User:Nbier

Norman Bier has spent his career at the intersection of learning and technology, working to expand access to and improve the quality of education. He is currently the Director of the Open Learning Initiative (OLI) and the Executive Director of the Simon Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University. The Simon Initiative leverages CMU’s unique research and educational technology ecosystem, applying learning science to improve outcomes for all. OLI, a recognized leader in open education, combines leading research in the learning sciences with state-of-the-art technology to create scientifically-based courses that facilitate understanding for independent learners and support instructors to improve effectiveness in traditional classrooms. By rigorously capturing and evaluating learner data, OLI drives powerful feedback loops that assist learners and educators, improve courses, and contribute to our larger understanding of how humans learn. Prior to joining OLI, he was Director of Training and Development at iCarnegie Inc., a CMU subsidiary chartered to deliver software development education through international partner institutions. Using technology and faculty support, iCarnegie reaches thousands of students who would otherwise not have access to a CMU-level education. He has taught computer science as an adjunct faculty member at the Community College of Allegheny County, philosophy and computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, and he served as a founding member of the Robert E. Cook Honors College at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is a recognized leader in Open Education and Educational Technology; in 2015 he was honored by the Center for Digital Education as one of their Top 30 Technologists, Transformers & Trailblazers.