Staff Spotlight: Lia Schraeder
Get to know our TIPS team!
Teaching Innovation and Program Strategy | TIPS Nov 17, 2024
The Staff Spotlight is a chance for the campus community to get to know our TIPS team members and what they do! Today we are featuring Senior Instructional Designer, Dr. Lia Schraeder.
How do you bring your previous professional experiences to bear on the work you do here with TIPS? I taught history full-time for nine years (around 100 courses) before I moved into a faculty support role as an instructional designer seven years ago. My teaching experience infuses my work as an instructional designer with pragmatism and empathy about the craft of teaching, while my instructional design experience informs my ability to apply educational research, manage projects, problem-solve, and collaborate with diverse faculty.
What’s a project you’ve worked on recently that you are proud of or excited about? One exciting project I’ve worked on recently involved helping Business Faculty redesign and design courses that are in an accelerated format. It’s fun to support faculty in taking an intentional approach to course design, for the benefit of both faculty and students.
What do you find most meaningful about your current role? When I was a new instructor, I often felt underprepared and alone as I faced the challenges of full-time teaching. I came to appreciate that many new faculty feel this way and need more support and community to be their best. What’s most meaningful about my current work is I can now help faculty by providing my support in areas such as course design and effective and inclusive teaching practices, and I can help faculty feel less alone by being there for them and by helping faculty connect with other colleagues in learning community.
Finally, tell us a little about yourself outside of work! When I’m not working or being a homebody;) I like biking, swimming, and lots of walking, visiting family, catching live music, and going on little adventures with my “Toto” dog.