Paul McKimmy

“This was the inaugural award for Excellence in Online Teaching, and my course was nominated by students from the class, so it's enormously gratifying to receive this honor.”

Hometown

Elk Rapids, Michigan

Departments

Dean's Office; Learning Design and Technology

Department:

Learning Design and Technology

Degree:

EdD, Educational Leadership

Position
I have been with the COE since 2002, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses; overseeing the college’s Technology and Distance Programs (TDP) office, which includes our Distance Course Design & Consulting (DCDC) group; working with faculty to develop online and hybrid programs; and supporting instructional and administrative technology. Prior to coming to the college, I worked at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi as Director of Workforce Development.

What role do you see technology playing in education in the future?
Technology will continue to influence and expand affordances in teaching and learning. New technologies inspire new approaches and hopefully enable new efficiencies. Technology, however, will never be a panacea or obviate the need for intentional, quality instructional design and teaching.

Briefly describe your road to education (as a student and/or a teacher).
I started my education career in student services with the intention of becoming a Dean of Students. At some point, I realized that I had become the go-to guy for all things computer-related no matter what office I worked in. I got involved in providing professional development for faculty in video conferencing classrooms and realized that I wanted to move into technology full time. My position as Director of Technology and Distance Programs allows me to work with instructors, technologists, students, and staff. I enjoy facilitating technological progress in improving our instructional and support systems.

What is your philosophy of teaching?
I believe we learn best by doing. I incorporate review, discussion, and hands-on experiences into 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 Sāmoa. 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.

Awards:
COE Congress Thinking Outside the Box Award (2002)
COE Congress Leadership Award (2005)
COE Congress Transformation Award (2012)
UHM Online Teaching Award (2015)

What does the Excellence in Online Teaching Award mean to you?
This was the inaugural award for Excellence in Online Teaching, and my course was nominated
by students from the class, so it’s enormously gratifying to receive this honor. The award was
specifically for design, so this is also an honor for DCDC who worked with me to build the
course. Adam Tanners, Chloe O’Neill (Kubo), Michelle Carino, Hong Ngo, and Stacey Brook
comprised the DCDC team.

What are your future plans?
As UH distance education efforts mature, I hope to be influential in improving quality, effectiveness, and breadth of offerings. Our DCDC group is already having an impact by assisting other UH units in realizing their distance education goals.