What is a leader?

I have been thinking about this question more and more the last few weeks. I'm sure if I asked a group of people (separately) they would all have their own answers and I wonder that answer might change or grow if those same people were brought together and asked to answer as a group, What is a leader?

When you think of the term leader, it may often be defined along the lines of "a person that leads, guides, or inspires..." or "a person with influence or power (i.e. political)" but is that accurate? A leader is not always at the front of a group, isn't always the oldest or most experienced, and definitely isn't always the one in charge.

A leader can come from any walk of life, hold any job title, and lead in a number of ways. There is no precise definition of leader that includes the exact attributes and qualities that one must possess in order to "qualify".

Each and every day we have the opportunity to be a leader, to ourselves and others in the choices we make, the actions we take, and the words we use or don't use.

There are a number of people here at the university that many see as leaders and in my opinion none of them fit in the same "mold".  A leader can come in many forms.

When you think of a "leader" you may think of "chief, captain, boss, director, commander, superior, and other similar terms" but do you also think of "good listener, supportive, innovative, extroverted, social,  engaging, helpful, inspiring, effective speaker, etc..."?

What do you expect from a leader? Should a leader only lead but not follow? Is is possible to lead and follow? Is there one type of leader that is better than another? Is it possibly to follow two leaders with different ways of leading?

I am learning that I definitely have my own preferences and I'm beginning to narrow down my list of leadership attributes to aspire to and others to avoid. In this type of environment it is impossible to assume that there will only be one leader or one type of leader.

I aspire to be:

Level-headed to combat the day to day stresses that arise
Educated and ready to learn everyday
Alert to the needs, concerns, and suggestions of other
Determined to perform my job diligently and to the best of my ability
Enthusiastic of the progress that has been made and that I contribute to
Ready to take on the next challenge to achieve my goals

Another MOOC bites the dust...

First and foremost I would like to say that I am extremely relieved that all MOOCs are not created equal. I now have two experiences under my belt that each currently represent my "MOOC Spectrum" for which I will rate any further MOOCs I partake in.

The second one has been done for a few days now and I still only have positive feedback to give. Creativity, Innovation, and Change offered through Penn State was a great experience. I consider myself a lifelong learner so I expect I will be enrolled in a third one before too long especially up until I have applied for grad school next year.

I have yet to decide on what kind of MOOC to take. Any suggestions?

My 1st EDUCAUSE Experience

EDUCAUSE, What an Experience!!! By my account I would say the conference was successful despite the technical hiccups in the first two sessions I moderated (the techs in the room and EDUCAUSE staff I worked with were spectacular).

So here's my recount of this conference journey...

Last week began just like any other week, I went into the office to wrap up a few projects and I also consulted with a CI faculty before leaving the area on Tuesday afternoon after an early dinner. I wish I could say the drive  on the 101S was enjoyable but that would be largely untrue. It took an hour from Thousand Oaks to the 405!!! All in all, I was grateful to reach my family's home that I would be staying at to commute to Anaheim. It would be an understatement to say I was a ball of nerves Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. I was up before my 5:30a alarm and headed out the door early Wednesday morning at 6:00a. I knew I had to be at the conference by 7:30 to finalize some moderating business and I wanted to attend the general session with Sir Ken Robinson. Thankfully I arrived shortly after 7:00a which gave me plenty of time to take care of the things I needed to and unexpectedly "run" into my former/current boss, Jill Leafstedt. It was at that point that I allowed myself to take a deep breath and step back to revel in the fact that I was at the largest information technology gathering for higher education in the US.  We then proceeded into the general session together.

