Two University of West Florida student teams placed top two in the 2025 International Society for Performance Improvement, or ISPI, Case Study Student Competition held on April 13-17, in Jacksonville, Florida. The winning team included Doctorate of Education, or Ed.D., students of UWF’s Department of Instructional Design and Technology in the School of Education. The team was composed of faculty sponsor Dr. Holley Handley and students Shannon Biagi, Caroline Atwood Brode, Sara Golden and Traci Hudgin.
鈥淧articipating in this competition was an incredible learning experience for both teams, giving students the opportunity to apply their skills to real-world challenges, collaborate with peers, and gain valuable insights into the field of performance improvement,鈥� Handley said.
Over 12 weeks, students tackled a complex, real-world organizational performance problem. They developed human-centered, performance-driven solutions culminating in a strategic and scalable plan for lasting impact. The team conducted an in-depth investigation into the factors contributing to the attrition of skilled technicians, focusing on identifying strategies to improve retention. They gathered quantitative and qualitative data, reviewed extant industry data sources, and examined relevant literature to comprehensively understand the issue.
“The ISPI Case Competition was a unique learning experience that challenged us with real-world complexity, bridging the gap between our classes and applied professional practice,鈥� Biagi said. 鈥淚t pushed us to adapt quickly, collaborate effectively and think critically, just like in the field.”
The UWF team that placed second was composed of instructional design and technology master鈥檚 degree students Ashley Labus, Randall Olvera, Roberto Aandr茅 Robles-Bidot and Nicole Hatcher, with Dr. Jeff Phillips serving as faculty sponsor.
The Department of Instructional Design and Technology offers fully online degrees in instructional design and technology including Bachelor of Science in IDT; Master of Education, or M.Ed., in Instructional Design and Performance Technology; and Ed.D. in Instructional and Performance Technology.
For more information about UWF鈥檚 Instructional Design and Technology Program, visit .
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