Each year, one faculty member receives the Rawlings Outstanding Distance Education Teaching Award in recognition of their dedication to online students through innovative teaching.  

Assistant Teaching Professor of Information Systems and Operations Management, Dr. Lakshika Kuruppuarachchi, is the 2025-2026 Rawlings Outstanding Distance Education Teaching Award recipient.  

“I’m truly honored and grateful to receive this award. Teaching online has given me the opportunity to connect with students who may be balancing work, family, and other responsibilities, so it is especially meaningful to know that my approach is making a positive difference in their learning experience,” says Dr. Kuruppuarachchi.  

“I see this award as recognition not just of my teaching, but of the students who continue to work hard and engage with their courses in an online environment.” 

A Personalized Approach: Reaching Students through Video Feedback

Dr. Kuruppuarachchi says one of Ball State University’s strengths is “the combination of quality education, practical learning, and faculty who are genuinely invested in their students’ successes.”  

It’s clear that Dr. Kuruppuarachchi is dedicated to her students. Her online courses are designed with the student learning experience in mind.  

“I try to make my online courses highly personalized, applied, and interactive. I try to be very responsive to students,” she says.  

“For example, in my simulation modeling course, when students encounter problems with their models, I review their files and create personalized video walkthroughs explaining the problem and how to correct it. This allows students to receive guidance specific to their work and revisit the explanation at their own pace.” 

Additionally, Dr. Kuruppuarachchi places a major focus on applicable learning throughout her courses. Students in her logistics and supply chain management courses use project-based learning to solve realistic supply chain problems. Sometimes those problems are actual examples from a student’s workplace.  

“My students are not just learning concepts; they are learning how to analyze a problem, work with others, communicate their findings, and develop recommendations that could be used in a professional setting,” says Dr. Kuruppuarachchi. 

Intentional Design 

While enrollment in online courses and online degree programs may have leveled out since the height of the pandemic, the most recent federal data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) indicates that demand for online learning remains high. 

Dr. Kuruppuarachchi believes the quality of education should not depend on whether a student is sitting in a physical classroom.  

“In my courses, I hold online students to the same academic expectations and learning outcomes while intentionally designing activities and support around the online environment,” she says.  

The quality of education in her courses is reflected in both the rigor of the coursework and the skills her students develop. For example, Dr. Kuruppuarachchi closely tracks the skills employers increasingly need for logistics and supply chain management—data analysis, forecasting, quantitative decision-making, problem-solving, process analysis, simulation, and supply chain analytics—and emphasizes them throughout her courses. 

“My goal is for an online student to receive the same level of intellectual challenge, engagement, support, and real-world exposure as a student in a face-to-face course,” says Dr. Kuruppuarachchi. 

“Whether students are learning online or in person, they can receive meaningful interaction with faculty, challenging academic experiences, and opportunities to develop skills that prepare them for their careers.”