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Keith Landa

Director of the Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center (Associate Librarian)

My SouthPark avatar I spend my time supporting course design and faculty development programming, promoting the development of virtual and physical learning spaces for campus, and generally assisting faculty in their adoption of innovative instructional approaches.

In my faculty role, I hang out with the environmental studies program. My research background was in developmental neurobiology, plant-herbivore interactions, insect life-history evolution and clonal plant population ecology. I’ve taught a wide range of biology, environmental studies, honors, first-year and other courses in my past faculty positions.  For Purchase, I have taught “Science in the Modern World”, “Search for Life in the Universe”, “College Writing”, “First Year Seminar”, and now I principally teach the “Geology” course for Environment Studies, with lab.

I’m also a bit of a shared governance geek.  I was one of the architects for our current College Senate governance structure, I’m currently Parliamentarian, and have served on and been active with a number of campus committees: Instructional Technology and Advisory Committee; Strategic Planning and Assessment Committee; Student Learning and Success Committee; Shared Governance Review Committee; the plagiarism task force; accessibility task force; Middle States Steering Committee; and others.  I am also currently President of the SUNY University Faculty Senate, and member of the SUNY Board of Trustees.

Marvin the Martian I’m also a bit of a Mars aficionado. My personal library is filled with Mars textbooks, Mars nonfiction texts, Mars science fiction literature, and Mars films. Mars exploration, environmental studies, and evolutionary biology may seem a strange combination – or maybe not. In my mind, worlds are what interest me: how they are put together, how they function, how they have come to be the way they are. The two worlds I am most interested in are planet Earth, and planet Mars.


 
Keith Landa earned his BS in zoology at Iowa State University in 1977; his MS in neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego in 1980; and his PhD in biological sciences (ecology and evolutionary biology) at the University of Michigan in 1989.

Representative Courses

  • Search for Life in the Universe
  • Mars Explorations
  • Geology
  • First Year Seminar
  • College Writing

Publications

Murphy, E., Widdall C., Wozniak N., Landa K., Conyers G., Roche C., Klesenski-Rispoli D., Travers N., Tjoe E., Das J., Howd E., Halada G., & Frank L. (2013). Final Report from the ePortfolio Task Group. 1-20., 05/22: SUNY

Ketchum, G., Landa K., Brown K., Charuk K., DeFranco T., Heise M., McCabe R., Youngs-Maher P., & Shah-Nelson C. (2011).  Learning Management Systems Review. , 02/2011, Albany, NY USA: State University of New York

Landa, K. B. (1992).  Adaptive Season Variation in Grasshopper Offspring Size. Evolution. 46(5), 1553-1558.

Landa, K., Benner B., Watson M. A., & Gartner J. (1992).  Physiological integration for carbon in mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum), a clonal perennial herb. Oikos. 63, 348-356.

Landa, K. (1992).  Seasonal declines in offspring fitness and selection for early reproduction in two species of nymph-overwintering grasshoppers. Evolution. 46, 121-135.

Goldberg, D., & Landa K. (1991).  Competitive effect and response: hierarchies and correlated traits in the early stages of competition. Journal of Ecology. 79, 1013-1030.

Landa, K., & Rabinowitz D. (1983).  Relative preference of Arphia sulphurea (Orthoptera: Acrididae) for sparse and common prairie grasses. Ecology. 64, 392-395.

Landa, K. B., Adler R., Manthorpe M., & Varon S. (1980).  Cholinergic neuronotrophic factors. III. Developmental increase of trophic activity for chick ciliary ganglionic neurons in their intraocular target tissues. Developmental Biology. 74, 401-408.

Manthorpe, M., Skaper S., Adler R., Landa K. B., & Varon S. (1980).  Cholinergic neuronotrophic factors. IV. Fractionation properties of an extract from selected chick embryonic eye tissues. Journal of Neurochemistry. 34, 69-75.

Adler, R., Landa K. B., Manthorpe M., & Varon S. (1979).  Cholinergic neuronotrophic factors. II. Intraocular distribution of trophic activity for ciliary ganglionic neurons. Science. 204,1434-1436.

