Naomi R. Boyer holds a PhD in interdisciplinary education. As the Assistant VP of the Office of Extended University at the University of South Florida Polytechnic, she is responsible for teaching and learning technology programs, extended university/continuing education opportunities on the campus, and international partnerships and global engagement projects. Dr. Boyer teaches in the Adult Education program and maintains research interests in self-directed frameworks in online settings, the impact of technology on educational settings, and the faculty development programs. Dr. Boyer is listed on a number of NSF grants with an emphasis on innovative pedagogy, technology integration, and online material development.

I've been working at USF Polytechnic since
January, 2002

How long I've been teaching (or doing this kind of work)
I was a recent Ph.D. graduate when I was hired by the Lakeland campus and therefore starting teaching about six years ago. However, in a past life, I was a special education teacher and taught for 4 years at various locations around the United States.

What are some of the signature assignments you have given your students?
I teach using personal learning contracts as presented by Malcolm Knowles, (when appropriate in my classes) which allows students to select objective that they want to learn in depth. This provides students with the opportunity to set their own pathway through the ownership and extends learning beyond superficial understanding. I also integrate technology extensively regardless of whether I am teaching a face to face, a blended, or entirely online course.

The accomplishment I am most proud of is...
I am most proud of the growth and development of the faculty at USF Poluytechnic. They have worked as partners with me to explore, integrate, and implement the technology in a variety of ways. Some are now teaching online courses, others are using new tools in their classes. Best of all, conversations are now taking place that three-four years ago would have been foreign to many of our instructional staff.

Until now, most of my students (or general public) didn't know...
I hate to perform! While I have no problems teaching and discussing and presenting, I am not a performer. I will avoid being center stage at all costs! Give me a backstage job anytime.

If I weren't in this profession, I would be...
Involved in some cause or organization. I love to help contribute to a bigger picture and solve problems. Efficiency and effectiveness are very important to me as well as providing a service that impacts the larger community.

What I like most about the students at USF Polytechnic...
The students in Lakeland care! They discuss, they engage, and they are willing to work with us to improve the organization.

Research interests include the exploration of social, self-direction in online environments and how this impacts learner outcomes and extended learning. A second stream of research includes the use and integration of technology into the learning process for faculty and students. Finally, models of faculty development and organizational change have also been studied as a primary research focus.

My personal philosophy of the teaching/learning leans toward social-constructivism with an integration of progressive practice. While the leader of the learning experience should have expert knowledge in the content covered, it is also important to design an instructional environment that facilitates meaningful, relevant, and engaging opportunities. The learner and the instructor should have an interdependent, symbiotic relationship that challenges the status quo of personal knowledge.