....anyone … anywhere … anytime with Kevin Lemoine!

“Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.” – Chinese proverb.

Some teachers lecture; some teachers demonstrate. Distance educators construct learning opportunities with their students. Now, that’s involvement.

Kevin Lemoine has bridged a student’s potential to the pursuit of knowledge by integrating technology and promoting interaction. As a French teacher, he utilized language learning software and early chat programs for his second language students. 

“I developed online reading modules using authentic language from a variety of online sources and built instructional and assessment activities around the texts,” he said.

With this early experience in distance learning, Kevin continues to reinforce “thinking outside the box” as he offers advice to educators for the next 10 years.

“The state of Texas will never reach its aggressive goals for participation unless educators across the state develop innovative ways to reach students and educate them,” Kevin said.

The goals Kevin referenced are part of “Closing the Gaps,” a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board initiative to increase the number of students enrolled in college by 630,000 in nine more years.

“One of the most important aspects of distance learning is that it has the potential to provide access to higher education to students who might not otherwise go to college,” Kevin said. “And institutions of higher education will have to ensure the quality of online instruction while expanding offerings.” 

In addition to developing strategies for “Closing the Gaps,” Kevin serves as program director in the academic affairs and research division of THECB. He reviews proposals for new degree programs and is the lead staff member for distance education policies, serving as staff advisor on a number of committees.

Kevin remains the consummate teacher as someone who continues to pursue learning.

“I became a member of TxDLA in 2005 to gain a broader perspective on what was happening in the state,” he said.

He has noticed how TxDLA allows members in education, industry and government to learn from one another. 

“TxDLA can serve as a bridge between the state and distance learning faculty and staff working at institutions of higher education,” Kevin said. “TxDLA can highlight aspects of the statewide plan for higher education, 'Closing the Gaps', that TxDLA members may be able to help achieve."

Since joining, Kevin has attended fall leadership workshops and served on the Hall of Fame Awards and public policy committees. He is chairing a track for the 2007 conference on research in distance learning.

Contributed by Cheryl LaRue, North Lamar ISD

Ed Note: Kevin Lemoine has a Ph.D. in French and Spanish linguistics from The University of Texas at Austin and works as a policymaker and program director at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The main focus of his work includes ensuring high-quality instruction in distance education courses, reviewing requests for new degree programs, and reviewing the quality of existing degree programs. Prior to working at the Coordinating Board, Kevin served as the assistant director of an evening credit course program at UT Austin and, before that, was an assistant professor of French linguistics and director of the French language program at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Kevin has taught both French and English at the middle school, high school, and college levels.