Unlike the veterans at the conference I had never heard Sir Ken Robinson speak and was thrilled to see an acclaimed expert in Creativity and Innovation.. He spoke of culture, imagination, and innovation; stating that "cultural nuances pervade every aspect of our life" and that "imagination is the most extraordinary capacity that we undervalue". He referenced innovation as "putting good ideas to practice" and reminded the audience that tools are used for things we can't do unaided and that it is crucial that "we think differently about ourselves and our institutions in education" while also "learning to ask questions differently". At the end of the session, it was announced that he would be doing a book signing (but it wasn't specifically announced where in the exhibit hall it would be held). The scavenger hunt began to try and find the location to try and get a signed copy of the latest edition of his book!!!
I discovered the booth by accident, quickly remembering the sponsor of the session had been Pearson and quickly got in line. It was then announced that he would only be signing 50 books/50 autographs and that it was expected to run out before my turn but we stayed put and boy was I glad I did, as you can see below (Jessica is also pictured, thanks Jill for taking this photo):
I even managed to make him laugh by thanking him for explain what the "duplicator" process was since I was one of the < 30 in the crowd.

I also have to admit I was a bit starstruck because I had never been to a book signing and up until it was my turn was wondering how much the book would cost in hopes I had enough cash on me. I never would have expected that I didn't have to pay for it. My first book signing was a success. Another book to add to my slowly growing library within Instructional Technology. Shortly there after I had to leave them and get to the 3rd floor to start moderating. I don't want to rehash my experience in too much detail but I'll just say after the first two sessions were over and it was time for lunch I was in sheer panic (my CNS was overstimulated and I'm surprised my sympathetic nervous system didn't short circuit) because of technical issues that seemed beyond my control. By the time they were fixed, I had lost all track of time and thought the session was almost over. I was able to meet up with part of the CI Team for lunch and had somewhat recovered by the time I left to go back upstairs. Thankfully the last two sessions on Wednesday went much better.

At the end of the day, I commuted back to where I was staying, met up with a friend I hadn't seen in months for dinner, and then went to bed.

Thursday morning was about the same, I was out the door by 6:05 and at the convention about an hour later.
I was mentally prepared for the long day 8-6:30 plus CI Team dinner right after.

The first two sessions went well. I was even able to "handle" tweeting about the sessions too (another first for me) and by Saturday I was at 200 tweets!! After the second session, I packed up as quick as I could and headed downstairs to find Jill before the general session with Jane McGonigal (someone Jill had spoken very highly of). We must have been early because we found seats in the 7th row from the front in the center left section. Once again, I pulled out Dizzy (my iPad), opened my Notability app and prepared to take notes. Her session was very interesting, the facts compelling, and the games quite impressive. Plus, it was fun playing multi-player thumb wrestling as an audience. I wonder what the final count really was?? At the conclusion of her session, it was again announced that there would be a book signing  but at the Follett booth. Simultaneously we all glanced at each other with the same idea. I quickly pulled out the little book on the back of my badge and found their booth number, 1719 which meant it would be in Hall B, not C.
It was much easier to find, we realized we were definitely going to get a book when we saw where we were in line and the number of books displayed. I secretly did a happy dance in my head. Although, I will say I felt more awkward at this signing and fumbled over my words.
It was an inspirational reminder that I can do and be whatever I choose...a strong, independent, confident woman in this industry.
We then headed to the lunch area, chatted with other professionals, and then I left for the 3rd floor with four more sessions to go before dinner.

The afternoon went smoothly with only minor hiccups along the way. The last session even ended early at 6 instead of 6:20 so I messaged Jill and made my way to our meeting location, the Hilton hotel which to my surprise really was but a hop, skip, and a jump from the convention center. I was entering in from another side so I had yet to go out the main entrance. I arrived in the lobby and was surprised by the boom of conversation buzzing and the social interactions that were happening all around. I had no idea which direction Jill would be coming from so I glued myself to the first pillar I saw and checked my email until she got there. We briefly chatted before meeting the rest of the team (Michael Berman, Lacey, Neil, Melissa) and walking to Downtown Disney for dinner.
[Confession: I was both excited and nervous because this was my first social outing as an employee and not a student assistant, something I am still adjusting to; I knew of everyone that would be there but never had really talked to three of them...Lacey, Neil, Melissa.]
We all chatted along the way and walked over to the Jazz Kitchen and were promptly told the wait would be 90 minutes so we decided to go to the Uva bar to wait. I would say we waited about 20 minutes to be seated and a few more before we ordered our drinks. Unexpectedly, Berman got the text moments later saying our table was ready and that we had 5 minutes to get back to the restaurant. At this point, we were still waiting for our order. Once the drinks arrived, I quickly finished it and Lacey finished hers moments after. Fifteen to twenty minutes have gone by at this point and the rest of the group was still chatting and slowly drinking so we, Lacey and I, decided to go back to the restaurant to see if we could salvage our table. The restaurant staff weren't exactly happy, more flustered if anything (which Lacey and I found humorous considering that we were expecting to wait 90 minutes rather than about 35)  but they gave us a table in the front. We contacted the rest of the group and they soon joined us. We ordered our meals and enjoyed great conversation. I was very thankful for our waitress who was willing to take my onion allergy much more serious than most places allowing me to freely enjoy my meal without concern. The night ended shortly after 10 I think and the group walked me to my car. Little did I know that another adventure was about to begin.

