Profile for

Samuel Bachert

Director of Innovative Digital Learning

Samuel Bachert is Director of Innovative Digital Learning at East Texas A&M University, where he leads a team focused on instructional design, learning technology, accessibility, faculty development, and emerging technologies. His work centers on helping the university move beyond simply having technology to using it strategically to improve teaching, learning, and student success.

With more than 25 years of experience in higher education and educational technology, Samuel has led digital learning initiatives across institutions and organizations, including LMS implementations and migrations, online course development, faculty professional learning, accessibility initiatives, and enterprise learning technology strategies. His experience spans instructional design, learning experience strategy, academic technology, and organizational change.

At East Texas A&M, Samuel works collaboratively with faculty, academic leaders, and technology teams to design effective and accessible learning experiences, optimize the university’s digital learning ecosystem, and develop scalable approaches to supporting faculty and students. He is particularly interested in the intersection of instructional design and technology innovation, including the thoughtful integration of AI into teaching and learning.

Throughout his career, Samuel has led cross-functional teams, built partnerships across academic and technical units, and developed systems and processes that support continuous improvement at scale. He is energized by change leadership, innovation, and helping institutions translate emerging technologies into practical strategies that enhance learning and organizational effectiveness.

How do you help students at East Texas A&M?

I primarily help students at East Texas A&M by supporting their faculty with developing and designing accessible and engaging learning experiences. Whether that is by hosting workshops, remediating files for accessibility, or implementing new or emerging technology, my team and I are working to provide students with a high-quality learning experience.

A conversation with Samuel

Tell us a little about yourself (educational background, research interests, etc.)

I have been working in higher education and educational technology throughout my career. It began in the early days when online learning was new. I had experience in web design, and I was working as a computer lab assistant when the department that supported faculty asked me to help teach faculty how to build web pages. That summer, I worked one-on-one with faculty to develop courses that would be offered entirely asynchronously, something none of us had ever done before. That sparked in me an interest that has fueled a lifelong journey spanning over 25 years, helping faculty deliver engaging learning experiences and improving students' digital learning experiences.

Educational Background

• M.A., Higher Education Administration, New Mexico State University, 2009
• B.Ed., Elementary Education, University of New Mexico, 2005
• AASc, Media Technologies and Communication, San Juan College, 2000

Professional Organizations

• Quality Matters Peer Reviewer
• TxDLA
• Educause