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SPEAKING & CONSULTING INVITED ADDRESSES/WORKSHOPS Azukas, M.E. (2023). The Use of Simulations in Pre-Service Teacher Development: Learning Loss: a Case Study. Guest Lecture: University of Münster, Münster, Germany. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2020). Cultivating Communities of Practice to Promote Teacher Self-Efficacy in Personalized Learning Implementation. Invited Talk: University of North Florida. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2020). Conducting Virtual Observations. Invited Workshop New York City Department of Education. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2019). Designing for student engagement. Invited Workshop: Vidyagyan I, Bulandshahr, India. (Shiv Nadar Foundation). ​ Azukas, M.E. (2019). Design thinking to promote student engagement and critical thinking. Invited Workshop: Vidyagyan II, Sitapur, India. (Shiv Nadar Foundation). ​ Azukas, M.E. (2019). Using the Sustainable Development Goals as a framework for design. Invited Workshop: Shiv Nadar School, Noida, India. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2019). Strategies for Student Engagement. Invited Workshop: Shiv Nadar School, Noida, India. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2018). Developing social studies curriculum to support personal learning. Invited Talk: Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2015). Depth of knowledge and the Common Core. Keynote Address: Federal Administrators Conference, Monmouth, NJ. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2012). Developing competency-based, Common Core aligned online curriculum. Invited Workshop: Virtual School Symposium, New Orleans, LA. ​ PEER-REVIEWED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS Azukas, M.E. (2023). Playing Around: An Examination of Student and Faculty Experiences with a Virtual Classroom Simulation. Association for Education Communications and Technology (AECT), Annual Conference, Orlando, FL. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2023). Personalized Learning in Your Classroom. The Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo & Conference (PETE & C). Mount Pocono, PA. ​ Azukas, M.E. & Spero, K. (2023). Using Simulations to Promote Active learning in Higher Education. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Conference on Teaching and Learning Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2022). The Future of Learning Post-Pandemic: Soft Systems Thinking as an Approach to Educational Change. Association for Education Communications and Technology (AECT), Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2022). Playing in the Classroom: Exploring a Gamified Simulation as Field Experience During the Pandemic. Association for Education Communications and Technology (AECT), Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2022) Action Research and a Soft Systems Approach to Organizational Change: The Implementation of an Online and Blended Learning Initiative in a Large Urban School District. American Education Research Association: 2022 Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. ​ Azukas, M.E., & Holben, D.M. (2022) Innovative Solutions for Pandemic Problems: Exploring Simulations as Field Experience During Lockdown. American Education Research Association: Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. ​ Barbour, M.K. & Azukas, M.E. (2022). Teachers’ Perceptions of K-12 Online Learning: An Action Research Project. American Education Research Association: 2022 Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. ​ Azukas, M.E. & Holben, D. M. (2022) Using Virtual Simulations in Teacher Education to Develop Equitable Teaching Strategies. Society for Information Technology in Teaching (SITE): Annual Meeting San Diego, CA. ​ Azukas, M. E. (2022) Developing a Professional Community for Faculty and Staff in the Online Environment. Digital Learning Collaborative: Annual Conference Atlanta, GA. ​ Azukas, M. E. (2022) The Competencies Required for Effective Virtual Leadership. Digital Learning Collaborative: Annual Conference Atlanta, GA. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2020). In-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of Online Learning: An Action Research Study of Online Learning Curriculum in a Graduate Course. Association for Education Communications and Technology (AECT), Annual Conference (Virtual). ​ Azukas, M.E. (2019). Virtual leadership and the Professional Standards for School Leadership. University Council for Education Administration, New Orleans, LA. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2019). A digital toolkit for teaching the sustainable development goals. International Society for Technology in Education, Philadelphia, PA. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2019). Competency-based math: How one district got started. Mid-Atlantic Conferenc e on Personal Learning, Atlantic City, NJ. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2019). How can we prepare teachers to implement personal learning? Mid-Atlantic Conference on Personal Learning, Atlantic City, NJ. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2018). Can communities of practice be leveraged to promote school change? Arizona State Doctoral Research Conference, Tempe, AZ. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2018). Change leadership and management. Mid-Atlantic Conference on Personal Learning, Pittsburgh, PA. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2018). Developing a community of practice to promote professional development on personal learning. Mid-Atlantic Conference on Personal Learning, Pittsburgh, PA. