A career centered on the power of words
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From newsroom to classroom
My career has always revolved around words. I don't just teach writing; I am a writer.
I started out chasing stories as a newspaper reporter, then switched gears to write copy for a pharma company's in-house ad agency.
Eventually, I found my way to teaching—specifically, helping English language learners master the art of writing.
When Covid transformed education, I was already using certain tech tools in my teaching. Moving to Zoom and getting creative with tools like FlipGrid and Perusall felt like a natural next step. Meanwhile, I spent a few years on the college's Educational Technology Committee.
Then, when ChatGPT and generative AI hit the news two years ago, I was both awestruck—both as a writer and as a writing professor.
Early on, I spent many weekends experimenting with AI, sharing my experiences with others when back on campus. I quickly saw its potential to transform the writing process, personalize learning and create unique educational experiences. As soon as I was ready, I brought it into my classroom.
Because writing has always been in my blood and teaching writing is my primary focus as a college professor, I'm fascinated by how AI can reshape the way we teach this important skill. As much as I see its potential, I feel strongly that it is not about replacing the human connection—it's about enhancing it.
As an AI ed tech consultant, my focus on doing what I've described: bringing my expertise in writing, teaching and technology together to helping other instructors adapt to and maybe even embrace these new AI tools.
Recent and Future Projects/Accomplishments
Current member of the first AI Community of Practice at Passaic County Community College (PCCC)
promoting AI integration in teaching by identifying best practices and using data-driven assessment; will be conducting professional development for faculty
Presentation: Teaching Writing in the Age of AI: A Process Reimagined (presented at William Paterson University's Dec. 2024 What Works Conference)
Appearance on AI in Education podcast (on Spotify; video version on homepage)
interview re: how I'm using AI (including customized tutor bots) to transform my teaching and supporting others who are learning how to use AI in their classrooms
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award, PCCC
award for "sharing expertise and inspiring innovation" in (2023-2024) through an impactful presentation focused on video plus AI: Lights, Camera, Feedback: Reduce Grading Time, Motivate Students to Use Feedback
Workshop: Lights, Camera, Feedback: Reduce Grading Time, Motivate Students to Use Feedback
taught participants (in 2 sessions: part 1 as an intro, part 2 as the hands-on) about benefits of multimodal feedback for students and how to Loom video software plus AI for transcript summaries (Feb 2024)
Presentation: Teaching Writing in the Age of AI: A Process Reimagined (proposal submitted)
William Paterson University's "What Works" Conference (if accepted, will present on Dec. 16, 2024)
Panel discussion: AI Is Here: How Faculty and Students Are Using a Variety of AI Tools
presentation titled: Getting Help or Cheating—Where’s the Line? (May 2023); shared analysis of various AI products/prompts and their effects on student writing, including ‘voice’
Presentation vlog for Pearson Publishing
shared insights about AI's influence on higher education and shared my ideas for AI-powered learning tools, including virtual instructors working in real-time (June 2023)
Resume
Resume
LISA EGLE
mayafuna.consulting@gmail.com
PROFILE
Community college professor who specializes in teaching writing to English language learners and Composition to incoming college-level students. Technology leader; early adopter of AI. Fluent in Spanish; learning Arabic. Culturally aware.
SUMMARY
Versatility as a faculty member: currently teaching courses in the English Language Studies (aka ESL), English and Humanities departments
Leadership in technology: embracer and early adopter of new technologies, including AI
Dedication to equity and student success: focused on ensuring equal access to resources for all students, including those who attend in the evening
Commitment to the college community: service on numerous committees (from Academic Appeals to Judicial Affairs); have co-chaired two. Able to lead a team or work as part of one
Innovation in times of budgetary constraints: adept at workarounds and alternative solutions
COURSES (Passaic County Community College)
Currently teaching/ Have taught
All ESL courses (listening, speaking, grammar, reading and writing on all levels from 010 to college level)
Composition 101 as ALP
_sheltered ESL pairing with supplemental instruction
Public Speaking
College Success
HIGHER ED EXPERIENCE
Associate Professor, English Language Studies, Passaic County Community College, Paterson, NJ
2003-present
Design/teach courses (all language skills areas) in-person and have taught online, via Zoom
Have bridged the gap between ESL and college-level Composition classes; developed and taught the first-ever ALP courses linking ESL and English for nearly 10 years
Create original materials and assessments for use on the Blackboard LMS
Have served as intermediate and advanced coordinator; supervised adjuncts
Involved with assessment activities (course and program level)
Have presented professional development workshops at PCCC and at outside conferences
Have served on multiple committees: Educational Technology, Judicial Affairs (co-chair), College Writing, Academic Appeals; served as Secretary to the Academic Council
Teacher Trainer, Drexel University English Language Center, Philadelphia, PA, Summer 2019
Taught “Language Teaching Methods for Student Engagement” to EFL teachers.
