Speaker: Jessica (Jes) Caron

Jessica (Jes) Caron is an Instructional Technology Specialist with the Academic Technology Center at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. In this capacity, Jes supports faculty members in the design, development, and delivery of technology-based solutions for the purpose of enhancing teaching and learning. Jes has supported a broad range of technologies in the classroom, laboratory, and distance learning environments at WPI. Outside of the classroom, Jes is the primary front end support person for WPI’s' Blackboard instance, the leader of the WPI iPad Users Group (iPUG), and an active participant in the Social Media Users Group (SMUG). Jes holds a B.S. in Biology from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, an M.S. in Biotechnology from Worcester State College and an M.S. in Educational Technology from Boise State University.

Speaker: Erin DeSilva

Erin DeSilva is an Instructional Technology Specialist at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, providing outreach and training to the WPI community working in the campus-based, blended and distance learning settings. She supports the use of academic and instructional technologies including: student response systems, the learning management system, multimedia projects, lecture capturing and electronic classroom tools. Erin is currently pursuing an Ed.M. in Educational Media and Technology at Boston University, holds a B.S. from Simmons College, and has worked in science and technology education at the Museum of Science, Boston and a PBS affiliate in Toledo, Ohio.
 

Speaker: Apostolos Koutropoulos

Apostolos is the Program Coordinator for the Applied Linguistics Online Program at UMass Boston. He holds a B.A. in Computer Science, an M.B.A. with a focus on Human Resources, an M.S. in Information Technology, an M.Ed. in Instructional Design, and an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from the University of Massachusetts Boston. His research interests include: knowledge management, educational technology, linguistics, mLearning, MOOCs and epistemology.

Speaker: Douglas Mann

Dr. Douglas Mann is currently an associate professor in health and exercise science at Rowan University. He is a certified athletic trainer and has served as president of the Eastern Athletic Trainer’s Association as well a part of many regional committees. He has worked at all levels of education from pre-school to college.

Speaker: Rebecca Peterson

Rebecca's work at edX is focused on managing sponsored research and proof-of-concept projects. Her current work includes managing the pilot of MOOC courses being adapted for on-campus learning at San Jose State University and Massachusetts Community Colleges. She also works with the edX team on establishing best practices for course development, design, and faculty support.

Rebecca has worked in higher education IT and online program development for the past 15 years. While at Lesley University she was the founding Director of Academic Technology. Later she was appointed as the Director of eLearning Resources and Professional Development where she expanded faculty development programs to include online seminars and courses. She also led the implementation of an eAssessment and ePortfolio platform. She then joined Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT) as their first Director of Faculty Development. While at WIT she created faculty programs that supported online and hybrid course development as well facilitating new faculty orientation and mentoring communities. 


Speaker: Jeremy Szteiter

Jeremy Szteiter is the Assistant Director of the graduate program in Critical and Creative Thinking at University of Massachusetts Boston. His work has centered around community-based and adult education and has involved managing, developing, and teaching programs to lifelong learners, with an emphasis on a learning process that involves the teaching of others what has been learned and supporting the growth of individuals to become teachers of what they know. Within the program, Jeremy teaches (mostly online) courses that cover aspects of critical and creative thinking in research, technology, organizational change, and reflective practice.
 

Speaker: Wei Zhang

Wei Zhang is an associate professor in College of Management, University of Massachusetts Boston. He earned his doctorate in Management Information Systems from Boston University. His research interests include Strategic use of information systems, Knowledge Management and Cultural and Cross-cultural Issues in Information Systems. Dr. Zhang has published in journals such as Journal of Association for Information Systems, Social Work, Communications of the Association for Information Systems, Behavior and IT, and Journal of Information Systems Education.