Tide Pool
an ecosystem for faculty innovation
In the 2026 Athens Academy faculty demonstrated to each other how they were using some online engagement tools. We had a lot of fun with these, and it was interesting to see how faculty adapted them to suit various purposes. Here are a few of the favorites from this past summer: Nearpod is an interactive […]
In Spring 2025 I worked closely with Athens State University faculty, staff, and Athens Teaching Learning and Innovation Services (ATLAS) to create an immersive 2-week pedagogical workshop for faculty focused on deepening student engagement. The workshop blended teaching best practices…
Athens Aspire was a 2025-26 pilot program supported by the Strada Educational Foundation, focusing on a skills-based curriculum and AI career coaching for adult learners. The initiative revealed the significant need for coaching in professional skills, such as interviewing and professional communication, enabling targeted support without extensive curriculum changes.
Over the years I have come across several books that I have shared with faculty. Several faculty went on to use them in informal “book clubs” with faculty from across campus.
The Global Classroom
“…and may you visit many Egyptian cities to learn and go on learning from their scholars…”
C.P. Cavafy, Ithaka
Early Projects and Summer Institutes
Supported through the National Endowment for the Humanities
Center for Digital Initiatives Projects
Among the most haunting images of the Jerome Japanese American Internment Center are those that show a departure tradition in which friends and family on trains or buses hold paper streamers from the windows, the ends of which are held by those left behind. This tradition allowed for those few moments of extended contact, before […]
The CDI built several websites to highlight Arkansas State University heritage sites, including the Dyess Colony, Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum, Southern Tenant Farmers Museum, Lakeport Plantation, and Rohwer Japanese American Internment Center. Each site featured historical timelines, virtual tours, and various resources to enhance public understanding of their respective histories and significance.
This short video was created by the CDI to help K-12 students better visualize one aspect of a strawberry DNA project in their classroom.
This time-of-flight animation was created by the Center for Digital Initiatives to support a College of Science & Mathematics project.
Between 2008 and 2012, there was a notable rise in virtual environments’ use in academia. Arkansas State University (ASU) embraced this trend with various interactive projects in Second Life, including heritage sites like Johnny Cash’s boyhood home and Lakeport Plantation. These endeavors attracted significant global traffic, enhancing educational experiences.
The Arkansas Multi-User Instrument Database (AMUIDB) aids researchers in locating and scheduling essential instruments for innovative research. Part of the $24 million ASSET Initiative, it enhances STEM education and research across three centers focused on transformative energy and plant production. It also provides resources for K-12 educators in Arkansas.
In January 2014, Arkansas State University developed and launched its first iOS mobile app, A-State SmartCampus, to serve as a first stop for information for the entire Arkansas State community. A-State SmartCampus brings into one application key student information, community news and updates, and navigation for the Arkansas State campus in Jonesboro. “Our students and […]
This was one of the first projects that we did at the CDI. Professor George Harp was a professor emeritus at Arkansas State University, and he had an extensive dragonfly collection of over 25,000 specimen. After taking high resolution images…