Certified IELTS Test Examiner, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ, 2015-2016
Carried out writing (academic and general skills) and speaking assessments for the International English Language Testing System; utilized a 9-band rubric
Instructor (temporary full-time), ESL, Union County College, Elizabeth, NJ, 2002-2003
Taught integrated skills and single-subject courses (all levels); served on committees
WORLD TRAVEL/INTERNATIONAL TEACHING
Have traveled to 40 countries
Lived/taught EFL in Ecuador and Spain; taught English in China; volunteer taught in Indonesia.
EDITORIAL EXPERIENCE (overlapping with and prior to my time in academia)
Publications manager/consultant in biotech (recent); planned/oversaw projects part-time
Freelance proofreader, editor and writer in healthcare communications and pharma
Weekly newspaper reporter (earlier in my career)
EDUCATION
MA, TESOL: Fairleigh Dickinson University
3 additional graduate credits: Editing II course at NYUBA, Social Sciences (concentration in Journalism): New York University
AA, Journalism: County College of Morris
TECHNOLOGY
MS Word, MS PowerPoint, PowerPoint; MS Project
Adobe Acrobat Pro
Miro; Figma
Camtasia (learning)
Rise.com and 7 Taps; Articulate Storyline 360 (learning);
Artificial Intelligence (use ChatGPT, Claude.ai, Perplexity.ai and other AI software daily for research purposes and to expedite workflow)
Chatbot/tutorbot programming: using pmfm.ai, have created course- and assignment-specific tutor bots
CERTIFICATIONS/OTHER TRAINING
Certified UX (user experience) writer, July 2022
Certified IELTS Test Examiner, 2015-2016
ACHIEVEMENTS/OTHER ACTIVITY
Video feedback workshop: 2-part workshop title “Lights, Camera…Video Feedback”; taught participants about benefits of multimodal feedback for students via use of Loom video software (Feb 2024)
AI panel discussion: presentation titled: “Getting help or cheating—where’s the line?” (May 2023); shared analysis of various AI products/prompts and their effects on student writing, including ‘voice’
Ongoing experimentation with ALP courses: currently analyzing the results of a new sheltered ALP pairing after teaching college-level ESL and EN 101, ALP style, multiple times over 10 years
Contributions to Visions newspaper: assisted advisor with proofreading and recruited/coached new student writers (ongoing)
Marketing: Developed an ESL marketing plan; wrote and published success stories and '6 Reasons to Register Now' for the Facebook page; also set up an Instagram page (2020-2021)
Professional development participation: PennTESOL-East conference at Temple University (2019); technology workshops at PCCC (2020-2021)
Revamped ESL advanced writing curriculum, based on experience teaching EN 101; developed and rolled out a new course focused on summary-response skills and evaluative-style essays (ongoing)
Consultation with Community College of Philadelphia’s English Department: Was consulted by about the ALP course I designed/taught; shared ideas with CCP faculty, chair, and dean (2018-2019)
WRITING CREDITS AND MENTIONS
Author, Magic Carpet Seduction: Travel Tales Off the Beaten Path
Publisher: MayaFuna Press (2013)
Author, “Dominican Papaya Shake Scam” (published in Oh Sandy: An Anthology of Humor for a Serious Purpose; helped raise funds for those affected by Hurricane Sandy (2013)
Winner, Honorable Mention—77th Annual Writer’s Digest Contest
The story, "Into the Darkness" (unrelated to the Conrad novel), won in the Inspirational Story category
Quoted in CNN Travel article: “Do You Check Travel Warnings?”
Mentioned on Oprah blog: “17-Hour Indonesian Bus Ride Guide to Life”
Syndicated/Content Used in Curriculum: Morals/Ethics of Travel Photography article: syndicated by BlogHer and used in American Jewish World Service’s World Partners Fellowship curriculum
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