It is my pleasure to formally introduce to you the two new Instructional Designers in the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning (FCTL). They began their work in the Center and with the instructional community in January 2011. As you will see after reading the short bios they wrote, they are both passionate about helping and supporting the entire instructional community as we engage in online and blended pedagogy as well as the enhancement of large face-to-face classroom environments. Jo Ann and Bruce have joined Nancy Gordon to form a highly efficient and qualified team of instructional designers. If you have not done so already, I invite you to come by the FCTL in the library to see what we have to offer and meet our staff and instructional designers.
Chantal Levesque-Bristol,
Director, FCTL
Jo Ann Mattson
My name is Jo Ann Mattson. I am an Instructional Designer in the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning. I have taught students and mentored teachers in technology integration in all levels of education. Using technology in education and online distant learning is my passion. I will use my knowledge of instruction, learning theories and technology to help our Missouri State University instructional community develop quality distant learning courses for our students. I have taught in the traditional face to face, blended and online environments. I have also served as a peer reviewer for online courses. I have dedicated my career to research best practices in education and have served on several pilot programs to bring innovative technologies into the classroom.
I look forward to working with our Missouri State University instructional community to create engaging learning opportunities for our students. I am here to assist in the development and delivery of online courses, including working directly with faculty to build online courses in Blackboard. I will also coach and instruct faculty in the use of instructional technology in online, blended and face-to-face environments.
On a personal note, my husband and I recently moved to Springfield from St. Louis, Missouri. I am an avid sports fan. Being from St. Louis, I am a lifelong Cardinal fan! I also enjoy outdoor activities such as boating, bike riding, hiking and camping.
Bruce Richards
My name is Bruce Richards. I am an Instructional Designer in the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning (FCTL). I was hired by FCTL in January of 2010 in the support of the instructional community at the university in the development of blended and online courses after working as the Research and Instructional Design Coordinator in Sponsored Research and Programs. One of my main goals is in emphasizing pedagogical methods in courses using the Blackboard course management system, as well as managing the development of multimedia assets useful for teaching and learning.
Clay P. Bedford said, “You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives”.
This quote exemplifies my belief of learning and using knowledge to grow as a strong citizen within the community.
My background has been within information technology and how best to use it to enhance my work towards successfully producing a solution. Coupled with my 10-plus years’ experience as a technology professional and trainer, the field of instructional design became a natural fit for me, leading to my enrollment in the Instructional Media Technology Master’s program at Missouri State as a full-time student and graduate assistant. After graduating in 2005 with a Master’s of Science, I began this focus with the creation of numerous e-Learning projects at the university, with various departments from Sponsored Programs, Office of Research Compliance, Graduate College, the Extended campus, among others.
Most recently, I have been exploring how existing and emerging Web technologies can be used to create e-Learning assets that enhance the successful transfer of knowledge for student and teacher alike. This position as an Instructional Designer offers me the opportunity to put into practice the practical application of cognition, educational psychology, information technology, graphic and Web design, and problem solving; all leading to the creation of an instructional environment for student success.
My goal is to apply the lessons of instructional design towards engaging students and faculty alike towards providing a rich learning and teaching experience.
