American Scholars Press

Gabriele Strohschen, EdD, a native of Berlin (FRG), is Professor Emerita and a global adult educator who blends academic innovation with frontline social justice, spanning curriculum design at DePaul University to community servant leadership in disenfranchised Chicago communities. Having evaluated programs, trained teachers, and presented at professional associations across five continents, Dr. "G." continues driving international impact by leading local community advocacy projects and pioneering a global adult education collaborative. She has served American Scholars Press’ IFOTS since its inception. Gstrohsc@depaul.edu https://ifotscampus.com/

Vincent Wiggins, PhD, serves as Director of the Center for Faculty Development and Excellence at Southern California University of Health Sciences. He was Dean of Career and Continuing Education Programs at Harry S. Truman College and Dean of Instruction at Harold Washington College in Chicago, where he worked with faculty and staff to support students’ academic success. He earned his Doctorate of Education in Curriculum Design at DePaul University. His focus is on students’ academic success in higher education by using instructional technology and self-directed learning, as he researches multiple delivery modes for learning that include hybrid and online learning. Dr. Wiggins serves his profession as a member on the Board of Directors for the Association of College Administration (ACAD) and as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Youth Empowerment and Policy Project (YEPP). His leadership roles in these organizations further demonstrate his dedication to shaping future educational policies and practices. wiggins.vincent@gmail.com, https://ifotscampus.com/

Martin Wolfger, PhD, is the Vice President for Academic Affairs at Ivy Tech Community College, where he has served since 2004 in various faculty and administrative roles. Originally from Austria, Dr. Wolfger has lived in the U.S. since 1998 and holds advanced degrees from Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz (MS Psychology), Ball State University (MA Clinical Psychology), and Indiana State University (PhD Higher Education Administration). A Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), his expansive professional background includes work across university settings, counseling centers, correctional facilities, and behavior management agencies. mwolfger@ivytech.edu

Viktor Wang, EdD, is a globally recognized professor of education at California State University, San Bernardino, with expertise in career and technical education, lifelong learning, and artificial intelligence in pedagogy. He earned his EdD in CTE/Adult Education and E-Tech 4.0 from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He has authored and edited 288 peer-reviewed publications, including more than 80 refereed books, and has mentored more than 90 doctoral students to completion. His scholarship has been widely disseminated internationally and is held by major academic libraries and indexed in leading scholarly databases. He received the 2016 Presidential Award for Exceptional and Innovative Leadership from the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education and other awards for distinguished faculty achievement. His current scholarship focuses on future-ready education, the integration of general and career and technical education, and AI's transformation of teaching, learning, and global education systems. He is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of AI in Pedagogy, Innovation, and Learning Futures, a California State University-sponsored open-access journal. viktor.wang@csusb.edu

Stacy Hootman, PhD, currently serves as Assistant Vice President for Teaching & Learning, where she leads institutional efforts to advance instructional quality and faculty development. Her career has spanned secondary and higher education, including roles as a Lecturer at Indiana University and Assistant Professor at the University of Indianapolis, where she taught physics and elementary science methods courses. She has remained active in science education leadership through organizations such as INAAPT, HASTI, and NSTA, facilitating workshops and presentations for educators. At Ivy Tech Community College, she has served as an adjunct faculty member and, more recently, in academic leadership roles, including inaugural dean at the Hamilton County campus and Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Dr. Hootman received her PhD in Curriculum & Instruction from Ohio State University, and MAEd from Ball State University, and an MS from. Indiana University. smccorma@ivytech.edu

Ivy Tech Community College’s 2023–2025 strategic plan, Higher Education at the Speed of Life, identified “Promote Effective Teaching & Learning” as Goal 1. Although the institution had long prioritized student success and instructional excellence, it had not previously established a shared institutional vision or framework for teaching and learning. One strategic initiative therefore focused on developing a collective Framework for Teaching and Learning to guide instructional practice, faculty development, and student engagement across the college.

