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CATL Annual Report

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From the Executive Director

Years ago, during my ministry work with children and teenagers in Jamaica, I could never have imagined the profound ripple effects of those moments we shared together. Recently, one of my "girls"—now a pastor's wife, mother, and children's church leader sent me a video that stopped me in my tracks. There she was, directing a performance with children from her church of a choral speech I taught her decades ago. She remembered every word, action, and rhythm. As I watched her pass on what she had received, I was reminded of a truth that has become the cornerstone of my leadership philosophy: "When each one reaches another, empowerment becomes a force multiplier, and that is what legacy is about.” In the YouTube video "This is what legacy looks like", I share more about this story and include the recording of the performance.

This understanding of legacy as a force multiplier has shaped not only my personal journey but also my vision for the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL). Just as my mentee is now serving the next generation the same way I served her, CATL serves as a force multiplier in education, amplifying the brilliance of individual educators to reach thousands of learners, resulting in transformative institutional and societal change.

This year's CATL retreat theme, "From Individual Containers to Organizational Alignment," marked the beginning of our strategic plan, aligned with the OneMUSC2030 strategic plan. The image at the top of our annual report captures the outcome of a collaborative and inclusive effort that transformed traditional strategic planning into a dynamic, participatory experience where every voice was heard and valued.

As I write this foreword, my heart is full of gratitude for the extraordinary leadership of Dr. Gigi Smith, who retired on July 10, 2025. Her mentorship and support created the foundation that enabled my leadership to flourish. Gigi's approach of scaffolding and empowerment exemplified the force multiplier principle, and her endorsement of our holistic approach to educational development positioned CATL for the transformative growth we've achieved. Her legacy lives on in the culture of excellence, collaboration, and innovation that continues to drive our work forward.

As you read through this report, you'll see evidence of strategic leadership that transforms individual brilliance into institutional impact. Each program, each partnership, each achievement represents not just what we've accomplished, but the multiplied effect these efforts will have on the educators we serve, the learners they teach, and the patients and communities they will serve.

This is our legacy in action—each one reaching one, until we reach all. CATL will keep building on this momentum, creating innovative pathways that ensure MUSC remains at the forefront of educational excellence.

With gratitude and excitement for what lies ahead,

Julaine Fowlin
Executive Director
Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning

By the Numbers

University Engagement Service

150 Professional Development Sessions & Consultations
301 Attendees at Professional Development Sessions
31 University and Professional Committee Service
9900 Events & Classrooms Booked in 25Live (CT)
73 Classroom Technology Support Tickets Resolved (CT)
2 Classroom Upgrades (CT)
29 Divisions Incidents Solved
49 Deepfreeze Anti-virus' Quarantined

Educational Development

15 Digital Badges Issued (IDT)
27 MUSC Certificates Granted (IDT)
118 Total Participants (IDT)

Multimedia

2447 Student Portraits (AM)
812 Student Portraits (AM)
400 Video Projects (AM)
627 Photographs from Program-Specific Projects (AM)

