Who We Are

The Center for Instructional Innovation and Assessment (CIIA) has served Western's campus community as a teaching and learning center since 1998, merging with Academic Technology and User Services (ATUS) in 2012. Justina Brown directs the Center, collaborates closely with colleagues in ATUS (see Learning Systems) and OCE (see Teaching & Learning Cooperative), and employs a team of student experts to support professional development, technical, and instructional projects such as the the Innovative Teaching Showcase. In addition to coordinating and presenting workshops & events, teaching longer, stipend-based workshops, working with faculty one-on-one, doing research, and publishing, the CIIA collaborates with partners in Learning Systems and the Teaching & Learning Cooperative to examine teaching and technology trends.

Staff

Justina Brown, M.Ed., she|her

Instructional Designer, Faculty Development, Learning Systems (ATUS); Director, Center for Instructional Innovation & Assessment (CIIA); Coordinating Partner, Teaching & Learning Cooperative (TLC)
(360) 650-7210

Justina has been with the CIIA since its inception at WWU in 1998, first as a graduate research assistant before being hired as an instructional technology specialist and now as a senior instructional designer in her role leading the teaching and learning center. With her Masters of Education in adult education and instructional technology, Bachelor's degree in psychology, focusing on learning theory, and a background in graphic design, she brings a broad range of skills to the design of instructional media solutions. She works as a team with several student technology assistants in all of the CIIA's projects. For 20 years, Justina taught a seminar for the First-year Interest Groups program and has experience teaching via online, blended, and face-to-face modalities. 

Student Staff

The student technology assistants in the CIIA work as a team, assembling their complimentary talents and skills in all of our projects—whether it is a custom application for a professor or building the components of the Innovative Teaching Showcase publication. Working at the CIIA, students can gather useful work samples to add to their portfolios and working skills they can draw upon as they enter their new professions after graduation.

Learning Systems

The CIIA works as an integrated part of the ATUS Learning Systems area, collaborating to support instructional and technological endeavors in our campus community.