This article examines the collaborative and cross-functional process used to develop the framework, including faculty and stakeholder engagement throughout its creation. It explores the seven identified elements of teaching and learning (i.e., Resources & Support, Design & Development, Delivery & Engagement, Community & Connection, Recognition & Celebration, Iteration & Reflection, and Growth & Innovation), and discusses the initial and future applications of the framework across the institution, and concludes with a reflection honoring the faculty whose work inspired and informed its development. The article is presented as a reflective personal narrative that blends institutional storytelling with practical insight into large-scale framework development in higher education.

teaching and learning framework, faculty development, institutional strategic planning, collaborative framework development, instructional design and pedagogy, community college education, reflective practice

Julie Allee, MA, is Assistant Dean of Academic Success and Development at Ivy Tech Community College, South Bend/Elkhart campus. She holds an MA in Communication from the University of Central Missouri. She has more than 20 years of experience teaching communication courses at the college level across multiple institutions. Ms. Allee’s experiences as both a first-generation student and faculty member have shaped her longstanding interest in understanding what helps students feel confident, supported, and capable of succeeding in college. In her current role, she supports faculty and academic leaders through professional development and initiatives focused on teaching, learning, and student success. Her professional interests include the scholarship of teaching and learning, inclusive and transparent course design, faculty development, and translating educational research into practical strategies that can be applied across disciplines. She is particularly interested in how intentional course design and instructional practices can reduce barriers to learning and help students navigate the transition to college. Jallee@IvyTech.edu

This reflective essay grew out of a question I have carried throughout my teaching: when students do not ask questions, does that mean they understand, or does it mean I cannot see their confusion? In my own courses, I often encounter silence where I might expect uncertainty. Students submit work, follow directions, and move through the course, yet I still wonder what struggles remain unspoken. Over time, I have come to realize that silence is an unreliable indicator of understanding and that much of what students experience in a course is not visible to the instructor.

This essay is not a research study, but a practice-based reflection on how that uncertainty has shaped my approach to course design. I reflect on the ways I try to respond to what I cannot see by making expectations more explicit, organizing courses consistently, communicating in multiple ways, and helping students connect learning to real purposes. Ultimately, the essay suggests that when we cannot fully know where confusion exists, our responsibility is not to assume clarity, but to design learning environments that make it more likely.

student confusion, course design, transparency, higher education pedagogy

Craig Brewer, PhD, is the Educational Technology Coordinator at Ivy Tech Community College, Lake County, where he works with faculty on course design, LMS support, and emerging instructional modalities like generative AI. He holds a PhD in English and taught online for fifteen years before shifting from teaching to the work of improving how it gets delivered. He still teaches a bit of English and philosophy to try out new tools on very old material. cbrewer121@ivytech.edu

Justin Dammeier, MEd, is Assistant Vice President of Educational Technology and Instructional Design, Ivy Tech Community College. He earned an MEd from Indiana Wesleyan University and a BS in Secondary Science Education from Indiana University. Dr. Dammeier provides statewide leadership for the college's learning management system, educational technology, instructional design, digital accessibility, and online course development. A former high school biology teacher and K12 technology leader, he focuses on scalable, evidence-informed approaches that improve access, support faculty, and strengthen student learning across instructional modalities. jdammeier2@ivytech.edu

Annie Gray, MA, currently serves as Dean of the School of Arts, Sciences, and Education and Teaching and Learning, Ivy Tech Community College at Bloomington. Prior to becoming Dean, she served in a variety of roles on the Bloomington campus, including as longtime Chair of the English Department, her academic discipline. She received an MA in English from Indiana University and is currently working on a PhD in Educational Leadership.agray@ivytech.edu

Stacy Hootman, PhD, currently serves as Assistant Vice President for Teaching & Learning, where she leads institutional efforts to advance instructional quality and faculty development. Her career has spanned secondary and higher education, including roles as a Lecturer at Indiana University and Assistant Professor at the University of Indianapolis, where she taught physics and elementary science methods courses. She has remained active in science education leadership through organizations such as INAAPT, HASTI, and NSTA, facilitating workshops and presentations for educators. At Ivy Tech Community College, she has served as an adjunct faculty member and, more recently, in academic leadership roles, including inaugural dean at the Hamilton County campus and Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Dr. Hootman received her PhD in Curriculum & Instruction from Ohio State University, and MAEd from Ball State University, and an MS from. Indiana University. smccorma@ivytech.edu

Angela Sparkman, MEd, is Professor in Life Sciences and Health Sciences and Assistant Faculty Lead for Life Sciences for IvyOnline at Ivy Tech Community College. She also leads professional development for IvyOnline. She received an MEd from the University of Illinois and an MS from Clemson University. She is currently completing her dissertation for an EdD in Higher Education and Adult Learning from Walden University. With nearly 20 years in higher education, Angela has taught courses in health sciences, life sciences, IVYT (student success), and general studies capstone. She has published The Immune System, chapter 12 in the textbook Anatomy and Physiology for Health Professions (J. Bubb Jr., Cengage, 2021), and has written freelance content for GWInc., Lumina Datamatics Ltd., and other organizations. Her research focuses on professional development, online education, and adult learning. asparkman3@ivytech.edu

