EdgeCon Spring 2025

Bethany Hall A

As more graduate programs provide online options to meet the needs of working adults, universities must consider different ways to engage these students as valued members of the community even though they may never see the physical campus. Some students report that they feel a sense of belonging and strong collaboration within their program and others feel a sense of isolation in their learning experience. This session seeks to discuss aspects of programs and courses that are important in engaging and empowering graduate students as truly part of the university community. The role of course design, faculty collaboration, and connections among students will be considered through the lens of fostering a sense of belonging. 

Presenters:

• Denise Furlong, Asst. Professor, Georgian Court University
• Janine Ataide, Educator and Graduate Student, Georgian Court University

Jubilee Hall Atrium

As AI and digital transformation redefine the workforce, higher education must evolve to equip students with relevant skills and credentials. This session explores how educators can seamlessly integrate free, high-quality AI training programs and micro-credentialing opportunities from platforms like MIT OpenCourseWare, Harvard Online, LinkedIn Learning, Google, and others into their courses.

Attendees will learn: How to identify and incorporate free AI training and certification programs that align with course objectives; Strategies for scaffolding these resources into curriculum design to enhance student engagement and skill development; Methods for leveraging micro-credentials to increase student employability and lifelong learning pathways.

By the end of this session, participants will leave with actionable strategies to enhance their courses with valuable external learning experiences, empowering students to build future-ready skills while earning recognized credentials.

Presenters:

• John Shannon, Professor, Seton Hall University
• Susan O’Sullivan-Gavin, Professor, Rider University

University Hall, Event Room

Demystify AI Literacy. Join NJIT/NJII’s Learning & Development Initiative to explore critical AI literacy standards for education and beyond. Discover why these standards are essential, who needs them (hint: everyone!), and how to implement them effectively. Ideal for K-12 and higher ed educators and administrators. 

Attendees will learn:  

• Why there’s a need for AI standards in education (and elsewhere)  
• Who needs them: it’s not just students  
• What those standards and competencies might look like  
• How they can be constructed and adopted 
• When these standards should be implemented 

Presenters:

• Stefanie Toye, Project Manager, NJIT & NJII
• Dr. Teresa Keeler, Project Manager at The Learning & Development Initiative, NJIT

University Hall, Chancellor’s Suite

This presentation highlights Hudson County Community College’s (HCCC) collaborative efforts with Edge to build a more inclusive and accessible digital learning environment. Through this partnership, HCCC has embraced Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to remove barriers and create equitable educational experiences for all students. The session will showcase how the college, supported by Edge’s expertise and resources, has implemented student-centered strategies that prioritize accessibility, engagement, and success. Attendees will learn practical approaches to designing inclusive courses and hear firsthand how institutional collaboration can drive meaningful change in digital education.

Presenters:

• Callie Martin, Senior Instructional Designer, Hudson County Community College
• Joshua Gaul, Associate Vice President & Chief Digital Learning Officer, Edge

Bethany Hall A

This session will explore best practices for using communication technology, digital content and marketing platforms, artificial intelligence, and collected data to create a sustainable Center for Teaching and Learning model. The model will empower CTLs to support faculty in their academic success.

Presenter:

• John Baldino, OFS, Director, Center for Teaching and Learning, Lackawanna College

Bethany Hall B/C

This workshop explores research-backed, low-effort strategies that enhance online discussions and collaboration without adding to instructor workload. Participants will learn how to design thought-provoking prompts that ignite curiosity, integrate AI and digital tools to support interaction, and implement alternative discussion formats—such as multimedia responses and collaborative annotation—to foster deeper engagement.

No matter the technology used, effective teaching foundations remain essential. Grounded in best practices like the Community of Inquiry framework, Universal Design for Learning, and research on self-regulation strategies, this session also covers effective ways to maintain instructor presence without micromanaging. Attendees will leave with practical, ready-to-use techniques to create more engaging, inclusive, and meaningful online discussions.

Presenters:

• Karen Kolb, Director, Faculty Center for Professional Excellence, Adelphi University
• Jennifer Southard, Instructional Designer, Adelphi University
• Marilena Orfanos, Instructional Designer, Adelphi University

Jubilee Hall Atrium

We will demonstrate how assessment and feedback can aid in developing self-directed learners by examining an implementation of a deliberate data collection Rubric.  The Rubric is used to help students identify their strengths alongside the areas to work on toward improvement, while also offering the instructor valuable insights for supporting persistence in STEM courses.  We will share some course-level learning data and reflect on how it might impact learning across a STEM curriculum.  We will consider how incorporating learning outcomes in rubrics can also help students make connections to work skills they are developing that will support them in internships and research settings.

