New Media Tech Info Session

This a short video excerpt of a discussion on the field of digital development and the upcoming changes to the New Media Technology program at LaGuardia Community College. Last year I was tasked with the responsibility of conducting the Periodic Program Review (PPR) for the New Media Technology program at LaGuardia. In drafting the PPR I was forced to research the current status of the industry in which the program was preparing students to enter in the hopes of developing a plan to assess the effectiveness of the major and improve student outcomes.

Based on the information discovered during my research, I Continue reading “New Media Tech Info Session”

UFS Conference on Assessing Online Instruction

Yesterday I trekked up to John Jay College and took part in a panel discussion on the Virtual Classroom and assessing online instruction. The discussion was held at the CUNY – University Faculty Senate (UFS) Conference on Online Education.

There were breakout sessions on numerous topics dealing with the future direction of online education. The new Continue reading “UFS Conference on Assessing Online Instruction”

CUNY SPS – Big things may be coming!

Dean of CUNY SPS - John Mogulescu

We received the announcement today that the School of Professional Studies (SPS) may become a self standing college within the City University of New York system. Some people, actually many people, are unaware that SPS is actually run under the auspices of the CUNY Graduate Center. The new announcement means that big changes are going to be on the way. The new Chancellor of CUNY is an advocate for online and instruction and technology. I am hoping that this means that as CUNY’s premiere online degree granting institution, these new developments will be extremely positive.

CUNY SPS – Communication and Media degree

Earlier this week we recorded a marketing video for the Communication and Media program at the CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS). The purpose of the video was to give potential students an overview of the program and the admission requirements. The information in the video is very similar to the material that we present to attendees to our monthly open house sessions. I was excited to record this video because not everyone can make it to the in-person informational sessions that we hold during the semester.

For those of you that are unaware, the Communication and Media program at the SPS is a four year online degree program that offers an interdisciplinary focus on issues related to the convergence between new and traditional media. The goal of the program is to prepare Continue reading “CUNY SPS – Communication and Media degree”

2014 CUNY SPS Graduation

Today I had the honor of being on stage and congratulating the 2014 graduates of Communication and Media program. As an Academic Director at the CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS) I have many responsibilities. However none of those responsibilities are as fulfilling as helping the students in my program achieve their goals. Many of my students are working professionals with families and demanding job responsibilities of their own. So it is especially great to witness them overcome the challenge of working while going to school.

#tweetMyClass: Social Media for the Classroom


I was recently part of a panel discussion at the 2013 CUNY Information Technology Conference on the academic uses of social media. The presentation included short introductions, followed by a roundtable discussion, in which the educators on the panel examined which social media practices they had employed over the years succeeded and failed.

Digital Directive: The NY Observer Interview

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A few months back I was questioned by a writer from the New York Observer on my role as the Academic Director of the Communication and Media program at the CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS). The writer was interested in discussing the online nature of my program and what sets it apart from other traditional and internet based learning environments. Well, today I found out that I was prominently quoted in the Educated Observer, a special advertising supplement to the NY Observer, on the work we are doing over at SPS.

A digital copy of the article, and my statements on the programs at SPS, can be found here.

The SPS Bachelor Degree Program Info Session

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Every few months the academic directors at the CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS) have a formal information session for potential students interested in our online degree programs. The purpose of these events are to introduce these potential students to our programs, our school, and to give them a taste of what will be expected of them if they decide to attend SPS. Well at the session last night while I was presenting I ran into a former New Media Technology student that I taught at LaGuardia many years ago. He is planning on going back to school to get a BA and is applying to the Communication and Media program that I am heading up.

I guess this is what they mean by full circle.

The SPS Fall 2013 Student-Faculty Reception

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The other night at the CUNY School of Professional Studies annual Student-Faculty reception I had the opportunity to finally meet some of the students in the Communication and Media program. While working with students in an online can be rewarding, there is a special thrill that can come with interacting face to face with the people in your major. The only downside of the evening was that I had to wear a suit. I hate wearing suits.