I pulled out the parking structure and heading East on Katella towards the freeway only to find the ramp on both sides of the street closed. The navigation I had with me wouldn't turn on and I couldn't get a hold of anyone. Thankfully I remembered State College Street traveled North and eventually directed me to the 91 which quickly took me to the 57. The additional bonus was that there definitely wasn't any traffic, I arrived "home" and basically fell in bed what felt like a few moments later.

Once again, Friday morning followed the same protocol but I arrived 20 minutes before 7 and it was much cooler. The last day of the conference was much shortest with two sessions and the closing general session.
I arrived so early that I decided to go around to the ballrooms I had "worked" in to personal thank the techs and staff for the assistance and guidance they provided. The sessions went off without a hitch and at the last minute decided to meet Jill for the last general session. I will have to say this was the one session that I felt most out of place in and the slides were not easy to read or see from where we sat. The session ended, I said goodbye to Jill and then left to go back to pack up before meeting another friend for lunch. I was relieved to be back in Ventura County shortly after 6, mentally exhausted but still able to fall asleep before midnight even knowing that I had to be up at 6 on Saturday because I was participating in The Color Run (5K).

I think I'm still adjusting back to life day to day, can't quite get back to that fully rested and not tired during the day feeling (something I'm not used to).

My takeaways from the conference:

• The conference was huge!! (No amount of mental prep could have prepared me for that first day)
• The companies in the Start-Up Alley were my favorite to converse with; bigger companies were anything but interested in engaging me
• I was able to contribute to meaningful conversations with professionals outside my CI Network
• If I ever go again, I have to bring my camera...it would be photography heaven!!
• I just might be hooked on book signings :-D

The saddest takeaway:
The fact that all but one CIO (that I could tell) that I heard speak hates their job, is full of complaints, bitter, and convinced that no one would take their job. I didn't not find acronyms like "Career Is Over" to be at all humorous. This is extremely disappointing and unambitious.

• I am just starting my career and a position that I consider to be one of the highest I'm aware of (however true that may or may not be) is something I shouldn't aspire to if I were to follow any other model that my CIO, Michael Berman.
• Last time I checked, nothing is forcing them to stay in position that they are unhappy with AND
• How can they expect to find replacements if they have nothing good to say about the position?
• I am thankful that I work for a University that has a CIO that's doing it right, someone that deserves to hold the title and someone I know it passionate about the betterment of the educational experience to the best of his ability. No one is perfect but when you hold a title such as this I would hope that you would serve at least as a means of inspiration and mentor-ship to others (particularly newbies like me).

I have also never been so happy to work for a smaller campus that is student centered. I didn't hear many positives from larger schools. I love where I work and I love what I do.  GO DOLPHINS!!!

It's already October?

It's seems that not long ago I was a college student ready to graduate but now I can't believe that it is already October. Work is going well. I'm doing my best to keep my stress in check while trying to make each day as productive as possible. I am still pursuing other professional experiences and I am currently in the waiting stage to see if my efforts materialize and/or sprout into something more.

