The mission of our TLS team is to expand student success and learning access via support of learning technologies for high quality digitally enhanced learning resources and provision of a venue and training agency for the professional exchange and sharing of educational technology best practices; to engage faculty in digital content creation and usage and collaborate on campus initiatives and objectives to advance learning goals; and to innovate educational technology resources through the evaluation, analysis and implementation of emerging tools and research in the field.
2023-2024 Academic Year Recap
Explore the highlights of TLS’s 2023-2024 academic year, including Brightspace, faculty support, PD, and more. Learn More
Dr. Michelle D. Rogers
Director of IT Teaching and Learning Services (TLS)
Dr. Rogers directs strategic planning, innovation and advancement of educational technologies at URI for online and hybrid courses. She holds a Doctorate of Instructional Technology and Distance Education, a Masters in Instructional Leadership, and a Masters in Biology for Educators. Previous experience includes work contracts both domestic and abroad across three countries, and comprises experience since 2005 in online teaching, instructional design and oversight, ed tech management, and elearning advancement. She has participated in research, project management, and support of numerous educational technology and virtual learning grants and projects.
* eportfolio * LinkedIn
Lisa Chen
Manager, Internet Technology
Lisa taught both undergraduate and graduate courses at URI for many years and has 20+ years of experience in working with and managing web technologies and related services. Her areas of speciality are in web design, development, multimedia production, digital libraries and collections, content strategy, accessibility, and system administration of content management system and learning management system. Her educational background is in Library Information Systems and Instructional Technology.
Kevin Gray
Information Technology Project Leader
Kevin brings over 11 years of IT project leadership experience to the TLS team. He has extensive experience collaborating with stakeholders and implementing projects that support major organizational goals. His recent focus has been on the implementation and management of innovative digital healthcare technologies. Kevin holds a BS in Applied Economics and is a backyard barbecue enthusiast.
Dr. Amanda Jensen
Information Technology Project Leader
Dr. Jensen contributes to ed tech and elearning support, projects, pilots, and implementation of PD programs. Dr. Jensen holds an EdD in Higher Education Leadership, and her dissertation focused on faculty perceptions related to technology and non-technology users prior to COVID. Past experience has included instruction as faculty, ed tech support as an instructional technologist, provision of technology training workshops and programs, and a wide array of expertise with software and learning technologies. Read Dr. Jensen’s recent dissertation: From Sage On the Stage to Technology ‘MacGyver’: Faculty Agility and Technology-Enhanced Learning Impacted By COVID-19
Janie Palm
Manager, Instructional Technology
Janie’s responsibilities currently focus on the support of learning management software and related applications that promote collaborative learning and accessibility. She has experience providing technology support in private industry and at URI for research, language learning, multimedia production, learning space design and related grant review. Janie has a broad background in science and language, and a URI MBA.
Julia “Yulia” Malyuta, Graduate Assistant
Yulia graduated from high school in spring 2020 and became a student at URI in the fall of that same year. They have been with the TLS team as a Student Worker since 2021. They earned their bachelor’s degree in English and Global Languages and Area Studies from URI in spring 2024. Yulia has returned to URI as a graduate student pursuing their master’s in Library and Information Science and adopted the role of Graduate Assistant for the TLS department.
Cody Labrie, Student Worker
Cody graduated from high school in Spring 2020 and headed to Army Basic Training in July of the same year. After completing his military training, he enrolled at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), where he earned an Associate’s degree in General Studies in 2023. Now, he’s a full-time student at URI, working on his major in Business Analytics and AI, with plans to pursue a master’s in Data Science.
Braden Hutchins, Student Worker
Braden graduated from high school in Spring 2024 and became a student at URI in the Fall of the same year. He is currently a full-time student working on his major in Computer Science in addition to a minor in General Business.
Director’s Message
I started my new post at URI in March 2020, just two days prior to the university implementing campus-wide distance learning due to COVID restrictions. Without a doubt it was an interesting time to start a new position.
As a University we faced many technology challenges in 2020. I witnessed URI tackle them as a team, head-on, and with prepared and successful adaptation to unforeseen times. And while it wasn’t an optimal time to start a job, I was provided the unique opportunity to see how a university would handle some of the toughest situations that could be thrown at them. I was again, and again, impressed with how well the URI community responded to unprecedented times. It made me proud to work at a quality institution of higher learning that always makes student success the foremost goal.
The Teaching and Learning Services Team was newly formed in summer 2019 as a response to necessary educational technology support and training that focused on peer-to-peer networking, advancement of learning technology usage, and collaboration with faculty and departments on innovative learning projects. Everyone on the TLS teams cares deeply about providing the best service possible to the campus.
In educational technology support we advance integration of learning technologies, support the learning management system, and provide training and professional development programs. At first glance it might seem that we support only faculty. It is true that we attempt to help faculty in any way we can. But, at second glance, one sees that we do it all for the students. Student success and engaging learning experiences online are critical components of why we do what we do. We help faculty so that we can help students have better learning experiences. Everyday we remind ourselves: We’re here for the students.
We believe our first service is human service, to both faculty and the students. We strive to be understanding of the frustrations that stem from technology use, as well as helpful in advancing faculty teaching and learning goals with technology. Whatever your need, whatever ed tech tool you need help with, reach out to IT and we’re here to help.
I look forward to seeing what new and innovative things URI will continue to do.
Michelle Rogers
How to Submit Service Request
Due to increased demands for support, all support requests must be logged as a ticket. Please submit your service ticket request to: helpdesk@uri.edu. Please be sure to include as many details as you can in the email request: name, department, tool/software/LMS, class #, error or issue, screenshots of error messages, etc. Once your support request is logged as a ticket, we will get back to you as soon as possible to provide support.