Dr. Helen Mongan-Rallis (Picture: Back and left) is an Associate Professor in the Education Department at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD), and a University of Minnesota Distinguished Teaching Professor. Her teaching and research expertise are in the areas educational technology, teaching online and hybrid courses, distance education, multicultural education and intercultural competence. Over her 26 years at UMD, she has served in a variety of different roles to support faculty instructional development in her own department, as well as in her college and across the university. During the 2014-2015 year, she served as UMD Faculty Fellow for Technology Enhanced Learning, mentoring faculty across campus in learning to use technology in their classrooms. This 2015-2016 year some of her service responsibilities include: co-facilitating a year-long new faculty mentoring seminar; working as part of a training team for faculty and staff in intercultural leadership development; co-facilitating an intercultural pedagogy community of practice for faculty across campus; and providing ongoing instructional technology support and mentoring to faculty in her home department (Education).

Dr. Mongan-Rallis has made her presence known at AUPP through meetings and discussions with Faculty, Staff, and students. She has also been guest lecturing in IT classes at AUPP. Simultaneously, she continues teaching her students in UMD. Classes at AUPP and UMD are working in unison under Dr. Mongan-Rallis’ guidance, developing ideas for collaboration and utilizing various forms of technology and communication.

Dr. Mongan-Rallis presented a video about building a school in the “cloud.” Using technology to leave students to their own means to learn. Teachers guide the direction, but students make the destination.

Technology is an amazing thing that is allowing people to connect across the world. Learning is becoming easier. It is the intrinsic drive to accomplish goals that is needed, and everyone already has that drive.