Inside DELTA: 5 Questions with Bethany Smith

DELTA’s Director of Instructional Support and Training Bethany Smith is a jack-of-all-trades, with accomplishments ranging from being a videogame tester to knitting, creating sketches and illustrations in books. With such a lengthy repertoire of experience, she is an interesting subject for this edition of Inside DELTA.

Smith is an NC State graduate and worked in a few teaching roles including a graphic design/yearbook position and one in which she taught people to test video games. While working at the video game testing and support company, Smith learned a lot about communication and business management saying, “I loved working there. I learned a lot about working and managing people. I was also the only female in the room.”

After testing video games, she came back to NC State to work on a visualization and science education grant at the College of Education. She then earned her master’s degree in instructional technology. 

Working her way up the ladder within the college, she became an assistant director of learning technologies in 2006 and director of the Media Education and Technology Resource Center in 2012.

In 2016 she joined DELTA as the associate director of technology training. Smith was excited to come and work with DELTA. “I worked with so many of the DELTA team,” Smith said. “We collaborate on things, and I taught workshops with DELTA in the past. I thought it would be a really great opportunity for me.”

She loves working with people and collaborating. No matter where she is, she always has her hands busy — whether it’s crafting, quilting or embroidering she does it all!

How would you describe your position to someone unfamiliar with DELTA?

In her role with DELTA, Smith works with NC State instructors to help use and integrate technologies into their course content. She oversees a staff of instructional technologists who create and offer workshops that support best practices.

Smith says the key to success is communication and doing what’s best for student excellence. 

“Since I work with great employees and staff my job is less about being a manager and more about analyzing data and prioritizing based on our research and knowledge,” Smith said. 

She does this by using the Quality Matters framework. Smith directs three teams whose mission is to support technology use for the faculty members. They help get the course certified in terms of its value.

What is the most challenging aspect of your position?

“Distributing knowledge and resources to areas where we can provide support for faculty is challenging, especially in this post-COVID-19 world,” she says. “Teaching advanced technologies over Zoom, instead of face-to-face consultations or workshops, adds to the dilemma.”

According to Smith, it’s strenuous to balance downtime between meetings, separating from technology, work projects and family life. 

“We used to buffer meetings by 15 minutes in order to travel to other meetings on campus,” she explains. “Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have more back-to-back Zoom meetings and less downtime from technology and the workspace.”

What makes your job special?

Smith appreciates that her job is full of people that understand their position and the tasks that need to be accomplished.

“I work with amazing people who truly care about the faculty, staff and students at NC State,” Smith explains. “They want every instructor to succeed, and that helps all of our students succeed as well.”

What is your favorite project that you’ve worked on at DELTA?

Smith’s favorite project is DELTA-Con, an unconference she started in 2016. She loves planning events and bringing people together. This annual unconference continues to provide expertise and collaboration among people throughout the state.

“I am a big fan of the unconference format and how it acknowledges the wisdom of the room rather than just featuring the speaker,” she said. “With a regular conference, you have to plan subject matter out months in advance. It can be difficult to predict what will be relevant when the conference is actually happening. At DELTA-Con, you can talk about new technologies that are important on the day of the event and how they can be relevant in the present.”

 What do you like to do in your spare time outside of work?

“I really like making stuff,” Smith said. “My latest project is refinishing a buffet table and I’m learning how to garden as well!”

Smith enjoys crafting but she’s also an avid media consumer. “I love going to film festivals, and my favorite movies are Dead Again and Everything Everywhere All at Once.” She’s also part of a monthly book club which was founded in 2004. Her favorite books over the past year are Mexican Gothic, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.

Sketch-noting is another art form that Smith engages in often. “Some of my sketchbooks have been published and I’ve illustrated books as well,” Smith said. She recently showcased one of her sketch notes at the UNC System Teaching and Learning Symposium in April.

Smith has been married to Brent Smith, for almost 24 years. He is a textile chemist who loves traveling the world and provides great advice on helping to select fabric for her quilts.

They have two children — her son Evan who is turning 16 and Skylar who is seven. “They definitely keep me on my toes,” Smith said. Recently, Smith became a co-leader for Skylar’s Girl Scout Troop. “I just couldn’t stop myself from volunteering, and I have a great time crafting and camping with Skylar.”

Smith and her family love to travel the world — she’s been to China, Australia, England — to name a few. Smith hopes to finally make it to Paris, France in 2024.