Program

Intersections—hosted by the University of Florida—is an inspiring gathering for professionals across higher education to connect, learn, and share solutions to the field’s most pressing challenges. This conference unites leaders, instructors, instructional designers, advisors, and researchers, sparking creativity and advancing innovation in online education. Through engaging discussions and collaborative problem-solving, participants will explore fresh approaches to teaching, instructional design, faculty support, educational technology, and research.

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Themes for the 2025 Intersections conference:

  • Innovations in:
    • Pedagogical Practice
    • Instructional Design and Course Production
    • Course Delivery
    • Student Engagement and Support
    • Online Course Quality
    • Faculty Training and Support
    • Admissions and Enrollment Management
    • Educational Technology
    • Data Use and Management
    • High School Dual Enrollment

  • AI in Higher Education
    Exploring the transformative intersections of artificial intelligence within online learning environments.

  • Leadership, Staffing, and Change Management
    Strategies for leading and adapting to change within the evolving landscape of online education.
  • Workforce Development and Career-Connected Learning
    Bridging education with industry needs, focusing on preparing learners for workforce success.
  • Academic Integrity and Ethics in Online Education
    Addressing integrity and ethical considerations unique to the online educational environment.

Keynote Speakers

speaker headshot

Matthew Rascoff, MBA

Vice Provost for Digital Education, Stanford University

Matthew joined Stanford in April 2021, founding and overseeing the Digital Education team.
From 2017-21 he was the Associate Vice Provost for Digital Education and Innovation at Duke University, where he led the Duke Learning Innovation team. He was previously Vice President and founder of the Office of Learning Technology & Innovation for the University of North Carolina system, where he worked from 2014-17. Matthew launched JSTOR’s first international office in Berlin, where he was a Fellow of the Bertelsmann Foundation and a strategic advisor to the Robert Bosch Foundation. He led product management teams at Wireless Generation, an education technology company and built and launched their product development center in Durham, North Carolina. Earlier in his career Matthew helped launch the strategy group at ITHAKA, an incubator of higher education technology ventures (now Ithaka S+R). Matthew’s experience also includes Google, where he worked on the Book Search operations team. After undergraduate studies at Columbia University he did graduate work at Bogazici University in Istanbul on a Fulbright Scholarship. He also earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and represented the state of North Carolina as a German Marshall Memorial Fellow in 2013. He is married to Emily J. Levine, a historian, and has two children, Jasper and Florence.

speaker headshot

Tom Cavanagh, PhD

Vice Provost for Digital Learning, University of Central Florida

Thomas Cavanagh, Ph.D. is Vice Provost for Digital Learning at the University of Central Florida. In this role, he oversees the distance learning strategy, policies, and practices of one of the nation’s largest universities. A national leader in digital education and academic innovation, he has been recognized with numerous awards from organizations such as the Online Learning Consortium, the United States Distance Learning Association, 1EdTech, and the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technology. He is active in the higher education community and serves on several national boards. He is also an award-winning author of several mystery novels.

Sessions and Spaces

Conference sessions will take place in the Hilton Lake Buena Vista resort conference area, with concurrent sessions split among multiple breakout rooms. There will be designated spaces to connect with others and catch-up on work while you are away.


Agenda

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

3:00pm – 7:00pm Registration/Check-in
(Grand Foyer)
5:00pm – 5:30pm Welcome Address – Office of the Provost, University of Florida
(Grand Ballroom I-III)
5:30pm – 7:00pm Networking Reception + Posters
(Grand Foyer)

  • Beyond “Right” and “Wrong”: Using Mistakes to Enhance Learning in Online Courses – Todd Mendenhall, University of South Florida
  • Fostering Experiential Learning for Nontraditional Online Students – Robert Lopez & Grace Tyler, University of Florida
  • Impact of the UF Quality Rubric on Student Engagement and Likability in Online Agricultural Education and Communication Courses – Brooke Brammer, University of Florida
  • One Health and Antimicrobial Resistance in the High School Biology Curriculum – Sanil Nadar, PK Yonge Developmental Research School, University of Florida
  • Enhancing Online Course Quality: Impact of UF Quality Rubric on Gator Eval Scores – Brooke Brammer & Becky Raulerson, University of Florida
  • Accessibility Tools in Mathematics Education – Jeffrey Kuan, Taylor Swift Bot
  • Transform Higher Education into Hire Education: Designing Assessments for the Modern Workforce – Angie Fairweather, University of South Florida
  • The FLUF Test: Better Prompts and Critical Evaluation of AI Generated Results​ – Jennifer Parker, University of Florida
7:00pm On Your Own for Dinner/Social Activities (Disney Springs)

