Akesha Horton, Ph.D. — Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae

Akesha Horton, Ph.D.

Director of Academic Engagement and Learning · Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University

Instructional designer and academic leader with more than 20 years of experience helping faculty teach well and helping students learn. Her career spans K–12 classrooms, online graduate programs, and military professional education at institutions across the United States and Australia. A former mathematics teacher and Fulbright/mtvU Fellow, she grounds her practice in learning theory while building courses, mentoring graduate instructors, and securing funding for pedagogical innovation. A Gallup Certified Strengths Coach now working toward ICF certification, she brings strengths-based coaching to faculty development and mentoring. Her current focus is the responsible use of AI in teaching, assessment, and course design.

LinkedIn Substack LuddyTeach Blog Portfolio

20+

Years in teaching & learning

Degrees

Gallup

Certified Strengths Coach · ICF ACC Certification in progress

Fulbright

mtvU Fellow · 2010

Professional Experience

Director of Academic Engagement and Learning

Aug 2025 – Present

Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering · Indiana University, Bloomington and Indianapolis, IN

Directs day-to-day and strategic operations for AI integration, faculty development, and professional development programming across the Luddy Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses.
Provides work direction and guidance to Ph.D. Instructors of Record, teaching assistants, undergraduate assistants, and graduate-student instructors.
Defines scope of work for the faculty professional development portfolio; develops project plans, timelines, and resource requirements.
Coordinates with institutional analytics on enrollment, engagement, and instructional metrics; presents findings to the Dean, Associate Deans, and Department Chairs.
Collaborates with senior leadership on strategic learning initiatives, grant writing, and emerging AI policy.
Provides Gallup Strengths coaching to the school, integrating strengths touch points across the student experience.

Director of Curriculum and Instruction

Aug 2018 – Aug 2025

Indiana University, Bloomington, IN — Department of Informatics (2018–20); Luddy School of Informatics, Computing & Engineering (2020–25)

Assisted Department Chairs and the Directors of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies with curriculum planning, teaching policies, academic programming, and special projects.
Developed and delivered orientation, required trainings, and professional development workshops for faculty and graduate students.
Managed a $1 million TA/UA budget and hiring decisions.
Led and supported grant-writing initiatives related to pedagogical practices, STEM workforce development, and broadening participation efforts.
Collaborated with the Assistant Dean of Engagement and Community to promote inclusive teaching practices across the school.

Learning Design, Development & Innovation Coordinator

Jan 2017 – Jul 2018

eSchool of Graduate PME · Air Command and Staff College · Air University, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, AL

Collaborated with course directors on course development including media development, instructional design, assessment strategies, and evaluation of instructional outcomes in online courses.
Served as administrative faculty for orientation courses across all online Professional Military Education certificate and graduate degree programs.
Served on the Faculty Senate and the AR/VR Planning Committee.

Digital Collaborations Coordinator

May 2016 – May 2017

University Graduate School · Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

Established a virtual collaboration space connecting Indiana University faculty with faculty at Minority Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges interested in partnering on research opportunities.

Associate Professor

Aug 2014 – Jun 2016

Graduate and Innovative Programs · Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, IL

Program Leader for the Differentiated Instruction Program. Supervised, trained, and mentored adjunct faculty; facilitated face-to-face and online courses for in-service teachers; conducted curriculum development for the Instructional Design Program.

Senior Educational Technologist

May 2012 – Aug 2014

Information Technology at Purdue (ITAP) · Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Provided faculty development in educational technology, pedagogic theory, culturally responsive pedagogy, and transforming curricula into online and blended courses for STEM faculty. Mentored educational technologists and supervised graduate students. Also served as Adjunct Faculty in the College of Education (EDCI 569, EDCI 513).

Online Course Designer and Instructor

Aug 2011 – May 2015

Warawara Indigenous Studies Department · Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW

Supported the development of the first Australia-based online Master's program in Indigenous education; wrote content, built instructional modules and assessments, and taught INED 804 Global Indigenous Education.

Visiting Scholar — Fulbright / mtvU Fellow

Oct 2010 – Dec 2012

Center for Transforming Cultures · University of Technology, Sydney, NSW

Examined how youth in Western Sydney engaged in global and digital citizenship through popular culture, specifically hip-hop. Wrote monthly blogs for the mtvU channel and led workshops on connecting with young, highly diverse populations. Concurrently served as Thinker in Residence at Information and Cultural Exchange, Sydney (2011).

