For me learning is a continuous process. My journey through education did not stop at high school graduation. I continued on and attained a bachelors in psychology and masters degree in teaching. Recently, I completed an online Doctor of Education program in instructional technology and distance education with a minor in curriculum development. Knowledge is a gift that you can give yourself that no one can ever take away from you.
As an elementary educator, I didn't realize that what I did on a daily basis was instructional design. All I knew was that if I wasn't reaching my students, I had to try something different. Therefore, I have learned that flexibility is crucial in designing learning and assessments. Sometimes, that meant redeveloping activities on the fly when a lesson started going awry in a classroom setting.
When I started taking courses for the EdD program, I truly had that "aha" moment of realizing that what I did, day in and day out, was instructional design. As an online student, I found that being able to connect in some way with my instructor or classmates diminished a sense of isolation. In my role as a learning designer in higher education, I provided experiences that are engaging and build a sense of community among the learners through the activities and assessments I create for the courses that I develop. These courses have covered a wide variety of program areas: history, business, criminal justice, computer science, communication and media, equine studies, mathematics, language arts, and project management.
Currently, I work as a remote education consultant in program, curriculum, learning design and development. I have experience with conducting curriculum reviews, developing professional development training, mentoring, project management, instructional design, online learning, and technology integration.
