Meet a Keypather: Christine Lewinski Ed.D

We sat down with Keypath Education's Director of Faculty Engagement, Christine Lewinski Ed.D, to learn a little bit more about her and her role at Keypath.

Personal Quote: “The unfinished character of human beings and the transformational character of reality necessitate that education be an ongoing activity.” –Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Explain in two or three sentences what your role at Keypath entails:

As part of the instructional design team, I am responsible for ensuring the quality of our service to partner faculty as they engage in designing, developing and delivering online courses.  We create a range of resources to help faculty and students get the most from their online experience which includes course-specific guides, documentation and scholarship designed to evolve with the online faculty role.

What excites you about working for Keypath?

Change, growth and innovation served daily!  There isn't one way to develop a successful course just as there isn't one way to teach an online course well.  The diversity of options makes it an especially exciting time to be doing faculty engagement work with my Keypath colleagues.  The speed with which faculty transform into exceptional online teachers is so rewarding to see and share.

Where do you see your specialty going in the next five years?

I see micro-personalization and evidence-based teaching practices deepening hold in the next five years.  Each year more and more professors gain experience with online teaching.  We're also at a generational and technological crossroads.  More professors are "digitally native".  More technology is ubiquitous.  In response, informed digital teaching and learning practices will run on personalized guidance that helps teachers and learners get the most from their online learning experience.  In addition, more organizations develop data maturity, the ability easily to view evidence will result in less trial and error and more direct insight into what works and why in the online space. 

How can you use your skills to change the student experience for the better?

As an educator, I hope I use my skills to help each instructor discover the potential of online learning for their courses, their program, their university.  The students experience improves when people care about who students are, where they want to go, and what they might need to get there.  This level of care defines the role of faculty who are not just graders, subject experts or facilitators.  Thinking of faculty roles narrowly is the path to disengagement.  George Kuh talks about the "disengagement compact" that some faculty adopt with their students which means "I'll leave you alone, if you leave me alone".  Engagement takes effort because learning takes effort.  The courses we design with faculty come to life through their care and leadership which, I believe, make the online learning experience more rewarding for teachers and students alike.

What is your favorite personal achievement?

The lasting value of any achievement is the life lessons these bring.  Rescuing four shelter pups over the years and completing doctoral studies while balancing work and life are two of my favorite personal achievements.  My dogs have taught me that, beyond and credential, finishing something challenging ultimately gives you more empathy for other people doing challenging things, sometimes against the odds, until they're completed.

Is there a hobby you can't live without?

I heard somewhere that how you spend your Sundays is the best window into what you cannot live without.  If this is true, then exploring the nearby trails with my dogs and trying new recipes for our friends and family are the sustaining things I can't live without.  If a meal involves smoke, froth, or a torch, my husband probably has the gadget for that!