Skip to content Skip to main navigation Report an accessibility issue

Instructional Technology MS


Instructional Technology

Lisa earned an MS in education with a concentration in the Instructional Technology, or IT Online, program in 2015. We asked her to reflect on past experiences with EPC and discuss where she’s at now. Read her responses below.

Current Occupation

Information & Technology Manager / Consultant III
Municipal Technical Advisory Service
Institute for Public Service
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN

I provide IT consulting and professional development opportunities to Tennessee municipal governments in the areas of cyber security and data assurance. I develop and maintain multiple databases for our internal processes and am responsible for our website.

Awards and Accomplishments Earned as a Student
  • Phi Kappa Phi – 2015
Accomplishments since Graduating

A colleague and I presented at the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2016. The presentation, “Building Lifelong Learning Skills through Peer-Supported Formative Assessment”, came directly from a class project. This was my first academic paper presentation and I was thrilled to see the number of attendees at the session. Gaining feedback and insight from others really enhanced my experience as a presenter.

Personal Interests

I am finishing my second year as a doctoral student in the LEEDS (Learning Environments and Educational Studies) program and I don’t have a lot of free time. The time I do have is prioritized for my family and my health. I have a blast spending time with my sons and watching them discover their passions in life. I also enjoy time at the gym and working to improve my physical strength and endurance. Plus its a great stress reducer!

What sold you on this program?

My department began looking at providing online courses to our customers in 2011/12. We wanted to enable municipal officials, who were not available to attend a daytime face-to-face training class, professional development opportunities. Going online seemed the way to go. I started the IT master’s program to increase my knowledge about educational theory, online learning, and assessment. I was sold on the IT program when I discovered that I could attend online and be home in the evenings with my children. I thought it was fitting that a program about IT was offered online – we were learning in the same format as we would be teaching!

What would you tell an incoming student in the program?

I would tell an incoming IT Online student to take advantage of each and every opportunity to collaborate with your peers and your professors. I learned so much from others during my program and established relationships that I will continue for many years to come.

Did you end up where you thought you would?

I had been out of school for a very long time when I began the IT Online program. I never would have guessed that my desire to learn how I might best implement online learning at work would turn into a six year academic career resulting in multiple degrees. I developed a love for learning new skills in an academic setting and taking on new challenges. When associate professor, Lisa Yamagata-Lynch, mentioned the LEEDS program to our IT cohort, I realized that I did not want my academic career to end and spoke with her about what it would take to become a student in the doctoral program. I have discovered that I thoroughly enjoy the academic environment, the challenge of producing valuable research, and would like to teach at the college level in the future. This is far from my starting goal yet my experiences in EPC have led me to a new understanding of what I’d like to do next in my career.

“The IT Online program is fabulous and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in online learning.”


The Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling wants to congratulate the graduates from six of our programs who earned their degrees and recipients from four of our graduate certificate programs who completed necessary requirements during the spring 2017 semester.

To see photos of our recent graduates, please go to the “EPC Graduates” album on our EPC Facebook page.

Karen Elizabeth Brinkley
Graduate Certificate in Evaluation, Statistics & Measurement

Ann Marie Cisney-Booth
PhD in Educational Psychology and Research – Evaluation, Statistics & Measurement

Jaya Lyn Cookston
MS in Education – Instructional Technology
Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching & Learning

Courtney Brooke Davis
MS in Counseling – School Counseling
Graduate Certificate in Grief, Loss & Trauma

Whitney Suzanne Denton
MS in Educational Psychology – Adult Education

Nina Marie Ditommaso
Graduate Certificate in Grief, Loss & Trauma

Ellyn Kelly Domanico
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Lauren Ridley Fraser
MS in Counseling – School Counseling
Graduate Certificate in Grief, Loss & Trauma

Erin Rochelle Garty
MS in Education – Instructional Technology
Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching & Learning

Marta Magdalena Goebel-Pietrasz
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Tiffany Hattley
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Kendall Bree Hauck
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

Brittany Susan Hill
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Peter Lawrence Ignacio
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

Caroline Marie Jaquett
Graduate Certificate in Grief, Loss & Trauma

Savannah Rachel Ladage
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Emily Earlynn Lauer
Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research Methods in Education

Rebekah Grace Livingston
Graduate Certificate in Grief, Loss & Trauma

Sondra Marie LoRe
Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research Methods in Education

Sherry Ann Marlow Ormsby
PhD in Educational Psychology and Research – Evaluation, Statistics & Measurement

Sarah Ellen McMurray
MS in Educational Psychology – Adult Education

James Ray Michel
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Maya Mingo
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

Jonah Lee Ruddy
Graduate Certificate in Grief, Loss & Trauma

Terilyn Chiemi Shigeno
Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research Methods in Education

Kala Lane Taylor
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

Victoria Gail Vanmarren
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

Elizabeth Morgan Zeller
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

*If you are one of the graduates listed above and would like to have your photo added to our EPC Graduates Facebook album, then please email your picture to Synthia Clark sclark41@utk.edu.