  • CATL positions MUSC at the epicenter of National AI in Education Leadership: Under CATL's leadership, MUSC became a member of the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in 2024, quickly establishing significant influence as Dr. Julaine Fowlin, CATL's Executive Director, was selected to serve as mentoring faculty for the AAC&U Institute on AI Pedagogy of which MUSC was also a participating institution. This strategic partnership expanded with MUSC hosting the prestigious AAC&U Symposium on AI Leadership June 12 -13, 2025, that convened nearly 200 higher education leaders nationwide. This intensive symposium equipped institutional leaders with knowledge and strategies for effectively integrating AI across academic, administrative, and strategic domains. MUSC's own Dr. Lisa Saladin, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, delivered a keynote address on evidence-based decision making, and showcased our accomplishments leading innovation, collaboration, and transformation at MUSC. The MUSC co-planning team was expertly led by Dr. Gigi Smith, Associate Provost for Education Innovation & Student Life along with Ms. Barbara Bozart, and Dr. Julaine Fowlin. This high-profile event solidified MUSC's standing as a thought leader in health sciences AI education, generating valuable institutional visibility while establishing pathways for ongoing collaboration with other institutions navigating similar challenges and opportunities.
  • Ms. April Heyward named Director of AI Integration and Creative Learning: As part of our continued commitment to advancing AI in education, Ms. April Heyward joined the CATL team in December 2024, as the new Director of AI Integration and Creative Learning. This newly created position was sponsored by the Office of the Provost and is a forward-thinking investment that positions MUSC at the forefront of AI integration in healthcare education while ensuring students benefit from innovative, ethically-sound AI applications throughout their academic journey.
  • Advancing SoTL: Insights and Innovations with AI Conference: In collaboration with the Office of Education Innovation and Student Life, and the Office of the Provost, we hosted the annual Spring Education Conference, centered on the Scholarship of Teaching (SoTL) and Learning and the role of Artificial Intelligence in education. The event featured two invited external speakers, Ben Campbell of D2L and Dr. Aekta Shah of Salesforce, facilitated meaningful internal dialogue, and included a dynamic speaker panel. (Learn More under programs and events below)

I had the great pleasure to be able to attend the Advancing SoTL AI 2025 conference this past week. I wanted to thank and commend the team who organized this for hosting a world class academic conference out of and here at MUSC. I am very proud of your efforts and MUSC for building community and putting MUSC increasingly in the driver seat of SoTL.

Ben Rogers, Information Technology Direction, COM

Mapping MUSC's AI Education Journey

Mapping MUSC's AI Education Journey

While many institutions react to AI developments, MUSC has been very strategic and purposeful about AI integration and CATL captured this through a comprehensive AI in Education Timeline visualization and blog post. This strategic infographic documents our deliberate progression from initial exploration to institutional leadership in AI integration. The timeline showcases completed milestones—including strategic partnerships, educational development initiatives, and policy formation—alongside planned advancements that will further distinguish MUSC in health sciences education. This visual has become a reference point for peer institutions seeking guidance on structured AI implementation. By mapping both achievements and future directions, CATL continues to position MUSC at the forefront of educational innovation while ensuring AI adoption advances our core mission and values.

CATL Leads the Way in Reshaping MUSC’s Continuing Education

As OneMUSC 2030 focuses on reshaping the future workforce, CATL is driving the university's position as a leader in healthcare continuing education (CE) and professional development. In collaboration with the Enterprise Program Management Office, University Procurement, Education, Innovation and Student Life, and University finance, CATL spearheaded the implementation of Modern Campus Lifelong Learning, streamlining the CE journey with a unified, learner-centric platform. The phased rollout began with the College of Dental Medicine and the College of Health Professions, which quickly experienced improved processes guided by key features such as a centralized course catalog, streamlined registration, integrated marketing tools, and robust analytics. Through CATL's visionary leadership and strategic partnerships, MUSC is now well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of healthcare professionals.

Commencement Production: From Ceremony to Signature Experience

As members of the Commencement Committee, CATL's leadership transformed commencement into an institutional showcase through unparalleled technical excellence, with our professional multi-camera production and seamless audiovisual integration elevating the ceremony to broadcast quality. We removed traditional barriers through comprehensive accessibility features including live transcription and global livestreaming, ensuring families worldwide could share in this milestone achievement regardless of distance or ability. Through meticulous attention to detail and professional execution, the ceremony embodied MUSC's commitment to excellence. The event's impact extends well beyond the day itself through professionally captioned recordings and photography that serve as permanent, accessible documentation—creating lasting mementos for graduates while showcasing MUSC's commitment to student success for future students and other stakeholders.

I want to take a moment to thank CATL for the incredible work on our video for this year’s gala. They not only created the original video but also edited it for this year. CATL was extremely patient and accommodating as our Board Chair requested additional edits. Kudos to the entire team for an amazing job!