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2018). Unleashing your organization’s potential through change leadership and management. New Jersey School Boards Association, Atlantic City, NJ. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2017). A personal professional learning cohort: Using a community of practice as a model for professional development. Arizona State Doctoral Research Conference, Tempe, AZ. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2017). Personal learning: Leading and managing change. Mid-Atlantic Conference on Personal Learning, Baltimore, MD. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2013). Evaluating teachers in blended learning environments. Online and Blended Learning Symposium, Orlando, FL. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2012). iLearnNYC: Using online and blended learning to personalize instruction. International Association for Online Learning, Northeast Regional Conference, Baltimore. MD. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2012). Evaluating Online Curriculum. New York State Online Learning Summit, Albany, NY. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2009). Visual texts and global studies. New Jersey Council for the Social Studies, New Brunswick, NJ. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2007). Motivating online students. Florida Virtual School Symposium, Orlando, FL. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2007). Collaborating online. Florida Virtual School Symposium, Orlando, FL. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2006). Online curriculum and pedagogy. Florida Virtual School Symposium, Orlando, FL. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2005). Motivating middle school students with mystery: The mystery of history. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Boston, MA. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2004). Fostering diversity through distance learning. National Council for the Social Studies, Baltimore, MD. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2004). Course design showcase middle school U.S. history. Annual Conference for Distance Teaching and Learning, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. THE SHIV NADAR FOUNDATION In this project, I worked as a consultant for the Shiv Nadar Foundation. In this capacity, I designed and implemented six 7-hour professional learning sessions to 220 teachers across 5 schools in rural and metropolitan India. I facilitated the sessions in July of 2019. Four of the sessions focused on “Designing for Student Engagement” in which I taught the teachers a design thinking model and we explored ways of applying design thinking to their work as teachers and in their classrooms. One session focused specifically on “Leveraging Design Thinking to Support the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.” In this session, I taught teachers about the SDGs and design thinking and how these ideas might form the basis of their curriculum. The final session was focused on “Strategies for Creating a Student-Centered Learning Environment” in which I leveraged my research on personal learning to assist teachers in developing more personalized classrooms. I continue to support teachers, leader, and schools in an online capacity. The Shiv Nadar Foundation was established in 1994 by Shiv Nadar, Founder, HCL – an 8.6 billion dollar leading global enterprise. The Foundation is committed to the creation of a more equitable, merit-based society by empowering individuals through transformational education to bridge the socio-economic divide. To that purpose the Foundation has established institutions and programs in the underdeveloped disciplinary areas in India related to rural and urban education and art.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY See what my students have to say... The center of my teaching philosophy is students. I believe that thinking about learning begins and ends with the experience of students—what they bring to class, what they engage in the course and what skills, knowledge and values they carry with them thereafter. ​ The lifeworld of students is an important beginning in any pedagogical process. Where do they come from? What do they do? What do they think, believe and why? These questions open up insights about who students are and how they navigate the world. This inquiry also creates space for learning about the diverse experiences of students. Student subjectivity, or how they think of themselves in terms of identity and positionality and the way that belonging to an identity category influences how one is received in the world, are two essential elements of understanding the lifeworld of students. From these insights I derive activities, texts and topics that will resonate differently with any group of students, thus creating a discursive space in the post-secondary classroom that invites multiple perspectives. The value of diversity then is not solely to connect the individual to the course material but to create a learning community within the social that is any classroom environment. And while I have arranged this understanding of identity as the first step in teaching, which it often is, the process of learning oneself through a course is ongoing throughout the experience. ​ The second focus of my teaching philosophy is the personalization of learning . This element is congruent with the first as personalization necessarily involves who one is. The content of any course opens up vistas for understanding a discourse community. By personalization I intend to create space for students to identify the questions and texts within an area of learning that