Amanda Wilkerson, BS, is an Assistant Faculty Lead for the IvyOnline School of IT and Applied AI Curriculum Committee Lead at Ivy Tech Community College. Her roles span statewide curriculum governance, online modality advocacy, and faculty development for IT programs. She received her BS in Business Management from Harrison College and is completing her MS in Learning Experience Design and Educational Technology at Western Governors University. Her recent work includes leading efforts to identify AI competency gaps in IT curriculum, designing the Applied AI credential pathway, and building courses related to emerging AI topics. She is currently developing the Judgment-Centered Learning model, an emerging framework for prioritizing human judgment in an AI-driven educational landscape. In her community, she serves on the boards of county leadership organizations and volunteers as a STEM Mentor with an elementary robotics team. amccoy87@ivytech.edu

Purposeful and Practical: Teaching with AI at Ivy Tech was a ten-session faculty development series delivered across two eight-week terms in a statewide, multi-campus community college system. The series was built in direct response to faculty who, after a prior AI book club, asked for direction around concrete classroom practice. This practitioner case study describes the design of the series, which scaffolded participants from articulating an AI teaching philosophy through student-facing conversation, tool demonstrations, course design, AI-resilient assignment redesign, and disciplinary adaptation. We describe the risk-aware guardrails the planning committee adopted in the absence of formal college policy, the portable frameworks introduced across sessions, and post-series survey outcomes indicating increased faculty confidence and shifted attitudes toward appropriate AI use. Sustainability structures, including a companion website and a faculty learning community, extended the series beyond its final session. We close with adaptation guidance for institutions of different sizes and contexts.

generative artificial intelligence, faculty development, community colleges, academic integrity, instructional design

Rebecca Conley, EdD, serves as Dean for the Schools of Business, Logistics, and Supply Chain, Public Affairs, Social Sciences, and Academic Support Services at Ivy Tech Community College in Richmond. She holds an EdD in Higher Education Leadership from American College of Education and has focused her career on building strong teaching and learning practices, supporting faculty growth, and advancing student success. She has led efforts in faculty development, teaching and learning, and curriculum redesign to meet workforce needs. Her leadership includes guiding the transition to 8-week courses, strengthening dual credit partnerships with high schools, and designing professional development frameworks that emphasize engagement, instructional quality, and measurable outcomes. A first-generation college student, Dr. Conley is passionate about helping students discover their purpose and achieve their goals. Her journey in higher education fuels her commitment to access, equity, and transformation in the classroom and beyond. rkeen1@ivytech.edu

Community colleges across the United States continue to face declining student retention rates, a problem with far-reaching implications for student success and institutional sustainability. This qualitative exploratory case study investigated students' perceptions and beliefs about how building relationships with faculty influences their desire to persist at a community college in rural Indiana. Grounded in Tinto's Integration Framework (1997) and Pascarella and Terenzini's Impact Theory (2005), this study employed purposeful sampling to recruit 15 participants who had completed at least one semester of coursework. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participant questionnaires conducted via Zoom during Spring 2022. Thematic analysis using NVivo software identified four overarching themes: (a) positive faculty characteristics influence retention, (b) faculty communication influences retention, (c) barriers to faculty-student relationships, and (d) other institutional influences on retention. Findings indicate that students place significant value on faculty who are welcoming, accessible, and proactive in their communication.

Conversely, student mental health challenges, low self-esteem, and faculty behaviors perceived as dismissive were identified as significant barriers to persistence. Implications for community college leaders include the integration of faculty professional development focused on relationship-building, emotional intelligence, and advocacy-oriented pedagogy. This study addresses a critical gap in the literature regarding student-faculty relational dynamics at rural community colleges.

community college retention, student-faculty relationships, qualitative case study, Tinto's Integration Framework, persistence, rural higher education

Courtney Kallenberger, MBA, serves as Department Chair for Healthcare Specialist in Health Sciences at Ivy Tech Community College, where she provides leadership for healthcare programs and supports faculty and student success initiatives. She earned an MBA from Western Governors University and a BS of Applied Science from Indiana University. Ms. Kallenberger is currently pursuing an EdD in Organizational Leadership. Her research focuses on community college student success, accelerated learning, healthcare education, and student persistence. She has been recognized through publication in FACET Quick Hits for creativity in the classroom and was honored as an Influential Woman in 2026 for her contributions to higher education and healthcare workforce development. cstephenson15@ivytech.edu

