Center for Creative Instruction & Technology

April Higgins
ahiggi10@dtcc.edu

April Higgins is an experienced curriculum designer with a passion for creating engaging, student-centered learning. Before joining CCIT, she spent over 14 years in K–12 education, leading professional development and publishing curriculum through the Delaware Department of Education. As a fellow with the Delaware Teachers Institute and Yale National Initiative, she collaborated nationally to publish curricular resources that showcase new and innovative techniques. She holds a B.S. in Middle-Level Education from Wilmington University and an M.A. in Economics and Entrepreneurship for Educators from the University of Delaware.

Mary Paris
mparis@dtcc.edu

Mary has been with Delaware Tech since 2006. Mary began as an instructor in the English department, and she has also served as a Learning Communities coordinator, an Instructional Coordinator, and a Department Chair. In addition to her time in instruction, Mary has also been a program advisor and an academic counselor. During her time with the college, she has developed and led several advising-related professional development sessions as well as department-specific training for adjunct faculty. Mary has also supported new faculty and colleagues with the use of educational technology and learning management systems. In addition, she has been part of multiple course redesigns aimed at increasing student success and improving the student experience. Mary has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics. She is excited to apply her instructional and student affairs experience to a new role supporting colleagues as they leverage educational technology and creative classroom practices to increase student engagement. 

Adrian Peterson
apeter36@dtcc.edu

Adrian joined the CCIT team in 2019. He spent more than 8 years at Washington College in various roles and taught middle school science before that. He earned his B.S. in Biology in 2007 and his  M.Ed. in Applied Technology in Education in 2016. He loves working with faculty to help design courses that engage students and deepen learning. Adrian has spent the last 5 years with a particular focus on learning space design and has written papers and given presentations on the topic both nationally and internationally. He believes the learning environment, be it physical or digital, plays an important role in the success of teaching and learning. He is excited to join the DTCC community and is looking forward to working with all the amazing people that make this place great.

Megan Sherman
msherm13@dtcc.edu

Megan Sherman is an instructional designer with over 14 years of experience working with diverse learners across educational settings. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Megan brings extensive classroom and educational expertise to the instructional designer role, with a strong focus on creating meaningful, engaging learning experiences. She is passionate about designing scaffolded supports that help all learners access content and succeed, and she enjoys developing technology-rich activities and assignments that promote active learning and engagement. Her goal is to make learning come to life!

Jason Silverstein
jsilver5@dtcc.edu

Jason joined CCIT in 2019 after 7 years with the college in instruction. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and master’s degree in Educational Technology. Jason has been teaching mathematics and computer science for the last 15 years. Jason’s love for solving interesting problems inspired him to transition from an Instructor to an Instructional Designer, where he actively redesigns courses and incorporates new and innovative technologies into them. Jason’s passion is to leverage technology to enhance the student experience regardless of course modality.

Dr. Laura L Thompson
lthomps8@dtcc.edu

Dr. Laura L Thompson brings over 28 years of experience in education to her role as Instructional Designer. She holds an Associate of Arts, a Bachelor of Science in Education, Master of Arts in Educational Psychology: Human Cognition and Intelligent Technologies, and a PhD in Psychology with an emphasis on the integration of technology and instruction. Her interests include the role of the instructor in designing and delivering quality educational experiences, whether in-person or through distance education. She also investigates the ethical and efficient use of Artificial Education in higher education instructional practices. Her professional goals include supporting faculty and staff through professional development regarding instructional decision-making and technology tool use as it enhances learning. Laura is also an adjunct instructor in the Social Sciences department. She also enjoys singing and is a Barbershopper!

Alison Voss
avoss@dtcc.edu

Alison Voss is an Instructional Designer with CCIT at Delaware Tech, where she supports faculty in designing inclusive, engaging, and human-centered learning experiences. She brings over a decade of experience in education, with a strong foundation in curriculum development, instructional planning, and evidence-based teaching strategies. Alison holds a B.S. in Behavioral Science, an M.Ed. in Elementary Education, an M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction, and an Ed.D. in Instructional Design and Technology. She is passionate about collaboration, inclusive course design, and supporting faculty in their teaching practice.

Amanda Hooper Alcaraz
ahooper@dtcc.edu

Amanda Hooper Alcaraz comes to CCIT with a background in social work. She started her career in the nonprofit sector, working with survivors of violence and their families for fourteen years. Amanda transitioned to working at the State of Delaware as an Educator/Trainer and created skill-based learning experiences for adults in the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Justice, and Family Court. She was the administrator for her department’s learning management system and developed training programs for new workers.  After moving into work at the State, she learned she had a passion for instructional design and adult learning and she began to develop online learning experiences for her department. Amanda enjoys working with people and is fascinated with technology. She gets a kick out of helping people reach that “Aha!” moment and loves to bring play into learning. A lifelong Delawarean, Amanda is proud to have an Associate’s Degree from the University of Delaware. She looks forward to working with the  DTCC community!

Christina Scheffel
cscheff1@dtcc.edu

Christina Scheffel began her career as a high school English teacher. After 10 years in the classroom, she transitioned to a role as an Instructional Technology Specialist for a Delaware public school district, where she guided students and teachers in using technology to support learning. Now, she brings her experience to support Delaware Tech faculty and staff. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Education from the University of Delaware and a Master’s Degree in Applied Educational Technology from Wilmington University. Additionally, she has completed the International Society for Technology in Education’s educator certification program. She celebrates the way technology can make learning more accessible for everyone.

Jennifer McFarlane
jmcfarl9@dtcc.edu

Jennifer joins CCIT as a Learning Management System Administrator for the D2L platform. As a member of the Del Tech community for nearly a decade, her roles as alumni and employee allow for a unique perspective into student success. She began her journey at Stanton campus, earning an associates degree in Secondary Education: Physics May 2015. After graduating, she remained at Del Tech as a tutor for the Math and Physics center. In August of 2018, Jennifer transitioned into the IIT department as a technician with CMS. While working in Tech Support, she continuously sought ways for technology to be more engaging and user-friendly. By November 2022, she became a specialist at the Terry campus. In January 2022, Jennifer graduated from Western Governors University with a BA in IT Management. As a non-traditional learner herself, she is passionate about utilizing technology to break down barriers and provide multiple avenues for student success.