Unlocking Digital Pedagogy through the Empowered Educator Program at UTRGV

Recipient of the 2024 Best Practice Award for the Innovative Use of Technology, the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) presents their Empowered Educator Program for 21st Century Teaching (E2), an innovative initiative designed to equip teacher candidates with essential skills for modern education.  

Faculty will dive into the program’s key features, including a thorough digital literacy assessment that evaluates teacher candidates’ knowledge of technology integration. They will also showcase one of the seven modules in this curriculum, emphasizing the features of the program that make it a dynamic experience for teacher candidates, including accessibility and UDL features, multimedia and interactive content, and relevance and real-world connections. 

Furthermore, participants will gain insight into how the program accomplishes its digital pedagogy objectives by leveraging the ISTE national standards as a guiding framework. This strategic approach prioritizes the seamless integration of technology into teaching practices, thereby fostering heightened student engagement, and optimizing learning outcomes. Moreover, faculty members will delve into the program’s concerted endeavors to cultivate advocacy for digital equity, empowering graduates to become advocates for ensuring equitable access to technology resources for all students. 

Speakers: 

Leticia De Leon, Ed.D.
Professor, Teaching and Learning
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 

Leticia De Leon, Ed.D., is a professor of teaching and learning in the College of Education & P16 Integration (CEP) at UTRGV. Her experience spans both undergraduate teacher preparation and graduate programs. Her areas of expertise include student engagement and motivation through immersive technologies and digital tools. As an ISTE-certified educator and the digital pedagogy faculty champion for the CEP, she has two main goals: the first is to extend professional development in digital pedagogy for faculty, and the second is to continue to advocate for more meaningful integration of technology in all education programs.  

Maria Elena Corbeil, Ed.D.
Professor, Educational Technology
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 

Maria Elena Corbeil, Ed.D., is a professor of educational technology in the College of Education & P-16 Integration at UTRGV. With extensive experience in higher education and online learning, Corbeil specializes in course and program development, as well as online faculty mentoring. Her research interests include leveraging educational technology for innovative and effective teaching practices, with a particular focus on microlearning, online presence enhancement, online learning design, digital literacy, and fostering online support communities.  

Joseph Rene Corbeil, Ed.D.
Professor, Educational Technology
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 

Joseph Rene Corbeil is a professor of educational technology at UTRGV with over 40 years of teaching experience in both K-12 and higher education. He has been teaching fully online courses in educational technology since 1998. Research interests involve experimenting with emerging technologies and practices to enhance the online learning experience. Current research interests include exploring the efficacy of web 2.0 apps, learning experience design (LXD), microlearning, extended reality, virtual and augmented reality, and generative AI in online and blended learning environments.