I have spent the past eleven years working in the field of education, first as a middle-school teacher, then as a K-12 instructional technology specialist, and now as an instructional designer in higher education. A common thread through my approach to each of these roles has been a desire to systematically approach problem-solving as a process of inquiry driven by evidence and data. This approach to my work aligns well with the scholarship required in the Ph.D. program, and I believe it also aligns with the skill set of research faculty. For that reason, I would like to continue to operate in the mindset that I am preparing for a faculty position, even though I have roots in Georgia and will likely not be able to leave the state to pursue faculty positions elsewhere. Should a position become available at an institution in Georgia where I could relocate, then I would strongly consider such a position.

Given the constraints on my mobility and my background working in central support with administrative personnel in both K-12 and higher education, I am also interested in leadership roles within educational institutions. I believe that I could lead such organizations down positive productive path with teaching and learning as the chief consideration for making decisions that affect teachers and students in profound ways.

Some examples of the types of positions I would consider include:

Director of Educational Technology, Vanguard University

This type of position would give me the opportunity to be an instructional leader in higher education, working to bring academic aspirations in line with technology usage. My background in central support, both in K-12 and higher education lend well to a position like this one. Additionally, institutions are realizing they need leaders who can bridge pedagogy and technology in a meaningful way (see link in next section), which has been the focus of most of my career in education. [Job Posting]

Chief Academic Officer, Haralson County School District

This type of position would situate me as a leader for teaching and learning in a K-12 school district. I would also consider a Chief Technology Officer/Chief Information officer role, as the CTO/CAO roles are converging as school districts are beginning to realize they need leaders with expertise in both areas. However, the prospect of an “academic” title rather than a “technology” title is attractive as well, as I believe that the type of work I do should be firmly situated in teaching and learning, not information technology. As I stated in the earlier paragraph, my central support experience across K-12 and higher education has prepared me for a role such as this. [Job Posting]

Assistant Professor, Tenure Track - Instructional Technology, Georgia College

This is an example of a position that would have a more immediate impact on students through teaching while pursuing my research interests. The ability to directly interact with students is appealing to me, and it is something that I miss from my time as a classroom teacher. Additionally, the ability to work as a researcher in order to contribute to the knowledge base of our field is attractive to me. [Job Posting]