are most resonant with their professional lives so that they can lead their own learning in consultation with me. Personalization is a central element of my scholarly profile and while I have enacted it at the K-12 level, I see it as even more crucial when engaging adult-learners given their maturity and wherewithal. Too, an important dimension of personalized learning at the university level is strategic use of technology. I introduce technological tools and invite students to introduce me and others to the same so that they will have the facility to use new tools and open up new learning. ​ The final aspect of my teaching philosophy is how the contents of a course position learners to continue learning . The most important skill that I cultivate among students is the ability to frame questions, seek data and information and draw practicable conclusions from the same. These executive function skills are essential for educators and administrators of various kinds as it provides them with the capacity to continue learning beyond my course. I choose course contents, and invite students to pursue questions and materials similarly, that encourage the framing of questions, seeking of evidence and development of insights and interventions. My orientation actively seeks to bridge the theory-practice divide that exists between universities and primary/secondary education professionals. T & D THESIS AND DISSERTATION ADVISEMENT Committee Chair, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, Loretta Erdo, Emergency Remote Learning: Teaching in the Time of COVID-19, May 2022 Committee Chair, James Gonzales, The Impact of Instructional Conversations about Peer Observations on Middle School Teachers. The College of Education, East Stroudsburg University, Fall, 2020 Committee Member, Drew University, Daniel Papa, Action-Inspired Learning, March 2022 Committee Chair, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, Christina McDonald, Topic: Innovations in a Higher Education System (In Progress) Committee Chair, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, David Hoffman, Topic: Personalized Learning (In Progress) Committee Chair, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, Helen Sclama Zaleski, Topic: Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (In Progress) Committee Chair, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, Michele Connors, Topic: Professional Learning Communities (In Progress) Doctoral Committee Chair, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, Robert Feltmann, Topic: Peer Observation (In Progress) Committee Chair, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, Amanda Hinkel, Crisis Leadership (In Progress) Committee Chair, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, Jennifer Nonnemacher, Topic: Flexible Seating and Student Engagement (In Progress) COURSES TAUGHT Download PSED 161 Syllabus PSED 725 Critical Analysis of Issues and Innovations in Education PSED 783 Qualitative Analysis in Leadership Studies PSED 798 Internship I and II Download PSED 703 Syllabus This course examines leading change, innovations and reform in education. Specific innovations and reforms will be examined and relationships between research, policy making, and implementation will be emphasized. This course is designed to prepare doctoral students in leadership studies to conduct qualitative data analysis in dissertation research. This course is designed for the advanced graduate student who wishes to do independent research in special areas. Activities and projects are designed to meet the requirements for school leader certification. Download PSED 725 Syllabus COURSES Undergraduate Level PSED 161 Education Foundations PSED 421 Seminar in Secondary Education II: Teaching Secondary Students in Diverse, Inclusive Classrooms PSED 430 Student Teaching Middle Level PSED 431 Student Teaching High School Level This course presents education as a unique field of academic study and also as a professional vocation with varied career opportunities. Consideration is given to the American educational enterprise in terms of the social, historical, and philosophical context, with the persistent issues being treated as they relate to the contemporary scene. Students will examine the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors that are necessary to teach in a culturally and linguistically diverse and inclusive setting. Students will learn to respond to secondary students’ individual needs and apply appropriate evidence-based instructional and non-academic recommendations and interventions. The course requires a 30-hour field component in an inclusive classroom and also incorporates experiences with ELLs. This course is part of a guided teaching experience in the secondary schools which typically consists of PSED 430 and 431 for a full semester. This field experience is designed to provide the opportunity to demonstrate the competencies and understandings of the teaching/learning process in the middle/junior high school. Prerequisites: 1) students must meet all requirements described under the Student Teaching section, 2) students must have approval of the adviser and department chair in the major field, 3) students must have the approval of the Department of Professional and Secondary Education, and 4) students must have completed at least 24 semester hours of credit in the major field. This course is part of a guided teaching experience in the secondary schools which typically consists of PSED 430 and 431 for a full semester. This field experience is designed to provide the opportunity to demonstrate the competencies and understandings of the teaching/learning process in the senior high