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College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

CALS Faculty Instructional Resources and Support Team (FIRST)

Supporting teaching excellence, cultivating lifelong learners.


The Faculty Instructional Resources and Support Team (FIRST) is part of the CALS Teaching and Learning Collaborative, a hub of support from CALS for UF/IFAS faculty to enhance their teaching and mentoring efficacy, scholarship, and leadership. Learn how we can support you in teaching academic and Extension courses.

 

About CALS FIRST

FIRST (formerly known as the CALS Center for Online Learning and Technology), continues to offer assistance to UF/IFAS faculty for course design, course building in Canvas, and course delivery challenges when teaching online, hybrid and flipped courses in UF eLearning and UF/IFAS Extension Online Learning. 

FIRST offers Course Design and Course Delivery Communities of Practice, as well as consultations and faculty development opportunities. Reserve facilitated or self-service video studios to record lectures, or work with our video team to produce engaging field/lab videos and interactive materials.

  • Vision and Mission

    Our Mission

    We partner with UF/IFAS CALS and Extension faculty to create meaningful, high-quality, outcome-based learner experiences through accessible, engaging, transformative content and learning environments. Our relationships with faculty help to actualize their instructional goals by leveraging technology and pedagogy for continuous improvement of teaching and learning. 

     

    Our Vision

    Our vision is to be a collaborative hub for innovative, student-centered teaching and learning. Enriched by these connections, CALS and IFAS faculty lead in meeting evolving student needs and developing lifelong learners prepared to face the world’s critical challenges.  

  • Location and Contact

    Contact Us

    Email

    FIRST@ifas.ufl.edu (general questions and those related to academic courses)

    ExtensionOnline@ifas.ufl.edu (questions related to UF/IFAS Extension Online Learning courses)

    Phone

    352-392-3893

    Location

    Our offices and recording studios are located in Building 162 on the main UF campus, close to McCarty Hall. 

    Mailing Address

    PO Box 110270
    Gainesville, FL  32611-0270

    Physical Address

    1740 McCarty Dr., Building 162
    Gainesville, FL  32611

    Campus map showing COLT Building 162

     

    To request course development or video services, please complete the online services request form. For questions, email FIRST@ifas.ufl.edu.

  • Staff

    General FIRST Questions:

    Barbra Larson
    Assistant Director, Education/Training Programs
    bcl@ufl.edu
    352-392-3895

    Keith Cinami
    Program Assistant
    kcinami@ufl.edu
    352-392-3893

    Dr. Katrina Alford (Trini)
    Education/Training Specialist II
    trini@ufl.edu  
    352-294-0858


    Distance education consultations and instructional design

    Academic courses:

    Kathryn Rush
    Instructional Designer III
    krush@ufl.edu
    352-273-3565

    Aaron Sotala
    Instructional Designer II
    asotala@ufl.edu
    352-392-3894

    Extension courses:

    Peter Disabb
    Instructional Designer I
    pdisabb@ufl.edu
    352-294-0855

    Misti Rucks
    Instructional Designer I
    misti.rucks@ifas.ufl.edu
    352-273-3468


    Video Production and Distance Education Classroom Support

    Rob Bailey
    Production Manager
    robbailey@ufl.edu
    352-846-0144

    Kaelyn Nelson
    Communications and Video Production Assistant
    kaelyn.nelson@ufl.edu 
    352-392-3893


    FIRST Assistants:

    Assistants:

    • Hannah Bokor
    • Grace Lopez
    • Megan Moore
    • Melanie Pastrana
    • Ethen Ungaro
    • Sarah Wutzler

    Video Assistants:

    • Azhalia Pottinger

    Spanish translation

    • Diana Rodriguez

    Instructional Design Interns/Assistants:

    • Ezmarelda Humphrey
    • Madeline Browy
    • Preston Shults

     

     

 

FIRST Services for Academic Courses

We can assist CALS faculty with course design, course building in Canvas, course delivery challenges when teaching online, and hybrid and flipped courses in UF eLearning and UF/IFAS Extension Online Learning. We offer Course Design Communities of Practice, as well as consultations and faculty development opportunities. Reserve our facilitated or self-service video studios to record lectures, or work with our video team to produce engaging field/lab videos and interactive materials.

