Now that Central Methodist University’s first full year of Digital U is complete, the institution is focused on making its second year even better. And according to Chad Gaines, vice president for technology and planning, that starts with a Digital U director focusing on professional development, pedagogy, and providing the best possible digital experience for students.
Gaines has announced the hiring of Carrie Strodtman as director of digital learning. Strodtman is already very familiar to faculty and students, having worked at CMU since 2008. She starts her new position August 1.
“I’m looking forward to working with our faculty to find ways to further integrate technology into our coursework,” Strodtman said. “That will include more professional development opportunities for faculty, and workshops for students.”
Strodtman is a 2003 CMU alumna. She earned a master’s in information technology from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
“Carrie’s familiarity with the campus and our faculty is a big plus,” Gaines said. “When we talked to the faculty about what they expected from this position, they said higher education experience, classroom experience, and technology experience. Carrie is every one of those.”
In her new role, Strodtman will provide support for all aspects related to the coordination, implementation, and assessment of Digital U. This includes leading the university’s innovation in the area of technology-enhanced pedagogy in teaching and learning, and immersive technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality.
She will supervise the popular campus group known as the Digital U Crew, which is made up of students who help their peers with their iPads and its numerous apps.
Strodtman has served as the interim manager of the Digital U Makerspace for the past several months, assisting with faculty training and other Digital U matters. She has served as information services librarian since 2008.