school. Prerequisites: 1) students must meet all requirements described under the Student Teaching section, 2) students must have approval of the adviser and department chair in the major field, 3) students must have the approval of the Department of Professional and Secondary Education, and, 4) students must have completed at least 24 semester hours of credit in the major field. Masters Level PSED 510 Teacher, School, and Community PSED 516 The Learner and the Learning Process PSED 521 Seminar in Secondary Education II Graduate Level PSED 590 Supervision of Instruction This course analyzes a wide spectrum of human relations within the broad area of basic education. Common professional problems are discussed. It also includes an examination of the values and beliefs of the community as related to the public school. A review of various views (humanistic, behavioral, cognitive) of the learner and learning theorists (Skinner, Rogers, Bruner, Piaget). Case studies of actual teaching learning problems are brought to the class by the participants for examination and discussion by the group. Students will examine the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors that are necessary to teach in a culturally diverse and linguistically diverse and inclusive setting. Students will learn to respond to secondary student individual needs and apply appropriate evidence-based instructional and non-academic recommendations and interventions. This course requires a 30-hour field component in an inclusive classroom and incorporates experiences with English Language Learners. This course is an introduction to the theory and function of supervision in the modern public school system, K-12. Application of emerging concepts and principles of modern school supervision to practical situations in which administrators, supervisors, coordinators, and teachers are working are presented. Doctoral Level PSED 703 Leadership Application This course is designed to prepare doctoral students in leadership studies to develop and implement a field project that incorporates leadership and policy theories learned in previous courses. Various approaches and issues associated with design and implementation of a field project will be examined. Through and exploration of the literature, critique of theories, and direct hands-on exercises, students will be able to build competency in integrating leadership theories and research methods into their own field project. STUDENT COMMENTS Student Comments My children, always tell me how annoying older students in a class. I didn't want to come off as a brown "noser," so I didn't complement you in front of all. But I do want you to know that, although this class was intense, I learned a lot and I really enjoyed it, especially the PD Plan, not because it was fun, but because it was relevant to my needs. Thank you for being very organized and proactive in explaining and posting the assignment early. Hi Dr Azukas, I just wanted to say “thank you” for a WONDERFUL class experience. I learned so much in just these four weeks. This was, by far, the most helpful and relevant class I have taken in the supervisory cert program. I learned so much practical information about group management and leadership styles and the observation and feedback process. ​ Thank you for how hard you worked to adapt this class to an online format and still make it so applicable and engaging. I looked forward to class each night and always felt like it was time well spent – you balanced lecture and clarification of important topics with real-world application and practice of skills, which helped us all to grow and understand the content that much better. I even (...kind of) enjoyed the group projects, and I’ve never said THAT before in my LIFE. I loved this class, I learned so much! Dr. Azukas was the very first professor I had when I came to ESU and she definitely set the bar high for the rest of my professors. Her passion and drive is contagious and pushes you to have the same intensity of passion! Her teaching style wasn’t based on teaching material purposed for passing a test like some professors; instead, she taught using a style that engaged us as students better and all class assignments and homework helped us move forward in our program. She keeps her lessons and activities current using different technologies and methods other than the traditional worksheet and paper test. Her teaching methods enhance critical thinking and the course content really makes you put into perspective your reason for wanting to enter the field. Taking Dr. Azukas’ class made me realize my passion for teaching and she helped shape and mold my teaching style when I was her TA. The experience was all-around career building and I’m grateful to have been taught by Dr. Azukas! Hello Dr. Azukas, I would first like to start this off by thanking you for being so kind even while I was falling behind. I've been struggling really hard with having to go back home for the semester and it truly helped bring up my spirits being able to attend your classes and be encouraged. Hi Dr. Azukas, Thanks again for your suggestions about what questions to focus on for my interview. I am so glad I asked you for your advice because they asked me about EVERYTHING that you mentioned. I was definitely more prepared for this interview than the last one! Thanks so much! I enjoyed the collaboration in this course. We were always communicating and working with our peers. I learned so much from the instructor, the readings,and my peers throughout this course Thank-you professor for helping me gain more knowledge in this course, this class definitely helped me get ahead along with making me want to help others.