I leave for EDUCAUSE in a week and will also get to see my mom and a couple friends while I am back in their local area. I will be at the conference from Wednesday to Friday. I am both excited and nervous. I have never been to an annual conference or one that will be so populous. As a nonprofit, their mission is "to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology..."
I will moderating sessions while I am there but I hope to be confident enough to explore the exhibit hall, general sessions, and during meals. I am not looking forward to going alone. I know the CIO of the University will be there but there is a whole other "CIO experience" for him so my chances of seeing him are about 2%...maybe. The thought of being around such a vast group of professionals in a field I intend to join is more intimidating that exhilarating (especially right now).

I love what I do but I am not the best at verbalizing what I do. I have a hard time talking about myself. So many of my projects never have my name on them unless someone else mentions me. I have put together a website/e-portfolio but I still think it would mean more if I "had more to show" for my efforts.
My personal standards are higher than anyone's ever have been for me; exceeding excellence is all that I will accept of myself. If funding wasn't an issue I would already be in grad school...working towards my Master's degree in Educational Technology and then (knowing me) beginning to consider my options to get my Doctorate degree in Instructional Design.

I have a feeling I will be writing again sooner than later and that I will hopefully have a progress report on my other professional endeavors before too long as well.

Progress

I am happy to announce that I have been hired by my former employer (University) to work part-time as the Jr. Instructional Designer. It is a helpful step in building my name, gaining further experience, bolstering my resume, and preparing for grad school. The paperwork is still being finished before I can sign it. This is my second week so far and I am already working on huge projects for the campus as I am given more responsibilities.
My stress level has definitely jumped up several degrees but I hope that will dissipate as I get more completed towards the end goal of completing these projects. I am also considering other options to combat the stress but so far nothing has been decided.

I feel like I should write more but I can't think of anything else. For now it's time to unwind and get ready for another busy day tomorrow. :-)

It's been a week!!

Hello again.

I can't believe it's already week 3 of the Creativity & Innovation MOOC. I'm still really enjoying it. Although I almost forgot to complete this week :-/

I hope to have an exciting announcement in the next few days in relation to work....within the industry!!!
My fingers are crossed but I won't say anything more until all paperwork is created and signed. :-)

I am not sure if I should continue on my other personal development "venture" as well or temporarily postpone it while I pursue more steady experience. What should I do??

MOOC #2 + Update

I successfully completed my first MOOC  (6 weeks) on the 21st of August. I am now in Week 2 of my 2nd MOOC (8 weeks) entitiled, "Creativity, Innovation, and Change" being taught by Penn State faculty. So far it is going quite well and I am definitely enjoying it much more than the first one. I am also in the process of further establishing myself professionally in this industry. I should have more news soon but until then do not want to disclose any specifics. I hope to secure at least a couple jobs in the next week or two also.

I didn't realize that it had been so long since my last post. :-/
I will do my best to post more often.

Future Investment

I am at an impasse, I'm struggling to find a position within this field that I am "qualified" for and I don't have an excess of money to throw around as an investment in my future. I am mentally prepared to be in Grad School but, again, cannot financially afford it. I'm not sure what else I can do right now. I am trying to avoid taking a job for the sake of having a job but as each day passes it becomes increasingly harder not to push this aside and just take the first thing that I can find.

I so badly want to make it in this industry but chances  and opportunities do not come free. I do not know how make my presence known to the employers I seek. I've scoured job sites and postings but to no avail.

Struggling to "keep my chin up". It's only been about a week since I left, but it's been a brutal one to say the least.

What's next?

Just a quick check-in. I've applied for a similar position at a local college and I'm in the process of establishing myself within this industry. I hope to have more specific updates soon but for now it is much too soon to reveal anything quite yet.

For now I shall continue to work behind the scenes in hopes that I will soon reap what I am sewing.

Farewell

Today was my last day as a Student Assistant of BLPP at CSU Channel Islands. It's definitely a unfortunate departure that I knew would eventually arrive post Graduation but that does not discount that it was any easier to walk away today that it would have been three months ago. Throughout this nineteen-month journey I have learned numerous lessons, none of which are more or less valuable than the other; I have learned that patience, open ears, a willingness to learn and listen and a friendly demeanor are some of the best things I can bring into any project I pursue and complete. I fully understand why this University has received the distinction of "Great College to Work For" the last four years. Despite what others say who feel that I've been shortchanged. I would not change anything. It has truly has a transforming 19 months.

