DL Ambassadors - Brendan Haynie

Dr. Brendan Haynie is Liberty University’s online dean of the School of Health Sciences. He specializes in physical/analytical chemistry with a focus on molecular electronics. Brendan has been teaching with Carolina Distance Learning kits since 2018.

What is the most fulfilling part of your work?

Being involved in program creation from idea inception to program “birthing.” This usually begins with an identified area of interest to build a program and is followed by benchmarking and market analysis.

If the project is given a green light, legislation will be written up with a degree program plan, all courses that need to be created, the mode they will be delivered, and the list of current faculty able to teach in the courses/program. Once the Senate votes to approve, course developers are IDed, the rollout plan for the courses is created, the courses’ shells are created for setup, program directors are hired, and accreditation procedures—if it’s going to be pursued—are initiated.

What do you think would have added to your own learning experience when you were a university student?

I don’t know if there is any. I went to college pre-Internet, so it was old-school, and it was a smaller school—around 3,500—so I had relatively easy access to my professors. Even though enrollment-wise it was not a huge school, it was well-appointed in scientific instrumentation and attentive faculty.

Did any of your instructors or mentors give you advice that has stayed with you as you teach?

As part of my degree, I had to do research with a faculty member, write a thesis, and defend it. I had a great mentor in this case, and he provided advice and encouragement throughout my entire career. We still keep in touch.

What roles have you taken on as an educator? What interests have you been able to pursue at your institution, and which would you like to pursue?

I have been an educator in many modalities. In secondary education, as a public, in-person instructor and a private, online instructor. In higher education, as a public and private in-person instructor and a public and private online instructor. Even though I still teach online, my day job is full-time administration.

How do you feel using Distance Learning kits have enhanced your teaching and/or your students’ learning experience? Have any of your students given feedback on their experience with these kits?

In the sciences, there is no substitute for executing an experiment physically. Most students like using the kits and being able to do actual experiments in their homes.

What is one of the best ways you’ve found to connect with your students, both in-person and distance learners?

Decades ago, when I taught in-person, my open-door policy was well known. I also had a “Little Debbie Snack Cake Ministry” where students—even if not in my courses—could come into my office and get a snack, but they would need to stick around and talk to me to see what was up in their lives. 

Currently, my courses are asynchronous, so I really usually connect with students via email. But I do make videos for students to help them with concepts or specific problems.