Home » About the Center for Distributed Learning » Our Teams » Instructional Design Team Instructional Design Team The Instructional Design Team’s primary function is to promote the quality of online instruction at UCF. This is accomplished by facilitating the design and development of online courses through a combination of face-to-face interaction, just-in-time training, and ongoing professional development. Instructional Design Support Instructors who have completed IDL6543, OFRA, or equivalent credentialing programs are paired with a dedicated Instructional Designer (ID). Our IDs support faculty with professional development, personalized learning, and instructional design. How to get in touch with your ID Use the ID Lookup Tool and reach out directly, or submit a request for ID support. Rhiannon Pollard, Ph.D. Director, Instructional Designrhiannon@ucf.edu(407) 823-0689 Rhiannon leads the central team of Instructional Designers supporting faculty development, pedagogical consultation, and course quality for online teaching and learning. She holds a PhD in educational technology along with certificates in life coaching, transformational coaching, and death coaching. Her primary research focus centers on instructional designers in higher education—their professional identities, roles, challenges, supports, and professional development, and has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed articles and presentations on topics such as instructional design, online learning, faculty development, and student mentoring in online environments. Dominique Bailey Instructional Designerdominique.bailey2@ucf.edu More information coming soon! Sue Bauer, M.A. Instructional Designersue.bauer@ucf.edu(407) 823-3400 Sue’s undergraduate degree is in Elementary Education. While teaching, Sue realized she had an interest and skillfulness for technology adoption in the classroom setting. This concentration prompted her to pursue her MA in Instructional Technology and Instructional Systems at UCF. Before completing her MA, she interned with UCF’s Center for Distributed Learning and following her internship was offered a faculty position as an instructional designer. Sue has been an instructional designer with UCF since 2001. Her research interests include quality in online courses, professional development for online teaching, and mobile technologies in education. Sue has been a conference track reviewer for EDUCAUSE, ELI, AASCU and OLC and delivered special topic courses for them as well (Mobile, BlendKit, and online course development). Sue recently ventured out from her focused educational experiences and earned a Technology Ventures Graduate Certificate from UCF’s College of Business in 2017. Tina Calandrino, M.Ed. Instructional DesignerTina.Calandrino@ucf.edu (407) 823-2838 Native Floridian Tina Calandrino has worked as an educator in higher learning for over 25 years. She began her college career as Faculty at Miami-Dade College working with students in a new Macintosh Computer Writing Center. This set the tone for an interest in using computers for more practical educational purposes than just the desktop editing that existed in 1988. Today, her research interests in online learning include Competency-Based Education, Faculty Development, and Micro-Learning. You may run into Tina outside of work hours at Disney, learning defense tactics that will come in handy during the zombie apocalypse, and advocating for local farm to table purveyors. Efren de la Mora, Ph.D. Instructional Designerefren@ucf.edu407-823-0137 Dr. Efren de la Mora joined the instructional design team in April 2023. Efren is passionate about instructional design and educational technology and has a multidisciplinary background. He graduated with a bachelor’s in information systems and a master’s in learning technologies at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico. Efren earned a doctoral degree in education with a specialization in instructional design and technology from UCF. From 2020 to 2022, he served as a postdoctoral scholar at Rosen College of Hospitality Management conducting research and designing instruction/curriculum. His research interests include multimedia learning, learners’ creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, motivation, and engagement. Efren’s research works have been published in multiple journals, including Educational Technology, Research, and Development, Journal of Formative Designs in Learning, Psychology of Music, and the International Journal of Hospitality Management. Lily Dubach Instructional Designer@ucf.edu More information coming soon! Aimee deNoyelles, Ed.D. Instructional DesignerAimee@ucf.edu(407) 823-1675 Aimee graduated with a Doctor of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Instructional Design and Technology from the University of Cincinnati in 2011. She joined the Instructional Design team at CDL in 2011, and served as a team lead from 2017-2019, where her duties included overseeing the Quality Initiative as well as personnel management. Her research interests include online discussion strategies, as well as technology and gender. Dr. deNoyelles has published in several journals including Computers & Education, Online Learning, Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, and Journal of Special Education Technology. Susan Jardaneh, M.A. Instructional DesignerSusan.Spraker@ucf.edu407-823-5596 Susan Jardaneh earned a Masters of Fine Arts from UNC-Greensboro and a MA in Instructional Design & Technology, e-Learning from UCF. She is