Résumé

	Brett Bixler

2814 Zion Rd. • Bellefonte, PA 16823 • 814-383-2537
E-mail: bxb11@psu.edu
Web: http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/
Blogs: Educational Gaming, Personal

PDF Copy of this Résumé

Objective

To contribute strong leadership on teaching and learning with technology to your organization.

Profile

• Accomplished professional in developing e-Learning solutions in higher education.
• Ability to meld vision with reality.
• Strong leader seasoned in the use of quality interpersonal skills for managing and leading diverse teams.
• Goal-oriented instructional design professional with significant and progressive curriculum development experience interacting with people and teams in instructional settings and beyond.
• Excellent communicator with attentive listening and effective speaking skills.
• Exceptional troubleshooter and problem solver with solid detail orientation and organizational skills.

Experiences

2007-2008	Manager, Educational Gaming Commons, Penn State University.
2007-2008	Penn State Online Instructional Design and Instructional Technology committee member.
2001-2008	Lead Instructional Designer, Educational Technology Services, Penn State University.
2005-2007	Manager, Instructional Support and Research, Educational Technology Services, Penn State University.
2004	Interim Project Manager, ANGEL Learning Management System, Penn State University.
2002-2008	Penn State e-Education Council Board member.
1998-2008	Instructional Designer and Instructor, Information Sciences and Technology Degree, Penn State University.
1998-2001	Educational Technology Services Advisory Board member.
1997-2001	Senior Instructional Designer, Bachelor of Science in Business Degree, Commonwealth College, Penn State University.
1996-2001	Senior Instructional Designer, Center for Learning and Academic Technologies, Penn State University.
2001	Learning Management System for Penn State Committee Member.
1996-99	Project Manager, The General Education Modules. Development of print-based, computer-based, and web-based instructional material for students new to college.
1985-99	Guest lecturer at Instructional Systems courses at The Pennsylvania State University.
1999	Instructional Designer and Multimedia Developer, Pennsylvania Math Standards Connection, a project coordinated by WPSX - TV to integrate the PBS Mathline series into Pennsylvania school systems.
1997-98	Instructional Designer, Human Development and Family Services Degree, Commonwealth College, Penn State University.
1985-96	Senior Instructional Designer, Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy.
1995-96	Web Master, the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, Penn State.
1995-96	Project Manager, Training and Technology Needs Assessment, American Telephone and Telegraph Company/Microelectronics. (Co-P.I.'s E. N. Askov, B. Bixler, P. Carman). 10/1/95-1/31/96. Project to assess existing education/training programs and technology platforms in AT&T/Microelectronics plants and make recommendations.
1995-96	Project Manager, National Workforce Assistant Collaborative (NWAC) project, establishing and maintaining a listserv, gopher server, and world wide web site for NWAC, the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, Penn State.
1995	Multimedia Developer, From Land to Landfill, Module 3 - Hunger, The Penn State Nutrition Center, Penn State.
1994-95	Project Manager, Developing Customizable Software for Pennsylvania Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) Programs project, a 353 Pennsylvania grant to work with ABLE programs to customize software for their needs, the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, Penn State.
1994-95	Multimedia Developer, Vocabulary Maker project, a customizable vocabulary program for elementary, secondary, and adult students, TEST PREP, State College, PA.
1993-95	Project Manager and Multimedia Developer, A Day in the Life . . . Assessment project, workplace literacy software that assesses basic skills in five job domains, the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, Penn State.
1992-94	Project Manager and Multimedia Developer,  Sales and Customer Service Occupational Readiness Education Project (S.C.O.R.E.), a collaborative computerized workplace literacy effort between the AT&T Corporate Human Resources Division, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, Penn State. Coordinated nine team members and budgets in excess of $1,000,000.
1992-94	Project Manager and Multimedia Developer, Pennsylvania Blue Shield Job Linked Skills Program, a collaborative computerized workplace literacy effort between Pennsylvania Blue Shield, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, Penn State. Coordinated three team members and a budget in excess of $700,000.
1991-94	Project Manager and Multimedia Developer, A Day in the Life . . . Instruction project, workplace literacy software that teaches basic skills in five job domains, the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, Penn State. Coordinated nine team members and a budget in excess of $500,000.
1986-94	Database Developer for the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy.
1984-94	Computer Manager for The Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy.
1989-91	Project Manager and Multimedia Developer, R.O.A.D. (Real Opportunities for Advancement and Development) to Success Project, a collaborative computerized workplace literacy effort between the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, Penn State. Coordinated eight team members and a budget in excess of $800,000.
1989-91	Instructional Designer, computerized assessment of job-specific basic skills, sponsored by the Appalachian Regional Commission.
1985-91	Developer of computer-assisted instruction for low literate adults, including planning, development, implementation, field testing, and revision.
1984-91	Designer of instructional manuals for computer-assisted instruction.
1988	Project Coordinator, Use of Computer-Assisted Instruction with Volunteer Tutors and Displaced Workers.
1987-88	Technical Coordinator for the Annual Penn State Adult Literacy and Technology Conference.
1986-87	Developer and Editor for Courseware News, a desktop-published newsletter.
1985 (Win.)	Consultant in computerized curriculum development to The Pennsylvania State University Library.
1985 (Sum.)	Programmer for courseware conversion and development of the Cornell Learning and Study Skills Inventory, used by The Pennsylvania State University.
1984 (Fall)	Courseware Developer of instruction in music. Used as reference material by the Instructional Systems program, The Pennsylvania State University.
1984 (Sp.)	Database Developer of a database for information tracking of graduates of the Instructional Systems program at The Pennsylvania State University.
1984 (Sp.)	Designer of instructional courses for the Curriculum and Instruction program, including text materials and manuals, The Pennsylvania State University.

