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Theme: Emerging with New Digital Potentials
September 29 -October 1, 2021
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Take a look at some of the photos taken from the 2020 Virtual Conference.
FAMTE/FDLA 2020 Virtual Conference Photos
Conference Keynotes
Dr. Thomas Cavanagh
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, the IMS Global Learning Consortium, and the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technology. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and often consults with other institutions regarding academic innovation. He is active in the higher education community and serves on a number of national advisory boards. He is also an award-winning author of several mystery novels.
Dr. Robert C. Schoen
Robert C. Schoen, Ph.D., is the Associate Director of LSI’s Florida Center for Research in STEM (FCR–STEM). His research experience extends from the development of educational and psychological measurement instruments and in-depth study of student mathematical thinking to the mathematical education of teachers and rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of educational interventions.
Currently, Dr. Schoen is the principal investigator for two large-scale professional development initiatives in diverse school settings. The IES-funded Replicating the CGI Experiment in Diverse Environments is an efficacy study of a Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) professional development program. CGI focuses on increasing teachers’ knowledge of mathematics and research-based frameworks for making sense of curriculum and student thinking and using those frameworks. Teachers in the program are encouraged to attend to the details in student thinking and use their understanding of children’s cognitive processes to inform instructional decisions. FCR-STEM Learn: Foundations for Success in STEM, a sustained, content-focused professional development program for more than 500 Florida teachers, involves a multi-site cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the effect of a full year of teacher professional development with and without weekly, job-embedded support.
Dr. Schoen also currently serves as co-principal investigator for an efficacy study involving a lesson study with a fractions resource toolkit. Another randomized-controlled trial, the Improvement of Elementary Fractions Instruction: Randomized Controlled Trial Using Lesson Study with a Fractions Resource Kit project is a collaboration with Mills College to investigate the effect of lesson study and resource materials to guide teachers’ learning and study related to teaching and learning fractions.
As co-principal investigator for Florida’s Mathematics Formative Assessment System (MFAS), Dr. Schoen created protocols for grade-level teacher teams using student thinking to guide instruction and for pilot testing the Common Core-aligned MFAS in a series of randomized field trials.
With funding from the Helios Education Foundation, Dr. Schoen led a multi-disciplinary team of mathematicians and scientists to design and implement an intensive, two-year professional development program focused on the integration of science, mathematics, and computing to study issues related to water resource management.
For the Leadership in Mathematics Instruction project, Dr. Schoen led mathematics content development and implementation for an intensive, year-long professional development program designed to support principals and teacher leaders to lead the implementation of Florida’s curriculum standards in K–5 mathematics. He was a co-principal investigator and research project director on a randomized field trial assessing the impacts of this program on principals, teachers, and students in 57 of Florida’s 67 school districts.
Through these projects, Dr. Schoen has developed and sustained collaborative professional relationships with principals, teachers, and district staff and has gained valuable insights into program development, implementation, educational measurement, and evaluation of educational interventions in varying local contexts.
Fire Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr
Rhoda Mae Kerr was sworn in as the City of Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief on July 2, 2018. With the appointment, Kerr became the City’s first female Fire Chief in the 106-year history of the department.
Chief Kerr was honored to serve as the Interim Assistant City Manager for the City at the beginning of 2019 starting January 1, responsible for overseeing the City’s operational departments consisting of the Department of Sustainable Development, Parks & Recreation, Public Works, and Transportation & Mobility. Chief Kerr champions the day-to-day operations with the City Manager serving the City and, if designated, steps forward to assume the Manager’s duties in his absence.
Chief Kerr brings more than 30 years of experience to her position. She oversees a staff of more than 450 professional firefighters and administrative personnel and directs day-to-day operations for the fully accredited department that responds to more than 54,000 calls annually.
Before joining the City of Fort Lauderdale, Kerr spent almost 10 years as Fire Chief of the City of Austin, Texas, managing one of the nation’s 20 largest fire departments, with nearly 1,200 sworn personnel, 113 civilian personnel, and 47 fire stations. From 2004-2009, she served as Fire Chief of Little Rock, Arkansas, where she was instrumental in implementing a bond program to renovate the City’s fire stations, upgrading communication equipment, and complete a Fire Training Academy.
A fourth-generation firefighter, Kerr began her career in the fire service in 1983 with Fort Lauderdale. Over the next 20 years, she steadily rose through the ranks serving as a Firefighter, Driver/Engineer, Lieutenant, Battalion Chief, Division Chief, and ultimately, Fort Lauderdale’s first female Deputy Fire Chief.
Chief Kerr has been a pioneer and trailblazer in the fire profession for decades. In 2015, she was the first woman elected President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) in the 142-year history of the organization. In addition, she served as President of the Metropolitan “Metro” Fire Chiefs Association from 2016 – 2017 and is a former President of the National Society of Executive Fire Officers (NSEFO).
