Online Teaching

Mentoring flowchart

SUNY Online Mentoring Program

Volunteer!

SUNY has a unique, dynamic community of practitioners who are leaders in online education. With the growth of our community, there are opportunities for SUNY online practitioners to engage in supporting each other in a variety of ways.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please click the Volunteer button above and complete the brief survey to help us best match your interests and skills with our goals and Community needs.

SUNY Online Teaching Mentors:

  • have recent experience or expertise in online teaching and learning, or supporting faculty in the design and development of effective online teaching and learning environments;
  • are willing to coach and mentor other faculty;
  • are willing to participate as a course reviewer;
  • are willing to contribute to the SUNY Community of online practitioners.

SUNY Online Teaching Mentors Network
Arts, Education, Humanities, Language

Alex Bitterman, Alfred State College

College webpage
Email: bitter@alfredstate.edu
Discipline: Architecture & Design
Strengths: I've been teaching online for several years in a variety of formats: design studio, large lecture, small seminar, so I've "seen it all" and can advise on everything from course planning and set up to course management to navigating problems when they arise.

Steve Keeler, Cayuga Community College

College webpage
Email: keeler@cayuga-cc.edu
Discipline: Media Arts
Strengths: I started online teaching in 1998 and have taught online in every academic year since then. I hold a Certificate in Online Teaching from UCLA. I worked with SLN in introducing new online instructors to their online practice site. I have training and expertise in curriculum development. I have special expertise in online media production instruction.

Stephanie Affinito, University at Albany

College webpage
Email: saffinito@albany.edu
Discipline: Education
Strengths: I feel that I can take my experience of teaching on-campus, blended and online courses, pair it with the new information and connections that I have gained and share that learning with other faculty. I am continually trying new things in my courses to better my teaching and my students' learning. My biggest strength is my willingness to take instructional 'risks' and try something new in the classroom. I use student feedback and self-reflection throughout all phases of course development and collaborate with other faculty often. I feel that I could positively impact other faculty by building relationships, offering support, showcasing my own practices and collaborating online. My research on literacy coaching has taught me a great deal on how to work with adult learners and coach others in a positive, effective manner and I am looking forward to working with other faculty.

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Elissa Baker, Hudson Valley Community College

Webpage
Email: e.baker@hvcc.edu
Discipline: Education
Strengths: I have been working with online learning and faculty training for 9 years. I've also been teaching online for at least 7 years and on campus. Currently, I'm teaching a Technology in Education course fully online that was recently submitted as an exemplar to COTE and a Computer Applications course on campus. I've been developing online training materials on how to use tools in Blackboard and the Internet for HVCC's online instructor training course and for other members of the community.
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Renee Funke, Jamestown Community College

College webpage
Email: ReneeFunke@mail.sunyjcc.edu
Discipline: Education
Strengths: I have been teaching online for about 6 years. I know it can be challenging and frustrating, especially if colleagues are not comfortable with online courses. I have experience mentoring online faculty face-to-face.

Andrea Nikischer, Buffalo State College

College webpage
Email:
Discipline: Education
Strengths: I am particularly interested in working with graduate faculty members teaching small courses online. I have been teaching a full course load of small graduate classes online since 2012. Many of these courses involve "sensitive" topics, and I would embrace the opportunity to work with other faculty members teaching emotionally challenging material in an all-online format. I am most interested in mentoring faculty members who seek to build strong learning communities with their students.

Mary Seel, Broome Community College

College webpage
Email: seelmr@sunybroome.edu
Discipline: Humanities/English Composition
Strengths: I am interested in encouraging faculty as they develop their courses and as they begin to teach them, to share experiences and what has worked well and what has not.

Ellen Sidey, Alfred State College

College webpage
Email: SideyE@ALFREDSTATE.EDU
Discipline: English (also Instructional Designer)
Strengths: My strengths lie in my own experience teaching online, writing online courses, and instructional design. I have seen online courses from all angles and can guide faculty based on my experience with good and bad online courses and practices. I know the anxiety first-time online instructors feel because I have written and facilitated training courses for that very group. I can address common issues they will come up against and how to handle them. I have also taught in the traditional classroom so I can field any questions they may have about the differences between the two formats.

Jeanneth Sangurima-Quiles, Suffolk County Community College

College website
Email: sangurj@sunysuffolk.edu
Discipline: Spanish
Strengths: To help guide and assist in effective language practices. I've been an online Spanish Adjunct Lecturer at a CUNY institution as well as an f2f and blended Adjunct Lecturer at Suffolk County Community College (SCCC). I've created 2 blended courses which I current teach at 2 campuses of SCCC. I recently completed the Independent Applying Quality Matter Rubric. I welcome any opportunity to share my knowledge and mentor fellow colleagues.

Business & Computer Science

Madeline Crocitto, SUNY Old Westbury

College webpage
Email: crocittom@oldwestbury.edu
Discipline: Business Management/Marketing & Finance
Strengths: I have been teaching on-line since 2001 and am very aware of the benefits and pitfalls of on-line learning. My strengths are a commitment to effective learning and access via technology and public education. I have effectively monitored faculty and doctoral students, finding the process a positive learning experience for me and, according to my partners, equally as beneficial to them. I have published and presented in the field of management education for over ten years and am told I am creative in finding ways to present material effectively and interestingly to students, increasing their engagement. This is especially helpful in drawing on-line students into the class community.

Denise Passero, Fulton-Montgomery Community College

College webpage
Email: denise.passero@fmcc.edu
Discipline: Academic computing, networking, micro computer applications
Strengths: I am currently serving as the campus ID for FMCC and I have completed the Open SUNY N2OL course. I also mentored one of our faculty members while he took N2OL. I am very interested in having faculty be not only technically competent but to be able to develop quality courses. I am strong with urging faculty to stick to the best practices and I have the patience to guide and encourage.