As community colleges increasingly implement accelerated course formats to meet workforce demands, improve access, and respond to shifting institutional and environmental pressures, faculty are challenged to maintain instructional quality within compressed timeframes. This practice-based article examines the instructional decision-making, course design adjustments, and delivery strategies used in transitioning Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) courses from traditional 16-week to accelerated 8-week formats at a Midwestern community college. Grounded in adult learning theory and cognitive load principles, the article provides a brief contextual overview of the institutional rationale for adopting accelerated offerings, including workforce alignment, student demand, and flexibility for adult learners. It further explores how course standards, learning objectives, and academic rigor were preserved despite reduced instructional time.

Presented as a reflective and expository piece, the article highlights real-world examples of how instructors modified content pacing, instructional methods, and assessment strategies to support student learning in accelerated environments. Through practitioner-informed insights, vignettes, and applied strategies, the article emphasizes the challenges of implementation and the necessity of intentional course design when working with adult learners across varying stages of development. Recommendations are provided for faculty and institutions to guide planning, delivery, and continuous improvement of accelerated courses while maintaining student success and instructional integrity. This work contributes to the evolving conversation on balancing access, efficiency, and quality in constrained educational contexts.

accelerated learning, adult education, community college, course design, workforce education

Nikki Kyle, DHSc, serves as Assistant Professor and Program Chair for Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne – Respiratory Therapy. She earned her Doctorate in Health Sciences from the University of Indianapolis, an MS from the University of Cincinnati, an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan, and a BS in Respiratory Therapy from the University of Missouri. She brings 20 years of clinical experience working as a Registered Respiratory Therapist - Adult Critical Care Specialist (RRT-ACCS) to her teaching practice. Teaching non-traditional students is one of the most meaningful parts of her work as a community college educator. Their diverse life experiences, determination, and resilience enrich every classroom discussion and remind me why accessible, flexible education matters. nkyle@ivytech.edu

Non-traditional students often manage work, family, and academic responsibilities, creating unique challenges that shape their learning. Community colleges help meet these needs through lower tuition, smaller class sizes, and faculty who understand the realities these students face. This study examined the experiences of faculty teaching non-traditional, allied health students in community colleges to better understand how to create classroom environments that support a diverse population. Using a basic qualitative interpretive design, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with faculty from Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, recruited through purposeful criterion sampling. Thematic analysis was used to identify commonalities in teaching styles and classroom experiences. Five themes emerged: community, positive experiences with non-traditional students, classroom experiences, emotional consciousness, and ideas for support. Faculty regularly emphasized that hands-on, active learning approaches are most effective for non-traditional students.

allied health, community college, non-traditional student, traditional students

Cody Mullins, PhD, currently serves as Associate Professor of English and Program Chair for General Studies and Liberal Arts at Ivy Tech Community College - Kokomo, where he has taught for nearly two decades. earned his doctorate in American Literature from Ball State University, an MA in Rhetoric and Composition from Marshall University, and a BA in Creative Writing from Ohio University. His primary research interests are Appalachian Literature and Ecofeminism. His prose and poetry have been published in The Southampton Review, Apogee, Parentheses, and Infinite Rust. His latest work, the speculative Appalachian short story "Ashes in the Water," will be published in the These Dreaming Hills fiction anthology in Fall 2026. cmullins21@ivytech.edu

Online instruction has transformed feedback from a conversation into an asynchronous document: marginal comments, rubric scores, and recorded responses embedded in learning management systems. Generative AI has not created this impoverishment so much as exposed a deficiency already present in these forms of recognition. I argue that the medieval practice of oral defense offers an alternative model. In the disputatio, students demonstrated knowledge through real-time dialogue, responding to questions and challenges before an interlocutor. My claim is not nostalgic. Rather, oral defense provides a form of recognition fundamentally resistant to automation: it requires the student to be present in their knowledge, not merely to have produced an artifact of it. Drawing on my experience adapting oral defense techniques in a community college setting and on the history of the disputatio, I argue that genuine recognition cannot be reduced to written evaluation or AI-generated feedback. What is at stake, in short, is whether recognition names an encounter or merely a score.

