H-LTLA Academy – Voting 2021

Part I. Personal Information and Demographic Data

Applicant Full Name

Amanda Taylor

Applicant Title

Instructional Designer

Institution or System

California State University, San Bernardino

Address for Official Correspondence

17641 Shamrock Ave, Fontana, CA 92336

Track of interest

English track

Languages

English

Have teach an online course in the past three years

Yes

Have taken an online course in the past three years

Yes

Have you been in charge of an instructional technology initiative

No

Have you been in charge of a distance education initiative

Yes

Years of experience in Higher Education

11-15 years

Part II. Education

Highest Earned Degree

Master of Arts

College/University

California State University, San Bernardino

Field/Major

English Composition and Literature

Next Highest Earned Degree

Bachelor of Arts

College/University

Brigham Young University

Field/Major

English

Other Degrees Earned

Master of Science (in progress)

College/University

California State University, Fullerton

Field/Major

English

Part III. Experience

Present Responsibilities

I consult with faculty about course design, pedagogy, and academic technology adoption. I also conduct training, build instructional content, and investigate instructional technologies for possible adoption at my institution.

Academic and Professional Distinctions and Honors

ACUE certification in Effective Teaching Practices
Blackboard Ultra Certified Practitioner
Canvas Certified Educator (in progress)

Civil and Community Activities

I am active in my church community and have held several leadership positions within my congregation, including president of the children’s organization and president of the women’s organization.

Professional Goals

Develop leadership skills to take on more campus-wide projects. This includes attention to budgets and other constraints surrounding large projects.
Increase knowledge about instructional technology and distance education programs and initiatives

Please explain what you expect to gain by participating in the H-LTLA

I expect to gain insight into best practices regarding instructional technology and distance education. I also anticipate learning about leadership skills that I may need and developing those I have. I look forward to making new professional contacts and expanding my network of those who I may be able to support and vice versa.

Part IV. Professional References

Professional Reference #1

Dr. Bradford Owen. Director of Academic Technologies & Innovation, California State University, San Bernardino. Phone: 909-537-7439. Email: bowen@csusb.edu

Professional Reference #2

Dr. Mauricio Cadavid. Senior Instructional Designer, California State University, San Bernardino. Phone: 909-537-3690. Email: mcadavid@csusb.edu

Professional Reference #3

Tracy Medrano. Instructional Designer, California State University, San Bernardino. Phone: 909-537-5792. Email: tracy.medrano@csusb.edu

Upload a letter from a president, chancellor, or cabinet-level administrator stating the nominee’s qualifications for the program, leadership strengths, and development opportunities.

https://hets.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/145/HETS-Letter-of-Support-MT.pdf

Part V. Initiative and Mentor

Upload a letter describing a project that you will consider implementing at your campus or organization on any of the areas of the Program with the name of your Mentor. Your Mentor can be different from your references and should be a staff with experience in the area selected. The Mentor information will be submitted with the signature to confirm the availability to guide the implementation of your campus initiative.

https://hets.org/wp-content/uploads/formidable/145/Amanda-Taylor-HETS-project-letter-Revised-Mentor-kbo.pdf

Part VI. Statement of Purpose

1. From your perspective, what are the top three issues facing higher education today? Why?

Affordability. As a whole, higher education continues to become more expensive on every level. Increased costs directly affect enrollment and persistence/retention and drive up student loan debt loads. As debts increase, students may elect to drop out to work instead of finishing their program. As prices continue to climb, students may not be able to restart their education.

Flexibility. While 2020 required institutions to become flexible in course delivery, many institutions have not properly invested in flexible course design and delivery. The emphasis on in-person or synchronous online attendance can negatively impact student retention. Where feasible, flexible course options such as hybrid and hyflex, would allow students the needed room to balance work, school, family, and other life commitments.

Access. Directly related to affordability and flexibility, access to higher education remains an issue today. If students are geographically bound to an area without a nearby college and are priced out of available distance options, they will not be able to progress. Similarly, students who work non-standard schedules may not be able to attend a local, more affordable institution if it does not offer flexible courses and may be priced out of other distance options.

