Although I have always been a good student, I encountered (as most students do, at one time or another) teachers and learning environments that were sometimes inspirational and sometimes harsh. I recall having a particular teacher who made a habit of selecting my work to critique in front of the whole class. The public scrutiny and humiliation made me very self-conscious, and made me actively opposed to taking more instruction in the subject. At the other end of the spectrum, I met educators who embraced my ideas and observations, and provided me guidance and encouragement. They believed in me and gave me confidence to be open to the world. This range of scholarly experience not only shaped what I chose to pursue in advanced study and in professional life, but instilled in me a long lasting fascination with the theory and practice of education itself. I have always been interested in identifying the factors that make for a great learning situation and the stages of the learning process.
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After completing a bachelor’s degree in France in Communications and Advertising, I decided to go abroad so that I could experience another culture. I enjoy traveling, meeting new people, seeing different perspectives. In the U.S., while working full time and while continuing my efforts to become fully fluent in English, I completed a bachelor’s degree in International Trade. I knew then that I would eventually want to earn a master’s degree in some scholarly field, but I first devoted myself to my career. My journey led me to path in adult education, serving a medical community. Only after several years in this position did I have a better focus on my academic goals. Professional development was not part of my initial training though I wanted do more to help adult learners as they worked to gain knowledge of new hospital procedures and clinical protocols. My decision to provide increased support to this community of learners push me to apply to a master degree in education. I wanted to make an impact on peoples’ lives as great educators had done for me. In my field of healthcare, continuing education is a critical dimension of professional development as the medical community remains current in latest techniques, protocols and best practices. I wanted to make sure I could serve such inspirational people to make a difference in their classroom experiences.
I decided to pursue this master’s degree in Adult Education while continuing to work full time. This mode best suited my professional and family responsibilities. It also allowed me to move from theoretical knowledge to practical application, day by day, putting what I was learning into action and sharing class materials with my colleagues. The ability to share personal experiences with my fellow students and facilitators, and to exchange information across different cultures and backgrounds has greatly amplified the full worth of the educational experience.
Today, I'm the Development Resources Manager at Huntsville Hospital, the second largest hospital in Alabama. In recent years, the hospital has expanded its services throughout the development of Huntsville Hospital Health System, making it the third largest publicly owned hospital system in the nation. One of my responsibilities is to manage the Learning Management System, handling education records for over 18,000 employees and community healthcare providers. In addition, I develop and create online learning programs for the healthcare facility.
I decided to pursue this master’s degree in Adult Education while continuing to work full time. This mode best suited my professional and family responsibilities. It also allowed me to move from theoretical knowledge to practical application, day by day, putting what I was learning into action and sharing class materials with my colleagues. The ability to share personal experiences with my fellow students and facilitators, and to exchange information across different cultures and backgrounds has greatly amplified the full worth of the educational experience.
Today, I'm the Development Resources Manager at Huntsville Hospital, the second largest hospital in Alabama. In recent years, the hospital has expanded its services throughout the development of Huntsville Hospital Health System, making it the third largest publicly owned hospital system in the nation. One of my responsibilities is to manage the Learning Management System, handling education records for over 18,000 employees and community healthcare providers. In addition, I develop and create online learning programs for the healthcare facility.