Course Instructor & Graduate Roles

Aug 2006 – Aug 2011

College of Education · Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Taught TE 150, TE 818, TE 831, and the Summer Scholars Program; instructed in the Broad Summer High School Program; assistant-coordinated the Sydney study abroad program and Future Teachers for Social Justice; served as research assistant and technology consultant in the Department of Teacher Education.

Coordinator, Web Design and Instruction

Sep 2002 – Aug 2006

Office of Research and the Graduate School · Howard University, Washington, D.C.

Advised the Vice Provost of Research and Dean of the Graduate School on online education and web-based graduate programs; developed websites and multimedia for retention and instruction; helped develop "Teaching in the Online Environment" for the Preparing Future Faculty Program.

Education

Ph.D., Curriculum, Teaching & Educational Policy

College of Education · Michigan State University

M.S., Library & Information Science

School of Informatics & Computing · IUPUI

M.S., Instructional Systems Technologies

School of Education · Indiana University

B.A., Mathematics

College of Arts and Sciences · Indiana University Northwest

Masters in Legal Studies — Maurer School of Law · Indiana University

Anticipated Spring 2028

Certifications

New Approaches to Assessment Design for AI-Enabled Learning · EDUCAUSE 2026

Data Storytelling · EDUCAUSE 2026

Universal Design for Learning for IT Professionals · EDUCAUSE 2026

Teaching with Artificial Intelligence · EDUCAUSE 2025

Designing Custom AI Assistants for Higher Education · EDUCAUSE 2025

Applying AI Literacies: 8 Dimensions for Transforming Teaching · EDUCAUSE 2025

Gallup Global CliftonStrengths Certified Coach · 2026–2029

ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC), in process · anticipated 2027

Teaching Experience

Indiana University 2018 – PRESENT

INFO I399 Emerging Scholars Research Experience for Undergraduate Women · INFO T100 SICE Study Skills

Air University 2017 – 2018

Air War College · Gaming Statecraft (co-instructor)

Michigan State University 2014 – 2017

CEP 805 Learning Mathematics with Technology · CEP 806 Learning Science with Technology · CEP 815 Technology and Leadership

Concordia University Chicago 2014 – 2016

EDI 6010, 6020, 6030, 6040 — Differentiated Instruction sequence

Purdue University 2012 – 2014

EDCI 513 Foundations of Learning Design and Technology · EDCI 569 Introduction to E-Learning

Macquarie University 2011 – 2014

INED 804 Global Indigenous Education

Howard University 2002 – 2006

G900 Teaching with Technology · Preparing Future Faculty Program

Michigan State University 2006 – 2008

TE 150 Reflections on Learning · TE 831 Teaching School Subject Matter with Technology (Instructor of Record)

Select Publications

Horton, A. (2026). Examining AI Driven Art in an Educational Context. In S. A. Blevis, E. Blevis, M. Lewis, & M. Sturdee (Eds.), Seeing Interaction Design (Design Research Foundations). Springer, Cham.

Berzina-Pitcher, I., Horton, A., Wolf, L. G., Seals, C. D., & Mishra, P. (2019). Embracing the Inherent Messiness in Urban Education: Learning from a STEM and Leadership Program. In Handbook of Research on Educator Preparation and Professional Learning (pp. 60–83). IGI Global.

Horton, A., Mishra, P., Henriksen, D., Seals, C., Shack, K., & Marcotte, C. (2019). Creativity and the urban teacher: A STEM-related professional development program. In C. A. Mullen (Ed.), Creativity Under Duress in Education? (pp. 289–311). Springer, Cham.

Horton, A., Byker, E., & Heggart, K. (2017). Hip-Hop Music as a pedagogical tool: Teaching with hip-hop in global contexts. In Culture, Learning, and Technology: Research and Practice (pp. 58–74). New York: Routledge.

Seals, C., Horton, A., Berzina-Pitcher, I., & Mishra, P. (2017). A New Understanding of our Confusion: Insights from a Year-Long STEM Fellowship Program. In Handbook of Research on Teacher Education and Professional Development (pp. 582–604). IGI Global.

Zakharov, W., Horton, A., Reid, P., Willis, J., & Attardo, D. (2017). Social Media: An Integration Guideline for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. In Learning and Knowledge Analytics in Open Education (pp. 149–169). Springer International Publishing.

Horton, A. (2026). The Role Determines the Rule: A Disciplinary Literacy Frame for AI Policy in Computing Education [Manuscript under review]. ACM Transactions on Computing Education.