Drewes, C. D., Landa K. B., & McFall J. L. (1978).  Giant nerve fiber activity in intact, freely-moving earthworms. Journal of experimental Biology. 72, 217-227.

Presentations / Conferences

2020

Landa, K.  (2020)  Bringing the World to Students: Developing VR Field Trips.  2020 NERCOMP Annual Conference.  (Originally scheduled for Providence, RI, March 23-25.  Now scheduled as a virtual conference June 23-25.)

Landa, K.  (2020)  Supporting Open Pedagogy Projects Through Domains of One’s Own, Using the SUNYCreate.cloud Project.  Presentation accepted for the SUNY Technology Conference.  (Face to face conference cancelled due to COVID restrictions.)

Kay, G., Piorkowski, R., Landa, K., and Riman, J.  (2020)  The evolving challenges and benefits of teaching with technology.  Panel presentation accepted for the SUNY Conference on Instruction and Technology.  (Conference cancelled due to COVID restrictions.)

2019

Landa, K.  (2019).  Smart Sparrow.  SUNY FACT2 Symposium: “Reframing Individualized Education Open Pedagogy & Adaptive Learning”.  1 November 2019.  Albany, NY.

Landa, K.  (2019)  Drones for Teaching: Taking Fieldwork to a (Literally) Higher Level.  SUNY Technology Conference 2019 “Transitions and Transformations in Leadership and Technology”.  19 June 2019, Lake Placid, NY.

Landa, K.  (2019)  Bringing the World to our Students: Developing Virtual Reality Field Trips.  SUNY Technology Conference 2019 “Transitions and Transformations in Leadership and Technology”.  19 June 2019, Lake Placid, NY.

Landa, K.  (2019)  Writing resolutions that speak to campus issues.  SUNY Voices CGL Training Conference.  5 June 2019, Albany, NY.

Hantgan, A. and Landa, K.  (2019)  Building a culture of assessment: Making use of tools already at hand.  SUNY Conference on Instruction and Technology 2019.  29 May 2019, Purchase, NY.

Landa, K.  (2019)  Drones for Teaching: Taking Fieldwork to a (Literally) Higher Level.  SUNY Conference on Instruction and Technology 2019.  29 May 2019, Purchase, NY.

Landa, K.  (2019)  Working with Students on an Open Textbook Project in a STEM Discipline.  SUNY Conference on Instruction and Technology 2019.  29 May 2019, Purchase, NY.

Landa, K.  (2019)  Bringing the World to our Students: Developing Virtual Reality Field Trips.  SUNY Conference on Instruction and Technology 2019.  29 May 2019, Purchase, NY.

2018

Ailene, A., Landa, K., Licata, D., and Mess, R.  (2018)  The Role of Professional Staff in Shared Governance.  SUNY at 70: Shared Governance Past, Present, and Future.  9 November, Syracuse, NY.

Fogal, C., Landa, K., and Donaghy, K.  (2018).  How to Run an Effective Governance Meeting. SUNY Voices 2018 Leadership Institute.  7 June, SUNY System Administration, Albany, NY

Landa, K.  (2018).  Using Moodle’s Competencies Functionality to Collect Assessment Data.  5th Annual MoodlePalooza.  6 June, SUNY Delhi, Delhi NY

2017

Landa, K.  (2017).  DIY Meets GIS.  Invited presentation, Westchester County Geographic Information Systems User Group Meeting, 18 May, Purchase, NY.

Deer, S.,  Landa, K., Krikun, D., Ramsey, A.  (2017)  Panel discussion: Open Educational Resources.  Invited session, hosted by SUNY Provost Alex Cartwright, SUNY Voices Conference, 27 April, Suffern, NY.

Landa, K. (2017).  Reflective Learning - What, Why, and How?  Invited workshop for SUNY Maritime, 6 February, Bronx, NY.

