Original Doctoral Program Goals Statement – Trevor Owens

OriginalDoctoralProgramGoalsStatement?TrevorOwens

In750to1,000words,stateyourprofessionalplansandcareerobjectives.Please includeyourpersonalqualitiesanddevelopmentandhowtheyhaveinfluenced yourcareerchoice;yourreasonsforthisparticulardegreeinrelationtoyour academicbackground,professionalworkexperience,andcareergoals;andyour reasonforselectingyourprogramatGeorgeMasonUniversity.

IamapplyingforadmissiontothePh.D.programinEducationbecauseIwantto furthermycareerdevelopingandevaluatingthevalueofvariousinformation technologiesforlearningenvironments.Iamparticularlyinterestedinexploringthe placeforopensourcesoftwareandtoolsineducationalinstitutionsandthe potentialofvideogames,interactives,andsimulationsforlearning.Myultimate careergoalistoworkasafacultymemberinaneducationaltechnologydepartment ataresearchuniversity,orworkdirectingdevelopmentoninstructionaltechnology projectsinindustryoratapublicinstitution.APh.DinEducationfromGeorge MasonUniversitywillgofarinhelpingmeachievethesecareergoals.Overthelast fiveyearsmyprofessionalexperienceshavehelpedmebothdevelopandmove towardthiscareergoal. ForthelasttwoyearsIhaveworkedoneducationprojectsfortheCenterforHistory andNewMedia.Myworkpromotingandbuildingcommunityaroundthefreeand opensourceZoteroresearchtoolhashelpedtheprojectsusercommunityexpand tenfold.Asthatcommunityhasgrown,Ihavegrownincreasinglyinterestedin understandinghowthisstudentresearchtoolcouldbetterintegrateandreinforce bestpracticesforresearch.Howwecouldhelpstudentslearntobebetter researchersthroughthetool.IrefinedsomeofthesethoughtsintoapaperI presentedattheAnnualConferenceonDistanceTeachingandLearning,Educause, andtheNewMediaConsortium'sannualmeeting.Iamexcitedattheprospectof betterrefiningthisworkthroughtraininginresearchmethodologiesinthe EducationProgram. BeforecomingtotheCenterforHistoryandNewMediaIworkedwithfacultyinthe UniversityofWisconsinMadison'sGamesLearningandSociety(GLS)research groupplanningandorganizingtheGLSconference.ThroughthatworkIbecame bothexcitedaboutandfamiliarwithresearchonthepossibilitiesforgamesand simulationsinlearningenvironments.IpresentedsomeoftheworkIdevelopedat theInternationalHistory,Philosophy,andSociologyinScienceTeachingConference, theNationalAssociationforResearchinScienceTeaching'sannualmeetingandthe AmericanAssociationforEducationalResearch'sannualconference.Througheach oftheseexperiencesIhavebecomeabetterwriterandresearcher,byworking throughdoctoralcourseworkIhopetorefineandimprovethosewritingand researchskills. BeforeworkingwiththeGamesLearningandSocietyGroupIspentayear volunteeringwithaafterschoolliteracyprogramthroughTeachForAmerica.I foundmyworkhelpingstudentslearntoreadbothdeeplyrewardingand

OriginalDoctoralProgramGoalsStatement?TrevorOwens

intellectuallyfascinating.ThroughmyworkwiththosestudentsIrealizedthat whateverthespecificsofmycareeritwouldinevitablybeconnectedtoeducation. Myacademicdevelopmenthasalsobroughtmetowardmycareergoals.Iam currentlyworkingonfinishinganMAinHistoryfocusingonthepotentialforusing digitaltechnologiesinhistoryeducationandresearchatGeorgeMasonUniversity.I havethoroughlyenjoyedtheprogram,butitiscleartomethatatthispointaPh.Din Educationisthenextnaturalstepinrefiningmywork.Throughoutmymasters courseworkIhaveworkedonseveraldigitalprojectsandwhilethehistory departmentdoeshaveexcellentresourcesforworkingwithmeonthoseprojects thetypesofquestionsIaminterestedinarenothistorical,butinsteadarewithin thedomainofeducationalresearch. Myprofessionalandacademicdevelopmentreflectsandhasrefinedseveralofmy personalqualitieswhichwillbeassetsinthePh.Dprogram.Iampassionateabout educationaltechnology,innatelycuriousaboutnewwaysofthinking,andexcited aboutgettinginvolvedwithanothercommunityatGeorgeMasonUniversitythat sharesmycuriosityandpassion.ThePh.DprograminEducationisanaturalfitfor myinterests,andIamexcitedtocultivateanexpertiseineducationalresearchand thinkingthatIcanbringtomyworkattheCenterforHistoryandNewMedia.Asthe CenterforHistoryandNewMediacontinuestodevelopanddefinethefutureofthe digitalhumanitiesIamconfidentthatthatmissionwouldbewellservedwith strongerconnectionstoworkinthefieldofeducation. Ihopethattheadmissionscommitteefindsmybackgroundandpersonalqualities tobecommiseratewiththerequirementsofGeorgeMasonUniversitiesPh.D. programinEducation.Iamveryexcitedattheprospectofhoningmyeducational researchskillsandlearningfromthefaculty. Inadditiontothegoalsstatementabove,theAdmissionsCommitteeisinterestedin

whichandresearch;howtheseinterestshavebeeninfluencedbyyourprior education,research,orworkexperience;whyyouareconsideringacareerin anacademic,research,orclinicalsetting;andanyinformationrelevantfor evaluatingyourmotivationtostudyandconductresearchatthedoctorallevel. Pleaselimityourstatementtobetween750and1,000words. IamcurrentlyfinishinganMAinHistoryatGeorgeMasonUniversity.Ihave thoroughlyenjoyedtheprogram,butitiscleartomethatthenextnaturalstepin mycareerisaPhDinEducation.Throughoutmymaster'scoursework,Ihave workedonseveraldigitalprojects,andwhilethehistorydepartmentdoeshave excellentresourcesforworkingwithmeonthoseprojectsthetypesofquestionsI aminterestedinarenothistorical.TheworkIammostexcitedaboutrequires additionaltrainingthatthePhDinEducationcanprovide. MyprimaryareaofinterestisInstructionalTechnology.Alongwiththatprimary focus,Iamalsopotentiallyinterestedintheroleeducationalpsychologycanplayin

