Robert Gertz

About Me

My path to instructional design began in the classroom, teaching ethics, logic, and philosophy to students at every level. Along the way, I discovered the power of design to transform learning. Today, I bring a thoughtful, collaborative approach to every project, combining research-driven design practices with a deep curiosity about how people learn.I enjoy building courses that are not only intellectually engaging but also inclusive, well-structured, and designed with students in mind. My aim is to help learners connect ideas to real-world challenges and practical applications.

My Work

Contact Me

If you want to learn more about me, please reach out by visiting the links below or visiting my contact me page.

Instructional Design
Resume

Professional Summary

I help universities turn complex course development challenges into on-time online, hybrid, and face-to-face learning experiences powered by instructional design best practices and multimedia-rich technology integration. Having taught in the classroom and in various online environments, I know effective design entails collaborative course development, where faculty are supported and students feel empowered.

Instructional Design & Curriculum Development Experience

INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER & SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT, August 2020 - Present
Forbes School of Business & Technology at The University of Arizona, Global Campus, Tucson, Arizona

• Collaborated with different departments and individual faculty members on several courses for adult learners, including a redesign with 9 academic stakeholders comprised of educational leadership, SMEs, assessment specialists, and quality managers in a Quality Matters environment aligned with UDL principles.
• Executed an end-to-end redesign to create a scalable, competency-based business ethics course, surpassing the target benchmark in feedback surveys and increasing student satisfaction by 18%, primarily in ratings for “strong agreement” that the course delivered a high-quality educational experience.
• Designed 24 multimedia-rich web-based lectures for Canvas LMS with modular layouts, interactive elements, and scaffolding to enhance learner engagement, introducing new methods and technologies.
• Developed gamified interactive assessments and a 3-minute microlearning video synthesizing complex theories into digestible and accessible content, supporting ADA standards for diverse learners.
• Applied data-driven iterative design improvements across multiple courses in collaboration with assessment specialists and other stakeholders.

ASSOCIATE FACULTY, September 2013 - August 2020
Ashford University, San Diego, California

Additional Leadership & Project Management Experience

RESIDENT MANAGER & TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST, January 2014 - October 2021
International Student House, Washington, DC

• Managed strategic, complex projects, including a $100K capital campaign and technology infrastructure upgrades serving 200+ devices.
• Oversaw staff with a focus on mentorship, continuous improvement, and mission alignment in a high-growth educational community.

Skills

Instructional Design & Curriculum Development • Online, Hybrid & Face-to-Face Course Development • Project Management • Agile Mindset • Faculty & Stakeholder Collaboration • Multimedia & Interactive Learning Tools • Training Materials • Technology Integration • Data-Informed Course Evaluation • Quality Assurance (QM) • Canvas LMS • Documentation & Knowledgebases • Works Independently & Cooperatively • Oral & Written Communication

Education

PhD | Philosophy |Temple University | Philadelphia, PA
BA | Philosophy | Minor: Sociology and Anthropology |Gustavus Adolphus College | St. Peter, MN

Curriculum Vitae

Summary

As an educator who has designed and developed philosophy courses as well as taught over 50 courses for adult learners, I understand the nuanced challenges of delivering rigorous, human-centered learning experiences. I’ve cultivated inclusive environments that support intellectual and personal growth, supporting students’ success through constructive evaluation and engaging lessons.

Areas of Specialization

Ethics, Logic, Critical Thinking & Argumentation, Scholarly Research Methods, Social Philosophy

Areas of Specialization

History of Ancient Philosophy, History of Modern Philosophy, Pragmatism

Areas of Competence

Ph.D. | Philosophy | Temple University | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

BA | Philosophy | Minor: Sociology &Anthropology |Gustavus Adolphus College | St. Peter, MN

Doctoral Dissertation

Title: Moral Code: The Design and Social Values of the Internet
Committee: Carol C. Gould (chair), Paul Taylor, Joe Margolis, Joseph Schwartz, Jane Gordon

Added to the philosophical study of the Internet by identifying the interests embodied in its basic design and the implications that these embodied interests have for its use, particularly in relation to current social and political debates about technology in a global context. I investigated how regulation of content, government appropriation, and commercialization are debated through the Internet.