**If you were an Educational Psychology and Counseling student who graduated during this time frame, yet have unintentionally been omitted from this list, please send your name, degree, and major/concentration to Synthia Clark sclark41@utk.edu. We will add you to the list after receiving this information from you and confirming your graduation status.


Associate professor, Merilee McCurdy, and professor, Lisa Yamagata-Lynch began their new roles as associate department heads on July 1, 2017. We asked them some questions about their upcoming roles.


Merliee McCurdy

How long have you been with EPC?
I began my academic career at the University of Nebraska in 2001. In 2014, I began at UT and in the EPC department. I also coordinate the School Psychology doctoral program.

 

How do you feel about being chosen as one of the new associate department heads?
I really am honored to serve as an associate department head. It is a big responsibility and one that I take seriously. Our job is to make everyone else’s job easier – including the department head – and to help our department grow in productivity and national reputation. I look forward to starting this new academic year!

What are you primary functions within this role?
In many ways, we are still trying to make these decisions. Lisa will serve as the director of graduate studies for our department, which is a huge role. I will be the point person for the CRC (curriculum review committee) for the department. I will present all departmental curriculum changes to the CEHHS CRC for approval. I also will chair the department’s award committee. Our goal is to make sure we have faculty, student, and staff nominations for all eligible college and university awards. We have future plans to work with all faculty to edit and update the department bylaws and carry out the goals of the EPC strategic plan. It is definitely going to be a team approach to getting things accomplished!

What are you most looking forward to?
I look forward to getting more familiar with the entire department. Often, faculty tend to work in our own “silos” or program areas. We know our program and students very well; however, we may not know the department as well. An interesting aspect of this position is learning the strengths and goals of all programs and being able to advocate for and support those programs. I know this first year will be very challenging but I am excited by the opportunity.


Lisa Yamagata-Lynch

 

How long have you been with EPC?
I have been with UT since August 2011 so 6 years, when I came in as an associate professor in EPC.

 

How do you feel about being chosen as one of the new associate department heads?
It was an honor to be selected as an associate head. I like to be able to work in a community oriented way, so taking on a leadership position will allow me to do that in a way that being a faculty may not. I am looking forward to working for students, staff, and faculty.

What are your primary functions within this role?
I see my primary job to assist Jeff, our department head, lead our department while advocating for our students, staff, and faculty. I hope that I can contribute to the growth and development of our department in the coming years. I will also be the the Director of Graduate Studies so I am looking forward to working closely with our students.

What are you most looking forward to? Or, what are your top priorities for this position?
I am looking forward to getting to know our students, staff, and faculty in new ways that I have not had an opportunity in the past, and supporting open communication between all of them and the department leadership team.

“I am looking forward to this opportunity and hope to serve the department well.”


Lisa Yamagata-Lynch

 

Associate professor, Lisa Yamagata-Lynch, was selected as one of two Office of Information Technology (OIT) Faculty Fellows for the 2016-17 academic year. Yamagata-Lynch came to UT Knoxville and joined the Educational Psychology and Counseling (EPC) Department in 2011. We asked her about her experiences so far, and her plans for the future. Read her responses below.

 

Why did you want to become an OIT Faculty Fellow?
I found out about the OIT Faculty Fellow opportunity couple of years ago, when another faculty who I met during my job interview here became a fellow. He encouraged that I apply, but it was not the right time for me then with my tenure and promotion timeline. I waited a few years, applied for the fellowship for the 2016 to 2017 academic year, and was offered the position.

What are some things you have done in this position?
The goals I set for myself in my fellowship application included the following areas of potential contributions by providing:

  • faculty and staff workshops for designing and developing asynchronous and synchronous courses and programs,
  • consultation services for faculty and administrators interested in designing/redesigning online courses and programs,
  • consultation services for addressing accreditation issues with online programs, and
  • consultation services for addressing assessments for multi-section online courses.

As UT is in a transition between Blackboard and Canvas for our learning management system, most of my efforts have been organizing materials for faculty to use Canvas, and consultation time with faculty about Canvas. I have also been involved in organizing the ITCoP (IT Community of Practice) brown bag series, where we often have a panel of experts/guests share examples of their work and engage in audience questions and answers.

Additionally, I had the opportunity to be part of a search committee for a full time instructional designer for OIT. It was great to be part of this team and meet great candidates for the position. I look forward to working with the person who was hired.

What else are you planning on accomplishing?
I hope to continue helping both OIT staff and faculty to make the transition between Blackboard and Canvas.

What have you most enjoyed about this experience?
I have enjoyed being able to have a space in OIT, and get to know the staff a lot better than I would be able to otherwise. We truly have dedicated professionals at OIT who are there to help us when we are in need. At times, I think that faculty may not know what exactly they need help with, but people at OIT are happy to work with us in any way that they can.

“As my term is getting closer to an end it feels like there is always more that I could have done. Moving an entire organization from one learning management system to another is hard work in all stakeholders and end users. I hope to be able to help in any other way possible in the future.”