Professional Growth Plan
My goal is to increase accessibility to education through technology. Learning is limited for some due to lack of means or through disability. Educational technology can bridge the gap for these individuals by providing access to communication, information, and knowledge. I would like to research the best practices in teaching with technology and share this knowledge with others. I will begin by studying the works of authors such as Seymour Papert, Jean Piaget and Marina Umaschi Bers, just to name a few. This will provide me with the skills necessary to communicate my vision of innovation while teaching with robots. The doctoral program at NJCU will allow me to be part of the new vision of learning. I wish to become part of fabricating the future of education by studying how to implement robots as a mathematics manipulative. I will apply the research conducted during the last two years to address what Papert calls a poverty of materials
in mathematics education (Papert, 1993, pg. 20). I have completed self-assessments provided by Peter Northouse in his book Leadership Theory and Practice (Northouse, 2013). These assessments have defined me as an authentic leader. I combine the practical and ethical qualities listed in his work with the optimistic traits listed by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie in their book Strengths Based Leadership to form my leadership style (Rath,Conchie, 2008). I believe that all members of the team should experience success. This can be accomplished by finding the good in everyone and by providing encouragement to those less fortunate. I believe that robotics will become even more revolutionary: assisting the disabled, improving the life of the elderly, and providing advanced medical treatments. In order to assist in this revolution I have developed goals for myself. I plan to become an expert in robotics education. I will accomplish this by continuing to study leaders in the field such as Amy Eguchi. Her work in preparing teachers in the use of robotics in education has been groundbreaking. I will also study educational robot manufacturers and suppliers to insure that I remain current with the latest hardware and software products by imitating contact with those organizations. I will write grants to obtain new materials so that I can research innovation. I will continue to present at conferences such as The New Jersey Technology & Engineering Educators Association, design curriculum for robotic education, advise educators on new robotic education breakthroughs, and obtain a Doctorate in Educational Technology from New Jersey City University.