and immigration, race and ethnicity, and Asian American literature and culture. She has been serving as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee co-chair at the Association for Writing Across the Curriculum (AWAC), the co-leader for the CUNY WAC Professional Development, and a faculty senate and council member at her college.

Contact Information:
Email: swan.kim@bcc.cuny.edu
Phone: 718-239-5745

Donna Kessler-Eng, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of English
Bronx Community College at City University of New York

Dr. Donna Kessler-Eng is an associate professor of English at Bronx Community College (BCC). She is currently BCC’s Strong Start to Finish Resident (English), and is designing co-requisite courses for students with developmental needs in both English and reading. She earned a Ph.D. in English from the CUNY Graduate Center where she specialized in antebellum American literature and nineteenth century American medical and cultural discourse. She teaches developmental writing, composition, and literature and medicine courses. Her research interests include literature and medicine, pedagogy, first-year writing, developmental education reforms and strategies for community college students’ success. She has served as the coordinator of BCC’s Developmental Writing Program, and as the coordinator of BCC’s Tutorial Intervention Program. She was also a member of CUNY’s Developmental Writing Advisory Committee and CUNY’s Writing Discipline Council.

Contact Information:
Email: donna.kessler-eng@bcc.cuny.edu
Phone: 718-289-3004


Return to Spring Issue: April 2021

To learn more about the authors of previous issues click here

Silvia Reyes, M.S.W.

Director of Special Projects & Student Engagement at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY); she is committed to student success, and her work has focused on designing and implementing a wide array of initiatives to improve students’ college experiences and academic attainment.

Authors Volume XI, Fall Issue



Article 1: A National Portrait of STEM Trajectories Through Two- and Four-Year Hispanic Serving Institutions.

Felisha A. Herrera, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Postsecondary Education,
Director, Research & Equity Scholarship Institute,
San Diego State University

Felisha A. Herrera, PhD is the Director of the Research & Equity Scholarship Institute on Student Trajectories in Education (RES-ISTE). She is also an associate professor of Postsecondary Education and Community College Leadership and affiliated faculty in the Joint PhD Program at San Diego State University (SDSU). Prior to joining SDSU, she served as an assistant professor of Community College Leadership and affiliated faculty in Public Policy at Oregon State University from 2012-2015. Dr. Herrera completed her Ph.D. in Education (emphasis in Higher Education & Organizational Change) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she was a research analyst for the UCLA Higher Education Research Institute (HERI). She also earned a master’s degree from UCLA, master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of New Mexico (UNM) and an associate’s degree from UNM-Taos (branch community college). Her scholarship is enhanced by nearly two decades of experience as a higher education professional at two- and four-year institutions, several Minority-Serving Institutions/Hispanic-Serving Institutions, including faculty and professional positions in student affairs, institutional research, and administration.  Her work is also informed by her own educational history as a community college graduate, low-income, first-generation college student, and mother scholar.

Dr. Herrera is a consummate scholar, who has published in top tier, peer-reviewed journals and has procured over $3.9 million in funding to support her research. She serves as the PI for several large-scale research projects, including two current NSF funded projects—ED-SYSTEMS (NSF DUE-1644990) & HSI-STEM (NSF DUE-1832528)—investigating the role of community colleges and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and as Co-PI for ADAPT: A Pedagogical Decision-Making Study (NSF HRD-1759947). To inform system-wide change, her research employs advanced statistical techniques to examine contextual factors—institutional (structure, process, and policy), geographic, demographic, political and economic contexts—that impact postsecondary outcomes for students of color. Her work encompasses several strands of scholarship including student mobility; community college pathways; underrepresented students in STEM; and a critical examination of policy issues related to diversity & equity in education.

Contact information:
Email: felisha.herrera@sdsu.edu
Website: http://res-iste.sdsu.edu/ ; felishaherrera.sdsu.edu

 

Victoria C. Rodriguez-Operana, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Research & Equity Scholarship Institute, San Diego State University; and
Lecturer, Human Developmental Sciences,
University of California, San Diego

Victoria C. Rodriguez-Operana, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow for the Research and Equity Scholarship Institute on Student Trajectories in Education (RES-ISTE). Dr. Rodriguez-Operana co-leads RES-ISTE on two NSF-funded projects examining the role of community colleges and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the STEM pathways of underrepresented students of color: ED-SYSTEMS (NSF DUE-1644990) & HSI-STEM (NSF DUE-1832528). She also teaches courses in Human Developmental Sciences at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). 