In December 2016, Chief Kerr was appointed by President Barack Obama to the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, where she, along with academic, public, and private sector experts, advises the sitting President on matters regarding the security of critical infrastructure and related information systems.
Chief Kerr holds a Master’s in Public Administration, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education and Health, and an associate degree in Fire Science Technology. In addition, she earned two certifications from Harvard’s program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government and is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program. Before entering the fire service, Chief Kerr was a coach and physical education teacher at the high school level for 12 years.
Chief Kerr is an avid sports enthusiast enjoying cycling, golf, tennis, and skiing.
Dr. Jaime Tartar
Dr. Tartar is a Professor of Neuroscience at Nova Southeastern University. She earned her Ph.D. in the Behavioral Neuroscience program at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on discovering long-term changes in neurobiological pathways involved in stress responses and developing animal models of stress. Dr. Tartar has also completed Postdoctoral Training at Harvard Medical School, where she studied neurological consequences of sleep perturbations using in vitro electrophysiological recording techniques. She also received training in Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She is the President of The Society for NeuroSports- an academic organization for Sports Neuroscience. Dr. Tartar’s current research is focused on stress, sleep, and athletic performance in humans.
Jon M. Garon, J.D.
Dr. Jon M. Garon is Professor of Law and Director of the Intellectual Property, Cybersecurity, and Technology Law program at Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, teaching Constitutional Law, Contracts, Entertainment Law, and many other courses. He is a nationally recognized authority on entertainment law, copyright, information privacy, technology regulation, and free speech. He has published over 50 books, book chapters, and academic articles, and he has presented at more than 200 programs. A Minnesota native, he received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in 1985 and his Juris Doctor degree from Columbia University School of Law in 1988.
Professor Garon served as dean for NSU’s Shepard Broad College of Law 2014-2020, providing strategic leadership on programming, curriculum, enrollment management, marketing, and finance. Before joining Nova Southeastern University in 2014, Garon was the inaugural director of the Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Law + Informatics Institute, serving from 2011-2014. The Law + Informatics Institute works to integrate specialized courses and training on technology and information systems across legal disciplines. He also served as dean and professor of law at Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, and interim dean of the Graduate School of Management from 2005 to 2006. Before Hamline, Dean Garon taught Entertainment Law and Copyright at Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord, New Hampshire, and Western State University College of Law in Orange County, California.
His teaching and scholarship often focus on business innovation and structural change to media, education, and content-based industries. His books include his debut novel Burn Rate (2019), and nonfiction works The Entrepreneur’s Intellectual Property & Business Handbook (2d. Ed. Manegiere Publications 2018); The Pop Culture Business Handbook for Cons and Festivals (Manegiere Publications 2017); The Independent Filmmaker’s Law & Business Guide to Financing, Shooting, and Distributing Independent and Digital Films (A Cappella Books, 2d Ed. 2009); and Entertainment Law & Practice (3d Ed. Forthcoming 2020 Carolina Academic Press). His upcoming works include A Short and Happy Guide to Privacy and Cybersecurity Law (2021 West Academic) and Law Professor’s Desk Reference (2021 Carolina Academic Press).
Conference Information
THEME: Emerging with New Digital Potentials
The Florida Distance Learning Association’s (FDLA) 2021 Annual Conference is the premier event for professionals in the distance learning industry in Florida. This year’s conference promises to deliver another exciting and informative program that will bring together distance learning practitioners within Florida.
The format of this event allows attendees to learn about relevant topics from many different points of view. Sessions will be targeted to the K-12 audience, higher education, and virtually all distance learning stakeholders. The moderate size makes it possible for attendees to participate actively. This conference is an opportunity to share ideas, learn about distance learning programs and products, and better understand the field. Network with other distance learning colleagues and exchange innovative ideas. FDLA 2021 will offer you and your staff keynote speakers, panel discussions, poster sessions, breakout sessions on current topics and research in online learning, and vendors exhibiting various distance learning technologies and services. This conference is for K-12 and higher education administrators and teachers from both public and private online schools/programs. Be a part of our energetic and growing community of practice!
Contact Information
Hui Fang Huang Angie Su, FDLA President and Transformation Journal Editor, Conference Agenda & Program, shuifang@nova.edu
Brian Marchman, Institutional Membership, marchman@ufl.edu
Amanda Major, Treasurer, Conference Committee Amanda.Major@ucf.edu
JoAnn Glenn, Sponsorship & Exhibits, joanne.m.glenn@gmail.com
Susan H. Stephan, Conference Planning and Webmaster, sstephan@nova.edu
Victoria Brown, Conference Program and Planning, vbrown22@fau.edu
Jamie Manburg, President-Elect, Conference Planning, and sponsorship, jmanburg@nova.edu