2016

Howd, E. and Landa, K  (2016)  Co-Curricular Transcription and E-Portfolios.  Invited workshop for the SUNY Applied Learning Conference, 17 November, Binghamton, NY.

Landa, K. (2016).  Reflective Learning - What, Why, and How? ¿Qué, por qué, y cómo?.  Invited workshop for the SUNY COIL Center Mexico Multistate Project academy, 9 November, Cuernavaca, Mexico.

2015

Landa, K. (2015).  Reflective Learning Activities for COIL Courses.  Invited workshop for the third SUNY COIL Latin American Academy, 18 September, Cuernavaca, Mexico.

Landa, K. (2015).  Teaching From My Tablet: Opportunities for BYOD Instruction. Invited presentation for SUNY Downstate Medical Center’s IN TIME: Innovation and Technology in Medical Education conference.  27 July 2015, Brooklyn College, NY

Chandra B., Landa K., Jagendorf-Sobierajski S., Mukherji R., Torcivia Prusko P., & Smolar R. (2015).  Cross-Cultural Experiential Learning Toolkit. The Expanding Landscape of COIL Practitioners, Networks, and Hubs: What’s Next? 20 March, SUNY Global Center, New York, NY

2014

Landa, K. (2014).  Teaching From My Tablet: Piloting a BYOD Approach to the Classroom. SUNY Technology Conference 2014: B. Y. O. Device. 18 June, Lake Placid, NY

Landa, K. (2014).  Mahoodle: Integrating ePortfolios and Learning Management Systems. SUNY Moodle Summit. 3 June, Cobleskill, NY

Smolar, R., Chandra B., Prusko P. T., & Landa K. (2014).  Measuring Cross-Cultural Skills in International Experiential Learning. SUNY CIT 2014 “Objects in Mirror are Closer Than They Appear: Reflection, Innovation, and Learning. 29 May, Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Landa, K. (2014).  Scale Up My Online Course to 100 Students? Sure, why not…… SUNY CIT 2014 “Objects in Mirror are Closer Than They Appear: Reflection, Innovation, and Learning. 29 May, Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Landa, K. (2014).  Promoting ePortfolios through Shared Services. SUNY CIT 2014 “Objects in Mirror are Closer Than They Appear: Reflection, Innovation, and Learning. 28 May, Cornell University, Ithaca NY

2013

Landa, K. (2013).  Shared Services ePortfolio Projects. SUNY Wizard 2013 “IT Service Management”. 19 November, Syracuse, NY

Landa, K., & May S. (2013).  Mahoodle in the “SUNY Nebula”. SUNY STC 2013 - Services in the Cloud: To the Cloud and Beyond. 19 June, Lake Placid, NY

May, S., & Landa K. (2013).  Web Meeting Tools in the “SUNY Nebula”. SUNY STC 2013 - Services in the Cloud: To the Cloud and Beyond. 19 June, Lake Placid, NY

Rubin, J., Fowler J., WIndle H., & Landa K. (2013).  The COIL Nodal Network – an Evolving Model of Systemness. CIT 2013 - Transformation in Higher Education: Sharing Ideas and Showing Results. 24 May, Utica, NY

Landa, K. (2013).  Learning Management System or ePortfolio? The Answer is Both. CIT 2013 - Transformation in Higher Education: Sharing Ideas and Showing Results. 24 May, Utica, NY

Landa, K., & Miller G. (2013).  Shared Services using Open Applications: An intercampus ePortfolio pilot. CIT 2013 - Transformation in Higher Education: Sharing Ideas and Showing Results. 23 May, Utica, NY

Raposo, L., Price C., Kasper B., & Landa K. (2013).  Building a SUNY Teaching and Learning Certificate. CIT 2013 - Transformation in Higher Education: Sharing Ideas and Showing Results. 22 May, Utica, NY

Wozniak, N., Murphy E., Howd E., Roche C., & Landa K. (2013).  ePortfolio Use In SUNY - The Time is Now. CIT 2013 - Transformation in Higher Education: Sharing Ideas and Showing Results. 22 May, Utica, NY