OriginalDoctoralProgramGoalsStatement?TrevorOwens

improvinginstructionaltechnologyaswellastheworkbeingdoneininstructional technology,leadership,andpolicy. Iamconfidentthatmyfoundationinvariousaspectsofeducationandeducational technologyhaspreparedmeforthePhDprogram.AspartofmyworkattheCenter forHistoryandNewMediahereatGeorgeMasonUniversity,Ihavehadmany opportunitiestopresentandattendavarietyofeducationconferences.Ihave presentedworkonopensourceresearchtoolsforschoolsattheDigitalLibrary Federation'sannualmeeting,Educause,theNewMediaConsortium'sconference, andtheAmericanAssociationforHistoryandComputingConference.Ihavealso presentedhistoricalworkongenderrolesinsciencetextbooksattheAmerican EducationalResearchAssociation'sConference,theHistoryofScienceSociety's annualmeeting,theNationalAssociationforResearchinScienceTeaching conference.Myexperiencessurroundingeachofthesemeetings;writingpapers, reviewingotherscholars'work,andlisteningtoandpresentingtalks,havebeen rewardingandenjoyable. GeorgeMasonUniversity'sSchoolofEducationoffersacompellingsetoffaculty, coursework,students,andresourcestohelpmefurtherrefinemyinterestandskills. Earlierthissemester,Ihadtheopportunitytodiscusstheprogramwithprofessor KevinClark.Ifindhisworkindesigninganddevelopingonlinelearning environments,exploringtheroleofgamingandmediainlearning,andstudyingthe roleslearningtechnologiescanplaywithunderservedpopulationstobeboth excitingandinspiring.Iamexcitedtolearnmoreabouthisresearchandapproaches throughhisclasses.IalsofindProfessorBannan-Ritland'sworkondesign-based researchintriguingandlookforwardtolearningmoreaboutherapproaches. Iamconfidentthatthesefacultymembersinparticular,andtherestofthefaculty moregenerally,willhelpmerefinemyownresearchinterest.AtthispointIam interestedinthreebroadtopics:strategiesforimplementingopensourcetoolsfor learningateducationalinstitutions;approachesforfosteringdigitalliteracy;and rolesforgamesandsimulationsinlearning Myinterestinopensourceinstructionaltechnologiesisdirectlyconnectedtomy workattheCenterforHistoryandNewMedia.AstheCenter'stechnologyevangelist andcommunitylead,myprimarytaskispromoting,presentingandsupporting Zotero,afreeandopensourceresearchmanagementtool.Iamcurrentlyworking ondevelopingaseriesofworkshopstohelpbetterequipinstructionaltechnology specialistsatcolleges,highschools,andresearchinstitutionswiththeknowledgeto implementZoteroattheirinstitutions.Iwouldbeinterestedinfurtherdeveloping thislineofwork:Exploringstrategiesandbestpracticesfordeployingopensource solutionsforinstructionaltechnologyplatformsattheenterpriselevelinvarious educationalorganizations. MyinterestingamesandlearningwasdevelopedthroughmyworkwiththeGames LearningandSocietyconferenceandhaspersistedinmycurrentpositionatthe

OriginalDoctoralProgramGoalsStatement?TrevorOwens

CenterforHistoryandNewMedia.IamtheprimaryauthorofthePlayingHistory projectgrantproposal,currentlyunderconsiderationforfundingfromthe MacArthurfoundation.Theproject'sgoalistodevelopacollaborativedirectoryof historicalgames,simulations,andinteractive.Thisdirectorywouldalloweducators tofindcontentspecific,ageappropriate,historicalgameswhileprovidingaspace forteachers,students,andhistorianstoreviewthem,postrelevantlessonplans,and linkrelatedhistoricaldocuments. Myinterestindigitalliteracygrowsoutofmyownacquisitionofdigitalskills.Forall thetalkofread/writecultureandhowdigitalmediahasblurredthelinesbetween producerandconsumer,mostconversationsaboutdigitalliteracydonotseemto focusonlearningtowritecode.Inmyexperiencetheseconversationshappen, almostexclusively,abouttoolsthatusegraphicalinterfacesforcontentcreation. Throughanecdotalpersonalexperienceitseemsthatmanypeopledon'tthinkthey haveitinthemtoworkwithcode.Ihaveseenpeoplewhoaremastersat manipulatingthingsincomplicatedprogramswithgraphicalinterfaces,individuals thatcandoamazingthingsinFinalCut,andpeoplewhohavenotrouble troubleshootingissuesthatarisewiththeiroperatingsystems,but"powerdown" whenanythingfromHTMLtoC++ismentioned.Ifrequentlyhear,"Ican'tdothat", "I'mnotacoder"orsimilarstatementsrootedinidentity,affinity,andself-efficacy. Toreallybreakdownthesebarriersandgetmorepeopletoadeeperlevelofdigital literacy,Ithinkweneedtoknowmoreaboutwherethatfearcomesfromandstart developingstrategiesforovercomingit. MypreviousexperiencesandskillscoupledwithmyinterestsmakeGeorgeMason University'sPhDprograminEducationaperfectfit.Ihopethatyouagree.

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