With more than a decade of research experience in education, psychology, and human development, and publications in the Journal of Early Adolescence, Journal of Adolescent Research, and Asian American Journal of Psychology, her research examines how social identities and relationships within proximal contexts (e.g., family, school) influence the developmental outcomes (e.g., academic, social, psychological) of students of color. Prior to joining RES-ISTE, Dr. Rodriguez-Operana was a member of UCLA’s Children’s Understanding of Economic and Social Inequality Lab and worked on several projects, including studies examining: persistence among community college students in CalWORKs, psychosocial benefits of racial/ethnic diversity in urban schools, children’s social identity development, and an elementary school dual-language immersion program. Her mixed-methods dissertation examined how family, peer, and school-based relationships shape the academic achievement and psychological adjustment of Filipina/x/o American adolescents, an understudied segment of the Asian American/ Pacific Islander population. Dr. Rodriguez-Operana’s research reflects her commitment to understanding how to best support the academic success and well-being of individuals from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Dr. Rodriguez-Operana earned her B.A. in Psychology from UCSD, and completed her M.A. and Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Human Development and Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). 

Contact information:
Email: vrodriguezoperana@sdsu.edu
Website: http://res-iste.sdsu.edu/

Article 2: Assessing the Needs and Experiences of First-Generation Students’ Transition to Remote Learning Due to COVID-19 Pandemic at a Hispanic Serving Institution.       

Victoria G. Black, PhD
Director of PACE Mentoring,
Texas State University

Victoria Black is the Director for PACE Mentoring at Texas State University. In her current position at Texas State, she provides leadership and support to a team of over 100 individuals who work with first-year students, first-year faculty development, and Title V grant management. She has shared her passion on mentoring in a 2018 TedX talk at Texas State University titled No One is Talking to the Mentees on how to prepare ourselves as we enter into developmental relationships. Her experiences with mentoring include several publications on mentorability, various state and national presentations, and providing mentoring consultation and training internationally at Technologico de Monterrey – Queretaro, Queretaro, MX. Her publications also include college access for first-generation students, first-year student success, higher education finance, and working mothers in student affairs. Originally from La Joya, TX, she received a BA in Psychology from the University of Texas San Antonio, a M.Ed. in Counseling and Guidance from Texas State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in Higher Education Leadership.

Contact information:
Email: Victoriablack@txstate.edu
Phone: 512-245-3579

Gloria P. Martinez-Ramos, PhD
Professor of Sociology, Latina/o Studies Program Director, and Director of The Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, Texas State University

Dr. Gloria P. Martinez-Ramos is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and the inaugural Director of Latina/o Studies minor at Texas State University. Dr. Martinez-Ramos earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, a B.A. in Child Development from San Jose State University, and an A.A. from Hartnell College, Salinas, California. Gloria has over 15 years of teaching Sociology, such as, Race and Ethnic Relations, Medical Sociology, Social Stratification, Introduction to Sociology, Latinos and Immigration, Latina/os and Education, and Latina/o Studies courses at Texas State. She has published articles on Latinx college students’ retention and persistence.   mentored over 30 undergraduate and graduate students, many who are working in community-based and advocacy research in health and education.

Contact information:
Email: gm21@txstate.edu
Phone: 512-245-2470

Sylvia T. Gonzales, M.Ed.
Director of Developing HSI Programs
Texas State University

Sylvia T. Gonzales is the HSI STEM Impact & MAESTROS Director, member of the Hispanic Policy Network, and US1100 faculty.  Sylvia is the first in her family to go to college and is working on her Ed.D. in Positive Organizational Leadership from Abilene Christian University.  Sylvia continues to ensure the undergraduate student experience is authentic as she has served as an advocate, mentor, and leader to underrepresented college students for 21 years.  She has helped with the grassroots development of 6 federal grant programs in TX/NM, including Title III, V, and TRIO grants. She is also an active member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and Alliance for Hispanic Serving Institutional Educators and helped establish the Bobcat Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) certificate program and serves as co-chair on the First Gen Proud Working Group at Texas State University.  Sylvia has received numerous awards and recognition for her contributions, including Angelika Lester Wahl Diversity Award, HPN’s Latinx Star Award, a “Program to Watch” designation by Excelencia in Education, Bright Spots in Hispanic Education, and NASPA’s & Studer Foundation First-Gen Forward designation. 

Contact information:
Email: sylviatgonzales@txstate.edu
Phone: 512-245-2080



Article 3: Estrategias de apoyo a la facultad en tiempos de pandemia: la respuesta de dos instituciones.