Courses Taught

DOCTORATE LEVEL COURSES:

Advanced Study in Qualitative Research

A doctoral-level study of research design and qualitative methods, evaluating which designs would be appropriate for particular dissertations, and training in research ethics.

Scholarly Argument

This advanced research seminar concentrated on the content and form of scholarly arguments, involving methodological elucidation, literature reviews, and other skills needed to succeed in doctoral dissertations.

Professional & Business Ethics in Organizational Leadership

This advanced seminar explores foundational and contemporary issues in business and professional ethics, emphasizing the application of ethical theories to professional practices and organizational decision-making.

Advanced Social Networking for Organizations

This advanced seminar analyzed the evolving role of social media and technologies in the transformation of large organizations and their leadership, including ethical questions surrounding media and public relations, promotion and identity, workplace governance, and globalization.

FIRST YEAR, UPPER, AND SENIOR LEVEL COURSES:

Business Ethics

This course examined ethical theories, economic concepts, and business paradigms for an analysis of moral problems in business, including the perspectives of consumers, employees, and business owners.

Practical Ethics & Moral Reasoning

This course debated real-world problems by applying logical arguments to practical decision making, including medical controversies, capital punishment, war, race, poverty, animal rights, and environmentalism.

Introduction to Logic

This course introduced the basics of logic, covering the theory of syllogism, symbolic methods for representing and assessing the logical properties of arguments, inductive and deductive reasoning, and common fallacies.

Introduction to PhilosophyIntroduction to Philosophy

This course investigated literature, problems, and methods found in classical and contemporary philosophical writings, such as the nature of truth and knowledge, mind and body, and freedom and determinism. This course also distinguished good and bad arguments, rationally justifiable solutions, and different global perspectives.

Philosophical Challenges to the Individual

This course investigated central, recurring problems of philosophy, including purpose of philosophy, skepticism, mind-mind problem, identity, free will, ethics, Eastern and Western moral approaches, and meaning of life.

Curriculum Development & Course Design

Professional & Business Ethics in Organizational Leadership

I completed an end-to-end development in collaboration with academic leadership and assessment teams, updating the curriculum and instructional materials to meet current standards for doctoral students while aligning outcomes, content, and assessments. Emphasizing active learning, I designed a scaffolded structure with scenario-based projects, real-world examples, group work, role-playing, and reflection. Post-implementation student satisfaction surveys showed an 18% increase in receiving a high-quality educational experience. The course was well-received, prompting interest from stakeholders in adapting it for other departments.

Practical Ethics & Moral Reasoning

I collaborated with different departments and individual faculty members to revise this undergraduate course’s curriculum for adult learners in a QM Matters environment aligned with UDL principles. Influenced by data-driven assessments and with a scholar-practitioner mindset, I integrated proven instructional design methods to increase engagement and knowledge transfer such as backward design, ADDIE, and Bloom’s Taxonomy. I created interactive gamified assessments and a 3-minute microlearning video synthesizing complex theories into digestible and accessible content.

Professional Appointments

ASSOCIATE FACULTY, 2020-Present
Forbes School of Business & Technology at The University of Arizona Global Campus
Tucson, Arizona

Invited to the school to develop the Ph.D. curriculum in ethics and improve content material, I additionally taught business ethics, digital communication in organizations, and cross-disciplinary academic research courses. As part of the Organizational Development and Leadership department, I also served on dissertation committees.

Notable accomplishments:

• Navigated diverse opinions and requests on a team of 9 university stakeholders representing academic leadership, assessment specialists, quality control managers, and learning resource consultants during curriculum development and course design.
• Designed 24 multimedia-rich lectures for Canvas LMS with modular layouts, interactive elements, and scaffolding to enhance learner engagement, introducing new methods and technologies.
• Garnered data analysis to make content decisions to increase student achievement with a goal of 20%.
• Created visual tools and videos for use across different programs and diverse communities of learners.
• Supported faculty through collaboration and iterative improvement of course components and continuous improvement of delivery methods, researching and identifying best practices and technology trends.
• Mentored and advised students in their academic development and served on dissertation committees.