oral defense, disputatio, AI, feedback, recognition

Jamie Purcell, EdD, is Associate Professor of Business Administration at Ivy Tech Community College where she also serves at Department Chair for the Office Administration and Technology and Visual Communications programs. She holds a BA in Journalism from Western Kentucky University, an MA in Higher Education Administration from Florida State University, and both an MBA in Business Administration and an EdD in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern Indiana. Her research interests include higher education administration topics related to management and marketing. Her recent work appears in Studies in Higher Education. Her professional background spans higher education work including academic and career advising, corporate and foundation relations, grant writing, and leading nationally competitive prestigious fellowship endeavors. She also serves as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission. jpurcell26@ivytech.edu

Sara Fehrenbacher, MBA, is Associate Professor of Business Administration and Accounting at Ivy Tech Community College in Evansville. Her other roles include Department Chair for the Business Administration and Accounting programs and Faculty Council Chairperson. She holds a BA in Business Administration and Spanish Studies and an MBA, all from the University of Southern Indiana. Before joining Ivy Tech in 2018, she worked in student financial assistance and gained industry experience in lending and banking. Her project experience includes curriculum development, Value Stream Mapping, and online student engagement. Her current research focuses on integrating artificial intelligence into business education while maintaining academic rigor to prepare students for evolving workforce expectationsSfehrenbacher2@ivytech.edu

As generative artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly permeated modern existence, educators have grappled with whether and how to integrate use of this ubiquitous technology into the curriculum. Even those institutions who have been receptive to AI adoption as an enabling technology have struggled to discern whether it should be used in tandem with existing course learning outcomes or as a specific skill to be taught. In this article, the authors synthesize considerations in the implementation of AI into the curriculum of a community college business program utilizing the stakeholder model of corporate social responsibility as a framework. A stakeholder analysis, a common tool used in both project management and policy analysis, is presented. This analysis identifies the relevant stakeholder groups and discusses their respective interests and perspectives on the topic. Finally, the authors discuss considerations in the application of this analysis across business programs more broadly.

generative artificial intelligence, stakeholder model of corporate social responsibility, stakeholder theory, stakeholder analysis, business program curriculum

Roshun Radford, MS, serves as Associate Professor of Communication at Ivy Tech, where she has been a dedicated faculty member since 2015. She is also IvyOnline’s Assistant Faculty Lead for Communication and World Languages. Ms. Radford earned her Master Degree from Murray State University. Having started her own academic journey at a community college in her hometown, Ms. Radford has a deep passion for the community college mission. She firmly believes in the transformative power of communication studies and the impact cultivating human skills can have on student success and development. Alongside teaching, she actively mentors student leaders and conducts research on online faculty mentorship. rradford4@ivytech.edu

Joe Betz, MFA, currently serves as Professor of English and Assistant Faculty Lead for IvyOnline. He holds a MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Missouri – St. Louis, and a BA in English Studies from Ball State University. Mr. Betz started as a full-time faculty at the IVY Tech Bloomington campus in 2013. He is passionate about faculty mentorship and providing leadership for IvyOnline biggest area with more than 150 faculty and more than 13,000 student seats annually. His research interests include composition studies, developmental writing, and contemporary American and French poetry. rbetz2@ivytech.edu

Carmin Burrell, PhD, is Associate Professor of Chemistry and Assistant Faculty Lead for Physical Sciences for IvyOnline at Ivy Tech Community College. She earned her PhD in Chemistry from Michigan State University and her BS in Chemistry from University of Michigan-Flint. Dr. Burrell has been with the College since 2016. She began her career at the Columbus campus where she served as Department Chair for three years before moving to IvyOnline part-time in 2020 and full-time in 2021. She was a President’s Award for Excellence in Instruction winner for 2017. Dr. Carmin has a passion for online physical science education and sees it as an opportunity for the students. cburrell9@ivytech.edu

Erin Lehman, MA, is Professor of English at Ivy Tech Community College, where she has taught for 15 years. She earned her MA in English at Loyola University. She also serves as IvyOnline’s Faculty Lead for Arts, Sciences, and Education. In her current role, she supports online faculty and students, serving 40,000 student seats (duplicated headcount) each semester. She was president for CWPA (2025-2026) and co-facilitated the CWPA Summer Workshop (2022-2023). Ms. Lehman’s work centers on online teaching and learning, and has been published in various journals and books. elehman4@ivytech.edu

Angela Sparkman, MEd, is Professor in Life Sciences and Health Sciences and Assistant Faculty Lead for Life Sciences for IvyOnline at Ivy Tech Community College. She also leads professional development for IvyOnline. She received an MEd from the University of Illinois and an MS from Clemson University. She is currently completing her dissertation for an EdD in Higher Education and Adult Learning from Walden University. With nearly 20 years in higher education, Angela has taught courses in health sciences, life sciences, IVYT (student success), and general studies capstone. She has published The Immune System, chapter 12 in the textbook Anatomy and Physiology for Health Professions (J. Bubb Jr., Cengage, 2021), and has written freelance content for GWInc., Lumina Datamatics Ltd., and other organizations. Her research focuses on professional development, online education, and adult learning. asparkman3@ivytech.edu

