Learning by design
Instructional designers and faculty cultivate deeper learning through innovative course design
With each passing semester, teaching in the higher education environment becomes more and more complicated. Students are evolving, bringing with them a wider range of learning styles, cultural backgrounds and academic preparedness levels. Technology is advancing more rapidly, requiring faculty to navigate a plethora of digital tools, learning platforms and hybrid learning models. Adding to the complexity is the increasing difficulty of assessing learning in the midst of generative artificial intelligence and growing threats to academic integrity.
The College of Public Health and Health Professions rises to meet this challenge though a group of instructional designers who blend educational theory with practical application to help faculty craft courses that not only meet academic standards, but also resonate with today’s learners.
Truly Hardemon, M.Ed., leads the team of instructional designers and multimedia specialists who are playing a crucial role in PHHP’s forward-thinking educational environment. A decade ago, PHHP made a commitment to designing most courses in a blended learning format to encourage more meaningful classroom experiences. In a blended learning model like the flipped classroom, students watch instructors’ lectures online outside of the classroom. Class time is used for hands-on activities, case studies and discussion with the instructor.
“We help faculty help students succeed,” said Lior Flum, Ed.S., an instructional designer. “We help faculty do that by being more effective, more efficient and more engaging to create better quality learning environments.”
This philosophy is at the heart of PHHP’s mission to prepare students for diverse health and public health careers.
“Being embedded in this particular college, especially with so many champions and advocates around us helps us to take some cautious risks that we might not otherwise be able to take,” Hardemon said. “We can try new things and build good strong relationships with the faculty and learn from them as much as they’re learning from us.”
Flum said PHHP also stands out for its ability to support personal and professional growth in faculty, staff and students.
“It is a nurturing environment, which allows us to nurture others,” he said.
This fall, the college unveiled a revamped and expanded recording studio to enhance faculty lecture recordings and better integrate new technology into courses, enriching the student learning experiences.
“This new technology allows us to contribute to a positive learning experience for the students,” said Shena Hays, multimedia and video specialist. “Faculty are able to not just give information, but to draw the students in and create an environment where students are more likely to absorb the information.”
Hays monitors video production trends, such as new AI video tools, and YouTube viewership among young adults to inform her collaborations with faculty.
“We take the best of what’s in style with our students and mesh that with high quality production to create course videos that are exciting and meaningful for students,” Hays said.
In addition, building on Hardemon and Flum’s successes, the college has added two more instructional designers, Tiffany Matyas, M.Ed., and Meredith Nappy, M.P.H., to the team. Directed by George Hack, Ph.D., the college’s associate dean for educational affairs, the instructional design group is often described by many PHHP faculty as a college “gem” and an invaluable resource.
Multimedia and video specialist Shena Hays produces
a recording for Dr. Brittney Dixon-Daniel’s course.
New studio features include an infinity green screen
for sophisticated virtual backgrounds, new software
to enhance creativity and a separate control room
that allows the director and technical crew to monitor
recordings in real-time and make instant adjustments.
Photo by Betsy Brzezinski
From classic roots to cutting-edge advances
Hardemon’s journey into instructional design began outside academia, where her approach to providing medical education was limited to traditional tools like PowerPoint presentations and quizzes. Seeking more, she pursued a Master of Education with a specialization in educational technology and instructional design from UF.
“[I learned] we can greatly improve by making learning happen ‘because of’ rather than ‘in spite of,’” Hardemon said.
Since joining PHHP in 2013, Hardemon has used her instructional design and course production expertise to collaborate with faculty on in-person and online courses, implement and support new technologies, and develop materials within the Canvas learning management system.
Flum has worked at PHHP for more than five years and has a background in instructional design and technology.
In 2023, he identified a need among faculty and students for an improved feedback tool and discovered FeedbackFruits as a promising solution. This user-friendly tool integrates with Canvas to offer students structured opportunities for self and peer feedback. Flum’s successful grant proposal led to the implementation of the technology across campus. In the past year, nearly 10,000 students in PHHP and 13 other UF colleges have used the tool to more easily and effectively provide feedback to their peers.
