Building Instructional Technology That Serves People First

Angela Camaille, Director of Instructional Technology, Support and Professional Development, Delgado Community College

Angela Camaille has spent more than two decades at Delgado Community College, where she currently serves as Director of Instructional Technology, Support and Professional Development. With a background in philosophy and a deep commitment to access and equity, she leads instructional technology initiatives that support faculty effectiveness, student engagement, and emerging models of teaching and learning.

A Career Built on Curiosity and Persistence

My professional path has not been linear, but it has been consistent in one important way: curiosity. I joined Delgado Community College more than 22 years ago as an adjunct and later a full-time philosophy professor. Over time, I moved into leadership roles, including department chair, assistant to the vice chancellor for special projects, and eventually, Director of Instructional Technology, Support and Professional Development. I also served as interim CIO for a short period, which gave me a broader perspective on how instructional technology intersects with enterprise IT.

My entry into instructional technology was not planned. I wanted to teach online courses and decided to figure it out on my own. That curiosity quickly expanded into a deeper exploration of online, hybrid and virtual instruction, and the classroom technologies that support them. From there, the work naturally extended to networks, systems, and the infrastructure that make modern teaching possible. What started as sustained determination became a long-term commitment to help faculty and students succeed in increasingly complex learning environments.

Addressing Access in a Changing Landscape

One of the most persistent challenges in community college education is the digital divide. While the gap narrowed during the COVID period, it has not disappeared. Some students still lack reliable devices, internet access, or even basic computer skills. At Delgado, we address this through laptop and iPad loan programs, open computer labs, and continued efforts to expand access wherever possible.

At the same time, emerging technologies, particularly AI, are reshaping instructional conversations. The question is no longer whether AI is good or bad, but how it should be used responsibly. Our focus is on ensuring students and faculty treat AI as a tool that supports learning and productivity, not as a substitute for thinking, teaching or ethical decision-making.

Rethinking the Classroom Experience

One of the most visible shifts we are seeing is the growth of concurrent instruction. In these high-flex environments, students attend the same course either in person or virtually, at the same time. Some learners want the structure and connection of face-to-face instruction, while others need the flexibility of remote participation.

"Instructional technology works best when it removes barriers, supports faculty, and helps students see a clear path forward."

Supporting this model requires intentional investment in classroom technology, including cameras, microphones, speakers, interactive displays, and systems that allow content to be captured and shared seamlessly. The goal is not to add complexity, but to preserve instructional quality regardless of how students access the classroom.

Using Immersive Technology to Clarify Career Paths

Among the initiatives I am most proud of is our early use of virtual reality within an allied health program. VR allows students to experience aspects of lab work and professional environments in a realistic but low-risk setting. Building on the success of this initiative, our goal is to expand the use of VR beyond a single allied health area and develop a comprehensive lab that serves multiple programs across the institution.

In particular, we aim to focus on continuing education and certification-based Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. For many students, especially those exploring certifications or new career paths, virtual environments offer clarity. They allow learners to test interests, build confidence, and make informed decisions before committing time and resources to a specific direction.

By providing immersive, hands-on experiences through VR, we can offer students equitable and convenient access to learning opportunities that may otherwise be limited by cost, space, equipment, or location.

Supporting Faculty through Partnership, Not Mandate

Faculty buy-in rarely comes from mandates alone. At Delgado, adoption often begins with faculty champions, individuals who encounter a technology, see its value, and help guide peers through real-world use. That peer-led model builds trust and accelerates adoption more effectively than top-down directives. With larger changes like running concurrent face-to-face and virtual courses, some requirements are simply non-negotiable. Technology has improved significantly since COVID, but early on we had to provide extensive training from using Zoom and cameras to understanding where to stand in a classroom. That phase was driven more by necessity than buy-in; faculty had to adapt to continue teaching.

Post-COVID, some faculties have returned exclusively to face-to-face instruction, but with the variety of modalities we offer, technological competence remains essential. We support this through ongoing professional development, individualized training, and readily available support staff to assist with setup and troubleshooting. Open communication, including inviting feedback, piloting tools, and allowing time for exploration, has become central to our approach.

The Evolving Role of Instructional Technology Leadership

As higher education continues to change, instructional technology leadership will become more integrated and more visible. Teams will likely expand and work more closely with enterprise IT to address networking, security and AI-driven systems.

On a practical level, for both students and faculty, I see a future where comfort and familiarity with instructional technologies continue to grow. As that confidence increases, the quality of teaching and learning will improve as well. Ideally, we’ll reach a point where faculty can walk into a virtual classroom and teach just as effectively as they do in a traditional face-to-face environment.

Advice for the Next Generation

For those entering the field, patience and persistence is the key as technology adoption can take years. Many successful initiatives require long-term belief and steady advocacy. Curiosity is essential. Instructional technologists must explore what is new in tech, stay current through conferences and pilots, and remain open to continuous learning.

Maintaining open communication with faculty is crucial. When trust exists, and doors remain open, progress follows. Instructional technology is not about gadgets. It is about people, and when built with that focus, it can meaningfully expand opportunity, access, and success in higher education.

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