We will discuss the following aspects of our assessment strategy: 

• Learning outcomes-based formative assignments 
• Multiple ways and opportunities for students to demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes 
• Design and implementation of assignment-specific scoring rubrics that communicate criteria that are directly aligned with learning outcomes 
• The Canvas Learning Mastery Gradebook data insights that promote responsive learner-centered instruction  
• Student involvement in their own learning process, as evidenced in their perceptions (based on mid-semester survey) of how formative assessment and feedback support their growth 
• Lessons learned, potential for learning improvement across a curriculum, and future efforts 

Our formative assessment strategy offers a more equitable learning experience where learners can achieve success, regardless of varying pre-requisite knowledge or experience. 

Standard rubrics are designed with only criteria for course assignment grading, but by using dual rubrics, which align those criteria with learning outcomes that are authentic and align with both a STEM curriculum and with professional skills, we help students make critical connections to and feel confident about their ability to apply for and work in internships and research settings.

Goals of the Presentation: 

• Explore a formative assessment strategy that promotes a supportive, growth-oriented learning environment in a STEM course 
• Implement Canvas Outcomes and Rubrics to gather data to better inform instruction and improve student learning outcomes 
• Consider how data can support learning across a STEM curriculum

Presenters:

• Natalya Voloshchuk, Assistant Teaching Professor, Rutgers University
• Karen Harris, Senior Instructional Designer and Assessment Specialist, Rutgers University

University Hall, Event Room

The presentation, Navigating the Future: The Implications of AI for Next-Generation Education explores the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on education. It begins by defining key AI terms such as Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Neural Networks, and discusses the growing use of AI tools like ChatGPT among students for academic tasks. The presentation highlights the challenges and opportunities of integrating technology into education, categorizing adoption methods as intentional, accidental, or unilateral, with the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating unilateral adoption due to necessity.

The presentation emphasizes the disruptive nature of technological innovations in education, which often clash with the system’s inherent stability. I raise concerns about AI’s potential to depersonalize learning, leading to cognitive de-skilling, and creating a sense of futility among students and educators. However, I also outline four essential tasks for educators in the AI era: curating, contextualizing, creating, and collaborating.

The presentation underscores the importance of equity in AI integration, addressing informational, technological, cultural, and linguistic disparities. I argue that educators must focus on humanistic ends, ensuring that AI is used deliberately and equitably to benefit all students. I conclude by asserting that the purpose of technology, like education, is human liberation, urging educators to prepare students for the future rather than clinging to outdated practices. The presentation calls for a re-imagination of education in the age of AI, balancing innovation with equity and human connection.

Presenter:

• Steven D’Agustino, Senior Director for Online Programs, Fordham University

University Hall, Chancellor’s Suite

This session will explore the blueprint development of high-quality short courses while embedding quality course design badges. 

Participants will learn how to:

• Identify quality criteria for designing courses.
• Establish clear learning objectives and outcomes that align with industry standards and learner needs.
• Address regular and substantive interactions in online asynchronous short courses.
• Incorporate a robust quality assurance framework to ensure course content consistency, accuracy, and relevance.
• Implement a meaningful quality badge system to recognize learner achievement and enhance the value proposition of your short courses.
• Gather data and continuously analyze learner feedback to improve course quality and effectiveness.

This session is ideal for instructional designers, online administrators, training managers, and educators who are looking to enhance the quality and impact of their short course offerings.

Key Takeaways:

• A practical framework for developing high-quality short courses.
• Strategies for incorporating quality assurance throughout the course development lifecycle.
• Best practices for designing and implementing effective quality badge systems.
• Actionable steps to improve learner engagement and course effectiveness.

Presenters:

• Dr. Amy Gaimaro, Dean of Innovative Delivery Methods, Molloy University
• Susan Watters, Associate Director of Blended and Online Learning, Molloy University

Jubilee Hall Atrium

Traditional higher education is struggling to keep pace with workforce demands, leading to widespread employer dissatisfaction and graduate regret. A growing number of companies now favor skills-based hiring over degree-based credentials, with 70% of job skills expected to change by 2030 due to AI and automation. Employers increasingly prefer hiring candidates with business-oriented or technical microcredentials that provide real-world experience and rapid upskilling. Reports from the Hult International Business School, World Economic Forum, and Work Change Report (2025) highlight that graduates often feel unprepared for the workforce, while HR leaders note the high cost of training them. Microcredentials offer a solution by closing the workforce gap, aligning learning with employer needs, and fostering lifelong learning. As businesses prioritize AI, data analytics, and soft skills, microcredentials are emerging as the future of education, providing professionals with the flexibility to adapt and thrive in an evolving job market.

