I am a career (innovative) educator with many scholarly and informal interests. I recently completed my PhD in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada). The title of my dissertation was ‘Insight-Out: A Phenomenological Exploration of the Nature and Appearance of Learning.’  It was an exciting research project, essentially confirming the idiosyncratic/subjective character of learning as it arises for each person, young or old. 

I have worked for 30+ years as an innovative and award-winning educator, researcher, coach, workshop leader, tutor, and author. Frustrated as a classroom-based teacher, I helped to co-found and direct the award-winning, innovative SelfDesign and Virtual High Learning Communities (2002 and 1993, respectively) in British Columbia, Canada. I have been working and valuing online, personalized education since the early 1990s! I began teaching ‘Neurobiology and Learning’ as a directed studies course in the Individualized Masters (IMA) program of Antioch online starting in 2021 and previously taught the same course in the SelfDesign Graduate Institute (2012-2016) and the Transformative Learning Foundation (2016-2020). Other recent courses I have taught include ‘Languaging for Empowerment’ and ‘Personalizing Learning.’ 

Other professional interests of mine include holistic learning, Neurobiological learning, self-directed learning, Goethean and ecological sciences, and project-based learning. Informal interests of mine include writing, music (guitar), DIY projects, woodworking, gardening, swimming, hiking, camping, and ‘shrooming (I admit it, I’m a mycophile!).

Previous professional experiences/careers: Journalist – Researcher; Geologist; K-12 educator: Science, Math, and Language Arts