Thomas J. Tobin
127 Presidents Drive
State College, PA 16803	(312) 810-0805
dr.tobin@att.net	
 
References, scholarly publications, and full curriculum vitae are available at http://thomasjtobin.com/.

EDUCATION

2021	Academic Leadership Academy (ALA)	Pennsylvania State University Center for the Study of Higher 
	   certificate				   Education, University Park, PA, 16802
2018	Certified Professional in Accessibility	International Association of Accessibility Professionals
	   Core Competencies (CPACC) 		   Atlanta, GA 30339
2016	QM Peer Reviewer certification		Quality Matters • Annapolis, MD
2015	Master Online Teacher certification		University of Illinois • Urbana, IL
2010	Project Management Professional (PMP)	Project Management Institute • Newtown Square, PA
2003	Public Librarian Certificate #03169		Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Education
2002	M.S. Library & Information Science	Clarion University of Pennsylvania • Clarion, PA
2002	Special Collections Librarianship		Rare Book School, University of Virginia • Charlottesville, VA
2000	Ph.D. English 				Duquesne University • Pittsburgh, PA
1999	Teaching Certificate, English 7-12 		New York State Department of Education
1996	M.A. English Literature			Indiana State University • Terre Haute, IN
1994	B.A. English Literature			Canisius College • Buffalo, NY

SELECTED EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

University of Wisconsin • Madison, WI

Teaching, Learning, & Technology Specialist II, Center for Teaching, Learning, & Mentoring (CTLM): (8/1/2021 – present). I am a founding member of the UW-Madison Center for Teaching, Learning, & Mentoring (CTLM). In my role as a Teaching, Learning, & Technology (TLT) Specialist, I serve as a consultant for projects that advance and evolve the teaching practices, learning environments, and learner-support interactions across the entire university.

My work involves the design of engaging, effective learning experiences, instructional materials, activities, curricula, and assessment resources. I create and oversee faculty-development and faculty-engagement programming.

I also perform primary research about the design and capabilities of various learning resources, technologies, materials, and processes to support learning in various settings, such as classrooms, labs, field work, and synchronous/asynchronous remote & online environments.

Program Area Director, Distance Teaching & Learning, Learning Design, Development, & Innovation (LDDI): (7/1/2019-7/31/2021). I lead the curricular, pedagogical, and technological design and support of the online and blended professional-development programming for the Learning Design, Development, & Innovation (LDDI) team in the Division of Continuing Studies (DCS). I also assist the director in establishing partnerships, locating talent, and promoting innovation in technology-assisted learning. 

I am responsible for seeking innovative ways to provide continuing education; conducting educational programs that are financially self-supporting; and developing and maintaining relationships with other university departments and various outside associations, organizations, and government agencies for the purpose of advancing current knowledge and developing program content. My primary responsibilities include:

•	developing and collaboratively delivering the LDDI curriculum for online learning, including online certificates, workshops, mini-courses, customized programming, and conference events;
•	creating and regularly revising a vision of multiple appropriate learning environments that use technology to enhance the learning process;
•	engaging in day-to-day operations to support LDDI curriculum activities, including marketing, partnerships, and course/activity design and deployment;
•	ensuring that LDDI curriculum and its annual conference align with the mission of the Division of Continuing Studies (DCS) and UW-Madison, generally, so that excellence in online learning is achieved;
•	maintaining and extending the UW-Madison reputation for excellence in online learning through practice and leadership in faculty-development organizations, publications, and national presentations;
•	promoting innovation and excellence in online teaching and learning with external partners;
•	collaboratively leading the support of faculty-development programs and workshops on online learning regionally and nationally;
•	seeking opportunities for collaboration in online-learning research and practice with other higher education institutions nationally;
•	remaining current in the field of online and distance learning;
•	setting goals for performance and deadlines in alignment with DCS mission and goals, and clearly communicating them to subordinates;
•	completing performance reviews in compliance with policy;
•	organizing workflow and ensuring that direct reports understand their duties and delegated tasks;
•	monitoring employee productivity and providing constructive feedback and coaching;
•	receiving complaints and resolving problems;
•	maintaining, monitoring, and approving timekeeping records in compliance with policy; and
•	onboarding and mentoring new employees.

Faculty Associate/Conference Programming Chair, Learning Design, Development, & Innovation (LDDI): (6/1/2018-6/30/2019). In this role, I led the curricular, pedagogical, and technological design and support of the LDDI team’s online certificates, workshops, and mini-courses. I also locate and support instructor talent to teach in the LDDI professional-development program. I establish partnerships and promote innovation in technology-assisted learning.