Thursday, February 20, 2025

8:00am – 8:40am Breakfast
(Grand Foyer)
8:40am – 8:50am Kick-Off & Introductions
(Grand Ballroom I-III)
8:50am – 9:50am Keynote 1: Scaling Social Capital – the Next Challenge for Digital Learning
Matthew Rascoff, MBA | Vice Provost for Digital Education, Stanford University
(Grand Ballroom I-III)
10:00am – 10:50am Concurrent Session I

  • Grand V: Maximizing Tech for Innovative Experiential Learning: A 3E Framework Approach – Alyson Rodriguez & Alexandra Leon, University of Florida (Skill Circle- Please plan to bring a laptop or personal device to use during the skill circle since it will be hands on)
  • Grand VI: Design Over Time: Iterative Course Design Can Increase Student Potential and Reduce Dropout Rates – Stefanie Gazda & Brenda Such, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VII: The Sound of Innovation: GenAI-Powered Audio in Online Course Design – Zhaihuan Dai, Janine Diaz Cotto, University of South Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VIII: Charting a Course for AI in Higher Education: Insights from a Generative AI Committee – Olysha Magruder, Amir K. Saeed, Osmara Salas, Johns Hopkins University (Sharing Circle)
  • Crystal: Humans at the Center: Empowering Students with AI, Authentic Assignments, and Information Literacy (iSearch, CRAAP, & FLUF) – Jennifer Parker, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • South Ballroom: Building a Competitive Online MBA Program Through Data-Driven Design and Stakeholder Engagement – Ashley Francis, Tulane University, Jessica Smith, Whitney Kilgore, iDesign (Sharing Circle)
10:50am – 11:20am Coffee Break
(Grand Foyer)
11:20am – 12:10pm Concurrent Session II

  • Grand V: First Steps in Ximera – Bart Snapp, The Ohio State University (Skill Circle)
  • Grand VI: Using AI to Enhance Efficiency, Productivity, and Creativity in Course Developments – Osmara Salas, Olysha Magruder, Johns Hopkins University (Skill Circle)
  • Grand VII: Designing Student Assessment in the Age of Generative AI – Brian Harfe, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VIII: Innovating Academic Advising for Online Learners: Strategies and Tools for Success – Glenn Kepic, Fallen Lee, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Crystal: Course Enhancement with Generative AI: A Fully Online, Self-Paced Training Solution for USF Faculty – Lindsey Mercer, University of South Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • South Ballroom: Extend Your LMS: Continuing Education in Brightspace – Danielle Burt, D2L (Sharing Circle)
12:20pm – 1:10pm Concurrent Session III

  • Grand V: Unlocking the Power of GenAI: Designing Assessments for Engagement and Motivation – Janine Diaz Cotto, Michael Rogriguez-Delgado, University of South Florida (Skill Circle)
  • Grand VI: The Development and Use of Chatbots to Increase Student Learning and Engagement in a Classroom: Are These Tools Effective? – Patrick Larkin, Iske Larkin, Danielle Collins, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VII: Building Bridges: Designing an Engaging and Scalable Fully-Online High School Dual Enrollment Program – Nico Rose, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VIII: Building a Faculty Community of Practice for Amplified Online Course Quality – Kathryn Rush, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Crystal: Lived Experience Leads to Online University Core Class – Imran Haider, Washington State University (Sharing Circle)
  • South Ballroom: Revolutionizing Workforce Education: Harnessing Collaboration, OER, and Learning Support- Saija Washington, Porche Spence, & Franklin Robinson, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (Sharing Circle)
1:10pm – 2:10pm Lunch
(Grand Foyer)
2:10pm – 3:00pm Concurrent Session IV

  • Grand VI: Game Changer: Designing Your Digital Onboarding Playbook – Melissa Granholm, Alexandra Ward, University of South Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VII: Reconceptualizing Clinical Practice in an Online Teacher Prep Program – Lori Dassa, Katy Chapman, Lindsey Espinoza, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VIII: Certifying Success: A Decade of Online Instructor Certification – LaSaundria Bass, University of South Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Crystal: What Online Gaming Taught me about Teaching and Learning with the Online Generation – Caitlyn Deeter, Rollins College (Sharing Circle)
  • South Ballroom: Innovation in Academic Bureaucracy – Bottom-Up Approaches to Establishing Successful Initiatives in Higher Education – Rolin Moe, University of California Office of the President (Sharing Circle)
3:10pm – 4:00pm Concurrent Session V

