The Office Hours series brings together faculty from Risepoint-supported partner universities to share their expertise, challenges, and successes in online learning.
In this inaugural article of the series, Dr. Timothy Wall, Dean of the School of Education and Professor of Education at Northwest Missouri State University, reflects on the importance of online learning as an option for working adults with families. As a lifelong learner and educator, Dr. Wall emphasizes how the online environment enables students at Northwest to learn alongside community members from diverse backgrounds and apply new insights and skills to their work.
Where better to begin the Office Hours series than with the foundation of a long-standing partnership? Northwest Missouri State University has served the rural Midwest through on-campus and online education, and over the past decade, its partnership with Risepoint has helped expand access to undergraduate and graduate programs in business, education, and healthcare. Northwest is especially known for its strength in education, preparing graduates who go on to serve school districts and communities across the region. That deep connection between university mission, community impact, and online learning makes Northwest a fitting place to start the conversation.
Q&A with Dr. Timothy Wall
What do you enjoy most about your position?
Building a team of amazing faculty who care deeply about extraordinary learning experiences that equip Northwest Missouri State Students to go out and thrive after graduation. I also adore the chance to find state and federal grants to expand programs, offer timely financial support directly to student teachers during their senior year, and collaborate with fantastic program coordinators, Chairs, and other leaders.
How did you get started in online teaching, and how has your approach evolved over time?
I was blessed to begin teaching online in 2002 and have taught courses in lots of awesome content areas, including Education, Educational Psychology, Social Studies, Western Civilization and History, Research, Assessment and Data Analysis, and Multicultural education. Over the years, I have crafted a deepening appreciation for really reaching students who want to continue their education while also meeting work and family opportunities and responsibilities.
I believe that high-quality asynchronous and online learning allows people in underserved communities (like rural areas where Northwest Missouri State is located) to achieve great things anywhere they can be online, at any time, day or night.
Right now, I’m really enjoying teaching my summer 2026 Data and Assessment Literacy course, where our students delve into creating real-world insights into their students’ learning through strong analytical practices and real-world data from their schools, so they can see the impact of practice on student learning. Relevant, fun, and important work.
I believe that high-quality asynchronous and online learning allows people in underserved communities (like rural areas where Northwest Missouri State is located) to achieve great things anywhere they can be online, at any time day or night.
Who or what most shaped your development as an educator, and how has that influenced the way you support new faculty today?
My mentors, Dr. Max Ruhl and Dr. Joyce Piveral, really poured into me. They saw an inkling of talent and began to build me up, offering clear, descriptive feedback and opportunities for real growth through professional development at key Education conferences. Now, years later, I’ve been so blessed to become a national leader in several excellent and meaningful higher education groups, and I’m pouring into new faculty to support them as they begin their practice. A circle of professional life, if you will…apologies to Sir Elton John and to you, dear reader, now that you have that Lion King song running through your head.
How does your experience teaching online differ from your experience teaching in person? In what ways is it similar?
One exciting difference for the online learner involves respecting the balance of work, family and parenting, professional responsibility, and sacrifice. I try to never forget that our online learners might be working at midnight or 6 a.m., at their convenience so they can also work and volunteer in their communities as a dance instructor or baseball coach or vocal music educator. We have so many students at Northwest who have rich, meaningful lives and participate fully in faith communities while they advance their learning with a Master’s degree or Specialist degree. So, with respect, I strive to design the course to optimize the experience while engaging collaboration through deputizing the students.
I make several videos available to students early in the term. After they grasp the main ideas, process, and learning outcomes, I ask the students to support one another in meaningful feedback loops within discussions. As I provide them in-depth and specific feedback on creating excellent research questions, I expect them to share their learning and help classroom colleagues. This creates a culture of care and a tight-knit group of students who work alongside one another to achieve great things.
Some say that online learning is depersonalized. I completely disagree. When well-structured, online learning has excellent connectivity. Plus, with students in my course from dozens of different states and many prior experiences, why wouldn’t we support an engaging opportunity to really learn alongside each other?
Some say that online learning is depersonalized. I completely disagree. When well-structured, online learning has excellent connectivity. Plus, with students in my course from dozens of different states and many prior experiences, why wouldn’t we support an engaging opportunity to really learn alongside each other?
Please share a story about a student whose life, career, or confidence was meaningfully impacted through the program.
I had the privilege of learning with and teaching a student who was incredibly nervous about both learning online and statistical analysis. We worked together, and through Zoom conversations, we were able to decrease anxiety about mathematics and computation and focus instead on really knowing if his students had learned. Shifting the focus to his students, their learning, and what really matters enabled us to forge trust.
This reminds me of what Paulo Freire teaches about education: You can learn anything you want when you desperately want to learn so you can improve a community.
We learned the statistics to solve a problem that mattered to the student. When the class ended, I received such a nice note of thanks for taking the time to individualize the work to meet the needs of my student so that he could reach his students. That’s what life and learning are all about, really.
Why is online education important to you, and how does it expand your ability to serve different student populations?
Offering robust, well-structured, accessible, and important courses and programs is so vital to the modern learner. Today’s learners want to know they are learning from someone who cares, who respects them, and who understands the struggle of balancing work, family, relationships, caring for parents and children, and being present in one’s community while dedicating and sacrificing to continue one’s education.
Today’s learners want to know they are learning from someone who cares, who respects them, and who understands the struggle of balancing work, family, relationships, caring for parents and children, and being present in one’s community while dedicating and sacrificing to continue one’s education.
At Northwest Missouri State University, we have more than a dozen online programs that enrich and inspire, taught by amazing and dedicated real teachers who focus on our students, so they grow, develop, and add value to their lives through new learning, new skills, and advanced career opportunities. I believe the reason we’ve expanded from 50 graduate students to over 1,500 since 2016 is that our students have a great experience, they can learn from anywhere, and they know we care and we’re offering a well-designed set of classes that make for an unbeatable experience.
When we teach from the heart, anything is possible.