 

Dr. Carlos R. Morales Irizarry
President, TCC Connect Campus
 Tarrant County College

Before becoming TCC Connect’ s President in 2013, Dr. Carlos Morales was the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Distance Education Programs at Ana G. Méndez University- Virtual Campus. As such, he provided leadership, vision and planning for the implementation of courses and programs for online delivery. Previously he was the Executive Director of Academic Technology at Lock Haven University responsible for the delivery of online courses, the incorporation of technology for teaching and learning, faculty development, the STEP program (a student laptop initiative) and also facilitated campus conversations on academic technology. Prior to Lock Haven University, Carlos was the Instructional Designer for the Center for Instructional and Technological Innovation (CITI) at New Jersey City University, responsible for instructional technology staff. Carlos has extensive online and classroom teaching experience in the areas of: Biology, Science Teaching and Instructional Technology. Dr. Morales also holds professional certifications as Distance Learning Administration Professional from Texas A&M University and Certified Online Instructor (COI) from Walden University. Morales graduated from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, with bachelors and master’s degrees in Biology and Science Education, and received his doctorate, with a dissertation on Constructivist Learning Environments in Online Course Design, from Capella University. He was a Frye fellow in 2009.

Contact information:
Web: https://www.tccd.edu/

Dr. Alice J. Casanova Ocasio
EDP University

La doctora Alice J. Casanova ha laborado en sector de la educación superior por más de 15 años, en la academia y la administración de esta. Posee un doctorado en Filosofía de la Educación con especialidad en Docencia y un Certificado en Educación Superior de Harvard University. Coordina el nodo de investigación en Puerto Rico de la Red Internacional de Investigadores en Educación a Distancia en Línea y Abierta (REDIC), es investigadora invitada en la Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia en Costa Rica, imparte cursos en línea del nivel graduado y subgraduado. Colabora como especialista Desde 2016 es la Decana Institucional de Educación a Distancia en EDP University.

Contact Information:
Email: 
acasanova@edpuniversity.edu

Article 4:
La oferta universitaria en línea de Puerto Rico: Actualización a otoño 2020
.


Dr. Marcos Torres
Full professor, Distance Education Department
Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, Ponce Campus

Dr. Marcos Torres-Nazario teaches online and face-to-face courses of statistics and research, at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico (IAUPR) Ponce Campus.  He received the degree of Doctor of Education in Educational Administration from the Inter American University Metro Campus.  Also completed a Post Master Certificate in Institutional Research from Florida State University.  In 2013 completed a Master Degree in Research and Evaluation at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus.  During the Summer of 2015 completed the ELearning Expert Certificate from FATLA.

Contact information:
Email: mtorres@ponce.inter.edu
Phone: (787) 284-1912 X-2049
Fax: (787) 841-0103

Article 5: La tecnología virtual: su importancia en la enseñanza-aprendizaje de la contabilidad.

Prof. Mayra L. Mojica Butler
Lecturer, Business Department
Hostos Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY)

Mayra L. Mojica Butler is a Lecturer in the Business Department at Hostos Community College (CUNY).  She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting with a minor in finance from The University of Puerto Rico and the Master Degree in accounting from The University of Phoenix.

She has several years of experience in the field of accounting. Her extensive experience includes various accounting positions as Accountant at the Department of Labor (DOL) and Human Resources at Puerto Rico and Intern at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC, as well as Community Education Assistant at Bronx – Lebanon Hospital Center. In 2010 participated in Postgraduate Professional Development Program – PPDP in The Washington Center Education in Washington, DC.

She is the adviser of the Accounting Club at Hostos Community College, and every semester she hosts workshops designed to expand knowledge about the field of accounting and the many career paths and opportunities available in the accounting profession.

Also worked as a volunteer for New York Cares, a nonprofit volunteer organization in New York City in the Tax Preparation Program. The purpose of the program is to help people and communities in need of tax preparation support during the tax season.

Contact Information:
Email: mlmojica@hostos.cuny.edu

Article 6: Social Presence: An Imperative in Online Learning Contexts. 

