KAREN A. SKIBBA, Ph.D.
Distinguished Teaching & Learning Specialist | Instructional Design & Faculty Development
Profile & Expertise
As a Distinguished Teaching & Learning Specialist and Ph.D. in Adult & Continuing Education, my work focuses on advancing pedagogical excellence and student success through strategic faculty development and the innovative application of learning technologies.
Services Offered
Core Expertise
- Enhancing Online/Hybrid Course Design and Teaching
- Advancing Inclusive Digital Teaching and Learning
- Utilizing AI for Design, Teaching, and Student Learning
Teaching & Program Leadership
Enhancing Online Education Program
Center for Teaching, Learning, & Mentoring (CTLM)
- Lead a flexible program (webinars, micro-courses) for instructors on **evidence-based online practices**.
- Key topics: course planning, assessment design, fostering community, and **cultivating inclusivity**.
- [Visit Program Website]
Staying Human with AI-Enhanced Teaching (Graduate Course)
Fall 2024
- Designed and Co-taught course focusing on **AI-assisted technologies** and design frameworks (UDL, TiLT, Backwards Design).
- Promoted experimentation with AI while fostering **peer-informed critical thinking** and inclusive strategies.
TeachOnline@UW Faculty Learning Community (FLC)
Program Manager (2014–2022)
Developed and co-taught two blended courses, resulting in **over 715 enrollments** and the creation of **over 1,400 quality online courses** by participants. The research from this program received the prestigious **Robert J. Menges Award**. [Learn More at TeachOnline@UW]
Work History (Higher Education)
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON, WI
September 2012 to Present
Teaching & Learning Specialist (Distinguished Status)
Center for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring (CTLM) | July 2021 to Present
- Led research and implementation of faculty development programming to meet university strategic needs.
- Co-managed the **Course Success Self-Review Project**, highlighted as an exemplary project in the **EDUCAUSE Horizon Report**.
- Conducted comprehensive online course observations to support instructor **tenure and promotion**.
- Developed and facilitated generative **artificial intelligence workshops** and resources.
Online Faculty Development Program Manager
Division of Continuing Studies | 2015 to July 2021
- Key leader in transitioning **3,500+ instructors** to remote readiness during the 2020 pandemic.
- Inducted into the **UW-Madison Teaching Academy**.
- Served as Institutional Representative for **Quality Matters** subscription and provided training.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER, WI
October 2008 to September 2012
Instructional Design Specialist
Learning Technology Center
Facilitated learning communities, provided consultations, and developed resources to help faculty use the **Quality Matters Rubric** to redesign online, blended, and web-enhanced courses.
Prior Academic & Corporate Experience
Formal Education
-
Ph.D., Adult & Continuing Education, Urban Education
UW-Milwaukee | August 2011
-
M.A., Communication Studies
Marquette University | Spring 2002
-
B.A., Journalism
Marquette University | Spring 1983
-
Associate Degrees (Visual Communications & Photography)
Milwaukee Area Technical College | 1980 & 1979
Research & Publications
Robert J. Menges Award for Outstanding Research
Received from the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network for the chapter: **”Blended Faculty Community of Inquiry Transforms Online Teaching Perceptions and Practices.”**
High-Impact Educational Development ResearchPublications
- Skibba, K. & Widmer, M. (2021). Blended Faculty Community of Inquiry Transforms Online Teaching Perceptions and Practices. In A. B. Picciano A.G., Dziuban, C., Graham, C. & Moskal, P. (Eds), *Blended Learning Research Perspectives Volume 3.* Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
- Skibba, K. A. (2014). Choice Does Matter: Faculty Lessons Learned Teaching Adults in a Blended Program. In A. G. Picciano, C. D. Dziuban, & C. R. Graham (Eds.), *Blended Learning Research Perspectives Volume 2.* Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
Show All (7 Total Publications)
- Skibba, K., Moore, D., & Herman, J. H. (2013). Pedagogical and Technological Considerations Designing Collaborative Learning Using Educational Technologies. In J. Keengwe (Ed.), *Research Perspectives and Best Practices in Educational Technology Integration* (pp. 1-27). Hershey, PA: ch001
- Skibba, K. A. (2012). Adult learning influence on faculty learning cycle: Individual and shared reflections while learning to teach online lead to pedagogical transformations. In *Virtual Mentoring for Teachers: Online Professional Development Practices.*
- Skibba, K. (2011). An investigation of how faculty members learn to teach adult students in a blended program. Doctoral dissertation, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
- Conceição, S. C. O., & Skibba, K. A. (2008). Experiential learning activities for leisure and enrichment travel education: A situative perspective. *Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 7*(4), 17–35.
