Technology Enhanced Learning at the University of Minnesota

Billie Wahlstrom - As Vice Provost for Distributed Education and Instructional Technology, Billie Wahlstrom coordinates efforts to use instructional technology strategically and effectively to enhance teaching, learning, and outreach activities. She works with others in the SVPP's office to align University initiatives such as workforce development, career ladders with MnSCU, and the Metropolitan Education Strategy. She chairs the Technology-Enhanced Learning Council and is the University's representative to the State of Minnesota's Internet System for Education and Employment Knowledge (ISEEK). Wahlstrom is also a professor in the Department of Rhetoric.

Megan Anderson - Megan serves as the executive administrative assistant for Vice Provost Billie Wahlstrom. She also provides support to the TEL Team in planning meetings and events, such as the April 2008 ADEC Conference. Megan received her BA in Liberal Arts in 2000 and is thrilled to be back in the University of Minnesota community.

Tara Belter - Tara is a student in the College of Pharmacy. Tara's main responsibility with the TEL Team is maintaining the TEL and Lifelong Learning news channels. She enjoys working with the TEL Team on projects and is actively involved in promoting TEL by maintaining display cases at the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost.

Sandra Ecklein - Sandra is a Portal Manager and works with technology literacy, repositories of online learning and other distance education, portal views, and research studies on the effective use of technology in teaching. She also serves as coordinator for the University's Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) project for all units outside of the Academic Health Center. She has a B.A. in English and a master's degree in liberal studies. She has worked at the U of M since 1996.

Sue Engelmann - Sue is an Associate to the Vice Provost in the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost (SVPP). Sue's major responsibilities include working with Vice Provost Billie Wahlstrom to implement her strategic initiatives in distributed education and technology enhanced learning to use instructional technology strategically and effectively to enhance teaching, learning, and outreach activities. Before joining central administration eight years ago, Sue worked as an Extension Educator in south central Minnesota in community economic development, leadership and organizational development. Sue has a B.A. in Home Economics and a Masters in Education, both from the University of Minnesota.

Amanda Rondeau - Amanda is responsible for coordinating strategic initiatives that enhance the University's ability to effectively use technology to improve teaching, learning, and outreach activities. Prior to joining the University in 2006, Amanda was an instructional designer and multimedia producer, using technology to enhance and expand youth development programs at organizations across the country. Amanda has a B.A. in English literature from the College of St. Catherine and a master’s certificate in technology enhanced learning from the University of Minnesota.

Bob Rubinyi - Bob's main area of responsibility for the TEL Team is the Digital Campus initiative which seeks to provide students with transparent access to the University's online and non-credit offerings. This initiative includes improved non-credit registration, enhanced integration with course management applications, and acquisition of a constituent relationship management system to better serve students, faculty, and staff. Bob also serves as an Extension Professor with the University of Minnesota where his past projects have included co-authoring a federal grant demonstrating how the Internet could be used to promote economic development in rural Minnesota and helping to found the national Extension Children, Youth and Families Education and Research Network (CYFERnet). Bob received his B.A. from the University of California, San Diego and M.A. and PhD from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Chris Scruton - As part of the noncredit course initiative, Chris is developing templates and guidelines for instructors interested in creating materials to enhance their computer-mediated course offerings. He also works with the University of Minnesota Digital Media Center (within OIT), where he manages the technology-enhanced learning (TEL) grant and seminar programs and teaches short courses. Chris is completing a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication with a research focus on rhetorical uses of imagery, film, and other visual media.