Selected Publications and Presentations

Bixler, B. (2008). Motivation and the Design of Educational Games. Paper presented at the 2008 Playing to Win Conference, University Park, PA.

Bixler, B. & Land, S. (2008). The Effects of Scaffolding Student's Problem-Solving Process via Question Prompts on Problem Solving and Intrinsic Motivation in an Online Learning Environment. Paper presented to the American Education and Research Association 2008 conference, New York City, NY.

Bixler, B. (2008). Serious Games and Virtual Worlds: Potentials and Pitfalls. Conference presentation at the Penn State 2007 Web Conference, University Park, PA.

Bixler, B. (2006). Games and Motivation: Implications for Instructional Design. Paper presented at the New Media Consortium 2006 Summer Conference, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.

Bixler, B. & Spotts, J. (1998). Screen Design and Levels of Interactivity in Web-based Training, 1998 IVLA Conference (International Visual Literacy Association).

Askov, E. N., & Bixler, B. (1998). Transforming adult literacy instruction through computer-assisted instruction. In D. Reinking (Ed.), Literacy & Technology for the 21st Century, 167-184. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Bixler, B. & Spotts, J. (1997). Instructional Graphics: Revisiting Challenges Presented By The World Wide Web. Accepted for the 1997 IVLA Conference (International Visual Literacy Association).

Bixler, B. & Bergman, T. (1997). Selecting and implementing computer-based training. National Alliance of Business, 1201 New York Ave., NW, Ste. 700, Washington, DC 20005.

Bixler, B. & Askov, E. N. (1996). You Just Received a Windfall for Technology! So How Do You Select the Best CAI Software? Adult Learning, Vol. 8, No. 2.

Bixler, B. & Askov, E. N. (1994). Characteristics of Effective Instructional Technology, Mosaic: Research Notes on Literacy, Vol. 4, No. 2.

Bixler, B. (1994). Preparing Yourself for Customizable Software, Mosaic: Research Notes on Literacy, Vol. 4, No. 2.

Bixler, B. & Spotts, J. (1994). SCORE Courseware Offers Model for Adult Learners, T.H.E. Journal, Vol. 21, No. 11.

Askov, E. N., Maclay, C. M., & Bixler, B. (1992). Chapter 12. An intergenerational study of the impact of computer-assisted reading instruction with low-literate parents. In T. G. Sticht, B. A. McDonald, & M. J. Beeler (Eds.), The intergenerational transfer of cognitive skills, Vol. I (pp. 149-158). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

Bixler, B. (1991). Computer-Assisted Instruction Design Techniques for the Low-Literate Adult, Computers in Adult Education and Training, Vol. 2, No. 1.

Bixler, B. & Askov, E. N. (1988). Use of Computer-Assisted Instruction with Displaced Workers and Volunteer Tutors (Final Report)

Fleischman, J. & Bixler, B. (1988). HyperCard: Potential for Literacy, Adult Literacy and Technology Newsletter, Vol. 2, No. 1.

Bixler, B. (1987). Speech Synthesizers, Learning and Media, Vol. 14, No. 3.

Bixler, B. (1987). New Advances in Interactive Audio, Adult Literacy and Technology Newsletter, Vol. 1, No. 2.

Askov, E. N., Maclay, C. M., & Bixler, B. (1987). Penn State Adult Literacy Courseware: Impact on Parents and Children (Final Report)

Askov, E. N., Maclay, C. M., & Bixler, B. (1986). Evaluation of Computer Courseware for Adult Beginning Reading Instruction in a Correctional Setting (Final Report)

Employment History

Lead Instructional Designer, Educational Technology Services, Penn State University.  Responsibilities included project and staff management, program outreach, faculty consultations, university committee work, design and development of educational multimedia, in-service training and assistance; curriculum development; data analysis. Director of Training and Development for Penn State's Course Management System - ANGEL, including coordination of instructional designers, editors, and training personnel. Director of the Faculty Steering Committee for ANGEL. Liaison for all ANGEL sub-groups, including technical, clerical, and academic personnel.

Senior Instructional Designer, Center for Learning and Academic Technologies, Penn State University.  Responsibilities included project and staff management, program outreach, university committee work, design and development of educational multimedia, staff development, training, in-service training and assistance; curriculum development; data analysis; software programming; formative and summative evaluation of projects.

Senior Instructional Designer, Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, Penn State University.  Responsibilities included grant writing, project management, program outreach, design and development of educational software, staff development (computers), teacher training, in-service training and assistance; curriculum development; database development and management; data analysis; software programming; courseware development; formative and summative evaluation of projects, and frequent presentations on computer-based education materials.

Education

2007	Doctor of Philosophy in Instructional Systems, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
1985	Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
1982	Bachelor of Music in Music Education, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA.

References

Dr. Marilynne Stout, Former Director, Educational Technology Services, The Pennsylvania State University. Tele. 814-863-2271. E-mail mbf@psu.edu .

Dr. Eunice Askov.  Director, Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, The Pennsylvania State University. Tele. 814-863-3777. E-mail ena1@psu.edu .

Dr. Frank Wilson, Director of Educational Multimedia Educational Services, WVIZ-TV, Clevland, OH. Tele. 216-739-3995. E-mail FWilson@wviz.org .

Dr. Ann Deden. General manager, Academic Products and Services, Open Universities Australia. Tele. 61 + (03) 8628 2520. E-mail:   ann.deden@open.edu.au  .

Dr. Sheila Sherow, Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy, The Pennsylvania State University. Tele. 814-863-3777. E-mail sms20@psu.edu .

Written references are available upon request.