Art and Design professors Sean Derry and Sharon Massey were invited to present at the upcoming Global Impact Forum: Workforce Readiness in the Age of AI and Automation summit, taking place at the David L. Lawrence convention center in Pittsburgh November 3-5, 2025. The Global Impact Forum (TGIF) is an annual event aimed at fostering economic development, social mobility, and positive impact through education and innovation.
Massey and Derry are participating in a panel discussion moderated by Stephanie Lewis of Remake Learning related to their pedagogical scholarship combining technology and civic engagement. Inspired to find more effective ways to teach technology to learners who have been negatively affected by the technology gap, Massey and Derry began collaborating on the development of layered learning modules that introduce scaffolded technology components and require each learner to contribute original solutions to project prompts. These authentic experiences encourage creative problem solving, develop a sense of agency with technology, and build community.
Massey and Derry’s participation in the Global Impact Forum offers external validation for their ongoing innovative curriculum development efforts at IUP. They are currently developing a multidisciplinary project that promotes ethical use of AI in partnership with Indiana Area School District.