Jacquelyn Clapper-Erpelding, MS, is Assistant Faculty Lead for Biology and Student Success with IvyOnline at Ivy Tech Community College. She earned an MS in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Indiana State University and a BS in Education from Indiana University. With more than 15 years of experience in higher education, Jacquelyn is passionate about helping students develop the skills, confidence, and connections they need to thrive in college. In her work with IvyOnline, she collaborates with faculty to enhance courses and create meaningful learning experiences that support students throughout their academic journey. jclapper@ivytech.edu

Brent Holt, MBA, started as Adjunct Faculty in 2003, became an Assistant Professor in 2011, and now serves as Associate Professor of Economics, teaching Fundamentals of Economics, Principles of Macroeconomics, and Principles of Microeconomics at the Indianapolis campus. He is the Assistant Faculty Lead for Social Sciences with IvyOnline. He earned an MBA in Finance and Organizational Management from the University of Colorado and a BS in Economics from DePauw University. Before joining Ivy Tech, Mr. Holt worked in Market Research, Marketing, and Sales and Strategy for the Indiana Department of Labor and several corporations producing engine and transmission components for the automotive and industrial equipment markets. Because of his business experience, he is primarily focused on Microeconomics, and actively follows Marketing and Consumer trends. He enjoys the outdoors, is an avid cyclist, and enjoys skiing and hiking. bholt@ivytech.edu

Doug Lalama, MA, is currently the Associate Professor of Psychology and Assistant Faculty Lead for Behavioral Sciences at Ivy Tech Community College (OCC), where he has been a dedicated faculty member since 2008. He served as Adjunct Faculty at the Indianapolis campus and now teaches at the Gary/Lake County campus. Mr. Lalama has been active in the development of the online program, developing nine IvyOnline courses. He earned his MA in 1981 from Wayne State University and did doctoral work at Capella University. In 2019, he was awarded the President’s Award for Excellent in Teaching as a member of Ivy Tech’s Lake County campus. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, Mr. Lalama is deeply committed to serving students and changing their lives. dlalama@ivytech.edu

Amanda Purcell, PhD, is Associate Professor and Program Chair of Education at the Lawrenceburg campus of IVY Tech Community College and serves as the Assistant Faculty Lead for Early Childhood and Elementary Education for IvyOnline. Dr. Purcell received her PhD in Psychology with a specialization in Educational Psychology from Capella University. Her research focuses on problem-solving, critical thinking, and problem-based learning (PBL) in the classroom. Before joining Ivy Tech in 2017, Dr. Purcell spent 13 years teaching high school and dual credit English. apurcell15@ivytech.edu

Debbie Youse, MAT, is Associate Professor for Math and IvyOnline’s Assistant Faculty Lead. She earned her MA in Teaching Mathematics from Bowling Green State University. In 2008, she started at Ivy Tech’s Fort Wayne campus and transitioned to IvyOnline full-time in 2024, after serving part-time since 2021. She is known for her attention to detail and enjoys teaching math and experimenting with technology and passion about training faculty in using educational; technology to support their online students. dyouse@ivytech.edu

Joshua M. Phillippe is an artist and educator specializing in photo-based processes; Joshua has been a featured artist in The Indianapolis Review, So It Goes, the Literary Journal of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, Brooklyn Ink, a publication of the Columbia School of Journalism, and Studio, a quarterly produced by the Studio Museum in Harlem. He serves as Professor of Art and History in the School of Arts, Sciences, and Education at Ivy Tech Community College - Indianapolis Campus and as Assistant Faculty Lead for Humanities – IvyOnline. jphillippe2@ivytech.edu

In this collaboratively authored piece, authors examine the impact of the developmental education reform movement from the perspective of administrative community college faculty leading a large, centralized online unit at a statewide institution. This piece explores the individual, discipline-specific perspectives of a diverse group of liberal arts chairs as they reflect on published research and the ways their area–including student performance as well as faculty labor and attitudes–and shifts in developmental course access and placement. Additionally, the piece explores the relationship between online course outcomes; the impact of online modality; and student preparedness and under-preparedness.

developmental education, asynchronous instruction, reform, community college student success, co-requisite courses