Join the Spring 2025 CALS Course Design Community of Practice  by filling out the registration form. Complete the form by December 6th, 2024 to have your input considered in the scheduling of weekly session times.

To request course assistance or video services, please complete the online services request form. For questions, email FIRST@ifas.ufl.edu.

  • CALS Course Design Community of Practice

    To support CALS faculty in designing and delivering student-centered courses infused with authentic learning activities, and to help online courses achieve the required UF Quality designation, each semester we offer a cohort-based activity designed as a Community of Practice (CoP).

    During the hands-on and discussion sessions, you’ll work directly with your course plan and materials while honing best practices for developing and teaching high-quality, learner-centered courses ready for the UF Quality standards review. You’ll have broader support by meeting with a cohort of faculty across CALS - guided by our instructional design and production teams - with opportunities to share ideas, learn from your colleagues and plan course revisions strategically with our support team.

    Why Join a Course Design CoP Cohort?

    • Learn with and from colleagues through a Community of Practice focused on learner-centered teaching.
    • Design or enhance your course with the goal of achieving UF Quality Exemplary rating that achieves a high level of student and faculty satisfaction.
    • Help your students achieve deeper learning through authentic learning activities and assessments that apply your course content to real-world context.
    • Leverage pedagogy and new technologies to implement student engagement strategies that result in meaningful student learning.
    • Use learning analytics, reflection, and peer evaluation to improve course design, teaching practice, and student outcomes.
    • Learn how to apply the UF Quality standards to improve course quality and complete the review submission with the support of specialists and peers.

    Join the Spring 2025 CALS Course Design Community of Practice by filling out the registration form. Complete the form by December 6th, 2024 to have your input considered in the scheduling of session times.

    This cohort based offering is designed to help you prepare and submit your course for the UF Quality standards review, while streamlining the planning time to shift the focus from course builds in Canvas to teaching strategies for authentic learning and assessment.

    All undergraduate courses that are at least 80% online must meet UF Quality standards for online course quality by the end of 2025. Under the UF Quality review process timeline, you’ll need to teach any revised or new course at least once before submitting it for review.

    Our CoP is designed to guide you through course development or course improvements and the UF Quality standards submission process. We support both undergraduate and graduate courses through this CoP, although the UF Quality review is recommended but not required for graduate-level courses.

    As always, you can use instructional design services from your own department or other UF sources (CITT, COIP) instead of or in collaboration with our team. Additionally, beyond our cohort offerings, our team continues to offer consultations, recording studio appointments, and course design templates and resources.

    Expectations of participating in this cohort offering:

    • FIRST will provide resources, physical or virtual space, and facilitation to interact as a Community of Practice (CoP).
    • FIRST will support your course revisions and development with an individualized plan.
    • For the CoP to be successful, your active participation throughout the semester is expected, both synchronously and asynchronously.
    • Your participation requires a time commitment over the semester of 12-18 hours in synchronous meetings, 12-16 hours in asynchronous related activities, and time outside of meetings spent on your course that will depend on your individual course needs.
    • While you are responsible for completing all instructor course tasks, FIRST staff will support your course development and revision needs during and outside of meeting times.
  • Templates and Course Build Resources

    The CALS Course Design Resource Repository can be accessed via Gatorlink and contains resources for course builds in Canvas including:

    • CALS syllabus template
    • CALS Canvas course template
    • Accessible PowerPoint templates

     

  • Consultations and Trainings
    • Online teaching best practices and UF Quality standards including assessments, assignments/learning activities, syllabus, course map/alignment
    • Authentic and active learning
    • Accessibility of course materials and site
    • Instructional materials development and recording
    • Instructional technology
    • Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
  • Content Recording and Accessibility

    Content recording

    • Facilitated and on-demand (express) video production studios
    • Guidance on recording on your own
    • Managing video links in Mediasite and Canvas

    Content development and accessibility

    • PowerPoint accessibility and design updating
    • Custom PowerPoint template development
    • Document accessibility (PPT, PDF, DOC)
    • Canvas course accessibility and templating

     

 

FIRST Services for Extension Online Learning Courses

UF/IFAS Extension Online Learning is a central source for online training and professional development opportunities related to agriculture, natural resources, youth and families, and communities. The continuing education and non-credit courses and educational modules offered on the site are developed and facilitated by UF/IFAS experts using Canvas Catalog as the course hosting and registration system.  

