Dr. S. David Vaillancourt

Dr. S. David Vaillancourt

About me

Dr. S. David Vaillancourt currently serves as the Vice President of Academic Affairs for the College of Health Care Professions based in Houston, Texas. Prior to this post he worked as an e-Learning consultant for companies across the USA. His primary research focus over the past four years has been the development of online learning Engagement Metrics. Dr. Vaillancourt’s 27 years of service in education includes multiple levels of experience in both private and public educational institutions. His professional positions include Online Campus President for Virginia College, National Dean of ITT's Online Division, Director of Education for Ultimate Medical Academy, President of a two-campus allied health college in Utah, Certified Cisco Academy Instructor, Master Certified Novell Instructor, and K-12 public school science teacher.

Dr. Vaillancourt’s BS and MS in Education were earned from Samford University in 1983 and 1989, respectively. He completed his Ed.D. in Instructional Technology and Distance Education from Nova Southeastern University in May 2004. Dr. Vaillancourt designed, founded and chaired the non-profit National Math Bee (2006-2011), which provided an online learning community for over 15,000 elementary school mathematics students in 37 states across the country.  He was a US Army soldier prior to his career in education.

Activity

Ann, Clearing the mind of "clutter" is an important step to implement effective reasoning. Sounds like you're ready to go for 2012. Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Yvonne, This is a very good point. In the current state of instructional technology post secondary undergraduate and graduate courses may be more appropriate for the online environment because of the maturity of the learners. Thank you for your insights. Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Yvonne, Very good point. The mindset of the student plays a crucial role in the subsequent success or failure. Providing positive reinforcement getting them examples and tools are definitely appropriate steps to take in getting the learner back on the right track. Thank you for your contribution. Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Natalie, Your students' access to online advocates is a tremendous advantage for them. Yet, you are absolutely correct, the learner must take responsibility for the learning. If the commitment to the class is not there, teachers and advocates cannot make it happen. However, working as a team to encourage students over rough spots and keep them committed to their original goals can be a powerful assistance. Thank you for sharing. Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Tonia, You are in good company. Many online instructors recommend this to be the optimum. Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Natalie, Good point. Makes sense. Thank you for sharing. Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Tonia, You are right. It is essential to establish an instructional environment that is conducive for student-centered learning by clearly defining classroom process, procedures and boundaries. Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Amjad, This is an excellent means of student investigation. The thought processed invoked with this instructional approach can be very enriching. Nice work. Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Ann, Using probing questions is often cited as a powerful tool. Do you have an example of a particulary effective illustration for this application from one of your classes? Thanks for your contribution. Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Ann, I agree with your scenario and have seen this process work for many folks at different times. However, sometimes I see students having difficulty with the "focused question" part because they do not clearly define the problem being reflected upon. In this situation sometimes "scattered thinking" overcomes the process. In the use of reflective thinking, for those not employing it as readily as some, the 'focused question' component may need extra attention to allow the process to unfold adequately. Thank you for your insights. Dr. S. David Vaillancourt

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