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Core Competencies

Highly energetic educator and entrepreneur with experience in online and onsite course facilitation,  social media, marketing, software applications, information technology, and small business management. Proven ability in instructional design and virtual learning environments. Excellent problem resolution skills, dynamic communication abilities, strong leadership expertise, adept in training and mentoring.

Education

Professional Experience: Academic

Trine University, Angola, Indiana

Virtual Campus (2001-Present)

Course facilitation and instructional design: Social Media for Business, Advanced Spreadsheets for Business, Entrepreneurship, Organizational Behavior, Small Business Management, Human Resource Management, Information Technology Applications, Business Computer Applications, Introduction to the World Wide Web

  • Online course developer and facilitator, Trine's Virtual Campus (Moodle)
  • Course participants includes a diverse group of traditional and non-traditional students
  • Create web enhanced classes incorporating onsite and online platforms

Master of Science in Leadership Program (2010 - Present)

Lead Faculty, Strategic Foresight & Entrepreneurship Concentration; International Studies Concentration; Nonprofit Studies Concentration

Academic Program Advisory Committee Member

Course Facilitator: Feasibility Analysis for new Ventures; Global Entrepreneurship Capstone; Fundamentals of Foresight and Entrepreneurship; Organizational Culture and Systems; Students and Stakeholders in Higher Education; Strategic Marketing Management

Portland Community College, Portland, Oregon (2013 - Present)

Online Course Facilitation and Instructional Design: Intro to the Virtual Office

  • Facilitated online course (Desire2Learn), updated original course design

Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, Ohio (2011 - 2015)

Course Facilitation and Instructional Design: Office Management, Business Communications, and Virtual Cyber Office

  • Designed and facilitated online courses (Blackboard); developed syllabus, study guides, discussion topics; and assignments

Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Michigan (2010 - 2013)

Master of Science in Educational Leadership Program

Course Facilitator (Angel):  Research Methods in Education; Educational Leadership: Theory and Practice; Cultural Issues in Curriculum, Classroom, and Community

Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan (Fall semester 2012)

Visiting Lecturer in Business (professor on sabbatical for one semester)

  • Facilitated two sections of Principles of Marketing onsite
  • Incorporated online resources (Blackboard) with onsite course facilitation

Owens Community College, Toledo, Ohio (2007 - 2010)

Course facilitation and instructional design: Creating the Virtual Office

  • Board Member, Department of Office Administration (1998 - 2001)
  • Assisted community college in creating a virtual assistant certificate program
  • Created online course room for seminar class (Blackboard)
  • Developed syllabus, study guides, discussion topics, assignments

University of Cincinnati Blue Ash, Cincinnati, Ohio (2006 - 2012)

Course facilitation and instructional design: Online Virtual Assistant Special Topics

  • Created online course room for capstone special topics class (Blackboard)
  • Developed syllabus, study guides, discussion topics, assignments

Baker College, Jackson, Michigan (2006 - 2010)

Course facilitation and instructional design: Microsoft Office Suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access; Introduction to Data Processing; Office Grammar Skills; Introduction to Operating Systems

  • Classes include both traditional and non-traditional students
  • Developed online virtual learning environments to enhance onsite class meetings (Blackboard)

Branch Area Careers Center, Coldwater, Michigan (2005 - 2010)

Courses: Beginning & Intermediate Computer, FrontPage, Navigating the Internet, and E-mail

  • Four-week courses for diverse adult populations
  • Generate study guides and classroom activities to fit individual needs

Professional Experience: Business

Your Professional Assistant, Coldwater, Michigan (January 2002 - January 2019)

Virtual Assistant, Owner

"Virtual assistants are independent contractors who (from a remote location, usually their home or office) support multiple clients in a variety of industries by providing administrative, creative, and technical services."  International Virtual Assistant Association, Retrieved May 6, 2011, from http://www.ivaa.org


Material Sciences Corporation (August 1982 - December 2001)

Administrative Assistant to the Vice President

Planning; organizing; problem solving; team leader; coordinated travel and event planning; authoring and editing internal and external communications; organized and facilitated software training; onsite information technology and software specialist

Instructional Design

Trine University, Angola Indiana

Online and onsite: Social Media for Business; Advanced Spreadsheets for Business, Business Computer Applications; Virtual Assistant Special Topics; Introduction to the World Wide Web; Feasibility Analysis for New Ventures; Global Entrepreneurship Capstone; Fundamentals of Foresight and Entrepreneurship; Business & Marketing Plans for New Ventures; Students and Stakeholder in the Higher Education Environment


Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Master of Science in Educational Leadership Program

Instructional Design  (SharePoint / Angel):  Research Methods in Education; Educational Leadership: Theory and Practice; Cultural Issues in Curriculum, Classroom, and Community

Owens Community College, Toledo, Ohio

Designed and facilitate Creating the Virtual Office

University of Cincinnati, Blue Ash, Cincinnati, Ohio

Designed and facilitate Online Virtual Assistant Capstone course

Baker College, Coldwater, Michigan

Revised five-week word processing course to be delivered as a ten-week course

Presentations: Academic and Professional Conferences

Presenter at the 84th Ohio Business Teachers Association Professional Development Conference; Encounter the Best in Business Education; Davis College, Toledo, Ohio; Friday, October 14, 2011; Topic: Social Networking – Not Just for the Fun of It

Guest Speaker at the 2011 Fort Wayne Teaching Conference; Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne (IPFW); Beyond PowerPoint: Incorporating Innovative Technology to Enhance Student Learning; Friday, February 25, 2011; Topic: Teaching Social Media as a Tool for Business Growth

Guest Speaker at the 2011 Higher Education Conference: Online and Up Close; Sponsored by the Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities and the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education; Northern Kentucky University; Friday, April 01, 2011; Topic: Using Social Media in the Classroom

Presented to 40+ participants at a Two-Year Office Administration Faculty Event hosted by Owens Community College, 2005; Topic: Virtual Assistant Services: The Key to Profitable Growth

Presented to 20+ professional members at the monthly meeting of International Association of Administrative Professionals, Inverness Country Club, 2004, Topic: Opportunities in the Virtual Assistant Industry

Presented to 50+ participants at the Owens Community College Alumni Meeting, Toledo, Ohio, 2004, Topic: Looking Forward with Your Professional Assistant

Professional Related Service

General Education Assessment Workshop: Trine University, 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 academic years, Assessment of student abilities in the areas of critical thinking (issue identification, supporting information, reasoning, conclusion, viewpoint, key terms) and writing (focus, clarity, organization, documentation, style, mechanical conventions, formatting, collaboration). Senior capstone projects were assessed.

Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) Tutorials: Trine University, 2010, participated in video tapped panel discussion on the benefits of incorporating a virtual learning environment within onsite course instruction. Working with information technology, video tapped an individual presentation, Cool Tools for Moodle

Professional Development

  • Web Accessibility MOOC for Online Educators
  • Welcome to the Best Year Ever! Teaching Secrets that Will Make Students Say "WOW!"
  • Online Faculty Orientation - Angel
  • Online Course Design Workshop
  • Bridging the Gap Between IT and Faculty by Developing Effective Partnerships
  • Leading Students: Success in a Virtual Business Environment
  • Online Syllabi as Living Documents: Developing and Extending Syllabi into Online Course Design
  • Technology Through Higher Education
  • Digital Story Telling in Developmental English
  • Digital Conversation: How to move from face-to-face to online instruction
  • Improving Student Understanding with Online Quizzing
  • Essential Skills for Quality Online Instruction
  • Cooperative & Collaborative Learning; Advanced Blackboard
  • Classroom Assessment Techniques
  • Anatomy of a Syllabus
  • Classroom Management

Professional Memberships

  • Integrating Technology for Active Lifelong Learning (LinkedIn Group; 2010 - Present)
  • Moodle for Teachers (LinkedIn Group; 2010 - Present)
  • Online Professionals: Teaching College Online and Hybrid (LinkedIn Group; 2009 - Present)
  • International Association of Virtual Assistants (2002 - Present)
  • International Association of Administrative Professionals (1987 - 2010)

Community Activities

  • Volunteer Presenter, Penta County Vocational Schools, Perrysburg, OH (1996 - 1997)
  • Volunteer Instructor, International College Lifelong Learning, Naples, FL (2005 - 2007)

Technical Skills

  • Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS): Word Expert, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, Google Docs
  • Proficient in Blackboard, Moodle, Angel, and Desire2Learn
  • Experience with FrontPage, Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop, EndNote, myITlab, Second Life
  • Familiar with HTML; skilled web designer

Educational Philosophy

Values on which I base my educational philosophy include: understanding and identifying different approaches to learning, appreciation of human diversity, respect students as individuals, sensitivity to community and culture, encourage students to see their value and learn to value each other, create a learning community that respects and encourages individual differences, encourage critical thinking, value flexibility, taking responsibility for a positive class environment, continual development to each student's ability to learn, being a thoughtful and responsive listener, learning new skills and acquiring education to enhance the classroom. Change is the nature of my personal educational philosophy. As a teacher I am also a learner. My most significant learning experiences have come from my students. I am open to suggestions and continue to be flexible as while meeting the needs of my students. My personal philosophy is constantly changing and improving.

