About Joanne Nicoll

Joanne Metzger Nicoll, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized leader and consultant in instructional design and development. Dr. Nicoll served as Associate Director for Instructional Design and Faculty Development in the Center for Teaching and Learning and a faculty member in the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). Her responsibilities included the coordination of the Instructional Design and Faculty Development services at the University, focusing on teaching enhancement and course development.

Joanne has worked collaboratively with over 300 Pitt faculty in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and professional schools to develop/revise both face-to-face and online courses. She conducts workshops for faculty in instructional development, distance education, teaching methods/strategies, teaching skill enhancement, and outcomes assessment.

Joanne’s areas of expertise include needs assessment, design, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs in varied disciplines and delivery modes; curriculum design consultation with discipline experts to develop instructional programs; development and implementation of degree program outcomes assessment; design of instructional methods and strategies to meet learners’ needs; development of instructional manuals and program planning documents; and development of distance education courses and programs, including self-instructional materials.

Dr. Nicoll received Blackboard’s Green House Award in 2007 for the development of a methods-of-teaching course and presented at national and international conferences in the areas of online course development and outcomes assessment. She has also worked as a Senior Instructional Designer for eight years with CampusWorks Inc., assisting dozens of faculty across multiple institutions to develop effective online courses.

Joanne’s favorite part of her work as an instructional designer? I enjoy working with faculty to develop a collegial relationship in course building. With a team approach, developing an online course is rewarding both to the instructor and to me. When working a few years ago with two “challenging instructors” to develop an online course, they dubbed my colleague and I “the dream team.” Even the most proficient faculty in teaching and learning has gained insight as we work together to develop a course.