Dr. Floralba Arbelo
Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Professor

Carlos Albizu University, Miami Campus

Dr. Floralba Arbelo currently serves as the Dean of Student Affairs and as Associate Professor at Albizu University in Miami, Florida.  Dr. Arbelo has held several positions in higher education including distance learning director, academic program director, research associate, curriculum specialist, and Title V Project Director in the United States, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Guatemala, Cuba, and in the Dominican Republic. Her research centers on Hispanic student success, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Hispanic student retention, and online teaching and learning. Her research has been published in the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research, HETS Online Journal, International Journal of Doctoral Studies, and Journal of Teacher Action Research, among others. Dr. Arbelo has an earned Doctor of Education degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, a Master of Science from The New School for Public Engagement in NY, and a Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. Her research has been presented at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators, The College Board, the Ethnographic and Qualitative Research Conference, and the National Association of Hispanic and Latino Studies. In 2016, Dr. Arbelo was the recipient of the Women that Transcend Award for Global Leadership in Education and Community Service from the New Jersey Hand Foundation and was awarded Senatorial Citation for her volunteerism, activism, and mentoring activities among young adults and youth.  She is an alum of the inaugural class of the HACU Instituto de Liderazgo Fellowship.

Contact Information:
Email: farbelo@albizu.edu
Phone: 305 593 1223 ext. 3227
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/floralbaarbelo/

Article 7: Student and Faculty Perspectives on Student Evaluation of Teaching: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Community College.

The authors of this article were members of the Instructional Evaluation Committee at Hostos Community College for the 2017-2020 term. This committee informs the College Senate of best practices in student evaluation of teaching (SET) and presents potential revisions to the SET process and the instrument to governance. ​ It also addresses the faculty peer-observation process and, in 2019, it approved the peer observation form created by the Peer Observation Improvement Network for Teaching Committee (POINT).

Sherese Mitchell, Ed.D., is Associate Professor in Education Department, served multiple terms as Chair of the Instructional Evaluation Committee, and is a member of the College-Wide Curriculum Committee.

Asrat Amnie, M.D., Ed.D., is Assistant Professor in Education Department; his publications focus on high-risk health behavior, including causes and consequences of stress, and strategies to cope with stress.

Jacqueline M. DiSanto, Ed.D., is Professor, Chair of Education Department, Coordinator of Teacher Education, and founding member of Peer Observations Improvement Network for Teaching.

Allison Franzese, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor in Natural Sciences Department, and Adjunct Associate Research Scientist at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, where she studies paleoclimate using geochemical tools.

Carlos Guevara, M.S., is Director of Office of Educational Technology, Co-Director of Center for Teaching and Learning, book author, altruist, and frequent speaker at national and international conferences, where he provides vision to promote organizational culture change and innovation to teaching and learning through technology.

Juno Morrow, M.F.A., is Assistant Professor of Game Design and Game Design Program Coordinator, serves on Educational Technology Leadership Council, and recently published her first book.

Silvia Reyes, M.S.W., is Director of Special Projects & Student Engagement; she is committed to student success, and her work has focused on designing and implementing a wide array of initiatives to improve students’ college experiences and academic attainment.

Maria Subert, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor in Humanities; her research focuses include intercultural communication and institutional assessment including utilizing findings for continuous improvement.

Article 8: Teaching Using a Flipped Classroom Approach: Impacts for Students of Color.

Amber M. González, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Child and Adolescent Development Program,
California State University Sacramento

Amber M. Gonzalez (Ph.D. UC Santa Barbara; she/ella) is an Associate Professor in the Child and Adolescent Development program at the California State University, Sacramento.  Utilizing a multidisciplinary perspective including human development, educational psychology, as well as critical race theory she centers her research on examining Latinx academic aspirations and motivations through and across the P20 education pipeline. Her research examines the influence of social support networks and institutional structures on college student identity development and educational and career aspirations and motivations. In addition, she explores the ways in which students use these aspirations and motivations to ensure their success, manage failure, and persist. Dr. Gonzalez teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on motivation, quantitative research methods, and cross-cultural human development. Her scholarly work has been published in the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, Journal of Educational Research, and College Student Journal.

Contact information:
Email: amber.gonzalez@csus.edu

Article 9: The Effect of a Kernel Sentence Combining Technique on the Reading Comprehension Levels of Basic English Students at UPR-Cayey.

Dr. David H. Luciano
Associate Professor, University of Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus

Dr. Luciano work as a full-time Assistant Professor at the University of Puerto Rico-Cayey campus. Born in New York and then moved to Puerto Rico, and his hometown is Adjuntas. He has worked as a teacher-professor for almost thirty years now. Among his interests have always been to help English majors in their quest to become language experts as well as pedagogy students (elementary and secondary level) who want to become English teachers. Here in Puerto Rico English is taught as a second language (ESL), it is also a compulsory subject in schools from the elementary level. Luciano has worked as a teacher in all levels from the elementary to higher education. In addition, he has conducted research with middle, high school and college level ESL students. He is interested in conducting research with technological tools that can be used to bridge the gap between teaching and learning. Abut himself: I am a lifelong learner, and my biggest goal is to instill in my students the need for learning languages. My motto is: Learning is Fun, and It is A Lifelong Journey!

