About
Who is the Nomadic Learner?
The funny part about making your living on the web is the fact that you typically don’t have much time or energy to do much else online. That said, consider this site to be a work-in-progress and one that I will add to as my time permits or the situation warrants. My goal is use to display some of my work, try out some new ideas and as a place where I can reflect and hopefully make sense of the ever-changing world around me. As the title of the site implies, I am a “Nomadic Learner”, a term that I adopted from Will Richardson, the author of the Weblogg-ed blog (www.weblogg-ed.com), as well as learner in chief at Connective Learning and the author of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms
Grazes on knowledge and finds what they need when they need it. There is no linear curriculum to learning, no formal structure other than the tools used to connect to the people and sources that point to what is needed to know and learn, the same tools used to then give back what is have discovered.
If it isn’t obvious, I am involved with and highly interested in the application of technology, specifically online technology, to the learning process for both adults and children. Professionally, I am an Learning Technology Specialist for a not-for-profit professional association where I am responsible for the strategic and tacitical implementation of an online leadership development program for our member-volunteer leaders and also the managing sponsor for a new virtual community project.
Note: While I may discuss general situations that take place in my job, the purpose of this blog is academic and educational and not a place where I will be venting my frustrations (I haven’t had any yet) about my job or my colleagues. If you came here looking for that I am sorry but you won’t find it. Also due to the competitive nature of the environment I am operating in, I will also be vague as to specifics of the overall program and individual projects I am working on…I enjoy my job and respect my employer a lot and do not want to compromise my personal reputation or my employers leadership role in the field by revealing too much information. Finally, it is worth noting that the opinions expressed are my own and in no way reflect my employers opinion to any topics presented.
Outside of work, I completed my Masters of Science Degree in Education with a concentration in Instructional Technology in December 2007. I also hold a post-bacculareate certificate in web design and development as well as a Master certificate in Online Teaching and Learning. During my meanderings through the higher-education system I have also completed numerous additional courses in project management, information technology and business administration. My long term plan is to continue my education and perhaps either pursue an advanced degree related to technology, psychology, or new media. If it isn’t obvious, I am very committed to my education or very commitable (depending who you ask).
While I do find a great degree of satisfaction and fulfillment in the work that I do and field that I am involved with, the most important role of my life is that of a father, husband and son. My family is extremely important to me and something that I am very proud of.
Outside of all of that, you could describe me as an overall geek. My true passion lies at the intersection of learning and technology, so my career and educational choices are ideal to accomplish that end. I also really enjoy the travel, weather and the outdoors (I love mountain biking, hiking, camping, wayfinding, etc.) and I play and enjoy many sports (golf perhaps the most). Recently, I have become quite interested in digitial photography as well. I guess you could say that I am extremely multi-dimensional and defy classification, but I prefer to say that I love living and learning so doing anything that challenges me and forces me outside of my comfort-zone is fair game.
About the Website
If you are curious about the website and want to learn more, you can visit my Colophon to find out just about anything you want to know about it.