ASSOCIATE ONLINE FACULTY, 2013-2020
Ashford University
San Diego, California

Taught and evaluated students in over 50 online didactic courses at all undergraduate levels, excelling at the ability to convey complex philosophy skills and concepts to any student. Invited to serve on committees and rework courses to strengthen content and foster knowledge transfer.

Notable accomplishments:

• Collaborated with colleagues to research and develop new logic course, enhancing instructional quality and learner outcomes.
• Recognized for high student retention rates due to actively engaging students and motivating them to succeed, providing development, administration, teaching, and evaluation of learners.
• Advised and mentored students at the individual level about academic careers and future plans.
• Monitored performance in accordance with course objectives to improve materials for students.

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY, 2003-2005
Montgomery County Community College
Blue Bell, Pennsylvania

Independently designed and instructed in-person courses, including creation and grading of exams and written assignment.

Notable accomplishments:

• Promoted an open and interactive classroom environment with genuine energy and enthusiasm for their learning, where lessons were shaped by student interest and input.
• Promoted diverse perspectives involving problem-based and project-based learning, assisting learners with study problems and with evaluating their potential for successful achievement in the course.

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY, 2003
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Related academic lessons to personal development and practical consequence through lectures for second- and third-year undergraduates, enhancing the development of their competencies.

Notable accomplishments:

• Varied instructional strategies and effectively utilized resources, maintaining accurate attendance and performance records of learners and submitting required reports according to published deadlines.

Service and Certifications

Dissertation Committee Member: John Radman (Ph.D.), Strategies to Prevent Resistance in Change-Committed Employees: An Exploratory Case Study, University of Arizona Global Campus, in progress.

Certification: Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Program for Social & Behavioral Research, Stage 1 Basic & Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) for Curriculum and Course Learner Group, April 1, 2024.

Leadership: Spoke at Doctoral Graduation Virtual Celebration as part of the leadership of the department in 2020.

Departmental Contributions: Created content as part of a small team developing business ethics material for a specific course as well as widespread departmental use in 2020.

Committee: Served on a committee to redevelop an Informal Logic course at Ashford University from 2016-2017.

Related Professional Experience

My extensive work experience as an administrator in higher education has enhanced my skills at understanding and developing students as well as taught me the value of service in the academic community.

RESIDENT MANAGER, 2014-2021
International Student House
Washington, DC

Project Management & Development:

• Managed a diverse resident population from approximately 30 different countries and developed programing to cultivate international dialogue and understanding between 100 residents in the community.
• Harmonized communication and technology needs, provided operational support, and managed technology infrastructure upgrades serving 200+ devices.
• Directed building improvement projects with efficiency, completing a $100k capital campaign and historical preservation project involving simultaneous vendor engagement ensuring cost-effective results.
• Addressed and updated community policies involving multicultural and gender issues.

Supervision:

• Recruited, trained, and supervised Deputy Resident Managers and created processes through G Suite.
• Managed the maintenance and housekeeping operations, including a team of five people.

Committee Service:

• Lead board committee that governed strategic direction of estate with a property value of $14.5 million, tying project goals to the mission of the organization and unifying cross functional teams in the organization.
• Represented the organization at NAFSA, Association of International Educators.

RESIDENT DIRECTOR, 2004-2014
RESIDENT COORDINATOR, 2001-2003
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Project Management & Development:

• Grew private partnership by 30% through cultivating relationships with corporate leaders in a competitive housing market for a leading university.
• Supported university academic objectives through program collaboration with 3 different departments developing curriculum and assessment that contributes to student success.
• Developed and delivered presentations: Game Theory and its Application to Residential Life, Time Management vs. Stress Management, the Advantages and Concerns of Facebook, and Conflict Mediation.

Supervision:

• Lead and developed efficient and diverse team of 24 graduate and undergraduate assistants and administrative staff with proactive mentorship, completing 1:1s and performance reviews, inspiring high-value standards and invested team members across a variety of organizational levels and backgrounds.
• Consistently tapped by the Conduct Office to serve as chair of university-wide Code of Conduct hearings, maintaining the university brand of student integrity.

