St. Charles, MO. (PRWEB) October 24, 2014
Willie Broussard, the new Dean of Lindenwood Online, is using research, experience and creativity to make revolutionary changes to optimize Lindenwood’s online programs in this digital age.
Broussard has been with Lindenwood for about six months and already has assisted the online programs in making an impression that is impossible to overlook.
“Willie Broussard came to Lindenwood with years of experience in offering and managing online programs,” said Dr. Jann Weitzel, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Since his arrival, he has worked with the deans and the faculty council to address issues of course development and faculty deployment.”
Various changes have been made to improve Lindenwood Online, beginning with the name. To make the program more recognizable to the general public, “the Center of Distance Learning” was changed to a simpler, more direct name describing exactly what the program is: Lindenwood Online. Also, a redesign of the website is currently underway so all information is in one place for any prospective and current student to access. An additional focus is being placed on collaborating with the faculty. Broussard and his team would like the faculty to provide online students with a streamlined orientation that’s in harmony with each other.
Because Lindenwood Online is focused on giving on-campus and online students the same experiences, it is vital to have everything in sync. “It is important to make the online students realize they are Lindenwood students, too,” said Broussard. The expectations for face-to-face classrooms and online enrollment are identical with assignments, due dates and discussions.
Lindenwood Online utilizes Blackboard, which allows online students to access classwork 24 hours a day. Because Blackboard is also available as an app, students can access lectures, discussion boards, assignments and more on tablets and even mobile devices.
Further expanding and improving the online programs is a long-term goal for Lindenwood, enhancing these programs for both students and faculty. Broussard is truly dedicated to making the program dynamic and as accessible as possible, so it is vital to stay on the cutting edge of technologies. Previous years of the online programs will be compared to measure what can be improved to make the essential changes for growth.
“He (Broussard) also plans to expand our reach to veterans, offer online-only sections of courses, and make available additional training sessions for classroom instructors,” said Weitzel.
For more information about Lindenwood Online, please visit http://www.lindenwood.edu/online.
About Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University, founded in 1827, is an independent liberal arts university offering more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in diverse areas of study and traditional and accelerated formats, including online. Lindenwood operates residential campuses in St. Charles, Mo. and Belleville, Ill., as well as 10 regional centers and 25 extension sites throughout Missouri.
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