McElwaine, J., Thayer P., & Landa K. (2013).  Gestural Music: A New Tool for Composition. CIT 2013 - Transformation in Higher Education: Sharing Ideas and Showing Results. 22 May, Utica, NY

Murphy, E., Wozniak N., Landa K., Widdall C., & Tjoe E. (2013).  Report from the SUNY Task Group on ePortfolios. CIT 2013 - Transformation in Higher Education: Sharing Ideas and Showing Results. 22 May, Utica, NY

Landa, K. (2013).  Mahara @ Purchase. SUNY COA Regional Forum and MoodleMoot. 9 January, Delhi, NY

2012

Landa, K.  (2012) Technology tools for foreign language instruction.  Invited workshop, Swarthmore College.  27 August 2012, Philadelphia, PA.  

Klinger, B., Egan S., Dell G., Hoeppner K., Landa K., & Murphy E. M. (2012).  Meet the Mahara User Group: A Panel Discussion. AAEEBL 2012 “ePortfolios as a Catalyst for Connections”. 17 July 2012, Boston, MA

Landa, K. (2012).  Connecting Web 2.0 Tools to the LMS: Building a Home for the Web in your Courses. SUNY CIT 2012, “The Power of Connections”. 29 May 2012, Stony Brook, NY

Landa, K. (2012).  Moodle - From the Institutional and Educational Perspectives. Invited presentation, ESC CDL Conference, “An Open Community for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring”. 27 April 2012, Saratoga Springs, NY

2011

Landa, K. (2011).  Web 2.0 Technologies and Social Networking Tools in Education. Invited presentation, European Humanities University, eLearning Conference II. 4 November 2011, Vilnius, Lithuania

D’Agosto, D., & Landa K. (2011).  The “Face-to-Face Effect” of Online Teaching and Learning. UPCEA 2011 New England Conference, “Where in the World is CE? It’s Everywhere!”.  28 October 2011, Providence, RI

Landa, K. (2011).  Adventures in Open Source: Lessons Learned at Purchase College. SUNY CIT 2011: 20/20 Vision, Looking Forward & Remembering the Past. 26 May 2011, Oneonta, NY

Landa, K., & Sciangula M. (2011).  Building Learner-Centered Courses in Moodle. SUNY CIT 2011: 20/20 Vision, Looking Forward & Remembering the Past. 24 May 2011, Oneonta, NY

Landa, K. B. (2011).  Advantages of an Open LMS: Tying the World To Moodle. SUNY Delhi MoodleMoot 2011. 23 May 2011, Delhi, NY

Feinblatt, E., Köksal Y., Stein R., TeBrake W., Fitzpatrick J., Lemieux T., & Landa K. (2011).  NEH Digital Humanities Start-Up: Purchase College Professors and Their International Partners Create Globally Networked Courses. Collaboration and Technology in International Online Learning Environments: Constructing a New Paradigm. , 31 March 2011, New York, NY

Hatch, C., Dixon D., & Landa K. (2011).  Panel I: Publishers. Copyleft & Copyright: An Academic and Professional Conference about Technology and Intellectual Property. 11 March 2011, Purchase, NY

Landa, K. B. (2011).  Moodle @ Purchase. Teaching and Learning with Technology Day, SUNY Potsdam. 20 Jan 2011, Potsdam, NY

Landa, K. B. (2011).  Moodle: using an open learning management system to support student learning.  Invited presentation, SUNY Plattsburgh. 19 Jan 2011, Plattsburgh, NY

2010

Landa, K. (2010).  Adventures in Open Source: Moodle, Mahara, Drupal, et. al. at Purchase College. SUNY Fall 2010 Wizard Conference. 18 November 2010, Syracuse, NY

Landa, K. (2010).  Moodle: Using an open learning management system to support student learning. 4th Annual SUNY Freedonia Teaching and Learning Conference “Universal Design for Learning: Accessible and Assistive Technologies to Enhance Student Learning”. 16 August 2010, Freedonia, NY

