Staff

“E-learning doesn't just happen! It requires careful planning and implementation.” —Anonymous

Keith Cronk has been engaged in distance learning for more than 35 years. He has seen it blossom from print-based materials to the rich kaleidoscope of learning tools available in online learning.

Cronk has served 22 years as CIO at Harding, where he has had the opportunity to experience growth in online learning and e-learning support.

Cronk and his wife, Reet, have three children, three grandchildren and a dog.

Keith Cronk is inspired by Philippians 2:5-7

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men.”

“Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.” —Aldo Gucci

Reet Cronk has developed and taught many graduate and undergraduate online classes in the past 20 years and has many publications in the area of e-learning.

While we have come a long way in our understanding of e-learning in the last 25 years, the field is still in its infancy. Consistent academic quality in online offerings remains a challenge. The adoption of holistic frameworks for quality evaluation of online offerings will be critical moving forward.

Cronk is curious by nature and has always loved learning. She has qualifications in three disciplines: medical technology, molecular genetics and information systems. She and her husband, Keith, have three children and three grandchildren.

Reet Cronk is inspired by Psalm 19:1
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

“The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other. Without collaboration our growth is limited to our own perspective.” -Robert John Meehan

Along with her duties as director of e-learning and multimedia services, Kirby also serves as an instructional designer and Quality Matters peer reviewer for online courses. She has more than 30 years of experience in education, including 25 years with Harding. Helping faculty provide the best learning experience online or on campus is her motivation.

As Daphne Koller wrote in her New York Times article, “Online education can serve two goals. For students lucky enough to have access to great teachers, blended learning can mean even better outcomes at the same or lower cost. And for the millions here and abroad who lack access to in-person education, online learning can open doors that would otherwise remain closed.” This valuable experience is even more enhanced in Christian online education.

Kirby is a transplanted Texan and enjoys the outdoors and spending time with friends and family. She and her husband, Gary, have two grown children and six grandchildren. She is a member of the College Church of Christ.

Paula Kirby is inspired by her colleagues.

“There is no formula or recipe that works for all learners at all times. There is no set of lesson plans or units that can engage the range of learning styles, approaches and intelligences that are likely to gather in one classroom.” —William Ayres in “To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher”

Naomi Valentine has worked in higher education for almost 13 years, and during that time she has had the opportunity to work with students and faculty, solving their course needs using technology and best practices in teaching and learning. The best part of her job is collaborating with faculty regarding their design needs.

According to Steve Jobs, “design is not just what it looks like or feels like but how it works.” To create an effective online learning experience, design must be created with functionality, accessibility and the end user in mind. The bells and whistles are great, but the perceived usefulness of the design should be evident in the application of student learning.

She and her husband, Steven, have three children. She enjoys singing and cooking flavorful blends of foods.

Naomi Valentine is inspired by her late grandmother who was a hard worker who loved the Lord with every part of her being. A woman of virtue and honor, she taught her granddaughter to “work heartily and diligently as for the Lord…” (Col 3:23).

“Tell me, and I forget; teach me, and I may remember; involve me, and I learn.” —Benjamin Franklin

John Mimms has been an instructional designer for three years. His passion is to help make life-changing education accessible for more people.

Education is a key that unlocks many opportunities, and online education makes that key available to people all over the world.

He and his wife, Rebecca, have a house full of plants and books! He is a lifelong learner and enjoys being able to dive into the variety of courses across campus.

John Mimms is inspired by taking small moments each day to look out in awe and wonder at our world — whether it be towering mountains, singing birds or a young tree sprouting up from the ground. Being intentional by reflecting on what he is grateful for and the beauty in what God created gives him an overflowing sense of inspiration.

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” —Aristotle

Allison Case has worked at Harding for more than 10 years. She first managed the Testing Lab and then became the learning management system administrator in 2015.

Case graduated from Harding in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts and earned a Master of Education in 2010.

She always wanted to be a teacher, and now she gets to help teachers find solutions and learn the LMS.

She and her husband, Aaron, have two daughters, one son, one dog and lots of chickens.

She is inspired by her family and coworkers that encourage her to do her best.

“Education is not the learning of facts but the training of the mind to think.” —Albert Einstein

Beth Seay graduated from Harding in 1993 with a Master of Education. She is a third generation Harding alum and is blessed to witness the fourth generation enjoying their Harding experience.

Seay spent 22 years as a homeschool mom, part time art teacher and florist. She joined e-learning in 2019 and has managed the Testing Lab and Canvas quizzing since March 2021. The transition is proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks.

She and her husband of more than 30 years, Tim, have two sons.

She is inspired by Psalm 19:1 — The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Living in the country and being surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation is a source of daily inspiration.

“We have to go from what is essentially an industrial model of education, a manufacturing model, which is based on linearity and conformity and batching people. We have to move to a model that is based more on principles of agriculture. We have to recognize that human flourishing is not a mechanical process; it’s an organic process. And you cannot predict the outcome of human development. All you can do, like a farmer, is create the conditions under which they will begin to flourish.” —Sir Ken Robinson

Cheryl Walker graduated from Harding with a Master of Science in education with an emphasis in English. Like Naomi Valentine, she has worked at Harding for almost 13 years.

Walker believes that online learning can be a powerful tool to extend a hand to those who have a desire for Christian education but do not have the ability to attend in person due to finances, health, family or work situations. Whether it is to keep a connection with those who have been at Harding before or make a connection with those who haven’t, online learning helps provide the gift of learning in a Christian environment.

Walker was raised as part of the third generation on her family’s fruit farm. She loves spending time in nature, hiking, biking and working on the farm. Her husband, Carl, is a technical training specialist at Harding, and they have been married for 24 years after meeting on their first day of Harding chapel in 1995!

God is her inspiration.