Committee Service:

• Served as Chair of the Operations and Community Service Committees and as a committee member of Living Learning Communities, Residential Educational Curriculum, and Assessment.
• Planned and implemented MACUHO Student Staff Live-In Conference One-to-One Academy.
• Handled high-pressure emergencies and effectively collaborated on medical and mental health crises and criminal investigations as the on-call staff member resolving concerns for a 5,000-student population.

Related Professional Experience

I help people develop the habits of reflecting on the world, assessing assumptions, seeing alternatives, sharing their ideas, and taking responsibility for their learning. To help people take responsibility for their learning, I must help them understand that teachers and classes are not to be treated passively. While I expect students to engage with the materials and lessons, it is most important to me that they begin developing critical reasoning skills. To this end, I seek a balance in my courses between lecturing and asking challenging questions to students to lead them to self-discovery. I encourage students to engage with the material, with the instructor, and with each other in the belief that learning happens best through intellectual exchange. Above all else, I want my students to understand that their thoughts and their opinions matter in the learning process. This means that classrooms and instructors must embrace the students’ opinions with respect and fairness.Participation is vital to creating a sense of social safety in the classroom. Sharing allows the class to connect the lessons to real experiences. In building a community, it is helpful to have students take turns moderating discussions, where the instructor participates in the discussion alongside other students who take part in leading it. Additionally, while feedback to individuals directly and to the class as a whole is important, I also think it is helpful to create supportive forums for the students, where students alone can assist each other with their studies and even offer suggestions as a group for different directions of the course. In other words, I want students to feel that they have a voice in the class. I want them to feel that they belong to a community of learners who are participating in the success of the course.Lastly, I believe that there is a stake in the development of our intellectual skills, that is, it can improve the choices that we make in the world. During my courses, I aim to show how philosophy and the world can illuminate and inform each other. I begin each lesson with its importance, emphasizing that the lesson should be studied because it has significance. I encourage my students to be open to the possibility that the material might be meaningful to their lives. In my classes, I try to share my interest in philosophy and my belief in students’ abilities to find unique insights. I have found that they often rise to my high expectations of them when given the chance, finding unrecognized value and talent. Of course, not all students can rise to the same expectations, but I never stop striving to help them reach their personal best. I ask my students to critically engage with the material and share how their learning experience might be improved. And by learning about these better ways, education can improve and grow to address a wider audience and have a greater impact.

WRITING SAMPLE
MORAL CODE: THE DESIGN AND SOCIAL VALUES OF THE INTERNET

SYNOPSIS

While the Internet has not gone unnoticed in philosophy, philosophical investigations have mainly focused on social responses to the Internet and envisioning future forms of social life with technology. There has been less attention given to how the technical details of the Internet limit or expand these possibilities through its basic design. My philosophical framework for such a study, indebted to the work of Karl Marx, Herbert Marcuse, and Andrew Feenberg, investigates the social and historical relations that result in the embodiment of specific interests in the Internet.Starting with a Marxian analysis, I contextualize the Internet as a system of production, distribution, and consumption of information, goods, and services involving both use-value and exchange-value. With this understanding, alienation can be facilitated through the growth of capitalistic enterprises on the Internet as well as oppression through the manipulation of the technology.Also, integrating a social constructivist approach, I explore the Internet itself as neither neutral nor one-dimensional. The social and the technical are intertwined, so it is not simply conceived as a technical phenomenon or a social phenomenon. Social interests are embodied in the evolving design of the technology, although so are governmental, legal, and corporate interests. It is these latter interests that prove the significance and the influence of the technological design, along with the need for its careful study.Many users of the Internet have become familiar with the empowering and emancipatory features of the Internet, engaging in positive relations through embodied social interests in the technology. However, since the 1990s, commercial commodification and globalization have created embodied interests in the Internet that more and more dominate its use. While potentially oppressive when appropriated to satisfy the needs of commercial advertising and dominant social relations, the Internet still can incorporate alternative interests and uses through dispersed collaboration and participation, which enables Internet technology to remain minimally coercive. However, user agency must extend beyond the passive, undiscerning use of the technology.

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• Moral Code