RESEARCH & PUBLICATION RESEARCH INTERESTS Change Leadership and Education Innovation; P-12 Education Leadership; Leadership and Teacher Preparation; Education Policy; Communities of Practice; Online and Blended Learning and Leadership Download Research Statement (PDF) PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS Azukas, M.E., & Holben, D.M. (In Development). Cultivating confidence: The impact of a virtual classroom simulation on pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy. Azukas, M.E., & Tamim, S. (Eds.) (In Development). Transformative inquiry: Integrating action research and systems thinking, Contemporary Perspectives through Action Research Across Educational Disciplines. Information Age Publishing. Azukas, M.E. (In Development). Catalysts for change: The integration of soft systems thinking and action research in a large-scale educational transformation. Azukas, M.E. (In Development). Principal Perspectives on Personal Learning Pre and Post Pandemic: A Tale of Two Districts. Azukas, M.E. & Francois, M. (In Development). Beam me in Scotty: A mobile robotic telepresence project in higher education. Azukas, M.E., & Holben, D.M. (In Review ). I’ve got this: Using simulations to develop pre-service teachers’ internal locus of control. Educational Technology and Society. Gibson, D., & Azukas, M.E. (In Review) Simulated personal interactions in digital gameplay. Computers and Education. Azukas, M.E. & Kim, M. (Eds.) (2023) Reimagining systems thinking in a post-pandemic world. IGI Global. Azukas, M.E. (2022) Leading Remotely: The Competencies required for Virtual School Leadership. Tech Trends 66, 327-337. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-022-00708-x Azukas, M.E., & Kluk, J. (2022) Simulated teaching: An exploration of virtual classroom simulation for pre-service teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In V. Dennin, C. Dickson-Deane, X. Ge, D. Ifenthaler, S. Murthy, J. C. Richardson (Eds.) Global Perspectives on Educational Innovations for Emergency Situations, Springer. Azukas, M.E. (2022) Implementing a personalized learning initiative in a large urban school district. In A. Bond, B. Rajan Sockman, S. J. Blevins, & S. Tamim (Eds). Using Systems Thinking to Foster Continuous Improvement and Manage Change Efforts: Case Studies for the Everyday Practitioner, Routledge. Azukas, M.E. (2021) One district delves into design thinking: Challenges, successes, and implications for future practice. In K.L. Sanzo, & J.P. Scribner (Eds.) Design Thinking: Research, Innovation, and Implementation. Information Age Publishing. Azukas, M. E., & Barbour, M. K. (2021). In-service teachers’ perceptions of K-12 online learning: An action research project of a graduate course. International Journal of Online Pedagogy and Course Design, 11(4), 62-72. ​ Azukas, M.E. (2020). Teaching in the time of COVID. Journal of Applied Professional Studies , 2, 1-11. Azukas, M.E. & Gaudelli, W. (2020). Formative design as a framework for implementing teacher professional development in design thinking. Journal of Formative Design in Learning , 4(1), 22-33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41686-020-00042-6 Azukas, M.E. (2019). Cultivating blended communities of practice to promote personalized learning. Journal of Online Learning Research , 5(3), 249-283. CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS Azukas, M.E. (2021). The Professional Standards for Educational Leaders and Virtual School Leadership Competencies: Do They Align? American Education Research Association Conference Proceedings: 2021 Annual Meeting (Virtual). ​ Azukas, M.E. (2020) Principal Perceptions of Personal Learning. American Education Research Association: Conference Proceedings: 2020 Annual Meeting San Francisco, CA (Conference Canceled) Azukas, M.E. (2019). Cultivating communities of practice to promote personal Learning . Paper presented at the International Society for Technology in Education, Philadelphia, PA. Published in Conference Proceedings. Azukas, M.E. (2018). Personal learning: A community perspective . Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY. Published in Conference Proceedings. Azukas, M.E. (2005). The virtual observation: Assessing online instructors. Paper presented at the Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning, The University of Wisconsin, Madison. Azukas, M.E. (2005). Effective Instructional leadership in online schools . Paper presented at the Canadian Association for Distance Learning, Vancouver, BC. GRANTS Recipient and Grant PI: Simulations for Principal Preparation (SiPPs). $99, 679.00 Prep2Practice Federal Grant Administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Spring 2023. Recipient: Robotic Telepresence: Just Like Bring There. $2,500. East Stroudsburg University Out of