One of the primary reasons Penn State is recognized around the globe as a distinguished university is the sterling caliber of its faculty. As a World Campus student, you will enjoy the opportunity to learn from the same instructors who teach traditional face-to-face classes on Penn State's twenty-four campuses across Pennsylvania.
Brett Bixler, M.S.
Brett Bixler is the lead instructional designer at Penn State. He holds a master of science degree in curriculum and instruction and is working on a doctorate in instructional systems. He was involved in the creation of the IST bachelor's degree, in general—specifically, in the content, design, and development of IST 250. His areas of interest include learning management systems, knowledge bases, and serious games.
Amy Garbrick, M.Ed.
Amy Garbrick is an instructional designer and the e-learning coordinator for the IST Solutions Institute on Penn State's University Park campus. She holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in instructional systems, both from Penn State. Prior to working at the IST Solutions Institute, she was both an instructional designer and microcomputer systems consultant for the Research, Instruction, and Information Technology Group in Penn State's Smeal College of Business. She also has teaching experience at the preK-8th grade levels.
The IST Solutions Institute serves as the school's primary outreach arm through its e-learning products and services, information technology research, and student-centered solutions. The institute is placed squarely between the College of Information Sciences and Technology and the corporate sector. This leads to extensive opportunities for corporate partnerships, collaborative projects, and applied research initiatives. The institute has become a leading applied research and development organization focusing on solutions for technology-assisted education and training challenges. This effort has been recognized with the IST Innovators Award, presented by the students of the College of Information Sciences and Technology; with the Macromedia Innovator's Award for leadership in the areas of eLearning design and development; and by the New Media Consortium, which has recognized the institute as a New Media Center for Excellence.
Stevie Rocco
Stevie Rocco is an instructional designer for the College of IST's Solutions Institute. Prior to joining IST, she was an instructional designer and Flash team lead for the World Campus, where she designed courses in the Project Management master's degree and interactions and labs for astronomy. In a prior life, Stevie taught middle and high school English at a school in central Pennsylvania. She has a forthcoming book chapter on assessment and evaluation in the online environment and is currently finishing her master's degree by exploring faculty development and support literature for distance education.
Shaun C. Knight, M.S.
Shaun Knight is a business and career solutions associate in Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology. He has amassed a wealth of experience in career development counseling, planning, and placement with many different populations. He has built lasting relationships with numerous Fortune 50, 100, and 500 firms and has made presentations and done consulting statewide, nationally, and internationally.
Mike Manojlovich, M.S.
Mike Manojlovich has been a full-time instructor in information sciences and technology at Penn State McKeesport since 2000. Prior to this, he spent more than twenty-seven years as an information technology professional in the steel industry, working on programming, systems analysis, network management and security, and e-commerce development. He earned a master's degree in information science at the University of Pittsburgh, where he is currently pursuing a doctorate in the same field. His research interests include small-world networks, social networking and expertise, artificial intelligence, and cyberterrorism as it relates to all these topics.
