Demonstrates the disposition for life-long learning and continuous professional development

Artifacts: MERIT Alumni Page, IRONCUE Prep Document, Procedures for using online resources.

The decision to complete a graduate degree program demonstrates a deep desire for lifelong learning. I have chosen to show just as sample of the conferences and events that have contributed to my professional development.

• MERIT is a high-quality professional development program for teachers, hosted by the Krause Center for Innovation. I was selected in a competitive application process to participate in the 2010 cohort, beginning with two intensive weeks in the summer and continuing throughout the year. I have kept in touch with the teachers I met during this program via the alumni page.
• Fall CUE in Napa, CA. At this conference, I was part of an “Iron CUE” team competing to create the best unit using a “secret ingredient,” the Ipevo Document Camera. While the results were inconclusive (the voting website crashed!), an entire unforgettable day of personal tutoring from experts in the field of educational technology was a prize in itself.  
• SVCUE in San Jose, CA. This local conference gives teachers and staff at a local private school to share their innovation. My most important takeaway has been an increased understanding of best practices in online collaboration, which I summarized in the procedures document and shared with my colleagues.

Most of my professional development has focused on teaching practice, and I look forward to attending Instructional Design conferences to increase my understanding of the field.