- Kaleta, R., Skibba, K. A., Joosten, T. (2007). Discovering, designing, and delivering hybrid courses. In A. B. Picciano & C. D. Dziuban (Eds), *Blended learning: Research Perspectives:* Sloan-C.
Academic and Professional Presentations
Skibba, K. (2024, November). Enhancing online education: One flexible and engaging option at a time.
Education Session presented at the Online Consortium (OLC) Accelerate Conference.
Skibba, K. & Pell, D. (2023, October). Course Success Self-Review: Targeting Resources to improve instruction and Course Design.
Interactive session presented at the EDUCAUSE Annual Meeting, Virtual.
Skibba, K. & Widmer, M. (2020, November). Faculty Community of Inquiry Transforms Online Teaching Perceptions and Practices.
Menges Award recipients presented at the Professional and Organizational Development Network (POD) Conference.
Show All (36 Total Presentations)
Pell D. & Skibba, K. (2033, April). Course Success Self-Review: Centering Students Through Guided Reflection on Instruction and Course Design.
Workshop presented at the UW Office of Professional and Instructional Development Conference (OPID), Madison, WI.
Skibba, K. & Pell, D. (2022, November). Introducing the Course Success Self-Review: Reimagining Support for Course Design and Instruction.
Interactive session presented at the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (POD) Conference.
Skibba, K. & Pell, D. (2022, June). Digital versus Brick-and-Mortar Balancing Game: Horizon Report Exemplar Stories.
Invited panelists at the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
Skibba, K. & Widmer, M. (2021, October virtual conference). Celebrating Community: A Case Study in Transforming Online Teaching Perceptions and Practices.
Presented at the Association for Distance Education and Independent Learning (ADEIL) Conference.
Pell, D., Skibba, K. & Sirek, D. (2021, October virtual conference). Course Success Self-Review: An interactive tool and website to support teaching and course design.
ePoster presented at the Association for Distance Education and Independent Learning (ADEIL) Conference.
Pell, D., Skibba, K. & Sirek, D. (2021, October virtual conference). Course Success Self-Review: An interactive tool and website to support teaching and course design.
Tech Talk presented at the Learning Technology Development Council (LTDC) Virtual Showcase.
Pell, D., Skibba, K. & Sirek, D. (2021, September virtual conference). Course Success Self-Review: Self-Directed Learning and Targeted Resources to Support Teaching and Course Design.
Discovery Session presented at the Online Consortium (OLC) Accelerate Conference.
Skibba, K. & Widmer, M. (2021, October virtual conference). Celebrating Community: A Case Study in Transforming Online Teaching Perceptions and Practices.
Presented at the Association for Distance Education and Independent Learning (ADEIL) Conference.
Pell, D., Skibba, K. & Sirek, D. (2021, October virtual conference). Course Success Self-Review: An interactive tool and website to support teaching and course design.
ePoster presented at the Association for Distance Education and Independent Learning (ADEIL) Conference.
Pell, D., Skibba, K. & Sirek, D. (2021, October virtual conference). Course Success Self-Review: An interactive tool and website to support teaching and course design.
Tech Talk presented at the Learning Technology Development Council (LTDC) Virtual Showcase.
Pell, D., Skibba, K. & Sirek, D. (2021, September virtual conference). Course Success Self-Review: Self-Directed Learning and Targeted Resources to Support Teaching and Course Design.
Discovery Session presented at the Online Consortium (OLC) Accelerate Conference.
Skibba, K. & Widmer, M. (2020, November virtual conference). Faculty Community of Inquiry Transforms Online Teaching Perceptions and Practices.
Online demand research session and Menges Award recipients presented at the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (POD) Conference.
