UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — John M. “Jack” Carroll, distinguished professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), has published a new book on innovative teaching practices. 

“Innovative Practices in Teaching Information Sciences and Technology: Further Experience Reports and Reflections,” published by Springer, describes specific pedagogical challenges and goals addressed by instructors through their personal educational vision and values. It follows Carroll’s previous book on teaching practices, published in 2014 in collaboration with IST faculty, staff and students.

“This book is not a claim that my colleagues and I are more innovative than other faculty,” Carroll said. “Rather, it is an acknowledgment that the culture of teaching and learning in a faculty is more than the practice of any one faculty member. This collection of reflective essays on teaching practices is a vehicle to begin exploring that proposition and, more specifically, to reflect on and extend innovative teaching in IST, to continue to learn from another and to help one another achieve more.” 

According to Carroll, the objective was to be inspiring, but more importantly to be grounded enough that other faculty could emulate, adapt or appropriate a technique or approach in their own courses.

“When I interviewed for a job in IST in 2003, I experienced it as having a culture of teaching innovation, a shared value,” he said. “It is a special possibility of an academic faculty to create such a culture, and I am grateful and proud to have participated in it. This book is a celebration of innovative teaching.” 

In all, 20 faculty members from the College of IST contributed to this book: 

• Mahir Akgun, assistant teaching professor 
• Guoray Cai, associate professor 
• Jack Carroll, distinguished professor of information sciences and technology 
• Jonathan Dodge, assistant professor 
• Fred Fonseca, associate professor 
• Chris Gamrat, assistant teaching professor 
• Edward J. Glantz, teaching professor and assistant director of master’s programs 
• David Hozza, adjunct instructor 
• Priya Kumar, PNC Career Development Professor 
• Lisa Lenze, associate dean for undergraduate studies 
• Peng Liu, Raymond G. Tronzo, MD Professor of Cybersecurity 
• Rosalie Ocker, teaching professor 
• Ralph J. Osmolinski, adjunct instructor 
• Sarah Rajtmajer, assistant professor 
• Frank Ritter, professor 
• Sarah Stager, assistant teaching professor 
• James Z. Wang, distinguished professor of information sciences and technology 
• Daniel Welch, assistant teaching professor 
• Shomir Wilson, associate professor 
• Amulya Yadav, associate professor 

Several current and former College of IST undergraduate and graduate students also contributed to the book. 

“One responsibility of a culture of innovative teaching is engaging the next generation,” Carroll said. 

Student and alumni contributors include:

• Enyan Dai, who earned a doctoral degree in informatics in 2024 and is now an assistant professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou)
• Rupak Das, a current graduate student pursing a doctoral degree in informatics
• Antoinette Diawuo, who earned her bachelor’s degree in information sciences and technology in 2023 and a master’s degree in informatics in 2024
• Hangzhi Guo, a current graduate student pursuing a doctoral degree in informatics
• Yao Lyu, who earned a doctoral degree in informatics in 2024 and is now a postdoc at the University of Michigan’s School of Information
• Ananya Reddy, who received a bachelor’s degree in human-centered design and development in 2023
• Lizhen Zhu, a current graduate student pursuing a doctoral degree in informatics