Both Hardemon and Flum have been awarded the college’s Employee of the Year award for their contributions to course development and student learning.
Hardemon said PHHP’s strong instructional design team enables better support for faculty learning interests, improves blended learning models, and allows for smoother integration of technology into courses.
“We are trying to build a cohesive vision for what teaching looks like in public health and the health professions,” she said.
A fresh take on course design
Photo by Lindsay Gamble
Adaptability is vital in today’s rapidly shifting educational landscape.
“There’s a constant need to adjust to emerging student needs and technological advancements,” Flum said.
Richard Tovar, M.S., an instructional assistant professor for undergraduate programs, embodies adaptability in education. After two decades of teaching at Santa Fe College, Tovar joined UF as a full-time instructor in spring 2024, bringing a wealth of experience to undergraduate courses like Introduction to Health Professions (HSC 2000) and Public Health Concepts (PHC 4101).
Since then, Tovar has worked closely with the instructional design team to bring life to Public Health Concepts, focusing on meaningful student-instructor and peer-to-peer interaction.
“Students don’t need to be supplied with vast amounts of content anymore; much of it is readily available,” Tovar said. “So for Public Health Concepts, we shifted our focus from merely delivering content to fostering student engagement, encouraging students to actively seek out and discuss information.”
The course, developed with input from Hardemon, is centered on student-created study guides and interactive project- and problem-based learning. During the semester, students must specialize in different public health domains and create study guides for their peers, inspiring collaborative teaching and learning.
Regular, meaningful interactions with students bolster Tovar’s approach.
“Before students share their study guides, they meet with me,” he said.
The strategy has been a game-changer. Students are more engaged, ask insightful questions, and value the course’s purposeful interactions.
“This approach cuts out the busy work and significantly boosts teaching effectiveness,” Tovar said. “Overall, collaborating with the instructional design team has transformed the learning experience, making it more rewarding for students.”
Tovar is eager to leverage PHHP’s new recording studio to enhance his course further. He and Hays have been brainstorming ideas to incorporate a late night talk show look to his recordings to make the content engaging and interesting to students.
“The studio is truly impressive,” Tovar said. “It features high-quality equipment, including a green screen and walls designed for seamless background filming. The sound quality is exceptional — it’s a top-notch setup.”
A tech-infused learning landscape
Dr. Lindsey King, program director of social and behavioral sciences, introduces a small group activity in her Theoretical Foundations of Public Health class. “The instructional design team has helped me to become a stronger instructor and continuously supported me to help me make my courses better,” she said.
Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Gaia Zori, Ph.D., M.P.H., CHES, a clinical assistant professor in the college’s public health programs, teaches courses in the Master of Public Health, specifically within social and behavioral sciences, where she serves as concentration coordinator. She teaches a range of online and on-campus undergraduate and graduate courses, including Critical Issues in Public Health (PHC 3603) and Health Information for Diverse Populations (PHC 6195).
Zori’s proactive collaboration with the instructional designers significantly contributes to her teaching success.
“The instructional designers are incredibly helpful with the logistics of Canvas, ensuring students can navigate the course smoothly to prevent frustration when accessing content,” she said.
The partnership has enabled Zori to integrate the latest technological tools into her courses. For peer feedback in group projects, she uses FeedbackFruits, which supports anonymous reviews and facilitates grading based on contributions. She also leverages Perusall for collaborative reading and Kritik for peer reviews, both of which strengthen critical-thinking skills.
Zori praised the instructional design team for their tech troubleshooting skills.
“New technology always has quirks, but they’ve been excellent at addressing issues in real-time,” she said. “Even when problems arise, we resolve them quickly, and students appreciate these new tools.”