Contact Information:
Email: david.luciano@upr.edu | dhluciano@gmail.com
Phone: (787) 398-6671

Article 10: What are the best practices for online student engagement among Hispanic-Serving Institutions? A narrative review.  

Dr. Neal Malik
Assistant Professor, California State University, San Bernardino

Dr. Neal Malik is an Assistant Professor, researcher, and podcaster. He has taught at Minority-Serving and Hispanic Serving Institutions for 13 years. In addition to receiving numerous pedagogy certifications, he been featured as a nutrition and wellness expert on CBS local radio in Los Angeles, CA, USA as well as a number of online and print publications including eHow.com and Men’s Fitness Magazine. Dr. Malik has also published peer-reviewed scientific literature on diet and its effects on appetitive hormones, type 2 diabetes, blood lipids, and body weight. In December 2020, he will be presenting on how Motivational Syllabi may improve student engagement in an online environment at the ITLC Lilly Conference. http://www.oldpodcast.com

Contact information:
Address: 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA
Email: neal.malik@csusb.edu
Phone: 1 + (909) 537-4588


Return to Fall Issue: November 2020

To learn more about the authors of previous issues click here


Authors Volume IX, Spring Issue

Article 1: Implementation of a Civic Engagement Community Change Model by a Community College Through the Integration of Technology and Social Media as a Strategic Element.

Prof. Hector W. Soto, J.D
Assistant Professor of Law and Public Policy
Hostos Community College

Hector W. Soto has been teaching courses regarding the U.S. legal system, criminal law, U.S. policing and police- community relations for more than 12 years. He is the founder of the Center for Neighborhood Leadership, a school for the training of community organizers and the promotion of community civic engagement. He is also a founding board member of Community Learning Partnership, a national organization that promotes the development of community change studies degree programs in community colleges. Professor Soto is a graduate of Queens College CUNY and the New York University School of Law.

Contact information:
Email: hsoto@hostos.cuny.edu
Telephone (mobile): 917-557-7925
Telephone (office): 718-518-6718


 Article 2: Hispanic Students and Online Learning: Factors of Success.

Floralba Arbelo, Ed.D.
Associate Professor of Education
Title V. Project Director
Carlos Albizu University, Miami

Dr. Floralba Arbelo has had the privilege of teaching, mentoring students, and participating in community based education in the United States and in the Caribbean.  Her areas of expertise include research methods, curriculum development, distance education, youth development, nonprofit management, and grant writing. Dr. Arbelo mentors graduate students in their research for qualifying degrees. Her own research centers on Hispanic student achievement, Hispanic Serving Institutions, student retention, and online teaching and learning. Dr. Arbelo earned her bachelor degree from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, a master’s degree The New School for Public Engagement, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Liberty University.

Contact information:
Email: farbelo@albizu.edu
 

 

Karli Martin, M.S.
Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student
Carlos Albizu University

Ms. Karli Martin is a clinical psychology doctoral student at Albizu University in Miami, Florida. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and psychology from SUNY Oneonta in New York. Her clinical interests include neuropsychological assessment, behavior therapy, traumatic brain injury, neurodevelopmental disorders, dementia, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. She enjoys hiking, bowling and relaxing at home with her two dogs for self-care. Karli aspires to learn more about a variety of cultures through her work and travel.

Contact information:
Email: kmartin002@sunmail.albizu.edu


Ailema Frigerio, PsyD

School Psychologist
Miami Dade Public Schools

Dr. Ailema Frigerio is a licensed psychologist with the Miami Dade County public school system. Formerly Assistant Director of Clinical Training and Associate Professor at Carlos Albizu University, she has mentored countless students through to degree completion at the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels.  Dr. Frigerio has earned her bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees from Carlos Albizu University.

Contact information:
Email: afrigerio@sunmail.albizu.edu


Article 3: Teaching Online on a South Bronx Community College.

