This Digital Portfolio Shows a Selection of My Work from The Colorado State University M.Ed in Adult Education & Training (AET) Program

By explaining a little about myself and my professional interests in adult education, I hope to demonstrate what I can bring to future employers, while perhaps providing a look at this particular program for prospective students. I have chosen some activities, papers and resources I’ve created myself, things that have inspired me, and described how aspects of this program meaningfully connected with my life experience, educational philosophy and professional development. I have also included links to what I consider to be significant outside resources.

Instructional design is my chosen career field, so I focus this portfolio on describing what has shaped my knowledge and thinking in four main, interconnected areas. These approaches and frameworks -as demonstrated through the tabs above- all provide opportunities for fostering humanistic, democratic goals in adult learning; Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT), Self Directed Learning (SDL) & Online/Dispersed Learning.

Experience

Alongside serving in supportive roles for learners with barriers to employment and education, I have writing and editing experience with grants, dissertations, instructional materials and website copy.

Please click below to view my resume.

Training

Graduating from the CSU M.Ed. in Education and Human Resource Studies program, with a specialism in Adult Education & Training

Please click below to view the courses I took within this comprehensive program.

Goal

To take a role in the design of impactful instructional solutions that provide accessible, inclusive and effective learning.

Please click below to read about my approach.

M.Ed. in Adult Education & Training @CSU http://www.soe.chhs.colostate.edu/students/masters/aet/index.aspx

“The Adult Education and Training (AET) specialization is designed to prepare practitioners in planning and instructional responsibilities needed to teach adult learners in postsecondary, community, and corporate settings. With coursework that is based in practice and grounded in current adult learning theory, this master's degree prepares you to successfully facilitate, design and implement a wide range of training and educational programs.”

Here is a list, with descriptions from CSU, of the courses I took in fulfillment of this Master’s program.

Adult Education

Covers the philosophical foundations, a description of program service areas, adult participation trends, and current issues. The goal for this course is the ability to articulate the foundations and the current situation of adult education as a field of study and practice.

Multicultural and Special Populations

Draws upon positions and practices offered by intercultural, multicultural, and social justice researchers to examine core concepts such as culture, social identity, empathy, diversity, equality, equity, culturally inclusive curriculum, privilege, power, multiculturalism, oppression, social justice education, cultural competence, transformational education, critical pedagogy, and the interrelationship of race, class, sexual orientation, national origin, language, and (dis)ability. 

Processes and Methods

Introduces the processes and methods used by adult learning facilitators. Whether you are an adult educator, community educator, community college instructor, or trainer, you'll learn the strategies and competencies needed to deliver a training or education program.

Research Methods

The goal of this course is to acquire the ability to review, develop, and produce research. This is accomplished through the facilitation of learning activities in the areas of the development of an area of focus, problem and research statements, reviewing the literature, designing a research method (qualitative and quantitative), analyzing results, and writing about your findings.

Career and Employment Concepts

Career and lifestyle studies that provide an understanding of career development, employment concepts, and career counseling resources.

Adult Teaching & Learning

Investigates the theory, research, and practice of adult teaching and learning concepts. Its goal is to help students acquire the ability to relate the models and theories of adult teaching and learning to their professional and personal lives.

Practicum

Participation in field experience relevant to study program and objectives. (I did 90 hours Teaching Adult Literacy at the local community college.)

Teaching English as a Second Language to Adult Learners

learn the tools needed to successfully provide English learning to speakers of other languages. Topics covered include adult learning theories, language learning and language acquisition, learner error correction, assessments, textbook and software selection, and instruction methods.

Instructional Design

Apply instructional design principles in the development of a course or workshop and explore application of various learning methods.

Research Portfolio

Synthesizes major aspects of the adult education and training master's program into one culminating learning project. The learning project enables students to demonstrate their mastery of select skills, knowledge bases, and adult education values.

