EMNosal PhD Portfolio

It is not the destination, it’s the journey. This statement encompasses my educational livelihood at GMU. In 2007, I started out in the direction of gaining a better understanding of educational technology and classroom use of technology through a 2 year cohort program. Along the way, I changed to a PhD program, changed careers from math teacher, to ITRT and then back to math, and sent my husband to war for a year. During this traumatic time, I continued to take classes, acted a mentor for The Online Academy, created an online class for The North Tier Education Consortium, called Games, Simulations, and Virtual Environments, and was its co-facilitator for 2 full sessions. I attended the ISTE 2010 conference and again escorted a contingency of Wells Fargo employees to the conference and presented on the virtual environment called Stage Coach Island, and still found time for my family.

So much had changed for me that my goals are altered and my focus has become narrowed to personal finances and simulations. My career is also rapidly changing again. I do not see myself in the classroom in the next 2-3 years, but working for a financial industry leader with helping others understand personal finance with curriculum I have designed.

I began a journey in 2007 to continue my education and expand my learning of technology in the classroom. This journey has taken me on an adventure of worthy of Indiana Jones himself. My adventure begins in online learning, leaps through a career change with technology and back flips back into the classroom. All the while fostering a passion and deep focus for the topic of virtual environments.

My metaphor for my portfolio is stained glass and a representation of my adventure took form of a jungle created in that medium. I choose stained glass and abstract designs created in that medium, because of its' ever changing colors and intricate designs. Stained glass can be recycled to new designs and images as the beholder chooses. I like the option to break some thing down and reuse the parts to create something brand new. The jungle theme in my present design represented all things technological and I was the adventurer helping others forge a path through this dense, confusing, and ever changing terrain. I saw myself as a leader of others to help them navigate technology in their classrooms.

As my life changed, as it always does, I began to realize on my adventures, I would be so far out ahead of others, they were lost to me or just left behind. As my learning grew so did my interests and my intrest left me far out front of the pack. I found myself alone in this jungle and the jungle growing faster behind me, so that others could not keep up. My impatience with those that lagged behind left me exploring on my own.

In discovering virtual environments and MMUVEs, I found a niche I had been looking for. In teaching my favorite class of Personal Finance to high school students, I found the content which I was passionate about. In discovering my "El Dorado", I found what I wanted to research. My perfect marriage of technology, content and a gap in research forged my jungle into a viable researchable topic.

I continue to evolve as my jungle continues to expand and grow around me. I have discovered how useful hand held devices are, I am back in the classroom teaching the subject I adore. The courses I have been taking are refining my thoughts and driving me to present and educate others and I have a direction for my career with a PhD. My goal is complete my dissertation with a pilot study on learning personal finance using a virtual environment.

I look forward to navigating my ever changing jungle, I am excited at the prospect of my remaking my stained glass window into a more defined piece of artwork and hope the message I leave behind me others are able to follow.