Recent Advances in Applying Identity and Society Awareness to Virtual Learning

Andrew Stricker serves Air University as a distributed learning architect. In this role he helps to apply advances in learning and assessment sciences into U.S. Air Force educational and professional military education programs. Prior to his arrival to Air University Andrew served Vanderbilt University as Associate Provost for Innovation Through Technology. He was responsible for working with academic, technology and administrative leaders for improving learning, teaching and research. Dr. Stricker also spent four years at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, creating and then serving as Director of the Cognition and Instructional Technologies Laboratory, and Director of the Knowledge Engineering Complex with the Texas Engineering Extension Service. His graduate work was conducted at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas and Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. He is a member of the American Psychological Association. His current research addresses developmental growth in reflective mindsets and contemplative practices and augmented reality simulations for helping to improve complex problem-solving among teams.

Cynthia Calongne joined the computer science faculty at Colorado Technical University in 1996. Today,she teaches in the CTU Doctoral department. Prior to teaching,she worked as a software engineer and systems programmer with a defense contractor supporting Air Force Space Command and as a business manager for an environmental organization in Washington, D.C. Her team won the $25,000 grand prize for the Mars Expedition Strategy Challenge in 2010. She supported Will Wright’s community developed TV Show called Bar Karma and appeared in the closing credits of Episode One as Myxen. Using her avatar name, Lyr Lobo, she conducts research in virtual world simulation, game design and writes fiction.

Barbara Truman , DCS holds a Master’s degree in Instructional Systems Design from UCF and a DCS in Computer Science, Emerging Media from Colorado Technical University. She serves as Strategic Advisor, Immersive Learning and Collaboration within the Mixed Emerging Technologies Integration Lab (METIL) in the Institute for Simulation & Training at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Her research involves Human Computer Interaction (HCI) using collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) and cyber-physical systems (CPS). She studies how avatar use can develop identity and authenticity useful for collaboration across communities within networked physical and virtual spaces. Barbara is also a founder of online learning at UCF.

Fil Arenas is an Associate Professor of Organizational Leadership Studies at the USAF Squadron Officer College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Reporting in August 2007, he is also the Course Director for three USAF distance learning programs to include the Squadron Officer School DL Course which currently hosts nearly 7,000 active students worldwide, developing advanced leadership skills in their professional military education. He received his doctorate degree from The George Washington University in Higher Education Administration. His current areas of research study focus on: virtual immersive learning, emotional intelligence, and transformational leadership. Dr. Arenas retired from the military after 28 years of faithful service (14 USAF & 14 USN) in 2005.