I started my career, split between teaching, consulting, in-house assignments, in 1971. As graduate student who finished the doctoral exams, coursework and requirements, I discovered that I did not need the Ph. D. to teach in burgeoning field of distance learning at the university level. I was attracted to the School of Extended Studies at Portland State University, where I worked stayed three decades, enjoying every day of it. Being off-site and away from faculty meetings and other administrative tasks allowed me time to work as a semi-professional musician on the side, and then to complete coursework in the new database software systems of the time.
In those days, we developed correspondence courses based on the instructional design of programmed learning: if you passed a module you moved onto the next topic. If not, you went back to the beginning until you got it right. That approach to distance learning is so last century compared with the advent of CD?s with a textbook plus video and online learning with even more compelling ways of delivering content. For several years, universities, corporations and government agencies have been offering Web-based courses on a wide variety of useful topics. I think the best of this eLearning is designed to grab your attention and show what you will learn for yourself in the first few minutes; otherwise, you can click to something else.
While I was teaching distance learning courses, a few universities hired me as a database consultant, and from there I branched out to government and corporate clients: the extra money and business experience was great.
In 2001, I retired from teaching and outside consulting, to become as the first eLearning Specialist at Regence, a Blue and Blue Shield Association Affiliate. Here I became a consultant to internal clients. My roles and responsibilities included analysis of needs and opportunities and recommending, designing and implementing:
- eLearning,
- surveys/assessments/evaluations,
- and databases to support users.
After seven happy and productive years, I retired from Regence to spend more time with Marj, consult part-time, resume my piano studies, and volunteer.
Now I have more time to ponder where we are all going. This week President-elect Obama emphasized the need for modernizing our health care system through, for example, electronic medical records to save money and improve our nation?s health. Secure online medical records are a change we need. Another change we need is transparency in financing our health care. Finally, as a certified senior citizen who took post-grad gerontology seminars, I appreciate the profound issues experienced by boomers dealing with their parents and retirement.