Conference Program Chair, Learning Design, Development, & Innovation (LDDI) (10/2/2017-5/31/2018): I led the team that creates the programming for the annual Distance Teaching and Learning conference. I identified trends and themes in the field of distance education; collaborated with the conference team to create conference tracks and the call for proposals; promoted the conference across various media; invited the keynote, spotlight, and featured speakers for the conference; and hosted the conference as the emcee and public face of the conference.

Author and Speaker • State College, PA

Thomas J. Tobin Consulting (4/1/2013 – present): I am an internationally-recognized speaker and author on topics related to quality in distance education, especially copyright, evaluation of teaching practice, academic integrity, and accessibility/universal design for learning. Since the advent of online courses in higher education in the late 1990s, my work has focused on using technology to extend the reach of higher education beyond its traditional audience. I advocates for the educational rights of people with disabilities and people from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

I give between 30 and 45 keynote speeches, workshops, and other consultations every year to colleges and universities worldwide, including clients in the United States, Canada, Colombia, Ireland, and Hungary. I also facilitate programming for a number of professional-development vendors who serve higher education, including 3Play Media, Academic Impressions, Desire2Learn, the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, Innovative Educators, the Instructional Technology Council, Invoke Higher Education, Magna Publications, the Professional Adjunct, and the Wiley Faculty Network.

My most recent book is Going Alt-Ac: A Guide to Alternative Academic Careers (2020) with Katie Linder and Kevin Kelly. I also wrote Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education (2018) with Kirsten Behling; Evaluating Online Teaching: Implementing Best Practices (Wiley, 2015) with Jean Mandernach and Ann H. Taylor; and my comic book on copyright, entitled The Copyright Ninja: Rise of the Ninja was published in May, 2017.

University of Illinois • Champaign-Urbana, IL

Faculty Member, Illinois Online Network (4/1/2016–11/26/2018): I taught professional-development online courses to higher-education administrators staff and faculty members, as part of the ION Master Online Teacher (MOT) and Certified Online Learning Administrator (COLA) certification programs. I designed and taught two courses: Copyright Issues in Online Education and Universal Design Principles for Online Learning.

Ashford University • San Diego, CA

Online Associate Faculty Member, College of Education (4/28/2016–3/13/2017): I taught graduate courses in the Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology (MATLT) program, especially EDU 609 (Online Teaching Internship).

Northeastern Illinois University • Chicago, IL

Coordinator of Learning Technologies (11/01/2012–12/2/2016): In November 2012, I was promoted to the Coordinator position, in which I continued my duties from the Educational Technologist position and also supervised the work of two colleagues in our Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL).

Educational Technologist and Instructional Designer (1/2/2012–10/31/2012): I supported over 800 full-time and adjunct faculty members across the curriculum, training them how to teach using innovative instructional methods and technologies, especially for online and hybrid courses. My job includes three main components: individual skill-training via workshops and instructor consultations; professional-development training courses to prepare instructors to teach in innovative ways; and project management of university teaching and learning efforts.

DeVry University Online • Downers Grove, IL

Faculty Communication Team Focus Group (10/1/2008–10/1/2014): As part of a cross-functional group of faculty with varying backgrounds and interests, I acted as a “sounding board” for proposed communications from the administration to the faculty regarding new initiatives and projects.

Program Architect, Educational Technology (3/1/2008–10/1/2014): As one of two Program Architects for the Educational Technology master’s program, I teach all of the courses in the program on a rotating basis in order to familiarize myself with their content, design, and methodology. Each term, I hold conference calls with all faculty who are teaching the courses for which I am the PA in order to discuss functional and best-practice improvements. Each term, I also enter each course and review the content for grammar, style, currency, and content accuracy. At the end of each term, I review the student evaluations of each course and implement improvements to the “master” course shells based on student feedback. In my capacity as PA, I report directly to the Program Dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Senior Faculty, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (1/1/2004–10/8/2014): I developed and taught 14 several undergraduate and graduate online courses for DeVry University in college studies, educational technology, leadership studies, assistive technology, writing, and interpersonal communication.

Health Care Service Corporation / Blue Cross and Blue Shield • Chicago, IL

Technical Content Writer II (7/2/2007–12/2/2011): As part of the Learning and Development area of HCSC’s Strategic Services Optimization (SSO) Division, I created, maintained, and updated an online library of reference documents that support the work of more than 1,600 employees. I utilized library-science techniques in order to review and approve draft content from 120 contributors based in 44 support units of the company. A large part of my responsibilities came from the fulfillment of more than 300 project-based Work Requests from various areas of the corporation.

