Which Road Are You On?
I am an ambassador
for life-long learning by pursuing a Ph.D. in Education at Walden University. As
I strive to be a role model to my children and to those in my sphere of
influence, I adamantly believe that blended education is a responsibility for
academic professionals. We are curators of curiosity and earners of educational
wealth. My Ph.D.
path in Learning, Instruction, & Innovation is the embodiment
of my passions and shall solidify my personal and career goals.
By
necessity, human beings depend on one another. John Donne wrote that
“no man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent,
a part of the main.” It is as true in 1664 as it is today in 2017 that we need to work
together to accomplish great things. A Ph.D. is not just doing independent research,
writing papers, literature reviews, and earning good grades. It is also about creating
human connections. People who do not experience online learning do not often understand
how interactive and human it actually it. Just as in most schools, it is essential
to cultivate a network of like-minded individuals in order to excel. Just like a
traditional professional degree we need to support one another. For example,
the rubric for this foundational course emphasizes the importance of interactive
collaboration by weighting the discussions at 60% of the grade. When you
have the determination, work ethic, and internal drive in the 21st century
you may reach educational achievements utilizing the power of the internet and
the logistical luxury which comes with it. However, making these connections virtually
does not replace the face-to-face which is why this is a blended program with
residential requirements.
As
scholar practitioners, we are elastic amorphous segments in a global spider
web; we spin a digital brand by how we invest our time. Everything we do in
person as well as online becomes our reality. I am building a network in both
realms by being present at events, both educational and social, and by
nurturing relationships online and in-person. In a 2015 Ted Talk, a cognitive
scientist named Donald Hoffman said: “We're inclined to think that perception
is like a window on reality as it is. The theory of evolution is telling us
that this is an incorrect interpretation of our perceptions. Instead, reality
is more like a 3D desktop that's designed to hide the complexity of the real
world and guide adaptive behavior. Space as you perceive it is your desktop.
Physical objects are just the icons in that desktop.” (Hoffman, 2015) I
inferred from his presentation that reality itself has changed due to the
digital world so humans must adapt and utilize technology to survive.
My path to earn a PhD
in Learning, Instruction, & Innovation is complex. I am of the same
mindset of Kent William Thompson who is interviewed in the video from Module 6
entitled: Which road are you on? (Laureate Education, 2014) Just like
Thompson, I assert that earning a Ph.D. will prepare me “to think and create
new knowledge across a broad spectrum.” I am an open-minded troublemaker and a
risk taker with a tendency to speak up for others. This specialty area is both
general and specialize allowing me to make constructive waves in the way
students learn and in how ultimately teachers will teach.
I have
many career aspirations:
·
Higher Education instruction
·
Authoring of books and higher education/K-12 curriculum
·
Digital literacy and public advocacy
The educational
standardization case study problem which I identified is an inadequate
implementation of educational standards by the state. With the proper
professional development of educators, and improved communications to all
stakeholders, we will be on the same page and then we can get creative in our
execution. Even teachers with the best of intentions are at a disadvantage if
they ill-informed. We need to clarify goals and methodologies and provide the
space, support, and trust in our teachers. In the U.S., we have an untapped
educational opportunity to be innovative and engaging.
One specific way I am
able to problem solve this top-down educational problem would be within the
Department of Education, Office of Communications. I would expand e-learning,
outreach, and state-approved standards-based training. Clarity would be a high priority
as we produce, support, and monitor stakeholder training. When I combine my
decade long career in media, public relations, and advertising with a decade as
a K-12 teacher and a Ph.D. in Learning, Instruction, & Innovation, I
will have the expertise to be successful in the path of my choosing.
According to Walden University, the Learning, Instruction, and
Innovation specialization will prepare me to “translate creativity into
innovative learning experiences…. solutions grounded in principles of
brain-based learning.” Borrowing the words of Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of
Facebook, ultimately, “I want to work on stuff that I think matters.”
I reviewed Looking Ahead to Your
Advanced Graduate Degree information on social change, a determining factor in my decision
to pursue my Ph.D. here at Walden. I agree with the 2014
Social Change Impact Report, "change is continuous, and it is
important." The Information Age is a turning point in history which we
must embrace and innovate. Technology is not the enemy of education. The
Digital Age provides an unlimited and evolving medium and I want to be part of
what makes blended education successful.
Personally, I feel
optimistic being part of a community of those who attend Walden University. As
stated on the website, "we believe that knowledge is most valuable when
put to use for the greater good."
I want to make positive changes by helping others,
being a trouble maker and I will be fulfilled by the knowledge and experience I
obtain. In my life, I encounter those who do not seek out life-long learning
opportunities which is not to say that a Ph.D. is the only vehicle for positive
social change. For me, it is a personal choice which began at home and
developed in the classroom, by successes, and failures.
My path
began at home with my family. My parents valued hard work, cultural exposure,
and academic success. My father, an immigrant learned English as a third
language. He became an attorney and was a twice elected to the legislature
serving as an advocate for education. My mom made sure I received a
well-rounded education in public school, religious school and participated in
extracurricular activities. She supported my identity even when I was rebelling
from her. My siblings enhanced my vocabulary and still serve as role models and
confidantes. They all taught me that competition is a good thing, that
independence is a necessity, and that nothing gets handed to you unless you
work hard.
In my teaching practice,
I spend my days with teenagers and it is my professional goal to one day widen
that footprint to budding educators by completing this Ph.D. There is also a spiritual
reason for this difficult undertaking. I assume that Walden doctoral students
are here to be “do-gooders” and practice the concept of Tikkun olam,
(pronounced tee-KOON oh-LUHM) which in Hebrew literally means world repair. “Tikkun
olam has become synonymous with the notion of social action and the pursuit
of social justice” (MyJewishLearning.com, 2004) Tikkun olam is the
Jewish belief that if you make a positive impact on merely one person, you will
change the universe. We have a powerful viral responsibility to use our
education for the greater good and this is the road I chose…
References
·
Hoffman, D. (2015, March). Donald Hoffman:
Do we see reality as it is? | TED Talk. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/donald_hoffman_do_we_see_reality_as_it_is
·
MyJewishLearning.com:
The Personal Gateway to Jewish Education. (8 June 2004). Overview: Tikkun Olam.
http://www.myjewishlearning.com
·
Sandberg, S. (2013). Lean
in: Women, work, and the will to lead (First edition.). New York: Alfred A.
Knopf.
·
Thompson, Kent W. Laureate Education (2014). Which road are you
on? [Video file]
·
Walden University. (2014). 2014 Social Change Impact Report.
Retrieved from https://www.waldenu.edu/about/social-change/impact-report-2014
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