Beer, K., & Landa K. (2010).  The LMS Dilemma: Self Host or Vendor Host. SUNY Delhi 2-3-98 2010 conference “Technology During an Economic Crisis: The Benefits of Open Sourcing”. 12 August 2010, Delhi, NY

Landa, K. (2010).  Migrating to Moodle: Faculty, Student and Technological Perspectives on Adopting an Open-Source Learning Management System. SUNY Technology Conference “Building IT for Tomorrow’s Education”. 15 June 2010, Rye, NY

Landa, K. (2010).  Electronic portfolios in Moodle and Mahara: a comparison of two open-source alternatives. SUNY Conference on Instructional Technologies “Classrooms, Continents and Clouds: Who Moved my Chalk?”  28 May 2010, Plattsburgh, NY

Rubin, J., Lemieux A., & Landa K. (2010).  Developing collaborative online international courses. SUNY Conference on Instructional Technologies “Classrooms, Continents and Clouds: Who Moved my Chalk?”  25 May 2010, Plattsburgh, NY

2008-2009

Landa, K. (2009).  Migrating to Moodle: Faculty, Student and Technology Perspectives.  SUNY Delhi 2-3-98 Conference on Open-source in Education and MoodleMoot.  7 August 2009, Delhi, NY

Landa, K. (2009).  Moodle, an Open-source Alternative to Blackboard that’s Focused on Student Learning. SUNY Conference on Instructional Technologies “Engaging Minds: Innovative Teaching and Learning”. 22 May 2009, Oswego, NY

Landa, K. (2009).  Integrating Web 2.0 Social Collaboration Tools into Moodle, an Open-source Learning Management System. Consortium for the Liberal Education of Artists.  10 April 2009, St. Paul, MN

Landa, K., & Wendel H. (2008).  An introduction to online learning. SUNY COIL Conference, “Collaborations in Online International Learning Environments – How to Make them Work”.  14 November 2008, Purchase, NY

Prior work

Landa, K. (2004).  The genetics of becoming human. CHARIS Summer Theological Conference.  18 July 2004, Moorhead, MN

Landa, K. (1994).  Morphometric variation of grasshoppers along a rural-urban gradient. Indiana Academy of Science.  October 1994, Indianapolis, IN

Landa, K. (1992).  Demographic responses to root-pruning in field populations of mayapples. Society for the Study of Evolution.  Berkeley, CA

Landa, K., Vuorisalo T., & Watson M. A. (1991).  Carbohydrate allocation and the cost of reproduction in mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum), a rhizomatous perennial herb. Ecological Society of America.  6 August 1991, San Antonio, TX

Geber, M. A., Landa K., & Watson M. A. (1991).  Recovery of mayapple from rhizome damage: the role of buds. Ecological Society of America.  6 August 1991, San Antonio, TX

Landa, K., & Watson M. A. (1991).  Root severing and ramet performance in a rhizomatous forest herb, mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum). Botanical Society of America.

Landa, K., Vuorisalo T., & Watson M. A. (1990).  Seasonal patterns of photosynthate allocation in a rhizomatous perennial herb, Podophyllum peltatum. Botanical Society of America.

Landa, K., & Watson M. A. (1989).  Integrated physiological units (IPUs) for carbon in Galium aparine. Botanical Society of America.

Landa, K. (1986).  The effect of oviposition date on offspring fate in nymph-overwintering grasshoppers. Michigan Entomological Society.

Landa, K. (1986).  Plant competition: seed size effects, competitive hierarchies and competitive equivalence. Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference.

Landa, K. (1986).  Seasonal variation in grasshopper life history traits. Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference.

Landa, K. (1986).  Seasonal variation in grasshopper offspring size. Society for the Study of Evolution.

Landa, K. (1985).  Increase in offspring size over the season in two nymph-overwintering grasshoppers: a life history adaptation to phenology. Midwest Ecology Conference.

Landa, K. (1982).  Preference of Arphia sulphurea, a graminivorous grasshopper, for rare and common prairie grasses. Midwest Ecology Conference.