The CALS FIRST team supports Extension faculty to design, build, and deliver online and hybrid courses through UF/IFAS Extension Online Learning. Navigate to one of the sections below for more information or email ExtensionOnline@ifas.ufl.edu to get in touch with a team member.  

New to Extension Online Learning and ready to get started? Fill out our Services Request Form and select “New instructor account”. 

For additional services: (forms require Gatorlink login)

 

FIRST Video and Course Content Production

We offer a fully facilitated video studio, self-service audio and video studios, as well as on-site video shoots. 

UF/IFAS faculty and staff can reserve the recording facilities to record or develop course or module content for their academic or Extension programs.

To reserve the G001 classroom to record or livestream a course, presentation, workshop or other event, check availability on the G001 calendar and fill out the classroom reservation request form, specifying if technical facilitation is needed for videoconferencing (Zoom), and/or Mediasite recording.

To reserve one of our recording facilities in Building 162, check availability on the associated calendar and fill out the services request form.

Facility Calendars:

G001 McCarty Hall D

Building 162 Video Studio

Building 162 Express Audio Studio

Building 162 Express Video Studio

 

Teaching Resources

Training Opportunities

UF support for teaching online includes a variety of face-to-face workshops and online trainings regularly offered by the Office of Teaching Excellence, the Center for Instructional Technology and Training (CITT) and UF IT Training. 

If you are new to teaching in Canvas, the best place to start is the UF IT courses "eLearning @ UF: Build and Design" and "eLearning @ UF: Facilitate and Engage", which go through the mechanics of working in Canvas. These hands-on courses are taught by webinar once a semester.

If you are new to teaching online or want to improve your online teaching skills, the Great Online Course Series from the Office of Teaching Excellence is highly recommended for everyone and required for anyone teaching a UF Online course.

When you have questions or problems related to Canvas, check the Canvas Instructor Guide, and if you can't find what you need, contact eLearning Support at the UF Help Desk.

For additional opportunities to learn about more advanced topics related to online teaching, see the opportunities below.

 

CALS FIRST Staff

Headshot of woman with dark hair

Dr. Katrina Alford

Education/Training Specialist II

Faculty Instructional Resources and Support Team (FIRST)
(trini@ufl.edu)
Building 162

Rob Bailey portrait

Rob Bailey

Production Manager

Faculty Instructional Resources and Support Team (FIRST)
(robbailey@ufl.edu)
Building 162

Headshot image of program assistant Keith Cenami

Keith Cinami

Program Assistant

Faculty Instructional Resources and Support Team (FIRST)
(kcinami@ufl.edu)
Building 162

Portrait of a male in a blue button up shirt.

Peter Disabb

Instructional Designer I

Faculty Instructional Resources and Support Team (FIRST)
(pdisabb@ufl.edu)
Building 162

Barbra Larson portrait

Dr. Barbra Larson

Assistant Director, Education/Training Programs

Faculty Instructional Resources and Support Team (FIRST)
(bcl@ufl.edu)
Building 162

Portrait of a woman in a dark v-neck shirt.

Kaelyn Nelson

Communications and Video Assistant

Faculty Instructional Resources and Support Team (FIRST)
(kaelyn.nelson@ufl.edu)
Building 162

 

Misti Rucks

Misti Rucks

Instructional Designer I

Faculty Instructional Resources and Support Team (FIRST)
(misti.rucks@ufl.edu)
Building 162

 

Kathryn Rush portraitKathryn Rush portrait

Kathryn Rush

Instructional Designer III

Faculty Instructional Resources and Support Team (FIRST)
(krush@ufl.edu)
Building 162

Aaron Sotala portrait

Aaron Sotala

Instructional Designer II

Faculty Instructional Resources and Support Team (FIRST)
(asotala@ufl.edu)
Building 162

 

How Can We Help?

CALS FIRST offers Course Design and Course Delivery Communities of Practice, as well as consultations and faculty development opportunities. Reserve facilitated or self-service video studios to record lectures, or work with our video team to produce engaging field/lab videos and interactive materials.

To request course development or video services, please complete the online services request form.

For questions, email FIRST@ifas.ufl.edu for academics or general questions and ExtensionOnline@ifas.ufl.edu for anything related to Extension Online Learning.