Select Proceedings & Conference Presentations

Horton, A., Asino, T., & Dickerson, C. D. (2021). Exploring Our Future: The Culture, Learning and Technology Division at a Crossroads. AECT International Convention.

Horton, A. (2018). Rules of Play: Constructing Strategic Roles and Decisions Through Statecraft. ISA International Convention.

Horton, A., & Boyer, D. M. (2017). A DuBoisian Approach to Global Citizenship Education. AECT International Convention.

Horton, A., Mishra, P., Graves-Wolf, L., Seals, C., & Marcotte, C. (2017). Developing a Culture of Shared Practice through Personal Learning Networks amongst STEM Educators. AECT International Convention.

Mishra, P., Wolf, L. G., et al., incl. Horton, A. (2016). Reinventing TPACK, STEM Teaching and Leadership in an Urban Context. SITE, Savannah, GA.

Mishra, P., Wolf, L., et al., incl. Horton, A. (2015). Enhancing Urban Teachers' STEM and Leadership Capacities. In Proceedings of SITE 2015 (pp. 981–986). AACE.

Harris, C., Horton, A., & Hedrick, G. (2014). Cloud Services: Developing an Integrated Strategy for Faculty Support. EDUCAUSE Connect, Chicago.

Blackmon, S., Horton, A., et al. (2013). Press X to Teach: Games as Means and Methodology in the Composition Classroom. Computers & Writing Conference, Frostburg, MD.

Horton, A. (2012). Hip Hop Who R U? An Examination of Hip-Hop as a Professional Development Tool. 9th International Conference Crossroads in Cultural Studies, Paris, France.

Horton, A., & Heggart, K. (2012). Explorations in Hip-Hop, Digital Literacies and Global Citizenship Among Youth in Western Sydney. Crossroads in Cultural Studies, Paris, France.

Demirbilek, M., Yucel, Z., & Horton, A. (2011). English Language Teachers' Perspectives on Using Computer Games for Second Language Teaching and Learning. AERA, New Orleans, LA.

Horton, A., Covington, C., Kim, G., & Fitzer, K. (2009). The Graduate — A Serious Game on Graduate School Retention. Games, Learning, and Society Conference, Madison, WI.

Horton, A. (2009). African American Imprint on Global Citizenship Education. AERA, San Diego, CA.

Selected Invited Speaking

Preparing a Teaching Portfolio and Preparing for Promotion. Workshop, CRA-E Chicago-Area Regional Summit for Teaching-Track Faculty in Computing (2026).

AI and CS Education. Panelist, CRA-E Chicago-Area Regional Summit (2026).

Designing for Authentic Assessment: A Community Toolkit for Generative AI Integration in Computing Education. Teaching and Learning Symposium, EDUCAUSE (2026).

Student AI Literacy Through Structured Use. The Connected Classroom Summit, Indiana University (2026).

Educators Learning in Real Time. AIxEd, Northeastern University (2026).

Tips and Tricks for AI & Pedagogy. GenAI Webinar Series — Digital Gardener Initiative, Indiana University (2026).

Awards & Fellowships

2025Principal Investigator — SIGCSE Special Projects Grant, ACM/SIGCSE

2025IU Experiential Learning Grant — Emerging Scholars Research Experience: Digital Storytelling for Scientific Research

2024Vice Provost for Faculty & Academic Affairs Outstanding Faculty Mentor / Advocate Award

2022Principal Investigator — IEEE Computer Society Diversity & Inclusion Fund Grant

2016AECT Outstanding Service Award — Division of Culture, Learning and Technology

2015AECT NSF Early Career Faculty Fellow · Concordia University Summer Research Fellow

2011Michigan State University College of Education Fellowship

2010Fulbright / mtvU Fellowship

2009Donald H. Nickerson Scholarship in Cultural Diversity and Minority Concerns · MSU Graduate Research Fellowship

Service & Leadership

Advisory Council Member — IU Center of Excellence for Women & Technology2025 – Present

Steering Committee Member — Instructional Design Community of Practice, Indiana University2025 – Present

Member — Engagement & Belonging Committee (ITLC) · Undergraduate Committee, Dept. of Informatics · Bias Response Network2025 – Present

Faculty Advisor / Mentor — Black Women in Technology (CEWiT) · ColorStack, Luddy School2024 – 2025

Vice President of Communications — Instructional Technology SIG, American Educational Research Association2023 – 2024

Professional Memberships

AAC&U ACM AECT ASEE EDUCAUSE Online Learning Consortium POD Network