An affordable, flexible, accessible education must also take into account issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

2. What are your own institution’s priorities and challenges with regard to leveraging instructional technology and distance education for the benefit of the entire organization?

A short-term priority is finalizing our institution’s adoption of the Canvas LMS and providing training for faculty and students as we transition from Blackboard. The primary challenge here is sufficient staff and resources to facilitate all of the needed training in a short period of time.

Another priority is ensuring the instructional technologies we use comply with ADA regulations and accessibility best practices. Any technology we adopt is subject to a full accessibility review, which can slow down the adoption process. This can frustrate instructors who want to use the technology but have to wait.

A third priority is ensuring that online/distance courses are of high quality and meet specific standards. This was not as feasible in 2020, but it has re-emerged as a high priority in our Strategic Plan. We aim to increase the available offerings yearly and offer training, support, and incentives for faculty to create high quality online courses.

One of the larger challenges is general institutional buy-in regarding institutional technology and distance/online education. A prevailing attitude is that online education is inferior, cannot be rigorous, and/or cannot take the place of in-person work. Instructional technologies can be seen as gimmicky. Instructional designers are not recognized for their expertise in technology and pedagogy.

3. If have the influence to instill change at your Institution, was one thing you could change, what would that be; and what is the unique aspect of your institution you would like to keep?

If I could, I would like to change the attitude that instruction and student services must be offered only or primarily in person. I would like to foster an environment of flexibility in instruction, student services, and faculty/staff working arrangements. Such flexibility would meet students more where they are and help my institution be proactive instead of reactive to potential disasters or other long-term interruptions to service. Such flexibility could also foster school spirit and community between residential and commuter students.

My institution is very diverse. The mixture of cultures, races, belief systems, socioeconomic backgrounds, and other things that shape who we are adds to the educational experience. Students, staff, and faculty alike have to navigate our differences and find our similarities.

Evaluation

Please provide your input for the following candidate application, using a scale from 1 to 3 (based on the rubric and metrics provided for each area):

Applicant name (for your reference): *

Title (for your reference): *

Track of interest (for your reference): *

Part I. Personal Information and Demographic Data

Part I. Personal Information and Demographic Data: Please provide your input using a scale from 1 to 3 with the following metrics: 1 – (Poor: Have not taught or taken an online course, or have not been in charge of instructional technology or a distance education initiative, and have less than 5 years of experience in Higher Ed.); 2- (Good: Have taught or taken at least two online courses, or have been in charge of instructional technology or a distance education initiative, and have between 6 and 10 years of experience in Higher Ed.); 3- (Excellent: Have taught or taken two or more online courses, have been in charge of instructional technology or a distance education initiative, and have between 11 and 20 or more years of experience in Higher Ed.) *

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Part II. Education

Part II. Education: Please provide your input using a scale from 1 to 3 with the following metrics: 1- (Poor: Bachelor’s degree or less than a bachelor’s degree in any academic Field); 2- (Good: Bachelor’s degree in Education with a major related to Learning Technologies or Distance Ed., or a master’s degree in Education); 3- (Excellent: Master or courses towards a doctor degree, or a doctor’s degrees in Education related to Learning Technologies or Distance Ed.) *

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Part III. Experience:

Present Responsibilities, distinctions, and activities: 1- (Poor: Not present responsibilities related to Learning Technologies or Distance Ed., and doesn't have distinctions or activities related to the fields); 2- (Good: Present responsibilities related to Learning Technologies or Distance Ed., and mentioned distinctions or activities related to the fields); 3- (Excellent: Present responsibilities related to management or supervision of Learning Technologies or Distance Ed. initiatives, and mentioned the distinctions or activities related to the fields). *

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Professional Goals: Professional Goals: 1 – (Poor: Goals described are not related to Learning Technologies or Distance Ed. Initiatives); 2 – (Good: Goals described are related to Learning Technologies or Distance Ed. Initiatives); 3 – (Excellent: Goals described are innovative and related to the management or supervision of Learning Technologies or Distance Ed. Initiatives). *