Dr. Elys Vasquez-Iscan, Ed.D., MPH
Assistant Professor
Hostos Community College

Dr. Elys Vasquez-Iscan teaches online and hybrid courses in the Health Education Unit at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York.  Her research interests entail analyzing HIV and its intersection with gender and violence and health inequities; online research to identify coping responses to stress among vulnerable populations; developing strategies for multicultural competence among health professionals; evaluating the impact of e-health on health disparities; capacity building for local and international disease prevention efforts; utilization of community based participatory research for health promotion and community empowerment. She has been the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship and an ELEVATE Fellowship from the University of Pennsylvania Center for Minority Serving Institutions. She enjoys teaching the diverse Hostos student population due to the wealth of life experience that they bring into the classroom.

Contact information:
Email: evasquez-iscan@hostos.cuny.edu


Article 4: The Practice of Peer Observation.

Jacqueline M. DiSanto, Ed.D.
Associate Professor
Education Department
Coordinator of the Early-Childhood Education Program
Hostos Community College

Dr. Jacqueline M. DiSanto area of expertise include curriculum, administration and supervision, online learning, and open-educational resources.  She has served as school administrator for pre-school through grade 12.  Dr. DiSanto is a founding member and former chair of the Peer Observation Improvement Network for Teaching (POINT); she serves on the Instructional Evaluation and Hostos Online Learning Assessment committees.  Her most recent publications focused on student perceptions of online learning and on a college-wide assessment initiative that addressed measuring skills development through general-education competencies and program-learning outcomes.  She is the vice-chair of the board of trustees of the New York City Montessori Charter School.

Contact Information:
Phone:  718 518-4437
Email:  jdisanto@hostos.cuny.edu

Sandy Figueroa, M.S.
Associate Professor
Hostos Community College

Professor Sandy Figueroa, M.S., has been at Hostos Community College since 1976 as an adjunct and then from 1979 as an instructor in the Secretarial Science Department.  In 1980, the College went through a re-organization process and the Secretarial Science Department became one of three units in the Business Department.  The other units were:  Business and Accounting and Data Processing.  Since 1999, Professor Figueroa has been teaching in the Computer Information Systems Unit.  From 2003 until 2006, she was the chair of the Business Department.  Currently, Professor Figueroa is the Coordinator for the Office Technology Unit of the Business Department.  Professor Figueroa is chair of a number of college-wide committees, including the Curriculum Committee, and has served on a number of committees in the Business Department and the College.  She is a founding of member of the Peer Observation Improvement Network for Teaching (POINT).

Contact information:
Phone:  718 518-6512
Email:  sfigueroa@hostos.cuny.edu

Carlos Guevara, M.S.
Director
Office of Educational Technology
Hostos Community College

Mr. Carlos Guevara, was born in Quito (Ecuador), and is an innate leader and fighter and first-generation college student.  He holds B.S. and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from CUNY and NYU Poly, and is currently pursuing his doctorate in Instructional Technology at Teachers College, Columbia University. With over 15 years of experience in higher education, Mr. Guevara currently works at Hostos Community College as Director of the Office of Educational Technology, where he provides vision to strengthen and bring innovation to teaching and learning through technology.  He has established a successful organizational culture shift around technology adoption, implementing initiatives centered on mentoring and communities of practice.  He is a frequent presenter of a variety of academic technology topics at national and international conferences.  His main research areas of interest are online learning, social networking in education, and game-based learning.

Contact information:
Phone:  718 319-7915
Email:  cguevara@hostos.cuny.edu
ePORTFOLIO:  http://hostos.digication.com/carlosguevara

Antonios Varelas, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Hostos Community College

Dr. Antonios Varelas is Associate Professor of Psychology in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Department at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York.  He is an Applied Behavior Analyst whose research interests include concept-formation protocols and clicker technology in the undergraduate classroom, and the impact of supplemental instruction programs on students who serve as peer leaders.  He currently serves on the college-wide Personnel and Budget committee and on POINT.

Contact information:
Phone:  718 518-6886
Email: avarelas@hostos.cuny.edu

Diana Macri, M.S.Ed., R.D.H.
Assistant Professor
Hostos Community College

Professor Macri teaches three core courses in the Dental Hygiene unit:  Oral Pathology, Oral Microbiology and Ethics, Jurisprudence and Practice Management.  Her publications can be seen in medical and dental hygiene journals and she is a frequent contributor to online industry publications.  She has presented at professional conferences nationally and internationally.  She is the current chair of POINT.  Professor Macri is involved in many advocacy efforts, specifically those which seek to resolve health disparities seen in Hispanic populations, both nationally and abroad. She is currently collaborating with dental faculty from Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and New York University College of Dentistry, through an ADEA/Gies Foundation grant, to increase dental and dental hygiene student interest in academic careers. She has been appointed to the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee of the American Dental Education Association; is a Peer Reviewer for the Journal of Dental Education, and MedEdPORTAL Publications; was the editorial director for RDH Graduate, a newsletter for dental hygiene students and recent graduates published by Pennwell Corp; and is the Treasurer of the American Academy of Dental Hygiene.

