2025 Innovation in Online Design and Teaching Award Highlights Transformative Faculty Approaches

In a montage video for his Sustainability Design Lab, T.H. Culhane is dressed as Willy
Wonka, inviting learners to imagine bold possibilities. In the next scene, he breaks
into song while a brainstorm cloud with sustainable development solutions swirls in
the distance. 

That was just Culhane’s introductory course video, or “intrigos” as the Patel College
of Global Sustainability faculty member calls them. Culhane and his learners also
extend beyond the online classroom and find real-world opportunities to get their
messages of sustainability out to wider audiences. In one instance, they gave a live
demonstration of a biodigester build to the public using Oculus Quests and 3D imaging.

The unconventional project is just one example of Culhane’s immersive, learner-driven
approach, which is powered by creative communication and earned him top honors in
the University of South Florida’s 2025 Innovation in Online Design and Teaching Award.

A Course Where Students Think “Out Loudest”

Culhane’s course invites learners to tackle sustainability challenges through varied
technologies and simulations, multimedia storytelling, and applied design. 

Learners shape the curriculum, collaborate virtually, and choose from freelance-style
or real-world project opportunities. Organized in “acts and scenes,” the course features
gamified grading, peer discussions, and continuous reflective opportunities that build
community and reinforce learning. It also gives them access to VR, augmented reality,
and other tools that can help them communicate their ideas.

Culhane worked closely with learning designer Alexandra Ward to ensure the course
sparked curiosity and explorative learning while delivering meaningful learning outcomes. 

“This course gives learners the opportunity and supports to learn about purpose driven
video production, 3D modeling and world building, custom avatar and XR environment
creation, and VR and augmented reality,” said Ward. One of the core ideas of the course
is giving learners access to the tools and skills they need to communicate their sustainability
ideas to audiences.

“We foster active participation, critical thinking, and a strong sense of community
in this online course. I use gamification techniques, such as “if you make a point,
you earn a point to your grade,” to reward student effort and intellectual contribution. 
“It is based on McGregor’s Theory Y and Plato’s ‘Maieutic Method’ of midwifing ideas
into realities through collaboration rather than competition. Rhetorical points translate
into credit points,” Culhane said.

It delivered on that promise of participatory design, he said

“Dr. Culhane’s course is more than innovative. It’s transformative,” said Christie
Nicholas, director of learning design and research at Innovative Education. “The use
of technology, gamification, and real-world assignments created an active, collaborative
learning experience. They played a major role in shaping the course content, producing
work that was both authentic and deeply connected to practice.” 

Students echo that point.

“Dr. Culhane’s transformative and innovative educational approaches will forever change
how I approach academic research,” said student Laura Root. “Through the series of
engaging and prescient video lectures, we saw first-hand how the power of 5-dimensional
thinking could influence our abilities to conduct and share our own research.”

Advancing Online Excellence at USF

Presented by USF Innovative Education and the Office of the Provost, honorees for
the Innovation in Online Design and Teaching Award were selected by a review committee of faculty who teach online and learning designers
who assess course design, student engagement, learning gains, and satisfaction. The
honor includes a $5,000 prize, which Culhane said he will donate to a community partner,
The Rosebud Continuum Eco-Science Center, to use for machinery for a zero-waste initiative
that students model in the design laboratory.  

Two additional faculty members were named finalists in the program:

• Brianna JeeWon Paulich, an associate professor in the School of Marketing and Innovation
  at the USF Muma College of Business, was honored for her work alongside learning designer
  Chad Garcia for the Marketing Research course.  The course, required for all marketing
  majors, equips them with the tools to collect, analyze, and apply consumer data to
  real-world business problems. It blended strong instructor presence, meaningful peer
  interaction, and real-world assignments. She actively adapted the course throughout
  the semester based on their feedback, creating a responsive, student-centric learning
  experience.
• Brian Turnbull, an associate professor of instruction in the Department of Sociology
  and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, was recognized for his Introduction to Social
  Science course. He worked with Angelika Fairweather to create a course that helps
  students view social issues ranging from poverty to quality education to affordable
  and clean energy from various perspectives. It included clear design, real-world relevance,
  and thought-provoking content. Through scaffolded assignments, student-led discussions,
  and purposeful use of analytics, it encouraged deep reflection and lasting engagement.

“This year’s honorees reflect USF’s continued investment in faculty-led innovation
and high-impact digital learning,” said Christine Brown, associate vice president
for Innovative Education. “Their work shows what’s possible when rigorous learning
design meets creativity, flexibility, and a deep commitment to student success.“