Skibba, K., Klein, J., & Widmer, M. (2019, August). Creating a Faculty Community of Inquiry for Online Teaching.
Featured speakers at the 34th Annual Distance Teaching and Learning Conference, Madison, WI.
Skibba, K., Klein, J., & Widmer, M. (2018, November). Building campus expertise through a faculty learning Community of Inquiry for online teaching.
Presented at the Online Learning Consortium International Conference, Orlando, FL.
Skibba K. & Staker-Woerner, J. (2018, October). Planning quality into your online and blended courses.
Presented at the Association for Distance Education and Independent Learning Conference, Madison, WI.
Skibba K. & Staker-Woerner, J. (2018, April. Planning quality into your online and blended courses.
Workshop session presented at the University of Wisconsin Spring Conference on Teaching & Learning Conference, Madison, WI.
Skibba, K. & Bundy, C. B. (2018, January). Interactive scenarios and microlearning advance skill mastery using experiential learning.
To be presented at the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
Skibba, K. (2017, October). Instructor Engagement Strategies for Distance Education Professional Development.
Presented at the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (POD) Conference, Montreal, Canada.
Skibba, K. (2017, October). MicroLearning and Interactive Scenarios Hone Online Teaching Skills Toward Mastery.
Presented at the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (POD) Conference, Montreal, Canada.
Skibba K. & Staker-Woerner, (2017, July). Instructors play with technologies to learn best practices.
Information session presented at the 33rd Annual Distance Teaching &Learning Conference, Madison, WI.
Skibba, K. (2016, August). Engaging instructors to teach online.
Invited “Tough Challenges” discussion presented at the 32nd Annual Distance Teaching and Learning Conference, Madison, WI.
Skibba, K. (2016, April). Providing flexible, practical, and transformative online faculty development.
Presented at the Online Learning Consortium Innovate International Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Skibba, K. & Jordhal, K. (2015, November). Engaging faculty in effective online practices through reflection, active learning.
Presented at the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (POD) Conference, San Francisco, CA.
Skibba, K. & Lupton, C. (2015, November). Transitioning course re-design learning communities into a community of practice.
Presented at the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (POD) Conference, San Francisco, CA.
Skibba, K. & Klein, J. (2015, October). Inspire teaching transformation: A faculty learning community approach for quality online courses.
Presented at the Online Learning Consortium International Conference, Orlando, FL.
Skibba, K. (2014, August). Faculty engagement strategies.
Invited “Spotlight” session speaker at the 30th Annual Distance Teaching and Learning Conference, Madison, WI.
Skibba, K. (2014, May). Inspiring faculty in effective online practices through reflection, active learning.
Presented at the Online Learning Consortium International Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Skibba, K. (2013, November). Blended learning. Making it work for the faculty member.
Presented at the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (POD) Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.
Skibba, K. & Herman, J. (2013, August). Building collaborative teaching communities.
Presented at the 29th Annual Distance Teaching and Learning Conference, Madison, WI.
Skibba, K. & Herman, J. (2013, July). Transforming teaching practices.
Presented at the UW System Office of Professional and Instructional Development (OPID) Conference, Madison, WI.
Skibba, K. (2012, October). Course redesign and quality. Lessons learned using Quality Matters.
Presented at the 9th Annual Quality Matters Conference, Tucson, AZ.
Skibba, K. (2012, August). Adult learning influence on faculty learning cycle: Individual and shared reflections while learning to teach online lead to pedagogical transformations.
Presented at the 28th Annual Distance Teaching and Learning Conference, Madison, WI.
Skibba, K. & Herman, J. (2011, November). Using Quality Matters to redesign online courses.
Presented at the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (POD) Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Skibba, K. & Herman, J. (2011, August). Quality Matters: A framework for success.
Presented at the 27th Annual Distance Teaching and Learning Conference, Madison, WI.
Skibba, K. (2011, April). Adult learning influence on faculty learning cycle: Individual and shared reflections while learning to teach online lead to pedagogical transformations.
Presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Skibba, K. (2010, October). Adult learning influence on faculty learning cycle: Individual and shared reflections while learning to teach online lead to pedagogical transformations.
Presented at the Adult Education Research Conference (AERC), Sacramento, CA.
Karen Skibba, Ph.D. 