Collection: Scott Dunham's MDDE EPortfolio

Capstone E-Portfolio MDDE 694

Welcome to Scott Dunham's Capstone Portfolio!

Dunham,-Scott-Cropped.jpgI can't believe that I am now wrapping up my Master in Education.  It seems like it was only yesterday that I was contemplating a move into administration at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College.  I had been teaching there for 9 years following graduation on a part-time basis, and now was eager to dive into a full-time role.

In preparation for a move into administration I began looking at various options to obtain a Master in Education.  I had a positive experience with Athabasca, taking an elective course (MAIS 615) as part of my MSc in Rehabilitation Sciences through McMaster.  I liked the flexibility and customization that online learning provided, and Athabasca had a great track record and reputation for delivering online education.  I planned out the next 3 years of my life, and dove back into online education.

My motivation to obtain my Masters was not purely to achieve the goal of moving into an administrator role.  I realized that between teaching and treating patients at my clinic, the best part of my week and the role I raved about when asked was that of my teaching at CMCC.  I hoped that much like my first Masters, I would gain insightful knowledge which I could apply immediately into my day-to-day life.  The relationships I would develop would be valuable beyond measure.

I hope you enjoy reading my Capstone E-Portolio about my journey, and I welcome any feedback you may provide below.

Scott

Media

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Sir Ken Robinson

Educational Leadership

About Me

I am a Chiropractor by trade, but a teacher by heart!  After 9 years in practice and teaching part-time at  the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, I took on the role of Director of Curriculum and Faculty Development.  I ran a multidisciplinary practice in the Beaches area of Toronto (still work there occasionally), and have successfully completed a Masters in Science from McMaster University in Rehab Sciences.  I have a lovely wife who puts up with me, and two young daughters who keep us very busy!  I also played provincial and national level rugby and have volunteered extensively with the MS Society of Canada serving on the board of directors and a number of committees.  I am thoroughly enjoying plowing through these courses in online education, and am putting it into practice in my teaching role.  We have implemented E-Portfolios for our faculty as well as use them for our students in various small group courses, which has been a great learning experience!

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Education history

Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology (BSc) at University of Waterloo
1998 - 2002

DC (Doctor of Chiropractic) at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College
2002 - 2006

Master in Science in Rehabilitation Sciences (MSc) at McMaster University
2010 - 2014

Master in Education in Distance Education (MEd) at Athabasca University
2015

Details

Artefacts

The following 5 Artefacts demonstrate my development through obtaining my Master in Education through Athabasca University.

They can all be accessed through the drop-down menu at the top of this page or with the links below

1.  Journal Entries - MDDE 610 Survey of Current Educational Technologies

2.  Self Evaluation - MDDE 601 Introduction to Distance Education

3.  Theory of Practice Assignment - MDDE 603 Foundations of Instructional Design

4.  Group Project - MDDE 631 Inclusive Leadership

5.  Reflective Piece - MDDE 612 Experiential Learning

Courses Taken

Masters in Distance Education - Focus Area: Leadership in Education

Required Courses

MDDE 601: Introduction to Distance Education and Training - Spring 2015

MDDE 602:  Research Methods in Distance Education - Spring 2016

MDDE 603:  Foundations of Instructional Design: Systems Analysis and Learning Theory - Spring 2017

MDDE 605:  Planning and Management in Distance Education and Training - Winter 2018

MDDE 610:  Survey of Current Educational Technology Applications - Fall 2016

MDDE 694:  Capstone e-Portfolio Project - Spring 2015

 

Focus Area: Leadership in Education

MDDE 631:  Inclusive Leadership and Practice in Education - Winter 2017

MDDE 632:  Leadership in Education Innovation - Fall 2017

 

Electives

MDDE 611:  Foundations of Adult Education - Fall 2015

MDDE 617:  Program Evaluation in Distance Education - Winter 2017

MDDE 612:  Experiential Learning - Spring 2018

 

Learning Goals

My learning goals for the MDDE program:

1)  Obtain a deeper appreciation for the planning of curriculum, specifically with regards to online/hybrid format courses

2)  Establish contacts amongst my peers and faculty within higher education

3)  Contribute positively to the group learning environment at AU

My Masters Journey

Hannah and Fay in bed.jpgMy Masters Journey began in the Spring of 2015 began with a failure.  After sourcing out options, I had decided on Athabasca but I missed the deadline for application by 7 days!  I sent all my stuff off anyways, and enrolled the first year as a non-degree student, taking courses which would eventually satisfy the requirements of the program.

Through the 3 1/3 years it took to get through the program, many events have transpired in my life.  I sold my chiropractic practice, moving full-time into administration at CMCC.  We moved from Downtown Toronto to a more residential neighbourhood.  And most importantly, we welcomed our second daughter to the world!  Which somehow has resulted in more than double the work, but about a thousand times the amount of joy.

I took one course per term, aside from the term my daughter was born where I took a term off.  I took two courses in Winter 2018 to power through to the end, which was probably a bit too much, but I got through it unscathed. 

Now that I'm nearing the end, it has given me an opportunity to reflect back not only on my learning, but on the entire process as a whole.  I am proud to say that I have achieved my goals, and through this process have developed as both an educator and as a leader.  It also gives me a chance to look forward as to what my next challenge may be.  Having been in formal education a long time (a Bachelor of Science, a Doctor of Chiropractic, and now two Master degrees) the plan is to take a hiatus from formal education.  Not too surprisingly, the courses I enjoyed the most while at AU centered around leadership, so the plan is to look into leadership academies to further develop in my managerial role, and to also seek out a mentor.IMG_20161211_111652.jpg

I would like to acknowledge the amazing people who helped me along the way.  My co-workers at CMCC have been incredibly supportive of my efforts, as have the faculty and staff at Athabasca University.  But without a doubt I would not have been successful in this journey if it hadn't been for the unwavering support of my loving family.  They say it takes a village, and this Masters degree is as much yours as it is mine.  From the bottom of my heart - thank you.

As much as this journey is coming to a conclusion, I know that more educational adventures are yet to come...

Scott

Comments

Scott Dunham
27 June 2018, 1:26 PM

Rita,

Thank you for your comments.  I have reflected further on various pages within the portfolio, and have made the alterations as you requested.  I agree, this is an academic project, and even though this is just a introduction page, it should not be chatty and signed off casually.  I have also removed the employment history as you requested.

Thanks for your feedback!

Scott

11 comments