Lilia Correa, COM

Innovation & Growth

Strategic Plan: From Individual Containers to Organizational Alignment

Every October, we hold an annual retreat to reconnect with ourselves, our teams, and our role in "changing what's possible" at MUSC. This year's theme, "From Individual Containers to Organizational Alignment," marked the beginning of our CATL strategic plan, aligned with the OneMUSC2030 strategic plan. We began by setting intentions together, grounding ourselves with music from Jamaica-Toast by Koffee, that created a welcoming atmosphere before diving into individual reflection. Drawing on resources like the "Embracing Your Hidden Brilliance" podcast episode from  Dr. Patrice Buckner Jackson, each team member connected with the brilliance in their own "container."

In the second half of the retreat, captured in the image above, team members used colored dots to show alignment with key focus areas and goals, then shared potential initiatives using sticky notes. This hands-on approach created an immediate, visible map of our collective priorities, revealing patterns of alignment that might have remained hidden in traditional sit and talk planning sessions.The physical act of placing dots and writing initiatives fostered genuine participation, ensuring every voice was heard and valued. This embodied activity transformed a static exercise into a dynamic, collaborative experience. It not only produced a strategic plan but also created ownership and commitment to our shared future, showing that when we make thinking visible and honor individual brilliance within collective purpose, we unlock the full potential of our organizational intelligence. This collaborative approach to supporting and amplifying brilliance reflects exactly what we strive to create for the educators and learners we serve.

New Programs & Initiatives

  • AI in Education Research Program grant initiative: In April 2025, we launched the inaugural AI in Education Research Program grant initiative funded by the Office of the Provost. The program aims to drive MUSC’s AI Strategic Goals forward by supporting projects that innovate the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and prepare a future-ready, AI-competent healthcare workforce. Eight awards were given for a total of $112,946.00. Funded projects varied from AI-assisted scoping review to AI simulation for medical education.
  • Foundations of Inclusive Teaching Course: In Spring 2025, we developed and launched a New professional development course-Foundations of Inclusive Teaching. This course examined how to apply the research-based Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and academic digital accessibility strategies. Participants engaged in several activities, culminating in the design and creation of a UDL-centric and digitally accessible module that could be used in a course they are teaching or plan to teach. The course also offered the opportunity for participants to earn a certified MUSC professional development certificate, with 11 individuals achieving this credential.
  • Podcast Studio: CATL recently unveiled a new podcasting studio located in ECL111. What was once a small storage closet has been transformed into a fully equipped recording space featuring a Tascam Mixcast 4 recorder. The studio can accommodate up to four participants simultaneously and includes the option to integrate audio from laptops—ideal for conducting interviews via Microsoft Teams. In addition, three compact video cameras are available for podcasters who wish to include video alongside their audio content.
  • CATL staff are available to assist with the recording process and can also provide support for getting started with editing your podcast.
  • Brightspace Course Template and Design Kit: In direct response to students’ feedback highlighting Brightspace course navigational challenges and inconsistencies in course design CATL strategically partnered with Alchemy to launch the transformative University Course Template & Design Kit—a student-centered approach that fundamentally reimagines course design and foster faculty efficiency. The course template follows best practices for online design in Brightspace, offering faculty and instructional designers opportunities to integrate these powerful elements into their college’s course offerings. The design kit also includes a robust set of faculty resources for effective course design and delivery. Educators now leverage an extensive suite of pedagogical resources that dramatically enhance course design and delivery, resulting in learning environments where students spend less time deciphering course structures and more time engaging with meaningful content. Initial implementation shows promising adoption across colleges with plans for expansion in the upcoming semesters.
  • Student Health & Well-being Services Enhancement: In partnership with the Student Health & Well-being Care Center, CATL successfully implemented several technological advancements using Point n Click. Key achievements include iPad check-in stations in waiting rooms, streamlining the patient arrival process. We resolved critical network issues that had been impacting service delivery by working closely with Point n Click and the Network Information Solutions Team. To ensure continuous improvement, we deployed satisfaction surveys to all Student Health Services (SHS) and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) visitors, enabling comprehensive data tracking and service enhancement. We also did extensive data cleanup and facilitated expanded service offerings by integrating scheduling capabilities for animal-assisted therapy programs. Additionally, we developed a comprehensive digital library containing over 200 educational documents addressing various CAPS-related issues and diagnoses, empowering students with accessible mental health resources. To enhance telehealth capabilities, we successfully transitioned providers to the Zoom platform, ensuring seamless remote consultation options. These improvements collectively demonstrate our commitment to expanding access to quality education and student care through comprehensive technology support.