Portfolio

Portfolio

Testimonials

Portland Community College Student (Creating a Virtual Office)

My word, what a term! This was an excellent project. I'm hoping I did well. Thank you for absolutely everything. You have been such a wonderful teacher, honestly. I truly appreciate instructors who go out of their way to make their students experience better, and you've done exactly that for the last two terms. You rock!!!

Portland Community College Student (Virtual Office Concepts)

Just wanted to say thank you for your feedback on my final project assignment. It was a pleasure having you as a teacher. I've learned a ton and feel confident that I have the knowledge to start my own VA business. Also, I really appreciate the job connection with Faith and Dawn. They've been awesome to work with and I hope to do more work with them in the future.

Portland Community College Student (Virtual Office Concepts)

I honestly have to say that it has been a wonderful to learn from you. Sometimes the work seemed overwhelming, but in the end, I was thankful that it was assigned. i learned a lot about working as a virtual assistant. You brought up things that I never thought about and I learned a lot from you.

Hillsdale College Student (Principles of Marketing)

I truly appreciate Dr. Barr's willingness and commitment to the students. It was very apparent from the beginning that she wanted to assist students in any way possible. She readily offered time after class listening and responding to questions and suggestions. She spent every class period encouraging student participation.

Trine University Student (Fundamentals of Foresight and Entrepreneurship)

Dr. Barr offers CONSTRUCTIVE feedback. She is very quick to respond to emails and genuinely cares about the quality of the course. She is a welcome reprieve from some of the other instructors I have experienced.

Trine University Student (Organizational Systems and Cultures)

Randi gives excellent and very timely feedback. She grades assignments before the promised date and always lets us know that the assignment was received and when to expect the grade. She is extremely interactive in the class wiki discussions and helps perpetuate the conversation.

Dr. Carmen Myers, Core Faculty, School of Education, Capella University

During her work in the course room, I immediately realized that she was an energetic, conscientious student, extremely intelligent and committed to academic excellence. Given this impression, I sought her out to join in partnership to undertake her dissertation work---I had assessed her qualities and abilities accurately. Throughout her dissertation, Randi displayed these qualities that single out professionals we hope will enter into the profession; we worked closely and had weekly and sometimes many more conferences where I had the opportunity to observe her professional skill and personal characteristics. On the personal side, her integrity, willingness to collaborate and determination to learn were a hallmark of our work. As a member of our dissertation team, she took the lead time and again to provide others the benefit of her experience in our dissertation course room and was a role model for those around her and other benefited mightily from her expertise and support. Our time together was a pleasure because of her keen intelligence, strong work ethic, time management skills, and attention to detail - all researchers would be well served to possess these characteristic and skills - she is a credit to the profession. When she completed her dissertation work she was cheered on by all of us but her departure was met with mixed emotions by me and her other learner/researchers. I recommend Randi with absolute confidence. Her attention to detail, willingness to work long hours, and scholarly demeanor will truly enhance any online university program. She is a self-motivated conscientious leader who works and communicates effectively with students, faculty, and staff. Dr. Randi Barr would be a credit in the highest degree to any organization to which she seeks to join.

Mazhar Anik, Past Chair, Information Systems, Owens Community College

Dr. Barr has taught a very specialized course, one based on her own professional experience. The course was Virtual Assistant Coaching Seminar. This course was offered in an online mode, and Dr. Barr did a wonderful job not just developing the course from the ground up, but also in teaching it. Dr. Barr took on the challenge of developing the course based on her experience, and submitted all the required materials on time and within the guidelines set up for course development. I have been impressed with her professionalism and her energy when she is pursuing her teaching. Based on my working with her, I recommend her for online teaching. Although my contact with her was limited in the course development and conduction her online class, I am confident that she would put her heart and soul in any endeavor she pursues.

Dr. Carolyn A. Pottinger, Western Governors University

Randi gracefully took a leadership role in the online course room. Her attention to detail, expert research, and superb writing skills were instrumental in guiding online discussions. As a learner and researcher, Randi is self-motivated and hardworking. As an online instructor, she cares deeply for her students and their success. I am continually impressed with Randi’s professional approach and effective communication skills in the online learning environment. Randi is a true professional and would be an asset to any university lucky enough to hire her. I am proud to recommend Randi without reservation.

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