  • Grand V: Teaching Beyond the Traditional Course: Iterative Development in Professional Microcourse Learning – James Rigney, Ian Clontz, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VI: Using NLP to Gain Insight from Student Free Responses – Cheryl Resch, University of Florida (Skill Circle)
  • Grand VII: Upskilling and Engaging Through Strategic Course Design: Inside the USF GenAI MOOC – Christine Brown, Christie Nicholas, Jing Wan, Desiree Henderson, University of South Florida (Conversation Circle)
  • Grand VIII: Transforming Education through Narrative and Immersive Learning – John VandenBrooks, Lisa Flesher, Annie Hale, Arizona State University (Sharing Circle)
  • Crystal: Longitudinal Impacts Analysis of Course Designs on Future Course Success – Darryl Chamberlain Jr., Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Worldwide (Sharing Circle)
  • South Ballroom: Online STEM Education B.S. through Ph.D. – Eric W. Triplett, Jennifer Drew, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
4:00pm – 4:30pm Coffee Break
(Grand Foyer)
4:30pm – 5:20pm Concurrent Session VI

  • Grand V: Breaking the Mold: Innovations in Media and Design for Online Learning – Christie Nicholas, Jared Brown, University of South Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VI: ID Symposium: Building Connections – Rodney Gammons, University of Florida (Conversation Circle)
  • Grand VII: Drive Exam Innovation and Integrity with AI – Paul Morales, Honorlock & Chris Newsom, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VIII: Who Benefits from Hands-On Research Engagement in an Online Research Methods Lab Course? – Marina Klimenko, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Crystal: Using Data to Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement – Nikki Lyons & Leota O’Malley, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • South Ballroom: Journey Along to Engage and Learn – Feihong Wang & Crystall Marull, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)

Friday, February 21, 2025

7:00am – 7:45am Breakfast
(Grand Foyer)
7:45am – 8:45am Keynote 2: Breaking the Iron Triangle at the University of Central Florida
Tom Cavanagh, PhD | Vice Provost for Digital Learning, University of Central Florida
(grand Ballroom I-III)
8:55am – 9:35am  Concurrent Session VII

  • Grand V: The Power of Presence: Evidence-Based Methods that Work for Building Online Rapport – LaSaundria Bass, University of South Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VI: Maximizing Teaching Time and Course Quality: Faculty Strategies with JoVE – Emma Brady, Jen Ostrosky, Stacey-Ann Benjamin, Stefanie Gazda, & Melanie Veige, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VII: Move up the Standings by Using AI for Accessibility Tasks – Stephanie Richardson, Laura Jervis, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VIII: Teaching/Testing Online Math & CS Courses Involvin Proofs – Alper Ungor, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Crystal: The Essentials of AI Policies: Academic Integrity + Ethics + Expectations – Jennifer Parker, University of Florida (Conversation Circle)
  • South Ballroom: Taking Care of Business: Our Journey Implementing an Online Career Readiness Program – Adam Jordan, Kari Shattuck, Ella Tabares, Meghan Cowper, Kristen Benedini, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
9:35am – 10:05am Coffee Break
(Grand Foyer)
10:05am – 10:55am  Concurrent Session VIII

  • Grand V: Crafting the Integrated Curriculum for Promoting Student Employability: The Educational Technology 4+1 – Applied Design and Innovation for Learning Program – Bojan Lazarevic, Earl Alvarez, Aaron G. Ganas, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VI: The Future of STEM Learning: Personalized Education Demonstrated by ASU’s Learning Platform and Logic Engine – Bethany Weigele, EdPlus at Arizona State University (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VII: Starting from Nothing. Make a Video in Under 45 Minutes! – Cooper Greenfield, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VIII: Recursive Advantage of Online Education Materials – Jason Nowell, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Crystal: Seeing Accessibility Through Their Eyes: Direct Insights from JAWS End-User Testing – Lindsey Mercer, University of South Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • South Ballroom: Checking the Pulse of Students: ERAU’s UX-Microsurvey Tool – John Boekenoogen, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Worldwide (Sharing Circle)
11:05am – 11:55am  Concurrent Session IX

  • Grand V: AI in Action: A Strategic Approach to Driving Student Success, Faculty Excellence, and Community Impact – Christine Brown, University of South Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VI: Systemic Limitations of Generative AI and LLMs – Austin Jacobs & Jason Nowell, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VII: Unmasking Heroes of Course Design: How COIP Elevates the Online Learning Experience with Cidi Labs Tools – Jen Leckie, Cidi Labs, Brenda Such & Lori Gibbons, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
  • Grand VIII: Leadership Succession Planning from Day 1 – Melanie Steppi, Boundless Learning–formerly Pearson Online Learning Services (Skill Circle)
  • Crystal: Unleashing Synergy: Pedagogy Meets Instructional Design – Lori Dassa & Yuliya Antonenko, University of Florida (Sharing Circle)
12:00pm  Conference Ends