Links to some of my work I consider particularly representative of my interests are offered here. A few of these items are additionally presented ‘in context’ under the subject tabs on the home page; UDL (Universal Design for Learning or ‘Universally Designed Instruction/UDI’), CRT (Culturally Responsive Teaching), plus SDL & Online (Self Directed and Dispersed Learning) at the top of the home page.

I am just beginning to learn about how to build websites with accessibility in mind, and have tried to use mindful contrast, headings and visible url links to that end. However, this website has not been ‘accessibility tested’, and that would be my next step.

Paper: Online Format Faculty Training in Universal Design and Culturally Responsive Teaching

This paper looks at the potential of online learning as a mode of professional development for adult educators.

Please follow the link to view this paper

https://issuu.com/julie.pga/docs/udl_crt_paper_j_martin.docx

Theory to Action Paper: Taking Steps to Increase Inclusion of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Post-Secondary Education

Looking at how social change theory could be used in education.

Click the link below to view this paper

https://issuu.com/julie.pga/docs/theory_into_action_paper_j_martin.d

Research Paper: Local Attitudes Towards People with Intellectual Disabilities

Examining the current situation for students with intellectual disabilities.

CLICK the link below to view paper

https://issuu.com/julie.pga/docs/research_methods_paper_j_martin.doc

Paper: Later Life Work Engagement: The Nature of Older Workers

Considerations that trainers and employers should take into account for the benefit of seniors.

CLICK the link below to view paper

https://issuu.com/julie.pga/docs/later_life_work_engagement_final_j_

Presentation: Grounded Theory & Kahoot Assessment

I created and delivered this presentation to the AET Intro to Research class, along with fellow student Priscilla Prinz.

• Click below to view the presentation

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BCDMWIdVI8fmSsKFz6RXVeWjxBgFmiw8br3XHE0sKfk/edit?usp=sharing

Paper: Josiah Holbrook and the American Lyceum Movement

A history of part of the adult education movement.

CLICK the link below to view paper

https://issuu.com/julie.pga/docs/josiah_holbrook_and_the_american_ly

Paper: A Critical Ethnographic Eye On the Movie Bread & Roses

An analysis of the movie Bread & Roses (2000) Written by Paul Laverty & Directed by Ken Loach. This film contains many class and culture related themes.

CLICK the link below to view paper

https://issuu.com/julie.pga/docs/bread_and_roses-1.docx

Checklist Developed for Adult ESL Students

This checklist is intended to allow students to identify their own learning needs at the start of a course, and then put in a ‘check mark’ each time that skill is addressed in class or outside activities. This is an example of supporting self-directed learning.

CLICK the link below to view checklist

https://issuu.com/julie.pga/docs/esl_checklist.docx

Sample Lesson: Adult ESL

These are notes showing a typical lesson outline from my Practicum, indicating intended outcomes, activities, resources, extension, assessment and follow up, whilst using multiple modes of engagement and expression.

CLICK the link below to view plan

https://issuu.com/julie.pga/docs/sample_esl_lesson.docx

Self Directed Learning Facilitation - using SDL Methods

These notes relate to a learning event I created for peers in my AET class to enrich their understanding of self-directed learning. It revolves around 3 group activities and discussion. These activities demonstrate -or simulate- guided discovery/constructivist experience in self-directed learning.

CLICK the link below to view plan

https://issuu.com/home/published/self_directed_learning_activity.doc

CLICK the link below to view Journal Notes and Reflection About SDL Facilitation

https://issuu.com/julie.pga/docs/sdl_facilitation_journal.docx

About Me

“Try and leave this world a little better than you found it.”

I enjoy repairing, restoring, or improving things, making connections and noticing what’s useful. This interest has extended to areas such as editing text and devising or streamlining processes and training. I am at my best when I can identify a problem and devise a solution.

My aim is to combine this aptitude with the skills and perspective provided within my Master’s program and my experience in education, HR and writing, in order to develop a career in instructional design. My particular interest in designing for diverse learners.