the Box Grant, Fall 2022. Recipient: Teaching with Simulations: What are the Students Learning and Experiencing? $2,000. East Stroudsburg University Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, Summer 2022. Recipient and Grant PI: Developing the Virtual Leadership Program: Paving the Path for PSED and ESU to be Cutting Edge in the Higher Education Market. $9,984.00. East Stroudsburg University Faculty Development Research Grow It Grant, Spring 2022. Recipient: Action Research and a Soft Systems Approach to Organizational Change: The Implementation of an Online and Blended Learning Initiative in a Large Urban School District. $1,000. East Stroudsburg University Faculty Development Research Finish It Grant, Fall 2021. Recipient: Innovative Solutions for Pandemic Problems: Exploring Simulations as Field Experience During Lockdown. $1000. East Stroudsburg University Faculty Development Research Finish It Grant, Fall 2021. Recipient: ESU Foundation Grant, simSchool for Pre-service Teachers: A Safe Space to Develop pedagogical Practice, Fall 2021, $1,000 Recipient: Personal Learning: Are States making it a Priority? Faculty Development Research Mini-Grant Award, East Stroudsburg University, Spring 2019, $1,200 Grant Writer: Multi-Tiered System of Supports – Early Literacy Grant, State of New Jersey and Rutgers University, Spring 2018, $6,000 and PD Services and Support: Partnership to develop a multi-tiered system of supports for early literacy in two K-2 schools. Grant Writer and Principal Investigator: Flexible Seating Grant, Cranford Fund for Educational Excellence, Spring 2017, $12,000: To implement flexible seating to support the personal learning initiative across the district. Grant Writer and Principal Investigator: Maker Space Grant, Cranford Fund for Educational Excellence, $3,000: To purchase materials and equipment to support the development of a high school maker space. Grant Director/Principal Investigator: Race to the Top Grant (Curriculum), U.S. Department of Education, New York City Department of Education, 2010-2012, $26,000,000: To purchase curriculum and professional development to support the iLearnNYC blended learning initiative.

Dr. M. Elizabeth Azukas is currently an Associate Professor at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania and has been an educator for more than 25 years, with experience teaching at the elementary, middle, high school, and post-secondary levels. She has held a number of different leadership roles including working as a curriculum supervisor, principal, curriculum director, and as an assistant superintendent. Her career has focused primarily on innovation in education with the goal of increasing equity and access for all students as well as promoting authentic personalized learning. Dr. Azukas’s work experience includes holding a key leadership role with the Office of Innovation for the New York Department of Education, in which she participated in the launch of the largest blended learning initiative in the country and facilitated several school re-designs. She held several leadership roles with the ground-breaking Florida Virtual School, named one of the “Coolest Schools in America” by Parent and Child Magazine. Here, she initiated the development of the first game-based online American history course : Conspiracy Code, for which the organization won a SIIA CODiE Award. Most recently, Dr. Azukas’s work has focused on cultivating communities of practice to promote teacher self-efficacy in the implementation of P-12 personalized learning. She consults with schools all over the world to facilitate strategic planning and innovative school redesigns. She has consulted with several universities and non-profit organizations in the development of innovative and accessible online programming . For example, she designed a course on leading online learning for the New York State’s Superintendent’s Council. Other areas of interest/expertise include leading educational change; innovation and entrepreneurial skills; design thinking; curriculum development, alignment, and evaluation; competency-based learning; teacher staffing, coaching, and supervision; strategic planning; teacher and student creativity; online and blended learning, and communities of practice. Hello! You can call me Liz. Pronouns: she/her/hers Elizabeth’s passion for education can be traced back to her work with teenage employees as a sales manager for the Juniors Department for a major retailer. She enjoyed teaching them about fashion, merchandising, customer service, and sales and seeing them grow and develop. This led her to pursue a career in education. EXPERIENCE READ MORE Over 25 years experience teaching at the elementary, middle, high school, and post-secondary levels. I have held a number of different leadership roles including