Online Learning & Distance Education

Ann E. (Betsy) Lowry, Ed.D.
Assistant Dean, School of Education Teaching Learning & Assessment
Associate Director, Center for Technology in Education, Ms. Lowry's CV
Dr. Lowry leads CTE's online learning and distance education research and development initiatives. She is primary architect of CTE’s model for online learning and a primary inventor of CTE's suite of electronic learning tools, including the Electronic Learning Community, the Digital Portfolio, the Online Learning Management System, the Data Aggregation and Reporting System, a Teacher Compass evaluation tool, and a Student Compass progress monitoring application. She recently conducted a scientific study of the efficacy of online team-based learning communities for teacher professional development. Dr. Lowry’s team provides ongoing facilitation and evaluation to more than 30 professional online learning communities (>10,000 registered participants), and multiple online graduate and professional development programs. Since joining JHU in 1996, Dr. Lowry has provided leadership for many of CTE’s most challenging and innovative projects, most of which incorporated a Web-training or online learning component, working with local, state, and international audiences. She also develops and teaches courses in the JHU School of Education’s Technology for Educators graduate program.

Dr. Lowry joined CTE with 5 years experience teaching elementary and middle school English and Special Education and 4 years experience implementing Success for All, a nationwide school reform initiative. She completed her doctorate in teacher development and leadership at JHU, received her M.S. in administration and supervision from JHU, and received her B.S. in special education from James Madison University. 

Telephone: 410-516-9838 ▪ Fax: 410-516-9818 ▪ e-mail: lowry@jhu.edu

Linda Carling, M.S., Senior Program Coordinator/Instructor, Ms. Carling's CV
Ms. Carling joined CTE in 2002 after working as a consultant for the year prior. She currently manages the development, implementation, and evaluation of all of CTE’s online courses, including non-facilitated tutorials and facilitated graduate and professional development courses for JHU and MSDE. Ms. Carling writes extensive research-based content for online course developers, creates management systems for online course development and delivery, teaches online and face-to-face graduate courses as an adjunct instructor in the JHU Graduate Division of Education, and has authored tutorials, manuals, and online courses to train new course developers. Ms. Carling has also contributed to development of CTE’s Online Learning Model. Prior to joining CTE, Ms. Carling was an elementary school teacher for a local school system. She also worked as a curriculum consultant and online instructor for eSylvan for 2 years. Ms. Carling earned her M.S. in the Johns Hopkins University Technology for Educators program, and her B.S. in Elementary Education at the University of Maryland.

Telephone: 410-516-9842 ▪ Fax: 410-516-9818 ▪ e-mail: carling@jhu.edu

Francesca Carpenter, M.A., Project Manager/Instructor, Ms. Carpenter's CV
Telephone: 410-516-9848 ▪ Fax: 410-516-9818 ▪ e-mail: carpenter@jhu.edu

Natalie Hannon, M.A., Program Coordinator/Instructor
Telephone: 410-516-9827▪ Fax: 410-516-9818 ▪ e-mail: hannon@jhu.edu

Lauren Owen, Training Facilitator

Telephone: 410-516-9850 ▪ Fax: 410-516-9818 • e-mail: laurenowen@jhu.edu

Karen Clark Salinas, M.S.W., Project Manager/Instructor, Ms. Salinas' CV
Ms. Salinas manages and supports the development of nearly 30 Web-based professional development communities using CTE’s Electronic Learning Community (ELC) platform. She is also expanding the implementation and development of CTE’s Teacher Compass, a Web-based application for school administrators. Prior to joining CTE in 2005, Ms. Salinas served as the Director of Communications for the National Network of Partnership Schools (NNPS) at Johns Hopkins University. She provided professional development to schools, districts, states, and organizations to strengthen and sustain partnership programs linked to student success. She coauthored the NNPS Handbook; materials for the Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork (TIPS) interactive homework process; annual collections of Promising Partnership Practices; and surveys of teacher, parent, and student views on partnerships. Ms. Salinas earned a graduate certificate in Instructional Technology for Web-Based Professional Development and Training at Johns Hopkins University, an M.S.W. at the University of North Carolina, and a B.A. in psychology at Colgate University.

Telephone: 410-516-9823 ▪ Fax: 410-516-9818 ▪ e-mail: ksalinas@jhu.edu

Helen Smetheram, M.S., Project Manager/Instructor

Telephone: 410-516-9820▪ Fax: 410-516-9818 • e-mail: hsmetheram@jhu.edu

Kristen Winter, Training Facilitator

Telephone: 410-516-9821 ▪ Fax: 410-516-9818 • e-mail: kwinter@jhu.edu

The Center for Technology in Education is part of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education.

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