Contact information:
Phone:  718 319-7970
Email:  dmacri@hostos.cuny.edu

Andrea Fabrizio,Ph.D.
Associate Professor & Chair of English Department
Hostos Community College

Dr. Andrea Fabrizio received her B.A. in English from Fordham University and her Ph.D. in English with a Certificate in Women’s Studies from the Graduate Center of The City University of New York.  Her scholarly interests include 17th century women’s spiritual writing and writing pedagogy.  She currently co-coordinates the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Initiative at Hostos and was a founding member of POINT.

Contact information:
Phone:  718 518-6697
Email:  afabrizio@hostos.cuny.edu

Sherese Mitchelle, Ed.D.
Associate Professor
Hostos Community College

Dr. Sherese A. Mitchell has served as an Assistant Professor at Hostos Community College for nine years.  She holds an Educational Doctorate in Instructional Leadership with a focus on Learning Styles.  Prior to working in academics, she spent 20 years in the field working with children in various settings and leadership roles.  Dr. Mitchell has brought that experience in her current instructional position to future educators enrolled in methods courses at Hostos.  In those courses, she constantly invites student- and colleague-feedback to revise course organization and content to meet the varied learning needs of all students.  She is passionate about student accountability and classroom management and provides staff development on such.  Dr. Mitchell serves as a chair of the Student Disciplinary and Instructional Evaluation committees at Hostos.  She is an executive board member of NACCTEP (National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs) and the Children’s center at Hostos.  Additionally, she provides voluntary services of staff development in educational settings and is the Academic Director at a summer camp.  Beyond her learning-style and note-taking research, Dr. Mitchell has presented many papers at national, local, and regional conferences.

Contact Information:
Phone:  718 518-4413
Email:  smitchell@hostos.cuny.edu

Sean Gerrity, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, English
Hostos Community College

Dr. Sean Gerrity earned his Ph.D. in English with a Certificate in American Studies from The City University of New York’s Graduate Center in 2017.  Since then, he has been Assistant Professor of English at Hostos Community College, where he teaches first-year composition, first-year seminar, and various other courses in writing and literature.  His scholarly writing has appeared in Journal of the Early Republic, Journal of American Studies, and MELUS: Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States. He has also written about maintaining an active research agenda as a community-college instructor for Inside Higher Ed​ and has had his research featured on WAMC Public Radio’s “The Academic Minute” program. He regularly presents his research at both local and national conferences. He is trained as a scholar of early nineteenth-century American literature and slavery, and he is also interested in anti-racist pedagogy and assessment practices at the community college as well as Writing Across the Curriculum. He is a member of POINT.

Contact information:
Email:  sgerrity@hostos.cuny.edu
Webpage:  https://www.seangerrity.com
Twitter: @g3rrity


Article 5: Tendencias en la Evaluación de Cursos en Línea.

Dr. Liana Iveth Gutiérrez Moreno
Professor
School of Business Administration
Universidad de Puerto Rico Recinto Río Piedras

She has a Master Degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus and a Doctorate in Curriculum and Teaching in Mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Her topic of research was the evaluation of an online Mathematics course. She worked on various professional development projects for teachers and as designer of online Mathematics modules. In addition, she has a Certification in Construction of Virtual Environments.

Contact information:
Email: liana.gutierrez@upr.edu


Article 6: To Blend or not to Blend: A Case Study of On-line Learning in General Biology.

Yasmine Edwards, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Bronx Community College

Dr. Yasmin Edwards is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Bronx Community College. Her research focus is DNA Repair Systems. Her most recent article “An Msh3 ATPase domain mutation has no effect on DNA Mismatch Repair, published by BioMed Central Research Notes in November 2017 reveals the limited effect of the protein on DNA Mismatch Repair. She is also currently engaged in pedagogical research projects focused on the impact of accelerated workshops/courses on students’ long-term performance as well as the effective use of technology to enhance student comprehension in undergraduate science courses. Dr. Edwards is the program coordinator for the Biotechnology Program at Bronx Community College, a student research mentor and Biology Club faculty advisor.

