William R. Warrick Applicant for Ph. D. Program George Mason University Graduate School of Education August 30, 2000 Preparing to write this statement of my goals and objectives has prompted me to reflect on a number of factors that have influenced my decision to apply for admission to the Ph. D. program at Mason. My tenure as a classroom teacher has given me the practical knowledge of working with students and searching for innovative approaches to teaching and learning. As witness many years ago to the integration of the first computers in the classroom I saw firsthand the rudimentary attempts to find a niche for new technologies and to begin to explore their possibilities. My present position as Coordinator of Instructional Technology has provided me with experiences as a leader in the field of educational technologies. Working towards my Master's degree gave me insight into the need and possibilities for reform of educational practices which can provide students with relevant and appropriate learning experiences facilitated by new technologies. These experiences, coupled with my love of teaching and desire to effect positive change in our educational system lead me to my overall goal of exploring and influencing the impact and the future of technology in education from the perspective of one who is a classroom teacher first, and technologist second. I plan to realize this goal in two different ways. I would first like to assume a greater leadership position within a school system. In such a position I will be able to put into practice my ideas and theories, developed through study and research, in the classroom setting. My belief is that leadership in this area is sadly lacking. New ideas and strong leadership are needed to produce instructional methodologies and curricula that prepare our students to become productive members of a new, technologically-oriented, society. Eventually, I would like to teach at the college or university level, working with pre-service teachers. In such a position I would be able to share my visions of teaching and to further develop those ideas as new technologies are invented. I believe that pursuing my Ph. D. in Education will give me the opportunity to research trends both in education and in innovative technologies. To achieve this, and become an effective "agent of change" for education, I need to refine skills that I have acquired in my professional experience and acquire new knowledge related to reform in our educational practices. I was fortunate to study and obtain my Master's degree with Drs. Norton and Sprague at George Mason University in 1998 - 1999. I have been extremely impressed with the program and faculty in the Graduate School of Education. The innovative instructional design and incorporation of new technologies and teaching methods have given me a great desire to work further in this area within the Mason Graduate School of Education. My work in the master's degree program at George Mason has given me insight into the possible uses and benefits of technology in the classroom. Moreover, I have seen how educational technologies need to be more than an "add-on" to existing programs and practices. Today's technologies provide us with the tools with which to radically change our approach to teaching and learning. I am now in a position where I wish to further my study of educational technologies and the role they can play in our changing educational practices. As an early integrator of technology in the classroom and as Coordinator of Technology, I have seen the positive effects of technology use in the classroom. New tools on the horizon, web-based learning and distance learning, for example, provide teachers with exciting new media with which to communicate and develop skills in their students. We are all aware of information explosion in our world today. The amount of information that exists - in many and varied forms - demands that educators examine the approaches we use in teaching. Our emphasis on teacher-directed instruction does not allow for the exploration and assimilation of knowledge which students will need to survive in society. The 'traditional' approaches do not serve to provide students with the skills they will need to cope with the vast quantities of information available to them in their lives. The focus of education and teaching needs to shift from the teacher-centered approach to a more constructivist 'student-centered' paradigm. In this way, students have the opportunity, guided by the teacher, to explore topics and tasks in new ways that are more appropriate for them. Access to information and the tools we need to manage that information can provide the framework for reforming our pedagogical practices. Rather than the traditional 'teacher-centered' paradigm, educators now have the means to adopt a more constructivist approach to learning. In my current role of Technology Coordinator, my responsibilities include training teachers to effectively use technology tools in their teaching. I am called upon to provide guidance both in the practical operation of those tools as well as in the application of those tools in the classroom. I have found that I am able to communicate the vision for technology integration effectively to teachers - both novice and experienced with technology. As an adjunct instructor for both Mary Washington College and George Mason University, I am able to work closely with teachers to discover new ways of utilizing technology to move into new and exciting methods of teaching. I feel that a quality that has developed through my teaching is my ability to communicate effectively to teachers and administrators. My experiences in the classroom give me the foundation from which to share my vision of teaching and learning as we move into the new millennium. My progress thus far in this field make me an excellent candidate for the Ph. D. program at George Mason University. The skills that I have developed to this point, as well as my great desire to learn more and add to the body of knowledge will make me a great asset to the program.