About
In addition to my formal training, I have invaluable life skills that I can bring to the table. I have been a “mature student” and can look at things from the perspective of learners, whether they are students at a university or are employees that have to retrain or learn a new skill on the job. But my expertise is the result of my education and an extensive background in teaching, training and designing courses. Knowledge of how to best deliver instruction and an understanding of the learning process is not only necessary but vital to both teaching and instructional design.
My education background in Adult Education and Instructional Systems and Design, Major in Open and Distance Learning, combined with work experiences equip me to be an effective educator and designer of instruction. I have a proven track record in designing and delivering courses to learners. My professional background includes both course work and job experience in learning theory, best practice pedagogies, assessment methods, and designing and delivering instruction based on learning outcome objectives.
Instructional Design and Technology
While I am comfortable with the topic of Instructional Technology, I have a graduate degree in Instructional Design. Technology used properly can enhance a solid pedagogy and allow greater access to education. The instructional designer incorporates instructional technology into course design where it is necessary or appropriate.
Life-long learning
The modern job market often requires workers to be agile in learning new skills. Life-long learning is a part of our lives in the modern era. How adults learn new skills is part of my training, work experience and also part of my personal experience. The fact that during our lifetimes we may have to “reinvent” our skill set should be seen not as a crisis but as an opportunity, an opportunity to infuse new vigor not only in the workforce and our communities but in ourselves as well.
Teaching
“Education is not the filling of a pail but a lighting of a fire.” This quotation, possibly by Plutarch, to me exemplifies the concept of life-long learning and therefore an appreciation of the needed teaching skills for those educating our children or educating older, adults. My hope is that appreciation will also be gained concerning the skills needed for teaching adult learners (andragogy), especially outside the traditional spaces of four year colleges and universities.
Skills & Proficiencies
- Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS)
- Canvas Learning Management System (LMS)
- D2L Learning Management System. (LMS)
- Certification: Quality Matters – Applying the Quality Matters Rubric (APPQMR)
- Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel,
Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Planner - Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Slack
- Adobe Captivate, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere
- Audacity Audio Software
- Podcasts (Audio and Video)
- Certification: ACT WorkKeys Job Skills Assessment System
- Whiteboard Learning Management System (LMS)
- MOODLE Learning Management System (LMS)
- WordPress Content Management System (CMS)
- TFI CAT1 Computer and Technical Literacy Learning System
- Performance Analysis
- Basic HTML and CSS
- Adaptable
- Team Player
- Excellent Written and Oral Communication Skills
Additional Information
Presenter at the train-the-trainer conference
for adult educators in the Alabama Community College System. I gave a
presentation on the “Reasoning Through Language Arts” section of the
2014 GED exam.
Selection committee member to choose instructional materials for the 2014 GED exam at the Adult Education Program, Southern Union State Community College.
Among others, I have used these education tools to assist in instruction:
- Cat1.org – A learning system designed to teach and assess computer skills commonly required in the work place and in academic settings. A product created by the TFI (Technological Fluency Institute). CAT1 is no longer being supported and may be withdrawn.
- ACT WorkKeys® – A job skills assessment system that addresses training and development of the workforce. Upon successful completion of three units – applied math, locating information and reading for information – a student will earn the National Career Readiness Certificate, (NCRC).
- ACT KeyTrain® – The primary program for training students for the NCRC and teaching other workplace skills. The course are based on skills and progressions in the ACT WorkKeys® assessment system.