a former faculty member at UCF where she developed and designed online courses for the Creating Writing and Interdisciplinary Studies programs. Her research interests include quality online instruction, Universal Design for Learning teaching practices, and active learning strategies in online teaching and learning. Charlotte Jones-Roberts, Ed.D Instructional DesignerCharlotte.Jones-Roberts@ucf.edu(407) 823-4956 Charlotte joined UCF’s Center for Distributed Learning in 2017. She holds an Ed.D. in Instructional Design, an MA in Instructional Design and Technology, an MA in TESOL, and a BA in Psychology. Her career began in 2011 teaching elementary students in rural South Korea, followed by five years as a faculty member and curriculum coordinator at UCF Global’s English Language Institute. Her work now focuses on designing high-impact online courses and supporting faculty collaboration. Charlotte’s research interests include social presence, student anxiety in online learning, and the integration of emerging technologies like AI. She is also passionate about improving learning experiences and emphasizing the student voice. Rohan Jowallah, Ed.D. Instructional Designerrohan.jowallah@ucf.edu(407) 823-1674 Dr. Rohan Jowallah has worked in education for over twenty years. He has taught at various levels: elementary school, middle school, high school, and university. Prior to joining UCF’s Instructional Design Team, Rohan was employed as an Academic Program Planner by The University of The West Indies Open Campus. Rohan Jowallah holds an Ed.D. in Language and Literacy in Education from the University of Sheffield in England, ME.d. in Special Needs and Inclusion Studies from The Open University in England, BSc in Psychology from The Open University in England, PGC in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from the University of Wolverhamptom in England, and ASc in Secondary Education from Bethlehem Moravian College from Jamaica. Rohan has presented at several international conferences and has had several peer reviewed publications. He also has a published book chapter and continues to develop work for publication. He has also been a reviewer of several international journals. Debra Luken, M.A. Instructional DesignerDebra.Luken@ucf.edu(407) 823-4195 Debra joined the Instructional Design team in August 2018. She earned a Master’s degree in Instructional Design and Technology from UCF in 2013 and a Graduate Certificate in e-Learning from UCF in 2016. She worked with UCF’s Environmental Health and Safety department for over five years. During her time there she managed the EHS training program and worked with subject matter experts to design and build the university’s online and face-to-face safety training courses, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. Her research interests include blended learning for training environments, gamification strategies, and emerging technologies, such as augmented reality. As a Florida native she loves exploring all the wild, weird, and wonderful parts of the sunshine state. Caitlyn Misteri Instructional Designer@ucf.edu More information coming soon! Tracey Morrison, PhD Instructional Technology Specialist III@ucf.edu More information coming soon! Rebecca McNulty, Ph.D. Instructional DesignerRebecca.mcnulty@ucf.edu Rebecca McNulty is an instructional designer at the University of Central Florida’s Center for Distributed Learning, where she collaborates with faculty to create engaging, research-driven digital learning experiences at scale. She holds a PhD in English from the University of Florida and has extensive experience designing, developing, and teaching courses across multiple modalities. At UCF, she plays a key role in initiatives focused on artificial intelligence, open education, and adaptive learning. Her work and research explore the intersection of narrative theory and digital pedagogy, with particular attention to how artificial intelligence is reshaping student learning, authorship, and meaning-making in higher education. Amy Sugar, M.A. Instructional DesignerAmy.Sugar@ucf.edu Amy Sugar is an Associate Instructional Designer at the Center for Distributed Learning. She holds an M.A. in Instructional Design and Technology from the University of Central Florida and a B.A. in Music Education from Florida State University. Amy’s prior professional experience includes leading the Instructional Design & Technology Team at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL, teaching in an adjunct role at Rollins College, and teaching elementary music in Orange County Public Schools. Her areas of focus include professional development, accessibility, universal design for learning, and open educational resources. Nancy Swenson, M.A. Instructional Designernancy.swenson@ucf.edu(407) 823-4270 Nancy has been an instructional designer at the University of Central Florida since 2000. She has a M.A. degree in Educational Technology from the University of Central Florida and a B.S. from Florida International University in Business Education. Prior to working at UCF, she taught business education classes in the public school system for 13 years. She has also worked as an adjunct with Florida Virtual School, Valencia Community College, and the University of Central Florida. Her online teaching and learning research interests include adult learning theory, accessibility of online education, and universal design for learning. Nancy has presented and published on similar topics at a variety of conferences including: EDUCAUSE, EDUCAUSE