working as a curriculum supervisor, principal, curriculum director, and as an assistant superintendent. READ MORE The center of my teaching philosophy is students. I believe that thinking about learning begins and ends with the experience of students—what they bring to class, what they engage in the course and what skills, knowledge and values they carry with them thereafter. TEACHING SPEAKING & consulting I am available to do consulting, speaking, and professional development in-person and virtually on a variety of topics including virtual leadership, distance learning, design thinking, personalized learning and change leadership READ MORE RESEARCH & PUBLICATION ​RESEARCH IN PROGRESS simSchool: Can a game-based teaching simulation enhance pre service teachers’ self-efficacy and locus of control? Virtual Leadership: What are the competencies required for virtual leadership? READ MORE Contact BLOG I'll be sharing some great insight into the wonderful world of education. Check back often for new content! READ MORE

Download Academic Resume (PDF) EXPERIENCE EDUCATION December 2018 June 2010 May 1994 May 1991 Ed.D. Leadership and Innovation Arizona State University Licensure NJ Superintendent and Principal Certification NJEXCEL/Thomas Edison State University Thesis 1: “A Blueprint for Blended Learning Thesis 2: “Digital Badging for Professional Development” M.A.T. Secondary Education Social Science The College Of New Jersey B.A. Political Science The Pennsylvania State University HIGHER EDUCATION EXPERIENCE (August 2018 – present) Associate Professor, Professional and Secondary Education, East Stroudsburg University East Stroudsburg, PA ​ (2000-2003) Clinical Supervisor, University of Central Florida Orlando, FL (2000-2003) Instructor, University of Central Florida Orlando, FL Serve as the Graduate Coordinator Serve as the Co-Coordinator of the National Board for Professional Teaching Program Instruct undergraduate, M.Ed. and Ed.D. program courses leading to teacher certification and/or administrator licensure in face to face, online, and blended formats Serve on the Teacher Education Council, Faculty Development and Research Committee, Entrepreneur Committee, and One Book One Campus Committee Conduct research in topics of significance to the education profession Received a Spring 2019 Faculty Research Grant Assisted interns with the development of lesson and unit plans in a variety of content areas including art, English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Special Education. Acted as liaison between the off-campus participating school and the University. Conducted orientation sessions for supervising teachers and student teachers. Conducted observations of student interns in the field, implementing the Clinical Supervision Model. Conferred regularly during the semester with student teachers and offered encouragement, evaluated the effectiveness of their work, provided suggestions and materials, and promoted student growth in self-concept and self-evaluation. Taught SSE 3312, Teaching Social Studies in the Elementary School, and SSE 4361, Social Science Instructional Analysis, to undergraduate pre-service teachers. Developed online learning modules for special education and ELL students. EDUCATION LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE (2008-Present) Education Consultant, Azukas Consulting Maplewood, NJ (2015-2018) Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Cranford Public Schools (2011-2013) Director of Curriculum, Office of Innovation, New York City Department of Education New York, NY (2002-2008) Director of Curriculum, Principal/Instructional Leader, Teacher, The Florida Virtual School, Orlando, FL (2012-2015) Innovation Coordinator/Curriculum and Instruction Supervisor, Jefferson Township Public Schools, Oak Ridge, NJ Review, evaluate, and provide strategic direction regarding curriculum, student assessment, instructional design, accessibility, technological delivery, design processes, and change leadership and management for K-12 schools, colleges and universities, non-profits, and corporations. Assist with the development of performance appraisal tools and professional development for teachers and school leaders. Develop and advise on the implementation of personalized, competency-based, standards-aligned curriculum. Develop, deliver and evaluate online course content for students and professional development for online and blended learning Served as the professional development coordinator for the district, developing two intensive teacher learning cohorts on personal and blended learning. Facilitated the implementation of all district testing. Provided leadership and oversight of the curriculum design and review process. Supervised the content area supervisors and instructional coaches. Lead the development and