Mindy Kole, Ulster County Community College

College webpage
Email: kolem@sunyulster.edu
Discipline: Business
Strengths: I have been teaching online for several years and understand that it is very different from traditional face-to-face teaching and therefore, traditional classes need to be revamped (i.e. start from scratch) to be effective online. Additionally, I am in a doctoral program in Management Education with Capella University, currently in the dissertation phase, and have taken doctoral level classes in curriculum development and online education. I am a fan of online education and the opportunity it provides for learning and for students needing that format.

Raul Zevallos, SUNY Old Westbury

College webpage
Email: zevallosr@oldwestbury.edu
Discipline: Business (also Instructional Designer)
Strengths: Versed on several LMS and experienced trainer. Heavy user of Open Source software. Instructions writer of different topics, as per need or request.

Christine Leake, Empire State College

College webpage
Email: christine.leake@esc.edu
Discipline: Business
Strengths: Advanced Degree in Instructional Design / Knowledge of Instructional Systems' Designs / Knowledge of Quality Matters Rubric and Peer Review Process / Passion for learning opportunities that are designed with quality in mind / Student Centered approach / Dedicated to the field

Science & Nursing

Gregory Phelan, SUNY Cortland

College webpage
Email: gregory.phelan@cortland.edu
Discipline: Chemistry
Strengths: I have a lot of experience developing online materials, courses, activities for a variety of subjects including chemistry, science for non-majors, innovation, entrepreneurship and social innovation/entrepreneurship. I would enjoy the opportunity to help others with similar interests. A secondary motivational factor would be to find others interested in potentially publishing work related to these kinds of activities.

Elizabeth Balko, SUNY Oswego

Webpage
Discipline: Science (marine and human biology)
Strengths: I have extensive experience designing and teaching online and blended courses.

Elizabeth Pratt, SUNY Delhi

College webpage
Email: prattel@delhi.edu
Discipline: Nursing
Strengths: I am organized, supportive, able to provide constructive criticism in a positive light, open to new ideas, accessible during a variety of times, energetic, demonstrate professionalism, and scholarly traits. My interests include helping decrease stress level of teaching in the online environment, updating courses to reflect current information, encouraging self-development of teaching methods effective in the online environment.

Social Sciences

Kamil Hamaoui, Westchester Community College

College webpage
Email: kamil.hamaoui@sunywcc.edu
Discipline: behavioral/social science/psychology
Strengths: I have helped other faculty discover useful tools in Blackboard and assisted with technology-related questions. I can help online faculty develop a rigorous course with high standards and a personal connection with students, without it involving an overwhelming amount of work for the instructor.

Arthur Finkle, Empire State College

Webpage
Email: arthur.finkle@esc.edu
Discipline: social science, political science, business administration
Strengths: 15 years of online teaching / Mentored others at Thomas Edison State College (New Jersey)

Jung-Whan Marc de Jong, Fashion Institute of Technology

College website
Email: jungwhan_dejong@fitnyc.edu
Discipline: Sociology
Strengths: I have strong experience (5+ years) teaching a variety of social science courses online, using Angel and Blackboard. I am excited to show other faculty that online learning rivals face-to-face learning and that with the right pedagogical and online tools, it can even best it.

Educational Technology & Instructional Design

Bill Pelz, Herkimer County Community College

College webpage
Email: pelzwe@HERKIMER.EDU
Strengths: Technoheutagogy / Instructional Design / Facilitating online workshops

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Donna Simiele, Niagara County Community College

College webpage
Email: dsimiele@niagaracc.suny.edu
Strengths: At NCCC I run the Quality Peer Review Project. In the past we used the Quality Matters Rubric but we now use an adjusted version of the OSCQR Rubric. Also, as part of our refresh process for WAVE 2 I have had the opportunity to review courses for accessibility issues. At NCCC we have started an initiative that will check accessibility issues on our campus and devise a training schedule based on these findings. Over the past several years I have worked with new faculty in course development. I would be comfortable working with faculty to build a course from the ground up or as part of a refresh process.

Ellen Sidey, Alfred State College

College webpage
Email: SideyE@ALFREDSTATE.EDU
Strengths: My strengths lie in my own experience teaching online, writing online courses, and instructional design. I have seen online courses from all angles and can guide faculty based on my experience with good and bad online courses and practices. I know the anxiety first-time online instructors feel because I have written and facilitated training courses for that very group. I can address common issues they will come up against and how to handle them. I have also taught in the traditional classroom so I can field any questions they may have about the differences between the two formats.

Roberta (Robin) Sullivan, University at Buffalo

College webpage
Email: rrs@buffalo.edu
Strengths: I have nearly 18 years as an instructional designer for UB. For the past 3 years I have been involved in the SUNY TOEP online social-network community with the goal of faculty professional development relating to the use of emerging technology tools for teaching and learning.

Antonia (Tonka) Jokelova, Empire State College

College webpage
Email: Antonia.Jokelova@esc.edu
Strengths: Teaching presence / motivational strategies / feedback

Michael Phillips, SUNY Potsdam

Webpage
Email: phillimj@potsdam.edu
Strengths: Instructional design, usability, compliance issues, quality-assurance, organization and presentation of content, interactive/participatory/engaging elements (student-student, student-content, student-instructor), visuals/graphics.

Raul Zevallos, SUNY Old Westbury

College webpage
Email: zevallosr@oldwestbury.edu

Strengths: Versed on several LMS and experienced trainer. Heavy user of Open Source software. Instructions writer of different topics, as per need or request.

 

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