Resume

Education

UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING

• • Master of Science in Education: Learning, Design and Technology

IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY

• • Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Training and Development

Professional Experience

Regional Online Seminary Instructional Designer and Lead

• • LMS, instructional designer, content development, online instructor, and management

Curriculum Field-Writer/Instructional Designer

• • Institute curriculum design, development, and review

Educator- Heber City Seminary

• • Help youth and young adults understand and rely on Jesus Christ

  • Train students to study, learn, and teach

  • Live, Teach, Administer according to S&I Policies

Institute Instructor-BYU-PATHWAY WORLDWIDE

• • BYU-Pathway Worldwide Religion Courses

Knowledge Increases Desire and Ability

A simple way to understand my philosophy of the learning process and the way that I view the value of knowledge is to understand that knowledge increases desire and ability. In my experience with life and in my professional life, I have come to the realization that my inability to overcome challenges is a direct result of insufficient knowledge.

As a young 19-year-old I served for two years as a missionary in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. During my time there, I lived among native Brazilians and so it was necessary for me to learn to both speak and read fluent Portuguese. It was extremely challenging and the experience quickly changed the way that I perceived my ability to learn. My patience was stretched but as I continually studied to learn the language, I began to notice an increase in my ability to study intensely and to retain the things that I was learning. Coincidentally, the more that I learned, the greater my desire was to act and to learn even more.

As a young man I never considered myself to be particularly intelligent, but I was always extremely curious. What I lacked at the time was the ability to calm my mind enough so that I could study with a greater perspective and real intent to t act on what I was learning.

The famous quote from Sir Fransis Bacon states this philosophy well: "ipsa scientia potestas est", or in other words “knowledge itself is power” (Gerhard, Marshall, & Winterton, 1632).

Serve

One of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein comes from a not so familiar poem that he wrote. In the poem Einstein says: “How much do I love that noble man / More than I could tell with words / I fear though he’ll remain alone [emphasis added] / With a holy halo of his own” (Jammer, 2011, p. 43). What good would knowledge be if it was acquired for the purpose to be kept and not used to serve and lift others? That is what this poem brings to my mind.

I have had many opportunities throughout my education and professional life when wise and intelligent men and women have reached out to me, taught and inspired me during my pursuit for personal betterment. Learning for the purpose of giving back and lifting those around me has become a key philosophy of my own. As I continue in my education and learning, I look forward to the opportunities that I will have to do the same.

Action Learning

Action learning is a learning philosophy that I have also come to adopt as my own. “Action learning method is based on the experiences of the participants whose individual problems become the basis for constructive solutions in the future” (Welscop, 2013). I believe that the need to learn is just as important as the need to act on what is learned so that the learning process can continue and progress.

Regnald W. Revens who initiated the theory of action learning said (as cited in Welscop, 2013) that action learning “is based on the premise that there is no learning without action and no sober deliberate action without learning.” I have found great comfort in this process of learning, and I have become passionately interested in how I can become the type of a mentor or educator that can teach students how to learn and to act so that they might continue to learn.

References

Gerhard, J., Marshall, W., & Winterton, R. (1632). Gerards meditations written originally in the Latine tongue by John Gerard doctor in divinity, and superintendant of Heldburge: Translated and revised by Ralph Winterton fellow of the Kings Colledge Cambridge. Cambridge: Printed by Thomas Buch printer to the University Cambridge.

Jammer, M. (2011). Einstein and Religion physics and theology. Princeton: Princeton University Press, P.43.

Welskop, Wojciech. (2013). Action learning in education. 10.13140/RG.2.1.4513.8006.