Rich Dixon

Instructional Leader

Rich is passionate about applying his 25+ years as a teacher, administrator, staff developer, IT director, and curriculum coordinator to promote student-centric learning that promotes educational equity. He believes that tapping into each learner’s “why”, and helping them discover more of it, is an essential part of effective teaching. In order to achieve that, he promotes an interdisciplinary approach to learning that is connected to life outside the walls of a traditional classroom through discrete knowledge acquisition while also developing transferable success skills. This approach to learning can play an important role in unlocking opportunities for all learners to be successful now and in the future. 

Rich is a national speaker who has presented on a range of emerging edtech topics, including OER, digital badges, and technology-enhanced pedagogy. Previously, he served as the Director of Professional Learning Services at Lesson Planet, a legacy OER aggregation provider. Most recently he was the Director of Online Learning at PBLWorks/Buck Institute for Education, where he studied under the National Equity Project to help create professional development that leveraged culturally responsive practices. He has also been a faculty member of the Education Innovation Alliance, and a Lecturer in the Graduate School of Education at UC Santa Barbara.

Rich lives in Santa Barbara, California where he loves to spend his free time surfing and trail running in the mountains. You might also find him herding his flock of backyard chickens and gardening when he isn’t adventuring in the outdoors.