Biography

Frances H. Cornelius PhD, MSN, CNE, RN-BC is a graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, has a masters degree in Community Health Nursing. She is a Medical Informatics fellow in the National Library of Medicine and a board certified nurse informaticist. Dr. Cornelius received her doctorate from Drexel University in Educational Leadership Development and Learning Technologies. Her area of research involves student learning, development of clinical decision making skills and clinical competency utilizing handheld computers (PDAs). Other research interests include: faculty development in integration and application of instructional technology for classroom innovations; virtual learning environments for DL and web-enhanced courses; strategies for learner engagement; information seeking behaviors among students and professionals in health care. She has extensive community building experience. She is one of the early team members of Drexel University's community health outreach initiative to improve the health status of community residents in North Philadelphia, which led to the development of the Eleventh Street Family Health Services of Drexel University, a nurse managed, federally qualified health center in North Philadelphia. She is also the recipient of the 'Sisters In The Trenches' Award from the Black Women's Health Initiative in Philadelphia which was presented in recognition of diligent work in the North Central Philadelphia Empowerment Zone Community to accomplish the goal of better health through preventative care.

Dr. Cornelius is the co-Editor of PDA Connections: Mobile Technology for Health Care Professionals (2007: LLW), an innovative textbook designed to teach healthcare professionals how to use mobile devices for point-of-care access of information. She is also co-author of an innovative series of six NCLEX Review books, published by Springer, designed to support development of critical thinking among nursing students utilizing unfolding case studies infused with mobile decision support resources to replicate realistic clinical experiences. One book within the series, Leadership and Management in Nursing Test Success: An Unfolding Case Study Review (2013), received a prestigious 4-Star Doody review. She has been invited to deliver 33 podium presentations and has delivered >60 peer-reviewed presentations mostly in the US, but also in the UK, Spain, Canada and Korea.

Dr. Cornelius is a board certified nurse educator and has taught at the College and University level since 1990. She has an extensive clinical background in Medical Surgical, Psychiatric, Oncology and Community Health Nursing. In addition, Dr. Cornelius has substantial experience in the development and delivery of online, hybrid and traditional course content. For the past 12 years, she has developed and taught courses online in the Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions' distance learning program and has served as the faculty mentor in the design, development and delivery of online course material and integration of learning technologies into the classroom.

In 2010, Dr. Cornelius was the recipient of the Outstanding Educator in Online Learning Award from Drexel University Online. Dr. Cornelius is the chair of the Online Master Teachers Guild, comprised of expert faculty who provide collegial peer teaching reviews and mentorship. In 2012, she was one of eight master online teachers appointed as an Online Learning Council Fellow. The Fellows serve as ambassadors and champions of the Online Learning Council and the University's mission online quality initiative. The Fellows work with faculty who teach online and hybrid courses providing 1) professional development for faculty, 2) peer reviews of online/hybrid course for design quality, 3) consultation for both individuals, programs or departmental groups and 4) mentorship. In addition, Dr. Cornelius is currently a Master Reviewer for Quality Matters, a faculty-centered, peer review process that is designed to certify the design quality of online and blended courses.  She has served as the faculty mentor in the design, development and delivery of online course material and integration of learning technologies into the classroom. She is currently working with international partners to expand e-Learning capacity in under-resourced areas in Africa.

As the assistant dean for Teaching, Learning and Engagement, Cornelius is working collaboratively with thought leaders to drive the quality assurance process to directly impact the quality of courses and programs, providing the leadership, mentoring and coaching, with a focus on continuous improvement that inspires and assures innovative curricula and pedagogy, high-levels of faculty-student engagement, a high-quality learning environment and a faculty culture devoted to student learning and success