Paul McKimmy
Professor & Director of the Technology and Distance Program
"I hope that my teaching gives students the ability to critically reflect on education technology issues."
Hometown
Elk Rapids, Michigan
Department
Learning Design and Technology
Related Degrees
- MEd, Learning Design & Technology
Dr. McKimmy teaches graduate and undergraduate courses, works with faculty to develop online and hybrid programs and is responsible for supporting instructional and administrative technology within the College.
When did you join the COE?
I joined the College in 2002, having worked previously at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi.
How do you hope to see your teaching and research benefit others?
I hope that my teaching gives students the ability to critically reflect on education technology issues. Critical analysis and responsible stewardship goes beyond which devices to use, to larger issues such as sustainability, interoperability, transparency, and security.
What courses are most exciting for you to teach?
This year I taught a class on open-source software in education. I believe there are a lot of benefits to schools and universities who adopt open-source software into their teaching and business practices. I enjoyed watching the light bulbs go off over students’ heads when they understood the paradigm shift from proprietary software, and how they could use open-source software themselves. I’ve used entirely open-source software myself since 2008, especially to demonstrate that educators don’t need to rely on or pay for Microsoft, Apple, and other proprietary software. I plan to teach this course soon as a MOOC – a massively open online course combining registered students with any online participant who wants to learn.
What is your philosophy of teaching?
I believe we learn best by doing. I incorporate review, discussion, and then hands-on experiences in my courses; including real world projects when possible. Several years ago, I taught Management of Instructional Technology, and the students designed “smart classrooms” in conjunction with teachers from American Samoa. After the semester, I was able to take the entire class to Pago Pago for a week to implement their designs and train the collaborating teachers.
You have roles outside of teaching, what are they?
As a specialist faculty member, my full-time assignment is Director of Technology & Distance Programs. My office includes instructional support for faculty, technical services, distance program planning, and course design services.