Lynn Dykstra named Excellence in Online Teaching Award winner

Lynn Dykstra

Lynn Dykstra makes connections with her students. For the Excellence in Online Teaching Award winner, it’s all about building relationships and engaging with Huskies beyond a virtual environment.

“It’s about the students,” said Dykstra, an instructor at NIU School of Nursing. “I try to connect with each student and there are ways to successfully do that with online students.”

One way she builds relationships is through office hours which students are encouraged to attend.

“It’s a meaningful way to engage with Professor Dykstra,” said a nursing student. “It became apparent that this was not just a requirement to fulfill, but it was a sincere way to engage all of us in thoughtful dialogue and build rapport.”

Dykstra began her career as a nurse more than 40 years ago and joined NIU School of Nursing as instructor a decade ago. She exemplifies a commitment to excellence in online teaching, course development and student engagement, and works consistently to meet those objectives.

“Based on my 14 years teaching secondary education and 10 years designing courses in higher education,I have found Lynn to be one of the most professional, dedicated, and compassionate educators,” said Rob Piercy, senior instructional designer, NIU Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. “She has taken her well-developed nursing skills and successfully implemented them into teaching, benefitting all her students by modeling humane professionalism and creating quality and rigorous online courses.”

Students laud her for her communication skills, being accessible, and for being “a nurse who has a wealth of knowledge and is a great resource.”

“Lynn Dykstra is the kind of nurse I strive to be, a direct personification of compassionate care, a conduit of healing and a facilitator of human connection,” said student Mallory Enders. “She is so much more than the accomplished components of a teaching excellence rubric; rather, she exemplifies caring as the essence of the nursing profession.”

Dykstra’s courses are rigorous and reflect relevant current practice. She is heralded for incorporating multiple methods of instruction and “basing assignments on students’ individual experiences, as many of them are practicing nurses.”

Students said steady feedback and frequent check-ins make it easy to become engaged in an online environment.

“The curriculum was personalized and relevant and presented in a way to pique interest and challenge existing viewpoints,” Enders said. “Healthy debates were fostered in the discussion boards, compelling students to evaluate their own nursing practice and the importance of leadership roles in the provision ofcare. Lynn’s active participation in all aspects of the course exemplified the level of engagement expected from all.”

Combined with being  “innovative, kind, caring and fair,” Dykstra’s methods are a prescription for student success.

“For the past 10 years, Lynn has demonstrated exemplary effort to bring best practices to her courses while cultivating a personal connection with her students,” said Kari Hickey, acting chair, NIU School of Nursing. “She is dedicated to the nursing profession and her students, and consistently works to improve her skills as an online instructor.”

In turn, she is a valuable member of the College and Health and Human Sciences team.

“Lynn is great support to her fellow instructors and colleagues,” said Dean Beverly Henry. “We can count on Lynn to share her support and teaching tips with others.”

Dykstra will be celebrated during the 2023 Faculty Awards Ceremony on April 20 from 3-5 p.m. at Altgeld Hall Auditorium.

Source: NIU Today CHHS News