As a graduate student in the LDT program, I worked towards several major goals. One goal was to increase my knowledge of the theory and research that provides the foundation for our field. Another goal was to become familiar with and participate in the professional activities associated with our field. I have achieved these goals by taking several foundation courses, participating in research studies and service activities, and continuing my full time work as the Coordinator for Emerging Learning Technologies at the Center for Teaching and Learning. Below, I will describe my research, service and teaching activities in for the past three years.
Goals
By the end of my doctoral program, I would like to achieve the following goals:
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Engage in rigorous scholarly research that will contribute to the current understanding of makerspaces and maker learning.
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Review the literature and research methods that are related to my areas of interest.
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Gain experience teaching undergraduate or graduate students.
- Become an active participant in the learning, design and technology academic community.
Research and Service
Research Studies
College of Family and Consumer Sciences Diversity Study (2014)
Dr. Janette Hill invited me to assist with a study that included a series of focus groups conducted with students, faculty and staff in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia. The purpose of this study was to gather additional ideas and suggestions for addressing diversity in the college. I took notes at several focus groups, and then participated in working sessions with Dr. Hill and the other doctoral students to analyze the data from the focus groups. This project was my first experience collecting data in a focus group and working with a group to analyze. I learned a great deal from the protocols and methods that Dr. Hill used, and I anticipate using similar methods in my own research.
Flipped Classroom Study (2014)
Dr. Denise Domizi invited me to be a co-investigator on a study called “Investigating the efficacy of flipped classrooms using open educational resources.” This study was conducted in conjunction with a 2014-2015 Innovation Grant, funded by the Board of Regents of the University of Georgia through the Complete College Georgia program, called Flipping with OERS: Increasing Learning and Engagement While Decreasing Costs. I took notes at a focus group of undergraduate students who were taking a flipped course while Dr. Domizi led the session, and shared my notes with Dr. Domizi after the session. This project was significant because it involves open educational resources, which is one of my areas of interest.
Cloud-based student response systems (2014)
As part of my job at the Center for Teaching and Learning, I submitted an IRB for a study investigating the use of cloud-based student response systems in the college classroom. The IRB was approved in October 2014. I invited faculty to participate in the study in November 2014. This was a very short survey intended to collect data about the experience of faculty who are adopting cloud-based student response systems in their classes.
Faculty Adoption of Open Education Resources (2015)
With my advisor, Janette Hill, I submitted an IRB for a study investigating the adoption of OERs from the perspective of the adopting faculty members by conducting interviews. This IRB is a preliminary data collection based on the research proposal draft I wrote in EDIT 8190. The IRB was approved in April 2015. I invited faculty to participate in the study in April 2015, and I collected data in April 2015.
Selected Conference Presentations
Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy Presentation (2016)
I led a session at the 2016 Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy at Virginia Tech called Using the Technology You Have to Support Flipping Your Classroom. In this session, I discussed the concept of flipping the classroom and using institutionally supported or familiar technology tools to flip course sessions.
Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy Presentation (2015)
I led a session at the 2015 Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy at Virginia Tech called Encouraging Collaboration, Reflection and Engaged Learning with WordPress. In this session, I described our WordPress instance at the Center for Teaching and Learning, and showed examples of instructional WordPress use from UGA faculty.
AAEEBL Conference Presentation (2014)
Dr. Denise Domizi and I led a session at the 2014 AAEEBL Regional Conference called “Using Free WordPress Sites for Course ePortfolios.” In this session, Dr. Domizi discussed using the CTL’s instance of WordPress (called CTL Sites) to do an eportfolio project with students in her GRSC 7900 course. I discussed the challenges of using WordPress as an eportfolio tool, and shared some best practices for setting up WordPress in this type of instructional setting.
Service
Incoming Chair, Learning Technologies Consortium (2016) I was nominated and elected to be the incoming chair of the Learning Technologies Consortium in Fall of 2016. This organization is a partnership of ten institutions with similar instructional goals, strong technology and faculty support programs, and an interest in collaboration in the area of teaching and learning with technology. As the incoming chair, I collaborated with the current and past chair to plan meetings, and ran the business meeting at our Spring 2017 meeting.
Camp Dive (2016) In the summer of 2016, I helped plan and implement a camp session for rising third through fifth graders, called “Robots and Circuits and 3-D Printing.” I assisted with planning, provided materials and supplies, and facilitated activities with the students during the month long session.
Co-Conference Chair for AAEEBL Regional Conference (2014)I served as the Co-Conference Chair for the 2014 AAEEBL Regional Conference, held in Athens, Georgia. As Co-Conference Chair, I worked with the event venue to schedule and plan the event. I also designed the conference program, and assisted with activities during the conference.
Teaching
As the Coordinator of Emerging Learning Technologies at the Center for Teaching and Learning, I regularly plan and implement workshop sessions for faculty and graduate students. Since I’ve started my graduate work, I’ve led a variety of sessions on the following topics:
- Engaging Students with Learning Technologies
- Encouraging Collaboration Using Blogs
- Exploring Kaltura/Video for Teaching
- Using eLC
- Respondus for Exam Creation
- Camtasia for Mac