Hardemon said the positive impact of these innovations on the courses is evident in Zori’s student feedback.
“I was blown away by the recent evaluations Gaia Zori received — especially for an online course,” Hardemon said. “They were exceptional, clearly showing that students gained a lot from her teaching.”
Feedback highlighted students’ appreciation for the course’s structured approach, which builds on prerequisites and applies theories to real-world scenarios. They also acknowledged the sense of community and the strong presence of instructors throughout the course — qualities that are notoriously challenging to cultivate online.
Bringing expertise to life
Jennifer Applebaum, Ph.D., M.S., an assistant professor in the department of environmental and global health, joined PHHP over a year ago. Her research focuses on how social inequalities affect both human and companion animal health. In the spring of the 2024-2025 academic year, she will debut a new undergraduate elective, Human-Animal Interaction and Health, developed from scratch with support from the instructional design team.
Drawing from her extensive background in veterinary medicine and animal sheltering, Applebaum has influenced policy and improved regulations related to pet ownership, particularly in integrating pet care with human health.
But as a newcomer to course development, Applebaum said she appreciated Hardemon’s help translating years of research into measurable learning objectives and a structured syllabus.
“Her support has been crucial, providing expertise and a calming presence throughout the process,” Applebaum said.
Looking ahead, Applebaum plans to continue collaborating with Hardemon to refine her courses based on feedback and teaching experiences.
“I look forward to her assistance with course structure and aligning my ideas with student needs,” she said. “Her guidance will be crucial in balancing lectures, activities and discussions.”
A visionary leap in interdisciplinary education
Students in the College of Public Health and Health Professions’ occupational therapy and physical therapy participate in an interprofessional learning experience at the Clinical Learning Center, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Gainesville, Florida.
Photo by Nathaniel Guidry
Becky Piazza, O.T.D, M.S., OTR/L, a clinical assistant professor in the department of occupational therapy, transitioned from a seasoned occupational therapy practitioner to a full-time educator when she joined the University of Florida in 2021.
Reflecting on her career shift, Piazza said: “Our instructional design team taught me how to be a professor. I came to UF to share my expertise in occupational therapy, but I found myself stepping into a new role in higher education. Their support has been essential to my success.”
Piazza’s approach to interdisciplinary education recently culminated in the development of a novel experience that bridges the gap between occupational therapy and dentistry. The initiative, inspired by a former student’s suggestion to integrate these fields to improve patient care, saw Piazza collaborating with Olga Ensz, D.M.D., M.P.H., director of community-based outreach at the UF College of Dentistry, and a team of instructional experts from both colleges.
“The first thing I told Dr. Ensz was that we had to work with our instructional design team,” Piazza said. “They are exceptionally skilled in pedagogy and experiential learning and excel at crafting clear learning objectives and effective assessments.”
The resulting interactive half-day virtual session has set a new standard for integrated education. The course’s video content features dental professionals, an occupational therapy researcher, patients and simulated medical charts to provide a comprehensive learning experience.
Piazza praised the team’s commitment to sustainability.
“We’ve implemented this interdisciplinary course twice, and Truly and Lior were crucial in ensuring its long-term viability,” she said. “They designed the course with future iterations in mind, integrating expert videos and practical student activities. Their insights into Universal Design for Learning were invaluable for working with students across disciplines.”
A notable achievement was the course’s virtual implementation over Zoom, which seamlessly connected more than 100 students from both fields.
“Their coordination of breakout rooms and group matching was remarkable — I continue to be impressed,” Piazza said.
This project has redefined educational practices and strengthened the connection between occupational therapy and dentistry. Piazza’s collaboration highlights the significant impact of expert instructional design and the benefits of interdisciplinary approaches in enhancing student learning and patient care.
“The instructional designers connected me with other faculty who supported my course development and peer evaluations,” Piazza said. “They are the central hub of our academic wheel, with their influence spreading throughout the college. Their support has been indispensable.”
