Editor’s Note: this article was written by CUNY SPS contributing writer Tanzina Vega and recently featured on the CUNY SPS Medium Blog.
Applying Technology in the Classroom
When Professor Curtis Izen, who teaches in the CUNY SPS Online Business programs, began working in the information technology department at CUNY in 1988, he described the hardware infrastructure as “mainframes and larger systems, and things that weren’t accessible right away.” Today, those hulking machines have been replaced by cloud storage and artificial intelligence technologies that can process and save large data sets in seconds. “The landscape has changed tremendously,” said Izen. Technologists are asking themselves “How can we get information quicker and how can we make sound decisions once we get that information?”
In 2026, a career in information technology is a fast-moving target not only for professionals and educators like Izen, but for the students he teaches. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), for example, has reduced the need for programmers. Izen said his goal is “to help students understand not just how to use AI, but when and why to use it responsibly,” in both academic and professional settings.
Izen’s deep knowledge of the inside of CUNY’s technology infrastructure has led him to apply real world scenarios to the classroom. “Being immersed in both academic instruction and institutional technology allows me to bring current, real-world tools to the classroom,” he said. That pedagogical approach was, in part, what earned him the CUNY SPS Adjunct Faculty Teaching Excellence Award in December 2025, the latest in a long list of previous honors. He describes his teaching philosophy as “grounded in engagement, innovation, and inclusiveness.” Izen uses free open educational resources to “help remove financial barriers and ensure students have access to current, relevant content.”
Preparing Students for the Real World
Many of his students are working professionals or are planning career transitions so Izen uses “team projects, applied research, presentations, and problem-solving tasks so students can practice skills they’ll use.” But that doesn’t mean Izen says students can let AI do all of the work. While students are permitted to use AI, they must also be able to explain their process.
Cyber security is another “big topic” that Izen has brought from the real world to the classroom. Students in Izen’s class have to understand, “how we are defending ourselves, how we prevent outsiders from getting in through our systems, campus infrastructure, databases, client servers, systems development and ethical concerns,” he said. “I design my courses using a scaffolded approach — starting with low-stakes activities that build confidence and progressing toward more complex, applied assignments.”
Career readiness is a key part of Izen’s classes. He helps his students, who are online asynchronous learners, prepare for interviews and other professional interactions in the technology workforce. “They have to gain confidence,” said Izen. “People can be wonderful with technology, but if they are not confident and they can’t speak and they can’t write an email, I can tell it is from ChatGPT.”
Humanizing Online Learning
Asynchronous learning can sometimes make it hard for students to feel connected to the course, said Izen, which is why he believes that “humanizing the online classroom is essential to my teaching.” He uses a program called VoiceThread, where students can collaborate with each other to build interactive online presentations. “That transforms courses into active learning communities,” he said. “Students engage with the content and with each other, building communication, presentation, and professional skills that are valuable well beyond the classroom.”
Izen has also used technology to build bots known as generative pre-trained transformers or GPTs that serve as a study guide for students. “These tools are built from course materials and open educational resources, but they don’t simply provide answers,” said Izen. “Instead, they ask students questions, encourage reflection, and promote critical thinking. It wasn’t a replacement for my teaching. It was a wonderful supplement.”
Honoring Pedagogical Innovation
Izen’s relationship technology at the City University of New York spans four decades. He has a bachelor’s degree in Information Systems from Brooklyn College, an MBA in Computer and Information Systems from Baruch College. Today, his schedule at CUNY remains full. Along with Izen’s role as adjunct professor in the Online Business programs at CUNY SPS, he is a senior adjunct lecturer at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, and full-time senior information associate at Baruch. In addition to the Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award, he has also earned a Brightspace Innovation Award and a Presidential Award for Distinguished Teaching from Baruch College, among many other teaching honors.
“These honors are meaningful because they reflect student engagement, learning, and growth,” said Izen. “Ultimately, the greatest reward is hearing from students who feel more confident, more capable, and better prepared for their careers because of their experience in my classes. Nothing is more valuable than a former student sending me an email or stopping me on campus to say that something they learned in my course has helped them in their internship or job.”
About the CUNY School of Professional Studies
As New York's leading online school since 2006, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) offers the most online bachelor's and master's degree options at the City University of New York, and serves as the University's first undergraduate all-transfer college. With over 26 degrees and numerous other non-degree and grant-funded workplace learning programs, CUNY SPS meets the needs of adults who wish to finish a bachelor's degree, progress from an associate's degree, earn a master's degree or certificate in a specialized field, and advance in the workplace or change careers. Consistently ranked highly by U.S. News & World Report for its online offerings, CUNY SPS has emerged as a nationwide leader in online education. The School's renowned and affordable online programs ensure that busy working adults may fulfill their educational goals on their own time and schedule.
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