Presenters:

• Michael Edmondson, Associate Provost, NJIT

University Hall, Event Room

Rowan University is undergoing a transformation in its approach to online education, shifting focus from traditional on-campus programs to scalable online offerings. This shift requires a realignment of resources, strategies, and course design to ensure a high-quality learning experience for all students. This session will explore how Rowan University is reshaping online education through a combination of strategic collaboration, program design, and faculty empowerment, ultimately fostering an engaging and dynamic learning environment for students and instructors alike.

Our learning strategy aligns with a flexible model, where instructors follow a standardized framework while being empowered to update and adapt their courses to meet the needs and interests of each learner group. This balance between consistency and adaptability fosters both reliability and innovation in the learning process.

Presenters:

• Mike Sunderhauf, Director of Instructional Design, Rowan University
• William McCool, Online Course Operations Coordinator, Rowan University

University Hall, Chancellor’s Suite

At Seton Hall University we have been experimenting with Virtual Reality since the release of the Google Cardboard Viewer in 2014. Our early experiences with stand-alone Google Cardboard led us to the workstation connected HTC Vive, which led us to the stand-alone Oculus Quest and Quest 2 devices.  The common thread had been designing and implementing a VR experience for a class of 20 – 30 students with one or two devices.  

In 2024 we were able to acquire a number of Meta Quest Pro devices, allowing for an entire class to participate in a virtual experience at the same time. During the 2024 Fall semester we launched a pilot program examining how we can best facilitate Virtual Reality experiences for graduate and undergraduate classes.  These experiences are informing our development of a Virtual Reality Showcase to formally introduce this technology to our faculty, along with examples of how this technology can be incorporated into various course topics.

This session will focus on the instructional designer’s perspective of evolving VR Technology, the introduction of the Quest for Business device management software, initial faculty and student experiences with the Meta Quest Pro devices, and future plans for expanded access and utilization. Suggestions for implementation will be shared. 

Presenters:

• Renee Cicchino, Director of Instructional Design & Training, Seton Hall University
• Riad Twal, Sr. Instructional Designer, Seton Hall University

Jubilee Hall Atrium

I have seen an increase in the number of English Language Learners (ELL) in my classroom, particularly students whose primary language is Spanish. I have incorporated the use of ChatGPT and Google Notebook into the daily functions of the class in order to make the mathematics more accessible. This has an added benefit of helping all the students in my course, including my students with official accommodations through the university. In this presentation, I will share my experiences with teaching in English and Spanish with the assistance of AI, primarily ChatGPT and Google Notebook. I will discuss the pros and cons of their uses and what my ELL students like and don’t like with each resource. 

Presenter:

• Grace E. Cook, PhD, Program Area Lead of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Montclair State University

University Hall, Event Room

Podcasts are a powerful tool for creating dialogue and disseminating innovative practices in higher education. They provide another method of community outreach and engagement. Podcasts invite your listeners to learn and listen at their convenience whether it is at the gym or during their commute. This session will explore how the Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center (TLTC) at Seton Hall launched a podcast series called Innovate and Educate to explore the intersection of technology and teaching. It highlights how topics such as technology integration, accessibility tools, and other innovations are transforming learning, improving student outcomes, and addressing classroom challenges. 

The podcast’s conversational format encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration, allowing faculty, instructional designers, staff, and administrators to share strategies for integrating technology with educational objectives. Topics range from leveraging accessibility tools to create inclusive learning environments, exploring the use of a wide variety of technology in assessments, to implementing digital tools that support active learning. By curating these stories, we create a resource that both informs and inspires our campus community to experiment with new approaches. 

Attendees will gain insights into the process of developing and sustaining a podcast, including identifying relevant resources, building an audience, and maintaining engagement. They will also learn how this initiative has strengthened institutional resiliency by fostering a culture of innovation and shared learning. This session will inspire participants to consider how podcasting could serve as a scalable, cost-effective strategy for their own institutions to spotlight success stories and support strategic goals. 

Presenter:

• Kate Sierra, Instructional Designer, Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center, Seton Hall University
• Ann Oro, Senior Instructional Designer, Seton Hall University

University Hall, Chancellor’s Suite

Many institutions approach accessibility in silos—relying on specialized offices rather than embedding responsibility across the entire campus. This session explores strategies for shifting to an integrated, institution-wide approach. We’ll discuss governance structures, training models, and change management strategies that empower all departments to play a role in accessibility. Attendees will gain practical insights on overcoming implementation barriers and fostering a culture that moves beyond compliance to true inclusivity.

Learning objectives:

• Identify strategies for distributing accessibility responsibility beyond specialized offices.
• Explore training models that equip different campus roles to support accessibility.
• Address common implementation barriers and change management challenges.
• Learn methods to measure cultural progress in institutional accessibility efforts.

Presenter:

• Laura M. Romeo, Ph.D., Director of Learning Innovation, Development, and Scholarship, Edge