Portrait of Pablo Avila in 2023

I’m Pablo! I am an educator, higher education professional, instructional technologist, and a doctoral student.

As the Associate Director of ePortfolio and Digital Learning at the Center for Teaching and Learning at LaGuardia Community College (CUNY), I lead, facilitate, and support the integration of digital pedagogies, like ePortfolio, across courses and programs at the college. I also oversee instructional support on the use of various platforms and tools for student learning. My job requires coordination with key stakeholders across the campus; including and not limited to faculty program directors, program leads, and all faculty to support students on the use of digital tools.

My work focuses on these areas

  • I work with faculty from across disciplines on co-designing and leading professional development seminars for all faculty. These seminars are an opportunity for faculty to engage in conversations around pedagogy, fostering a sense of community while improving and advancing their teaching.

  • I oversee support structures to help students, faculty, and staff with the use of different digital platforms such as Blackboard, Digication portfolios, and other tools that advance student learning. In designing and providing instructional support, I collaborate with faculty to help them integrate the use of technology in their teaching.

  • I oversee two programs that provide support around technology integration and user support to instructors and students. In this capacity, I oversee full-time, part-time, and student mentor staff.

My research focuses on adjunct instructors working at community colleges.

I am pursuing an Ed.D. in higher and postsecondary education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Working under the guidance of Dr. Anna Neumann, my research focuses on exploring the complex lives of adjunct instructors teaching developmental math courses at community colleges with an emphasis on their motivation to pursue teaching as a vocation. Using a qualitative approach, I aim to explore what fuels their desire to teach at such diverse institutions.