Southeast, Online Learning Consortium Accelerate, SLOAN-Consortium International Conference on Online Learning, EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) Webinar, Florida Distance Learning Association (FDLA) Conference, Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Annual Conference, Accessing Higher Ground, and Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference (CSUN). Florence Williams, Ph.D. Instructional DesignerFlorence.Williams@ucf.edu(407) 823-0709 Florence joined the Instructional Design team in a full-time position in March 2021. In her current role, she engages in pedagogical faculty support. Before coming to UCF, Florence worked as the Professional Development Team Lead at the University of the West Indies. She was involved in faculty development, coaching, mentoring, and the design and development of online and blended courses. Florence has also worked in several faculty development roles to promote quality, technology, and curriculum integration. A Jamaican national affectionately called Flo, Florence, comes to the instructional design team with over 20 years of experience in Education and has taught online and in-person classes in public and private university settings. She is an editorial member of several Higher Education publications related to eLearning advancements. Her research interests include quality online course design and emerging technologies and their benefits for teaching and learning. Flo volunteers with Big Brother Big Sister of Tampa Bay outside of work and loves to spend time camping, hiking, and kayaking in the state parks on Florida’s Adventure Coast. Shelly Wyatt, Ph.D. Instructional DesignerShelly.Wyatt@ucf.edu(407) 823-4953 Dr. Shelly Wyatt joined the Center for Distributed Learning at UCF as a full-time instructional designer in November 2016. Before joining CDL, she spent more than 15 years teaching courses in the humanities at several colleges, including DeVry University, Valencia College, and Seminole State College. In addition, Shelly worked at Rollins College (Olin Library) and at the American Psychological Association (book publishing division). Shelly earned a bachelor’s degree in humanities from New College of Florida in 1991 and, four years later, a master’s of liberal studies degree from Rollins College. In 2013, Shelly received her PhD in Education (Instructional System Design) from UCF. Her research interests include online coaching and mentoring of dissertation students, second language acquisition and immersion through technology, and individualized faculty development. Personalized Adaptive Learning Team (PAL IDs) Baiyun Chen, Ph.D. Program Director, Personalized Adaptive Learning (PAL)baiyun.chen@ucf.edu(407) 823-3398 Dr. Baiyun Chen is a Senior Instructional Designer. She leads the Personalized Adaptive Learning instructional designers (PAL IDs), designs and delivers faculty professional development programs, and teaches graduate courses on Instructional Systems Design. Her team works in close collaboration with teaching faculty members to design and develop adaptive learning courses by utilizing digital courseware to personalize instruction that maximizes student learning. Her research interests focus on using instructional strategies in online and blended teaching in the STEM disciplines, professional development for teaching online, and application of adaptive technologies in education. On related topics of online instruction, she has published 23 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and editorial-reviewed articles and delivered more than 50 presentations at international and local conferences and events since 2006. Joseph Lloyd, Ed.D. Instructional DesignerJoseph.Lloyd@ucf.edu(407) 823-4942 Joseph Lloyd is an Instructional Designer at the University of Central Florida’s Center for Distributed Learning. He earned a BS in Information Technology from the University of Cincinnati (UC) in 2003 and an MEd in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Mathematics in 2009 from UC. In 2024, he completed his EdD in Instructional Design and Technology at UCF. Before joining CDL, Joseph taught for twelve years in Volusia and Seminole County Public Schools, as an Educational Technology Facilitator, and a classroom teacher teaching math and science in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. His passion for integrating Education and Technology, particularly in STEM, led him to UCF, where he joined the team that specializes in Personalized Adaptive Learning software and strategies in 2018. Jim Paradiso, M.Ed. Instructional Designerjames.paradiso@ucf.edu(407) 823-4907 James R. Paradiso is a senior instructional designer at the University of Central Florida. His main areas of research and professional specialization involve investigating how principles from the learning sciences and data analytics can be applied to improve educational outcomes at the postsecondary level. Jessica Tojo, M.A. Instructional DesignerJessica.Tojo@ucf.edu(407) 823-3019 Jessica Tojo is an Instructional Designer at the University of Central Florida’s Center for Distributed Learning (CDL). Jessica earned a B.S. degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Central Florida in 2007 and taught elementary school for eight years. Her interest to enhance learning through the integration of technology led her to pursue an M.A. in Educational Technology which she received from UCF in 2011. Her research interests include personalized adaptive learning, the use of OER materials, and quality of online courses.