Contact information:
Email: Yasmin.edwards@bcc.cuny.edu

Dr. Hisseine Faradj
Assistant Professor
Political Science/Sociology
Department of Social Sciences

Dr. Hisseine Faradj is an Assistant Professor of Political Science/Sociology at the Bronx Community College of the City University Of New York. His research interest is in the area of political/social theory focusing primarily on the intersectionality between religion and politics. Dr. Faradj is also interested in pedagogical methodology in face-to-face environment as well as online.

Contact information:
Address: Colston Hall, Room 329/327, 2155 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10453
Email:
hisseine.faradj@bcc.cuny.edu
Phone: 718-289-5822
Fax: 718-289-6099


Article 7: Zoom: An Innovative Solution for the Live-online Virtual Classroom.

Tamara JG Barbosa, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Business Communication Department
College of Business Administration
University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus

Dr. Tamara JG Barbosa has spent over two decades working in the areas of Distance & Online Education, Business Communication & Technology, in-service and Pre- service Teacher Education with an emphasis in TESOL, STEM, Evaluation & Assessment, Leadership & Organizational Development, Executive Education, Public Policy & Management in academia, government and non-profit institutions. She has designed and developed over 1,347 hours of eLearning courses for Federal Senior Executive Service training, and Skills Training at the USDA and 1,071 hours of Graduate online courses at various universities in the USA. Dr. Barbosa has been named an Edmodo Spanish-speaking Ambassador (top user out of 90+ M) at the global education social learning network. She holds a PhD in Educational Policy, Leadership & Technology and an MA in Higher Education Administration from The Ohio State University and an MA in TESOL in College from New York University.

Contact Information:
Email: tamara.Barbosa@upr.edu

Mary Jo Barbosa, M.S.
Professor
Biological Sciences Department
College of General Studies
University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus

Professor Mary Jo Barbosa spent over six decades teaching Biological Sciences. She was a pioneer integrating technology into the classroom. From audio-visual materials to Zoom.  She began her career in 1960 as a high school Biology teacher. She worked at the Biological Sciences Department where she taught first-year Biology for 53 years. She created the first audio-visual course for the Biological Sciences department. In 2004, after 39 years of pencil and bubble testing, Prof. Barbosa changed to online assessment using the Blackboard LMS for all tests. She input her entire item pool that had been researched and fine-tuned in the previous 39 years with a base sample of over 42,000 first-year students.  Prof. Barbosa was the first Director of Environmental Education at the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources, where she created the first high school biology research-based course about Puerto Rico. At the PRDNR, she created videotapes for the classroom and for teacher training.  In 2012 she created videos for her YouTube channel (Induktiva), in the areas of Mendelian Genetics and Drosophila melanogaster culturing techniques. In 2017, she integrated Zoom to teach live-online. Prof. Barbosa holds an MS in Biology from Rutgers University and Doctoral Studies in Higher Education from New York University. In the Spring of 2018, Prof. Barbosa became a Distinguished Honorary Member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars for her contributions to Leadership, Scholarship and Service.


To learn more about the authors of previous issues click here

Prof. Mary Jo Barbosa, MS

Professor, Biological Sciences Department
College of General Studies
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus

Professor Mary Jo Barbosa spent over six decades teaching Biological Sciences. She was a pioneer integrating technology into the classroom. From audio-visual materials to Zoom.  She began her career in 1960 as a high school Biology teacher. She worked at the Biological Sciences Department where she taught first-year Biology for 53 years. She created the first audio-visual course for the Biological Sciences department. In 2004, after 39 years of pencil and bubble testing, Prof. Barbosa changed to online assessment using the Blackboard LMS for all tests. She input her entire item pool that had been researched and fine-tuned in the previous 39 years with a base sample of over 42,000 first-year students.  Prof. Barbosa was the first Director of Environmental Education at the Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources, where she created the first high school biology research-based course about Puerto Rico. At the PRDNR, she created videotapes for the classroom and for teacher training.  In 2012 she created videos for her YouTube channel (Induktiva), in the areas of Mendelian Genetics and Drosophila melanogaster culturing techniques. In 2017, she integrated Zoom to teach live-online.

Prof. Barbosa holds an MS in Biology from Rutgers University and Doctoral Studies in Higher Education from New York University. In the Spring of 2018, Prof. Barbosa became a Distinguished Honorary Member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars for her contributions to Leadership, Scholarship and Service.