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Please explain what you expect to gain by participating in the H-LTLA: Please explain what you expect to gain by participating in the H-LTLA: 1 – (Poor: Candidate’s expectations are not aligned with the H-LTLA curriculum and competencies); 2 – (Good: Candidate’s expectations are in some way aligned with the H-LTLA curriculum and competencies); 3 – (Excellent: Candidate’s expectations are significantly aligned with the H-LTLA curriculum and competencies) *

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Part IV. Professional References

Part IV. Professional References: Please provide your input using a scale from 1 to 3 with the following metrics: 1 – (Poor: Provided are one or two references and are not related to Learning Technologies or Distance Ed. Faculty or Administrators, and the nomination letter is pending); 2 – (Good: Provided two references and are related to Learning Technologies or Distance Ed. Faculty or Administrators, and included the nomination letter or provided the evidence that is in process); 3 – (Excellent: Provided more than two references and are related to Learning Technologies or Distance Ed. Administrators, and included the nomination letter) *

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Part V. Initiative and Mentor

Part V. Initiative and Mentor: Please provide your input using a scale from 1 to 3 with the following metrics: 1 – (Poor: The candidate’s initiative is unclear or not aligned with the H-LTLA curriculum and competencies, and the mentor does not seem to have experience in the proposed initiative area.); 2 – (Good: The candidate’s initiative is clear and somehow aligned with the H-LTLA curriculum and competencies, and the mentor seems to have some experience in the proposed initiative area.); 3 – (Excellent: The candidate’s initiative is clear and very aligned with the H-LTLA curriculum and competencies, and the mentor seems to have a lot of experience in the proposed initiative area) *

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Part VI. Statement of Purpose:

1. From your perspective, what are the top three issues facing higher education today? Why? Please provide your input using a scale from 1 to 3 with the following metrics: 1 – (Poor: The issues and explanations are not clear or pertinent to the education reality today); 2 – (Good: The issues and explanations are somehow clear or pertinent to the education reality today); 3 – (Excellent: The issues and explanations are very clear and pertinent to the education reality today) *

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2. What are your own institution’s priorities and challenges with regard to leveraging instructional technology and distance education for the benefit of the entire organization? Please provide your input using a scale from 1 to 3 with the following metrics: 1 – (Poor: The priorities and challenges described are not directly related to leveraging instructional technology and distance education); 2 – (Good: The priorities and challenges described are somehow related to leveraging instructional technology and distance education); 3 – (Excellent: The priorities and challenges described are directly related to leveraging instructional technology and distance education.) *

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3. If have the influence to instill change at your Institution, was one thing you could change, what would that be; and what is the unique aspect of your institution you would like to keep? Please provide your input using a scale from 1 to 3 with the following metrics: 1 – (Poor: Only mention one aspect, and is not directly related to a thing that he/she could change or keep at his/her Institution); 2 – (Good: Mention one or two aspects, and are somehow related to a thing that he/she could change or keep at his/her Institution); 3 – (Excellent: Mention both aspects and are related to a thing that he/she could change and keep at his/her Institution.) *

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Name of the Evaluation Board Member *

Evaluation Board Member Comments about the Applicant: Please write your recommendations or additional feedback

Please select the best category that applies to this candidate based on the following criteria

Please select the best category that applies to this candidate based on the following criteria: 1-Beginner: Obtained mostly 1 point in Personal Information and Demographic Data; Education; Present Responsibilities distinctions, and activities; and Initiative and Mentor; but the rest of the categories could score 1, 2 or 3); 2- Intermediate: Obtained mostly 2 points in Personal Information and Demographic Data; Education; Present Responsibilities distinctions, and activities; and Initiative and Mentor; but the rest of the categories could score 1, 2 or 3); 3- Advanced: Obtained mostly 3 points in Personal Information and Demographic Data; Education; Present Responsibilities distinctions, and activities; and Initiative and Mentor; but the rest of the categories could score 1, 2 or 3) *

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