I have learned that it is possible to make connections with a dynamic group of staff and faculty that will endure throughout my journey despite where it takes me after the University. I have learned that it is possible to make a name for myself in an industry often considered "male-concentrated". I am empowered to join the group of women working within Education Technologies/Instructional Design. I am ready to take any upcoming challenges directly and smile through them knowing that I will emerge stronger and more diverse. I have been blessed to work with a phenomenal number of individuals that have supported me and allowed me the space to grow and gain confidence.

I have not shut the door to this chapter. I view it more as a necessary indeterminate sabbatical. If an opportunity arises to continue with the University (in a related way) I will definitely consider it.

My days at CI are not over. We are connected in many ways that cannot be undone. "We are CI"

She's back at last...

My boss is finally back on campus. I even briefly saw her today which always brightens my day. The time in the office turned into a whirlwind only moments after walking in-the-door. I was asked to be moderator at the Educause Annual Conference in October!! Faculty began submitting their videos for a project I'm working on...only they weren't quite what was asked for. Knowing how hard it is to record videos it wasn't easy having to ask them to re-record certain videos under more specific parameters but I'm hoping the end result will be that much better. Unfortunately for the faculty their videos are due by the end of the week so that doesn't leave much time to re-record.. Also, I hope they realize that the videos may not be used  in its entirety because I have different directions to follow and expectations to meet.
Nonetheless, I am actually looking forward to my meeting with my boss tomorrow morning. I am confident she will pleased with the work I have accomplished in her absence. I will be able to get so much more done now that she is back and able to advise me.
There is a chance that I can continue to work at the University but I don't have any details quite yet. It's just been circulating around the department. I believe it will technically be a different job but hopefully that will only comprise part of my time and the rest I can devote to continue the work I've been doing the last 18 months. My fingers are crossed. Wish me luck!!

Camtasia

Just a few weeks ago I was unfamiliar with Camtasia. I knew it existed and that it was being used on campus but I had never used it personally. But low and behold my boss asked me to make several VoiceThread training videos. I knew this meant I would also have to learn Camtasia so I went to the Techsmith website and found the version I'd be working with and starting watching the training videos. I took notes on many of the videos and paid special attention to the "HotKeys". Upon the completion of the training videos, I decided the next best step would be to write the scripts for the list of videos I needed to make. (This took more time than I had hoped). With the majority of the scripts written I still found myself hesitant to start recording. Finally, I got up the nerve to make some practice videos of me reading the script. Fast forward about a week and I can proudly say I have five videos created and 95% edited to completion. While I still have more to make, I am proud of the progress I have made and level of "work" I am producing. Gratefully, a very-skilled co-worker is in the room next door and very willing to answer my questions, proof my videos, and assist me in any advanced edits I'm still unfamiliar with.
I have two other projects that I am working on simultaneously that always utilize this program (but more in terms of editing than creating). This is the last week that my boss is away and I don't know how much more I'll be able to get done before her return but I'm definitely farther along than I could be and I have learned a plethora about video creation and editing.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring but more videos will definitely be "brought to life".

Sharpening my skills

I am swamped again trying to accomplish the countless ideas in my head. There has been lots of reading and writing today, but mostly reading so far. I am constantly trying to gain further insight into the Ed. Tech. "way of life" by picking up the lingo and terminology, reading as many articles and blogs as I can each day, curating my own tools and knowledge pools, creating lists of tools and resources to invest in when I can,  and diligently searching for opportunities to practice my skills and gain new ones.
I am but a small fish in this vast Ed. Tech. ocean but I have a big appetite for knowledge and learning. I know my effort, diligence, willingness, and time will be worthwhile as I grow into a well educated bigger fish.

On a separate note, I really do love Google products. I just started using Google Keep today to safely record the list of books I'd like to buy. I use many others such as Google Drive, Photos, Sites, Blogger...I'm hoping to check out Calendar soon.

As far as work goes, I am polishing the scripts and hope to record more training videos tomorrow. Wish me luck!!

