Testimonials

" I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. John Pauls during our doctoral program at the University of West Florida, where we quickly became study partners. His passion, exceptional work ethic, and dedication to high-quality work made him stand out.

Dr. Pauls is undeniably one of the most brilliant minds I've encountered in the fields of education and instructional design, yet he remains remarkably humble. His teaching style is deeply rooted in lived experiences, which greatly enhances his ability to connect with diverse audiences—from K-12 students to educators and beyond. His expertise is exemplified by the numerous presentations he has delivered nationwide and his pivotal role in securing a multimillion-dollar grant for Minecraft in Duval City Schools.

What sets Dr. Pauls apart is his thorough preparation. He delves deeply into educational theories, philosophies, and tools before imparting knowledge, ensuring his lectures and presentations are not only informative but also engaging and impactful.

Beyond his professional achievements, Dr. Pauls's background in music has clearly influenced his dynamic stage presence and presentation style. He effortlessly captivates audiences, making complex concepts accessible and memorable.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Dr. Pauls is a dedicated father and advocate for children with exceptional needs. His mentorship has been invaluable to me, and I continue to benefit from our discussions and idea exchanges.

In summary, Dr. John Pauls is an outstanding individual whose contributions to education and beyond are truly commendable. Any organization would be fortunate to have him share his expertise and insights. "

" In the time that I’ve worked with Dr. Pauls, I’ve come to know him as a model instructional designer, role model, and friend. In every endeavor, Dr. Pauls approaches every task with a positive attitude and a get-it-done attitude. It’s evident to anyone who’s had the pleasure of working with him that he takes great pride in his work and professional identity. In his role as an instructional designer, Dr. Pauls crafts visually-pleasing learning objects, in both online and face-to-face environments, that are supported by research-based best practices. He is also an effective project manager and collaborator, often working with multiple faculty at once and juggling varying expectations and goals. He is eager to learn and innovate, having been responsible for the integration of multiple performance technologies into our every-day work environment.

As a Professional Learning Specialist at the Northwest Council of Computer Education, Dr. Pauls has earned the respect of his colleagues and clients. He is eager to help and goes above and beyond to ensure that each client is happy. He has a reputation for being reliable and professional, with a high standard of success, which he makes every effort to meet. Additionally, Dr. Pauls has had the opportunity of leaning on his MBA background as grant writer, bringing innovative academic technology to classrooms across Duval county.

Despite his workload, he somehow finds the time to pursue passion projects and professional development, all while being a father. From 2023-2024 alone, he has written a book on learning experience design, grown his YouTube channel, and conducted a research study on AI usage in higher education.

I’m confident that Dr. Pauls can handle any challenge or responsibility that he puts his mind to. It’s clear that the next step in his career would include managing other instructional designers or directing a L&D department.  "

Hi Dee,

I just wanted to send a quick thank you for allowing me the opportunity to participate in a course redesign!  Dr. Pauls mentioned that you may want a quote- I have mixed feelings.  On one hand I want to shout from the rooftops about what a life changing experience this has been and on the other hand, I want to keep it to myself.  I’m afraid of you and Dr. Pauls getting overrun by desperate professors!  You are welcome to put me down as a reference for anyone who is “thinking about it” but unsure!  The work with Dr. Pauls opened my mind to new possibilities and reinvigorated my passion for this subject!  In the years I have been teaching, I have tried a lot of variations-tests, a lot of quizzes, no tests, no quizzes, projects, ………and I always felt like it could have been better or I hadn’t found the right combination until now.  I can’t wait to see the difference this semester!  Dr. Pauls was a joy to work with and I’m hoping to be able to collaborate with him again!  (if he hasn’t already taken out a restraining order lol)

Dr. Pauls not only helped me redesign the course but also helped me with so many things!  This is an extremely limited list of what he helped with because the list would go on for pages:

• The flow of the course
• Setting up the new Blackboard site
• Converting to Canva and hopefully ditching the old and tired PowerPoints that I’ve become dependent on and the students are bored with from me
• Designed a test of basic knowledge that they needed to pass before moving forward  
• Created a VIRTUAL experience to get ready for their test!  It’s amazing!  I cc’d Dr. Pauls so hopefully he will share it with you!

I don’t know if any of this is quotable, but I hope you could feel my immense amount of gratitude and the exuberance for teaching my favorite subject again, thanks to this redesign!  I wish I had tried to do this with your team sooner!

You are all deeply appreciated!!!

Dawn Lechwar, MS, CCC-SLP (she/her)

Clinical Assistant Professor

Clinical Coordinator

Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences

Jacksonville University