Customer Advocate (11/15/2004–7/1/2007): At the Provider Telecommunication Center (PTC), I fielded incoming calls from nationwide health-care providers in order to answer questions and resolve problems related to health-insurance benefits, eligibility, claims, and payments. I also resolved complex-claim issues and adjustments, finalizing an average of $15,000.00 per day in refunds, payments, and credits. This position required information-gathering and interpretation skills in order to help customers. I also serve on the center’s Online Library Committee. This position in the not-for-profit sector required significant professional trust and responsibility in handling confidential health information and releasing large-sum payments to health-care providers.

Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University • Pittsburgh, PA

Adjunct Faculty (10/2003–7/2004): I developed and taught ENGL510 (Foundations of Business Communication, see above); ENGL112 (Composition), a freshman-level introductory course designed to enable students to write well in an academic setting; and COLL147 (Critical Thinking and Problem Solving), an introductory undergraduate course designed to give students a basic understanding of information literacy. All of these courses utilize classroom and online instruction.

Westmoreland County Community College • Youngwood, PA

Adjunct Faculty, English and Education Departments (5/2000–2/2003): Developed original materials for and taught two online courses, EDU200 (Introduction to Instructional Technology) and ENG161 (College Writing).

Coordinator of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning Support (2/1999–2/2003): Originally hired to create the college’s online-course program under the auspices of the library. Designed and implemented the college-wide online program, and supported students and faculty in developing and maintaining online courses college-wide. See http://wccc.blackboard.com/.

Duquesne University • Pittsburgh, PA

Teaching Fellow, School of Leadership & Professional Advancement (3/2003–5/2003): Developed and co-taught ENGL 313W (Writing for Business and Industry) with Mary Ann Tobin. This course is designed for adult students currently in the workplace, and covers communication skills, writing techniques, and business ethics.

Assistant Director of Freshman English for Technology (5/1998–2/1999): Departmental fellowship position. Responsible for creation and maintenance of English department web server, creation of online journal FirstClass (a collection of exemplary freshman student essays), and creation, implementation, and maintenance of the online college writing center.

Research Consultant, Center for Computing and Information Technology (5/1997–8/1997): Responsible for creation of a set of help documents for faculty wishing to design web components for their courses, as well as for creation and maintenance of a faculty web-design help database of web templates and suggested graphics.

Graduate Teaching Fellow, Department of English (1/1997–5/1998): Taught one section each of CORE 101 (freshman composition) and CORE 102 (Thinking and Writing across the Curriculum) per semester during the fall and spring terms.

Indiana State University • Terre Haute, IN

Graduate Teaching Fellow, Department of English (8/1994–5/1996): Responsible for teaching two sections of ENG 101 (freshman composition) and ENG 102 (freshman literature) per semester during the fall and spring terms. Pioneered use of web support for classroom practice in the English department.

English Language Tutor, Writing Center (8/1994–5/1995): Tutored ESL and native-English speakers in grammar, punctuation, usage, and style. Developed tutoring worksheets for use with Asian ESL students, oversaw work of undergraduate tutors.

Lackawanna City School District • Lackawanna, NY

Student Teacher, English (1/1994–5/1994): Developed lesson and unit plans for and taught students in middle-school and high-school English classes, including senior seminars in Shakespearean drama, modern American literature, and AP college-credit in composition.

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS
Books

UDL for FET Practitioners: Guidance for Implementing Universal Design for Learning in Irish Further Education and Training. With Ann Heelan. Dublin, IE: SOLAS [An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna], 2021. http://mathcs.duq.edu/~tobin/cv/202010215 UDL for FET Practitioners.pdf.
Going Alt-Ac: A Guide to Alternative Academic Careers. With Kathryn Linder & Kevin Kelly. Sterling, VA: Stylus Press, 2020. https://styluspub.presswarehouse.com/browse/book/9781620368312/Going-Alt-Ac.
Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone: Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education. With Kirsten Behling. Morgantown, WV: West Virginia University Press, 2018. https://wvupressonline.com/node/757.
The Copyright Ninja: Rise of the Ninja. Comic book. State College, PA: St. Aubin Comics, 2017. https://squareup.com/store/thomasjtobin.
Evaluating Online Teaching: Implementing Best Practices. With B. Jean Mandernach and Ann H. Taylor. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2015. http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118910362.html.