implementation of district services including P2E (gifted and talented) and Achieve (basic skills). Developed and implemented the district mentoring program and the New Faculty Collaborative. Coordinated the Professional Development School (PDS) with Seton Hall University. Oversaw the district technology department and initiatives. Lead curriculum council for all district administrators. Developed and directed the curriculum and instruction budget. Responsible for the coordination and submission of all district grants including NCLB/ESEA. Developed district partnerships with colleges and universities, non-profits, and business partners. Participated in the design and implementation of the strategic plan for iLearnNYC, a 6-12 online and blended learning initiative. Responsible and accountable for developing, improving, evaluating, and procuring online curriculum aligned to standards for content and accessibility. Made key policy decisions regarding blended/online learning to support program goals. Managed a $26,000,000 curriculum budget. Planned and facilitated visioning process and professional development for 100 schools. Facilitated the implementation of competency-based programs utilizing online curriculum. Managed partnerships with 16+ different content vendors. Supported vendors with curriculum revisions to meet Common Core, accessibility, and interoperability requirements. Played a key role in the development of a customized LMS and analytics system for iLearnNYC. Conducted ongoing program evaluation, participating in an extensive research study. Participated in policy-making processes at the state level. Implementation curriculum/accessibility changes resulting in improvement of student learning. Provided oversight of the curriculum design and review process for over 100 courses. Educated faculty in the conceptual framework of online curriculum. Oversaw the learning management system use, enhancement, and support. Coordinated delivery of FLVS courses in 12+ different learning management systems. Supervised ADL Co-Lab in the implementation of 508 and SCORM interoperability standards. Developed university partnerships to co-develop curriculum and develop standards for articulation to ensure smooth transitions from secondary to post-secondary online learning. Supervised 75-100 teachers across all content areas. Developed and implemented a new performance management evaluation tool. Coached and promoted professional growth of teachers, overseeing personal growth plans. Developed and piloted a peer coaching program for instructors. Served as the District Special Education Coordinator. Served as the Innovation Coordinator for the District representing JTPS at the state level as a part of the NJ Innovation Community. Developed and implemented a blended learning initiative to personalize student learning. Oversaw the curriculum development and implementation for social studies, fine and related arts, technology, and other areas as assigned for grades K-12. Certified Danielson evaluator; supervised 30 + instructors. Directed multiple departmental budgets, overseeing materials selection and purchasing. Served as the hiring authority for assigned district departments. Developed and deliver district-wide professional development. SUMMARY OF P-12 TEACHING EXPERIENCE Elementary School Teacher (3 years) Middle School Teacher (3 years) High School Teacher (9 years) Pre-K Kindergarten Multi-age Grade 3, 4, and 5 Global Studies 7th Grade Global Studies – 9th Grade Comparative World Studies - 11th Grade Contemporary American Problems – 12th Grade The Holocaust and Human Behavior – 12th Grade American Government and AP U.S. Government and Politics – 11th and 12th Grade (online) United States History and AP U.S. History – 9th and 10th Grade (online) CERTIFICATIONS School Administrator/School Superintendent NJ Principal Certification NJ Supervisor Certification NJ Teaching Certification: Social Studies 6-12 & Elementary Teaching NJ National Board Teaching Certification Download Academic Resume PDF

BLOG All Posts Search Log in / Sign up M Elizabeth Azukas Nov 16, 2020 1 min Getting Started with Online and Blended Learning There are many differences between face to face learning and online or blended learning so usually it does not make sense to try to take... Post not marked as liked M Elizabeth Azukas Nov 15, 2020 6 min The 7C's of Effective Communication As many teachers, faculty members, and education leaders move to distance learning as we are social distancing, effective communication... Post not marked as liked M Elizabeth Azukas Nov 15, 2020 2 min Online Teaching: Synchronous or Asynchronous? When converting to online or distance learning, one of the first decisions you will have to make is whether to offer learning... Post not marked as liked All Posts (3) 3 posts