Dr. Jessica Somers
University System of
Georgia Board of
Regents
Executive Director of
Academic Innovation
Advanced Learning
Technologies Unit
Ph.D. University of Georgia 1995
Work History
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Personnel Coordinator, Sun Products Corporation
Research Coordinator, Budget and Research Services
Assistant Director, Placement and Co-op Department
Education Instruction Specialist, IBM Corporation
Graduate Assistant, Developmental Studies Div, UGA
Temp Instructor, Intro to CPU-Based Ed, IT Dept, UGA
Technology Environment Coordinator and Assistant
Director, Center for Educational Technology, COE, UGA
• Associate Dir., Distance Ed and Academic Innovation
• Director, Academic Innovation
• Executive Director, Academic Innovation
Job Duties
• Responsible for System-wide faculty
development activities focused on
incorporating technology into instruction
• Contract with external entities to develop
scalable and sustainable training solutions
• Serve as liaison for collaboratively developed
online degree programs
• Represent ALT in Regents’ activities
• Conference Program Chair—MERLOT
International Conference, 2001
SCOUT
• Repository of instructional Resources developed by
USG faculty, designers and programmers
• Focuses on collaborative development and delivery
of online coursework
• Preview of other course work
• USG Faculty have opportunity to adopt existing
course materials
• Courses offered for credit through five institutions
MERLOT
• Open Collection of Resources created by
faculty nationwide
• Appropriate resources for education are
immediately accessible
• Learning modules span the academic
spectrum, both in terms of discipline and
approach
• Searchable by keyword or subject hierarchy
Site Content
• Reference Materials
• Virtual Tours
• Animations
• Interactive Instructions
• Simulations
• Sample Lesson Plans
• Links to Other Individuals
in Discipline
Peer
Evaluations
• All material reviewed by subject matter
experts and instructional designers
• Reviewers evaluate quality of content,
effectiveness of material for teaching,
and ease of use
• Reviews are by peers using composite
averages of all reviewers
Partners
• 22 higher learning institutes are
partners
• Lending their talents for the good
of the whole
• Promotes more serious discussions
of materials as well as
implementation of technology in
classrooms
Somers / MERLOT
• Represents USG as Project Director for
MERLOT
• Provides leadership for MERLOT projects
• Supports peer review of Web-based
learning materials by USG faculty
About This Presentation
SCOUT Website:
http://alt.usg.edu/scout
MERLOT Website:
http://www.merlot.org
Other Websites:
http://www.codeconnoisseur.org/it/edit6100/task2
Dr. Somers’ Image:
http://www.celt.lsu.edu/cfd
Background Image:
http://www.deviantART.com
Publications
MERLOT for web-based learning and teaching.
UCNS Computer Review, UGA, 2001
A process for initiating change: Developing
technology goals for a college of education.
Journal of Teacher Education, 1996
What's in a game? A study of games as an
instructional method in an adult education
class. Innovative Higher Education, 1993
Education
• Ph.D. University of Georgia 1995
• M.B.A. West Georgia College 1981
• B.B.A. West Georgia College 1977