Thank you again for our awesome in-person session on Nov 6th and for providing content. I had several attendees comment, including someone in the make-up session group, about how they appreciated the in-person project. I also had several reach out to me asking about CoPilot, so huge success all-around!

Leslie Morris, CAE

Classroom Upgrades

  • Mersive Solstice Fully Installed in BSB502: Recognizing that traditional classroom configurations limit collaborative learning and technological integration, CATL implemented Mersive Solstice, which allows for wireless content sharing and collaboration from any device. Mersive Solstice allows for a shift in instructor-centered environments to dynamic active learning where students actively contribute to knowledge construction rather than passively receiving information. Learn More.
  • Auditorium Renovations: The Drug Discovery Auditorium and Bioengineering Auditorium received comprehensive audiovisual technology upgrades, enhancing presentation capabilities and learning experiences for both instructors and students.

I wanted to share with you how grateful I am for CATL’s support getting our Crestron Scheduling panels operational with 25Live. We appreciate having these resources available and their willingness to help across the campus.

Brian Getsinger, CON

Programs & Events

Advancing SoTL: Insights and Innovations with AI Conference

Our annual conference bridged critical knowledge gaps in AI-enhanced teaching by convening industry pioneers Ben Campbell (D2L) and Dr. Aekta Shah (Salesforce) with campus experts. Their insights on ethical AI implementation directly equipped faculty and staff to develop evidence-based teaching practices that prepare students for technology-rich healthcare environments. The carefully designed program—featuring targeted sessions on SoTL advancement, AI infrastructure development, and research applications. Participants left equipped to implement concrete strategies that enhance student learning outcomes across disciplines, while the interactive format, including wellness-integrated breaks led by Alicia O'Connor from MUSC Wellness Center leadership, modeled the holistic approaches we seek to instill in our educational practices. This pivotal event established MUSC as a leader in health sciences AI education while creating a sustainable community of practice that continues to generate innovative teaching approaches benefiting students throughout their academic journey.

Book Club ‘24

In the fall, we hosted our second annual CATL book club featuring Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning by J. Bowen and C. Watson. Participants gained practical AI integration strategies and built cross-disciplinary connections through our structured exploration of the book. We held six sessions and hosted co-facilitators from various departments for each session. Our sessions covered the topics of AI literacy, redesigning assignments, and policies while providing MUSC specific application of these practices. Participants accessed supplemental resources through OneHE to dive further into AI topics.

  • 24 participants from all colleges and academic programs.
  • Evaluations indicated 96% agreement that the book club provided opportunities to gain perspective and ideas from colleagues across colleges/departments.

Students now have an opportunity to benefit from carefully designed learning experiences that develop both subject mastery and AI literacy essential for healthcare careers, with assignments that leverage AI as a learning tool rather than viewing it as a challenge to academic integrity.

Reshaping Academic Integrity: AI-Focused Student Engagement Initiative

During Academic Integrity week CATL Partnered with the Office of Student Engagement to facilitate two sessions, Exploring the AI Frontier: A Student Perspective and Navigating Academic Integrity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Participants developed practical strategies for navigating AI tools appropriately in academic settings.. This collaborative initiative leads MUSC one step further with proactive AI ethics education, transforming potential academic integrity concerns into opportunities for developing critical professional competencies valued in healthcare settings.

The entire book club was so helpful to me in gaining confidence, knowledge, and experience in using AI both personally and professionally.

Book Club Participant

CATL's Academic Integrity Week presentations sparked meaningful discussion, with participants actively sharing experiences and insights about AI ethics. We look forward to continuing this valuable collaboration with CATL.