Book Chapters

“The eLearning Leader’s Toolkit for Evaluating Online Teaching.” Leading and Managing e-Learning: What the e-Learning Leader Needs to Know. Eds. Piña, A. A.; Walker, V. L.; and Harris, B. R. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing AG, 2017.
“Improve the Flipped Classroom with Universal Design for Learning.” With B. Honeycutt. Handbook of Research on Innovative Pedagogies and Technologies for Online Learning in Higher Education. Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development (AHEPD) series. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2017: 449-471.
“How Universal Design for Learning Supports the Flipped Classroom.” Flipping the College Classroom: Practical Advice from Faculty. Ed. Barbi Honeycutt. Madison, WI: Magna Publications, 2016: 66-72.
“How Universal Design for Learning Supports Concept Mastery in the Flipped Classroom.” Flipping the College Classroom: Practical Advice from Faculty. Ed. Barbi Honeycutt. Madison, WI: Magna Publications, 2016: 86-90.
“How Can Course Design Help Prevent Online Cheating?” Teaching Strategies for the Online College Classroom: A Collection of Articles for Faculty. Ed. Deidre Price. Madison, WI: Magna Publications, 2016: 95-101.

Articles in Refereed Journals 

“Reaching All Learners through their Phones and Universal Design for Learning.” Journal of Adult Learning, Knowledge, and Innovation 4.1 (Dec. 2019). https://akademiai.com/doi/abs/10.1556/2059.03.2019.01.
“Don’t Tell the Faculty: Administrators’ Secrets to Evaluating Online Teaching.” Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration 18.3 (Fall 2015). http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall183/tobin183.html.
“Increase Online Student Retention with Universal Design for Learning.” Quarterly Review of Distance Education 15.3 (Fall 2014): 13-24. http://thomasjtobin.altervista.org/QRDE.UDL.Article.pdf.
“Training Your Faculty about Copyright When the Lawyer Isn’t Looking.” Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration 17.2 (Summer 2014). http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer172/tobin172.html. 
“Best Practices for Administrative Evaluation of Online Faculty.” Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration 7.2 (Summer 2004). http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer72/tobin72.html. 
“Best Practices for Online Information-Literacy Courses.” Journal of Interactive Online Learning 2.4 (Spring 2004). http://www.ncolr.org/issues/jiol/v2/n4/best-practices-for-online-information-literacy-courses. 
“Issues in Preparing Visually Disabled Instructors to Teach Online: A Case Study.” Information Technology and Disabilities 8.1 (Jan. 2002). http://easi.cc/itd/volume8/number1/tobin.html. 
“Dealing with Problem Students and Faculty.” Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration 4.3 (Fall 2001). http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall43/tobin43.html.

