Three USF faculty members have earned recognition for the online teaching practices they have implemented to get their students excited, engaged, and immersed in the online learning environment.
Innovative Education recognized faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, and Muma College of Business for their innovative teaching strategies and approaches to course design that foster student engagement, learning gains, and satisfaction.
Three Outstanding Educators
Erika Martinez, a professor of instruction in the Department of Economics, received first place for encouraging active participation, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving through high-quality digital course materials.
She worked with learning designer Caylen Holmes to add custom multimedia elements to her microeconomics course, which helps students grasp complex economic concepts. To make the content more understandable and cater to students’ unique learning styles, they incorporated a mix of short video lectures, interactive simulations, and real-world case studies into the course.
One of the new elements of the course included a simulated market equilibrium game, where students learn to make predictions on equilibrium prices based on the evolving economic conditions of the car market.
“Working with a learning designer was instrumental in creating an asynchronous course that maximizes student learning outcomes,” Martinez said. “She helped to streamline course content, enhance clarity and interactivity, and create a more engaging learning experience.”
As the winner, Martinez received $5,000 and will be honored with an award plaque and an invitation to the Faculty Honors and Awards Reception.
“Earning this award is a tremendous honor and validation of the hard work and dedication put into reimagining online education in this course,” Martinez said. “It signifies not only recognition of the innovative approaches implemented in the course but also the impact they have on student learning and engagement.”
Lauren Braunstein and Doreen MacAulay were named distinguished finalists, and each was awarded $1,000 in recognition of the quality online learning experience they provide for USF students.
Braunstein, an associate professor of instruction in the Social Foundations of Education program, was recognized for her course, Education, Diversity, & Global Society, which covers topics such as sociological theory in education, philosophies of education, and linguistic diversity.
Working with learning designer Chad Garcia, they designed a course utilizing innovative tools, like Harmonize, so students could complete video discussion boards and collaborative documents to connect with course material. Each module offered a varied experience to collaborate and engage.
One project involved students working together on a proposal to add a multicultural or social justice-oriented unit to the curriculum of a local school, analyzing how diversity impacts interactions with major societal institutions.
“While it is an asynchronous online course, students are able to collaborate and build connections between the course materials and their personal and professional experiences within the education system,” Braunstein said.
MacAulay, a professor of instruction in the School of Information Systems and Management, was recognized for her Principles of Management course, which was honored for its unique use of guided meditations, mind-mapping exercises, and generative artificial intelligence.
“I was able to transform the class into digestible, bite-sized pieces that students can engage in,” she said. “They can now more easily navigate the content and interact with the course, creating a more inviting learning experience.”
Optimized with the help of learning designer Alexandra Ward, MacAulay was able to bring her ideas for the course into reality and create an optimal learning environment for students.
“Having read numerous articles on the topic of AI and its impact on students’ work, I decided to explore how to incorporate it into my course so they can learn how to use it responsibly,” she said. “I was able to develop a semester-long assignment that has students use ChatGPT, verify the platform output, and develop recommendation reports from that process.”
In celebrating the work of these remarkable professors, the 2024 Innovation in Online Design and Teaching Award highlights the transformative power of engaged teaching and learning at USF. Their innovative approaches foster meaningful connections with students and enhance their learning experiences in the digital space.
About the Award
The Innovation in Online Design and Teaching Award recognizes faculty who excel in online teaching and help advance student-centered online learning through their exceptional design, development, and delivery practices.
Nominations for the third-annual Innovation in Online Design and Teaching Award will open in the fall semester.