Lastly, "I aspire to inspire others to create works of art woven with technology".

Another year has just begun..

I'm another year older today. My day has been very relaxed which is a nice change of pace after the last couple of days in the office. I woke up early and went for a jog on the beach PLUS I found some sea-glass along the way. I had an enjoyable lunch but I have yet to find out where I'm being taken to dinner. 

I've been doing some Ed. Tech. reading to further curate my Scoop.It! page. It's so fun trying out the suggested resources such as Web2PDF where I can turn a website into a PDF that I can save on my desktop to reference as needed rather than keeping a window open indefinitely. I also found another one called Flip-Flap that allows you to "transform your doc, PDF, etc...into an interactive flipbook that can then be shared by email, blog, Facebook, or Twitter". I haven't tried it out yet but it sounds very interesting.

Just wanted to share the new resources I found while they were fresh in my mind.

Monday check-in

Greetings!!

I've successfully completed the first week of my Nutrition and Health MOOC and I have another two modules to complete for this week.There are a 11 modules total. Five more weeks to go!!! I will get a 5-day break before my second one begins (September to late October). Busy, busy, busy...

On the work-front, I have a big video project that I am working on to create video tutorials for VoiceThread for the faculty at the University I currently work at. I am also still searching for employment after my position here ends in a month. I'm very nervous about finding a position that will continue to give me experience within Ed. Tech. and I'm beginning to wonder if it's possible. I'm applying to positions within and outside of Ed.Tech. I must continue working if I want to be able to save up and apply to grad school in the next year or so.

On the professional development-front, I am trying to maintain this blog (but wondering what topics are worth writing about), curating a Scoop.It!! page, and developing my e-portfolio (a true work in progress).

Well, time to get back to the video scripts...they're not to write themselves!! :-D

MOOCs

So in an attempt to attain more knowledge and experience I have decided to sign up for a MOOC or Massive Open Online Course entitiled Creative, Innovation, and Change that is being offered through Coursera that lasts 8 weeks and starts at the beginning of September.

I was browsing through the Coursera homepage when I came across another class that I found interesting about Nutrition, Physical activity, and health that had just started this week so on a whim I signed up. My hope is that if I try out one of these courses on a topic that is personally interesting to me I will be less intimidated when the "career" specific one begins.
So far I have read the syllabus and schedule (6 weeks long) but I had better get started since there are two Modules for the first week.

Let the research begin. Inquisitively I shall seek out knowledge and explore the land of MOOCs!!!

My first reflection

It's hard to believe that about a year ago I was preparing for a completely different career path. As an undergrad at CSU Channel Islands I was excited to graduate and pursue grad school in Health Psychology; but little did I know that by graduation (May 2013) my heart would be set on a career more in line with the position I had held for 15 months prior. I attended CI for two years and spent the last 3 semesters working as the student assistant for the Blended Learning Preparation Program (BLPP) but I'll get into this more specifically later.
During my time at the University, I learned many things about myself including that I could succeed in a field far removed from my original comfort zone (Psychology) and enjoy it!! I can't say that I ever imagined myself within the technology field and especially not in combination with education but here I am. Now I couldn't imagine doing anything else other than Ed. Tech.
While I can't be credited with coming to this conclusion entirely on my own; there were many conversations with my boss, Jill Leafstedt and other supervisors, feedback from faculty and students that I had worked with, and even talking with friends before I was willing to admit I was "Delving into the Realm of Education Technologies". I hope to gain more experience before enrolling in an online Master's program. I am working at the University for about 5 more weeks. I have been trying to find another opportunity before that time but have not had much luck so far but the search continues...

I'm writing a blog...and here's why!?!?!

The purpose of this blog is to allow myself a creative outlet to express myself and chronicle my journey. I hope to gain insight and possibly even inspire others to pursue their true calling even when it requires taking risks and trying the unthinkable. I will not be defeated by the unfamiliar or swayed by the critics. Step by step and little by little I will achieve my goals. Let the fun begin!!!

Greetings!!

Hello, this is my first post. I am new to blogging but I'm ready to try it out. I am excited to see where this journey takes me and how my writing develops along the way.