Northern Michigan University has named Stacy Boyer-Davis as its new Extended Learning and Community Engagement Scholar.
“I was elated when I learned that I was selected to serve in this important role,” said Boyer-Davis. “As academia continues to shift towards a distance learning model, NMU has the potential to be a global leader in the online learning space.”
Boyer-Davis is more than qualified for the position, according to the announcement of her new role. She was the first recipient of NMU's Excellence in Online Teaching Award. She has significant experience in online education, a commitment to the scholarship of teaching and learning, a reputation for being an outstanding and dedicated online teacher and an unwavering commitment to student success.
“Dr. Boyer-Davis' creative use of internet-based technologies to teach online and blended courses in higher education, coupled with imaginative, well-designed course materials and instructional strategies and an innovative spirit make her a perfect fit for the ELCE Scholar position,” said Steve VandenAvond, vice president for Extended Learning and Community Engagement. “In addition to congratulating Dr. Boyer-Davis, please help me thank Dr. Christi Edge and Dr. Elizabeth Monske for their outstanding work as the first Extended Learning Scholars; their efforts have been invaluable in developing course design assessment systems that will guarantee the rigor of online and distance learning at NMU.”
In addition to her pedagogical endeavors, Boyer-Davis seeks opportunities to educate herself and present her research. She studies Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research and is slated to present her findings this May at the Upper Peninsula Teaching and Learning Conference at Michigan Tech. She also attends SoTL conferences and workshops to continuously improve her teaching skills.
“I am working on a research article with the NMU Teaching and Learning Scholar, Dr. Gary Stark, and a coauthor from another institution,” she added. “I completed part one of the NMU Online Teaching Fellows program during the winter 2018 term. My intention is to enroll in part two during the summer 2019 term. I completed the Quality Matters training and recertified my knowledge with the sixth edition for online and blended courses.”
Boyer-Davis is co-chair of the College of Business Assurance of Learning and Curriculum committee and a member both the University Assurance of Learning committee and the Teaching and Learning Advisory Council. She earned a doctorate in accounting from Capella University, master's degrees in human resource management, business administration, and accounting and financial management from the Keller Graduate School of Management, and a bachelor's degree in accounting.