UWF IDT Students Earn Top Honors at ISPI Case Study Competition

Newswise — Two teams from the University of West Florida’s Department of Instructional Design and Technology, housed in the School of Education, earned top honors in the 2026 International Society for Performance Improvement Case Study Student Competition in Nashville, Tennessee, placing first and third. This is the second year in a row that a UWF team has won the competition. 

Over the course of 12 weeks, teams engaged in an intensive, real-world performance improvement challenge. Students applied instructional design, performance improvement and systems-thinking principles to analyze a complex organizational issue and develop strategic, scalable solutions that produce meaningful, sustainable results. The student teams developed a full set of professional deliverables and presented their solutions during a live session for annual conference attendees and judges, which include professionals, researchers and students from around the world.

The UWF team that took home first place included Doctorate of Education students Melinda Markfelder, Susan Cutroni, Tabithia Ross and Atterol Walters, with faculty sponsor Dr. Holley Handley, associate professor and chair of the Department of Instructional Design and Technology. This team developed a performance improvement solution focused on workforce development in a maritime organization, addressing early-career attrition, onboarding inefficiencies and gaps in knowledge transfer. Using a systems-based approach, they identified root causes related to workforce readiness, inconsistent training practices and limited access to critical knowledge. Their solution proposed a structured workforce development system centered on apprenticeship, mentorship and leadership pathways, supported by an AI-enabled knowledge platform. They also developed professional deliverables, including system designs, dashboards and prototype tools.

“The IDT department is incredibly proud of both teams for their professionalism, innovation and commitment to excellence in representing UWF on an international stage,” said Handley.

The UWF team that placed third included Dave Willis-Lorenz, Karl Schroth, William Denius, Shannon McGregor and Lori McGovern, with faculty sponsor Dr. Lauren Adlof, assistant professor in the Department of Instructional Design and Technology. This team developed a performance improvement proposal for a maritime organization, addressing high turnover in skilled trades positions. Using a systems-based approach, they identified root causes related to apprenticeship structure, supervisory expectations and organizational incentives. Their solution proposed a three-part strategy focused on contract planning, structured on-the-job training and incentive alignment to better support workforce development and retention. They also designed professional prototypes, including an executive ROI dashboard, a mobile job-aid app and a contract governance process map.

“This team did a great job really digging into the system behind the problem and not just jumping to a quick fix,” said Adlof. “I’m really proud of how they turned their ideas into usable tools and prototypes that the company leaders could actually use. I think this is a great example of the kind of real-world work our students are doing.”

Participation in the ISPI Case Study Competition provided an invaluable experiential learning opportunity for all students involved. Through this process, students strengthened their ability to apply theory to practice, collaborate in high-performing teams, and engage in authentic problem-solving aligned with the field of performance improvement.

“The case study competition was an amazing experience,” said Susan Cutroni, a first-year doctoral student on the winning team. “It was definitely a lot of work, but it helped strengthen my understanding of the performance improvement process and was a great opportunity to get feedback from experienced professionals.” 

The Department of Instructional Design and Technology offers fully online degrees in instructional design and technology including Bachelor of Science in IDT; Master of Education, or M.Ed., in Instructional Design and Performance Technology; and Ed.D. in Instructional and Performance Technology.

For more information about UWF’s Instructional Design and Technology Program, visit uwf.edu/idt.