My doctoral dissertation is titled "Knowledge in a Learning Universe: Recursive, Collaborative and Digital." The themes remain central to my teaching practice. I have led programs in Education and Human Development and Early Childhood Education, in the US, Malaysia and Armenia provided Professional Development and Graduate courses for K12 and post-secondary Educators. My current focus is to use the framework of complex adaptive systems to enable students to exercise informed choice for the design and use of digital technologies as we all learn to navigate 21st century challenges.
Views on three concepts
Education
Learning is the oxygen for living a meaningful life.
Research
Observation, critical thinking and iterative testing are essential keys to reading the world.
Outreach
Networking across sectors and social groups creates leverage for change.
My goal as an educator is to enable students to understand the experiences and values that inform their own thinking and behavior. As we all try to navigate multiple 21st century challenges, self-reflection and critical thinking can empower us to resist manipulation, nurture our creativity and exercise informed choice in how, when, why and what digital technologies we design and use. I value active listening to learn from and with students as co-learners. My goal is to enable students to become active participants in the evolution of humane technologies and the preservation of culture and holistic values.
Education
PhD in Complex Systems and Distance Learning from the Graduate College of the Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio; Successful completion of qualifying exams for PhD in Sociology at University of California, Davis; BA in Sociology, University of California, Riverside
Areas of Expertise
Pedagogy for learner engagement in online, blended and f2f environments (20+ years experience with pre-K & K-12 and post-secondary faculty) with focus on:
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- Critical Media Literacy
- 21st Century Learning Capacities
- Co-Learning as Curation
- Education & Journalism: Levers for Change
Research and Evaluation (20+ years experience with qualitative and quantitative studies across disciplines and social settings)
Intra and Inter communal Dialogue facilitation (10 years+ experience)
Collaborative advocacy: Strategies for effective communication and citizen engagement with local, state and federal legislators (20+ years)
Current work (in process)
Short Takes on Living with AI
- AI is not the measure of all things
- Deployed Before Testing
- From the Valley of the Heart’s Delight to….
- If the Medium is the Massage (McLuhan)
- Musings of Digital Angst
- On the AI Seesaw
- Retool Digital Tech
- Schooling
- Silicon Valley’s Obsession
- When will we ever learn?
- In the Thrall of New Toys
- Thinking about Greed & Stealing...
- Uncentered
Blog postings re Online Learning and Engaging Pedagogy
http://learningworksonline.blogspot.com/
Research and Presentations
Authored 41 Reviews of Research conducted independently and collaboratively between 2001 and 2005 for the Center of Applied Research in Educational Technology, CARET http://caret.iste.org and for California Learning Resources Network (CLRN)
“Knowledge in a Globally Networked World: Implications for Teaching and Learning” Two day workshop presented at Caucasus Research and Resource Center, Yerevan, Armenia 2008
“Leadership Skills” Course presented through American University of Armenia Extension, 2008 Yerevan, Armenia
“Communication Skills for Change” Course presented through American University of Armenia, 2008 Yerevan, Armenia
“Critical Concepts for Learning with Globalization and Technology: Features of Best Practices in US Schooling Applicable to Educational Transformation in Armenia.” Presentation to Yerevan State University International Psychology Conference, October 26, 2007 in Yerevan, Armenia
Developed scope of work and prepared online instructors for Armenian Virtual College
“Research Implications for Preparing Teachers to Use Technology,” John Cradler, Molly Freeman, Mary McNabb in Learning & Leading with Technology, September, 2002
“Research in Educational Technology: CARET,” presentation to National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), San Antonio, Texas, June 19, 2002, John Cradler, Ruthmary Cradler, Molly Freeman, Talbot Bielefeldt
“Research-based Answers to Professional Development Questions,” presentation to the Commission on Technology in Learning at Computer Using Educators (CUE) Conference, May, 2002, John Cradler, Ruthmary Cradler, Molly Freeman
“How Does Technology Influence Student Learning,” John Cradler, Molly Freeman, Mary NcNabb, Richard Burchett in Learning & Leading with Technology, Vol 29, Number 8, May 2002
"Schools On the Edge of Order and Chaos," Excerpt from dissertation. EDJournal, March, 1999 Volume 13, Issue 3 pp.23-31
"The Edges of Order and Chaos in US Schooling," presentation at Telecon XVIII, US Distance Learning Association, October 27, 1998, Anaheim,CA
"The World Wide Web, Sacred Space and the Learning Moment," EDJournal, April,1998 Volume 12 Issue 4
"Global distance learning and the transformation of knowledge," presented at First Annual International Conference of the WebSociety, San Francisco, October, 1996
"Global distance learning: Co-evolution and Self-organization," EDJournal, US Distance Learning Association, July, 1996 Volume 10 Issue 5
"Telecommunications: Opportunities for Collaboration and Continuous Learning in Child Development," presented at National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in Washington, DC on November 30, 1995
"Telecommunications: Strategies for Training, Advocacy and Accountability," presented at Child Welfare League Western Region Conference, Concord, CA., November 2, 1995