Julie Phelps is a seasoned instructional designer at Mizzou Academy, where she spearheads the development of materials and curriculum for Mizzou Elementary. This innovative program provides online instructional guides featuring inquiry-based lesson plans and high-quality resources for in-person classroom settings. The interdisciplinary curriculum spans kindergarten through fifth grade, encompassing English Language Arts, math, and science.

Julie leads a small team of experienced teachers, ensuring that lessons incorporate age-appropriate instructional strategies, quality materials, and foster critical thinking and 21st-century skills. Her work meticulously aligns learning objectives with Missouri Learning Standards and essential questions in each lesson.

Before joining Mizzou Academy, Julie was an instructional designer at Missouri University of Science & Technology. There, she assisted faculty across all departments in course design and redesign, integrating best teaching practices and technology for in-person, online, and blended delivery. During her nine years at Missouri S&T, Julie conducted numerous professional development workshops for faculty, presented at regional, state, and national conferences, collaborated on publications, and led a team of instructional designers, technologists, and developers.

Julie also spent nine years with the University of Missouri System as an instructional specialist for eMINTS (enhancing Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies). She traveled to schools to model lessons, coach, and consult with eMINTS teachers, providing over 250 hours of professional development annually on pedagogy and technology use to K-12 teachers and trainers in grant-funded high-tech classrooms throughout southwest Missouri.

Prior to her 20-plus years with the University of Missouri, Julie dedicated 17 years to teaching elementary grades, from special education to gifted programs, across preschool through sixth grade in Missouri, Colorado, and Texas.

Degrees & Certifications:

• M.A. Information & Learning Technologies for K-12 Teachers, University of Colorado, Denver
• B.S. Education: Early Childhood (PK-3) Elementary (1-8), University of Missouri, Columbia
• Teaching Certification Missouri & Texas (PK-8): Lifetime
• Cognitive Coaching: 2010 (Columbia, MO), 1997 (Golden, CO)
• Quality Matters: October 2010 (online)

Areas of Expertise

• Curriculum in elementary education
• Inquiry-based learning
• STEM education
• Technology in education
• Online & blended course design
• Facilitating professional development