Reinvent

Those who desire to spend more than an occasional vacation under the waves must make a commitment of time, effort, and most of all, of attitude. In essence, I, air-breathing land-dweller, had to reinvent myself to feel totally at home in the ocean, while never losing sight of the fact that I am just a guest. I travel to experience as many marine conditions as I can. I take pictures to help me remember where I have been and what I have seen. I share my pictures and stories so that others in and out of the sport can learn what I have learned and, perhaps, start the journey on their own. Importantly, I seek out the comments and suggestions of photographers far better than myself, so that my next picture will be better than the last.

The desire to share what I have learned underwater is very much like the scholar's desire to share what he or she has learned by documenting and publishing research on the topic(s) about which he or she is passionate. Whether publishing in a scholarly journal or on the Web blog of a community of practice, feedback from peers and from authorities in the discipline is essential to enriching one's knowledge. There are two research projects - one complete and one still in the conceptual phases - that I share with those visiting this Web portfolio. The first explores the impact of a Problem-based Learning software application I developed to for a business research methods course I teach at the University of Phoenix Online Campus. The second concerns my initial thoughts about the dissertation I will complete in order to add the second Ph.D. after my last name. Both reflect my ongoing interest in the synergy between academic technology and administrative technology in higher education. Both represent milestones in my journey to the doctorate. Both are milestones in my lifelong learning experience.