Office of Student Engagement

Special Projects

Implementation of New Educational Technologies

Creator+ & H5P:

We implemented D2L Creator+, a powerful tool within Brightspace that enables faculty to design interactive, accessible course content with ease. Featuring a variety of H5P elements like accordions, timelines, and self-assessment activities, Creator+ enhances learner engagement and streamlines content creation. Training and adoption efforts have begun, with continued faculty development planned for the upcoming fiscal year to expand its use across programs.

FeedbackFruits CBE Pilot:

In partnership with the College of Nursing we launched a pilot of FeedbackFruits’ Competency-Based Education (CBE) tool. The tool supports personalized, mastery-focused learning by aligning activities with clearly defined competencies and enabling targeted feedback. Early implementation has shown promise in promoting learner agency and transparency, with plans to evaluate outcomes and expand the pilot in the coming year.

Expanding access to quality education and lifelong learning through multimedia services

RestBest is an NIH/NIDA-funded (R34) mHealth application delivering a transdiagnostic behavioral sleep medicine intervention for individuals with OUD/MOUD, targeting insomnia, nightmares, and shift work-related sleep challenges. The app personalizes care through symptom assessment, daily sleep tracking, and a structured 5–6 week program of animated educational videos that teach evidence-based sleep strategies and connect users with sleep medicine providers. 

The CATL Academic Media team played a pivotal role in the development of the app’s educational content, specifically by producing animated videos that enhance user engagement and learning. This process began with coordinating professional voice-over recordings, partnering with narrators to ensure clarity and tone consistency. These videos are consistently highlighted in qualitative interviews as a standout feature—praised for their high quality, clarity, and engaging presentation.

Working with the CATL team has been a true pleasure. The animated videos they produced are not only aesthetically pleasing and thoughtfully presented, but they also elevate the RestBest app in a way that will truly resonate with individuals seeking sleep support during OUD treatment.

Allison Wilkerson, PhD, DBS

Scholarly Contributions

Empowering Educators: Operationalizing Age-Old Learning Principles Using AI

Fowlin, J., Coleman, D., Ryan, S., Gallo, C., Soares, E., & Hazelton, N. (2025). Empowering Educators: Operationalizing Age-Old Learning Principles Using AI. Education Sciences, 15(3), 393. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030393.

In March 2025, CATL’s Executive Director, Dr. Julaine Fowlin, first-authored a significant paper in Education Sciences with education experts at MUSC and other institutions as well as a student intern. This publication provides educators with a practical framework for AI integration while maintaining core teaching principles grounded in Dewey's experiential learning, situated cognition, and distributed cognition theories. The paper emphasizes AI as a tool that enhances rather than replaces educators, offering strategies for personalized learning experiences, adaptive learning systems, and fostering critical thinking skills. It also thoughtfully addresses the ethical challenges of AI implementation in education. This work positions our institution as a thought leader in preparing both educators and students for an AI-ready workforce while ensuring that student engagement and learning outcomes remain central to the educational mission.

College of Pharmacy Open Educational Resource Project

Two members of our Instructional Design and Technology team were selected to co-author a poster at the AACP Annual Meeting, showcasing their collaborative work on an Open Educational Resource (OER) with a faculty member from the College of Pharmacy. As instructional designers, they applied their expertise in course design, pedagogy, and accessibility to develop engaging, well-structured chapters. This project reflects our ongoing commitment to innovative, collaborative teaching and learning initiatives.

D2L Fusion

In July 2024, our Instructional Design and Technology Team was selected to present at the D2L Fusion Conference, held in Toronto, Canada. This global gathering of education innovators provided a powerful platform for our team to showcase MUSC’s leadership in emerging educational technologies.

Their presentation, titled "Badge to the Future: Powering Career Readiness through Micro-Credentialing”, focused on the growing relevance of micro-credentialing in higher education and workforce development. The team highlighted how MUSC is proactively responding to this need through strategic implementation of stackable credentials and competency-based learning pathways. The session drew significant interest, sparking rich discussions around learner-centered innovation, professional development, and institutional scalability.