Dr. Elizabeth VandeWaa

Dr. Elizabeth VandeWaa was one of the first professors to teach online courses at the University Of South Alabama College Of Nursing. She began teaching online in the Fall semester of 2002 as a result of the initiative taken by the College of Nursing to meet the growing demand of nursing students throughout the state of Alabama. Since then the graduate nursing program has been made available online.

In the beginning, Dr. VandeWaa was unsure about online teaching but later found it enjoyable. Students prefer online courses due to the convenience that it offers. As an online instructor, Dr. VandeWaa found that more student interaction occurred online than in the classroom. E-mail, Questions and Answers (Q&A), and phone calls are the different types of communication she practices with her online students. She understands that most of her students have other commitments outside school so she tries to be available for them on her cell phone in case of emergencies.

When asked about what advice she would like to offer the other online instructors, she said that it is very important for online instructors to set boundaries with the students. Failure to do so can make the students “bleed you dry”. She also advises instructors to make sure that all the students feel connected in the online learning environment. It is easy for students to become easily discouraged when they feel disconnected from their instructors. Furthermore, she encourages other professors to record video lectures for both visual and auditory learning, post personal pictures to make your students feel a personal connection, and use e-mail or course “home” to make announcements during the course. Whenever she posts an announcement on the course home page she follows with an e-mail to ensure that her students get the information.

Dr. VandeWaa is an online pharmacology and physiology instructor who understands the demands of graduate school. She continues to make certain her students receive a quality graduate education despite their other commitments. We recognize and applaud her hard work as an online instructor in the College of Nursing at the University of South Alabama.