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

Most Recent Invited Lectures and Workshops 

“Three Teaching Secrets for the Post-Pandemic Classroom” and “Universal Design for Learning across Campus.” Invited keynote and workshop. Celebration of Teaching. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri. 19 May 2021.
“Why Accessibility is Step Zero toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” Invited keynote. Accessibility conference. Springfield, IL: Illinois Community College Consortium (ILCCO). 7 May 2021.
“The Six Signs of Quality Online Teaching.” Invited keynote. eCampus Faculty Forum. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University. 5 May 2021.
“Multi-Format Teaching Hacks.” Invited webinar. With Sherri Restauri. EduALL virtual summit. New York, NY: Verbit. 22 Apr. 2021.
“Universal Design for Learning in Education and Industry [25:29].” Allied podcast. Boston, MA: 3Play Media. https://www.3playmedia.com/alliedpodcast/. 16 Apr. 2021.
“Ask Tom Anything about UDL.” Invited consultation. Universal Design for Learning Community of Practice. Palatine, IL: Harper College. 16 Apr. 2021.
“Expert-Level Universal Design for Learning.” Invited workshop. Faculty-Development series. Des Plaines, IL: Oakton Community College. 15 Apr. 2021.
“Implementing Universal Design for Learning to Benefit All Learners.” Invited webinar. Boulder, CO: Innovative Educators. 15 Apr. 2021.
“Expert UDL for UDL Experts.” UDL-IRN International Summit. Kansas City, KS: Universal Design for Learning Implementation & Research Network. 13 Apr. 2021.
“UDL: Connecting FET Learners, Instructors, and the World.” Invited keynote with Ann Heelan. Reconnection: Placing Inclusion at the Heart of Online Learning and Support. Annual international AHEAD conference. Dublin, IE: Association for Higher Ed Access & Disability (AHEAD). 8 Apr. 2021.
“3 Inclusive Ways to Reach Students by Design—Without Added Work!.” Invited webinar. Fresno, CA: Fresno Pacific University. 25 Mar. 2021.
“The Dark Arts Explained: How to Get Funding, People, and Time to Implement UDL.” Invited webinar. Cambridge, MA: 3Play Media. 25 Mar. 2021.
“Preparing Now for Alt-Ac Career Possibilities.” Invited webinar. With Kevin Kelly. Graduate Professional Seminar series. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University. 23 Mar. 2021.
“Assessment Hacks Revealed: Lower Barriers while Preserving Rigor.” Invited keynote. Celebrating Teaching Day. Atlanta, GA: Georgia Institute of Technology. 9 Mar. 2021.
“Lowering Barriers while Preserving Rigor: Academic Integrity Hacks.” Invited workshop. Back-to-the-Classroom Professional Development series. Oneonta, NY: Hartwick College. 5 Mar. 2021.
“Universal Design for Learning in Conference and Event Planning.” Invited workshop. Inclusion in Education and Society series. School of Education. Dublin, IE: Trinity College Dublin. 3 Mar. 2021.
“Universal Design for Learning across Campus.” Invited workshop. Faculty-Development series. Des Plaines, IL: Oakton Community College. 24 Feb. 2021.
“Black Swan Design: How to Make Your Courses Flexible with Limited Resources.” Invited webinar. 12th Annual Transforming the Teaching & Learning Environment conference. Tahlequah, OK: Northeastern State University. 9 Feb. 2021.
“Reach Everyone and Teach Everyone with Universal Design for Learning.” Invited webinar. Professional Development series. Vancouver, BC: Langara College. 5 Feb. 2021.
“Framing UDL within Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Efforts.” Guiding This Moment in Higher Education. UDLHE Network DigiCon virtual conference. 4 Feb. 2021.
“I Teach Teachers How to Teach.” The Post-Pandemic Landscape in Higher Education Technology.” Invited interview with Tyler Jacobson. LabChats podcast series. Idaho Falls, ID: LabStats. 1 Feb. 2021.
“Universal Design for Learning in Student Services and Academic Affairs.” Invited webinar. Perkins Equity & Inclusion Grant series. Fond du Lac, WI: Moraine Park Technical College. 26 Jan. 2021.
Invited panelist. Essential Teaching Tips for 2021 ProfChats Twitter chat. Toronto, ON: TopHat Monocle Corporation. 21 Jan. 2021.

Most Recent National and International Conferences 

“Fighting the Innovation Killer: What’s in Your IP Policy?” Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) Annual Meeting. 18 May 2021.
“Maximum Student Engagement, Minimum Instructor Setup: UDL versus the HyFlex Design Model.” Accelerate conference. Orlando, FL: Online Learning Consortium (OLC). 18 Nov. 2020.
“Seven Secrets for Standard Eight: Accessibility Review When You’re Not an Accessibility Expert.” QM Connect LX: 12th Annual Conference on Quality Assurance in Online Learning. St Louis, MO: Quality Matters. 26 Oct. 2020.
“Secret Boss Training: Engage Online Leaders to Adopt Universal Design for Learning.” Accelerate conference. Orlando, FL: Online Learning Consortium (OLC). 22 Nov. 2019.
“Make Your CTL a Campus Universal Design for Learning Hub.” With Mary Ann Tobin. Connection: Closing the Distance. Pittsburgh, PA: 44th annual Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network conference. 16 Nov. 2019.
“UDL Really Starts with IT.” UDL in Higher Education Digicon. Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network (UDL-IRN). 18 Oct. 2019.
“Making the UDL Case to Campus and School Leaders.” UDL-IRN International Summit. Orlando, FL: Universal Design for Learning Implementation & Research Network (UDL-IRN). 28 Mar. 2019.
“How IT Can Foster Expert-Level Universal Design for Learning (UDL).” Anaheim, CA: EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) Annual Meeting. 19 Feb. 2019.

SELECTED GRANTS

National Science Foundation Cyberlearning and Future Learning Technologies Capacity-Building grant. “Adopting Universal Design for Learning in STEM Courses through a Coach-the-Coaches Model.” Northeastern Illinois University. Chicago, IL. 2016.
Hunkele Foundation Instructional Innovation Teaching with Technology grant. “Disability Access to the Duquesne University Writing Center Online.” Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA. 1998.
National Endowment for the Humanities Challenge Grant. “The Pre-Raphaelite Critic Full-text Web Archive.” Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA. 1997.