Some reflections on graduation

On Saturday, May 20th I completed an 8 year journey to complete my EdD, and walked with a whole bunch of classmates to receive our hoods. And there were even more students receiving their MAEDs. It was really cool and became very emotional day for me, and I am sure of my colleagues and peers. I felt that I was almost having an out-of-body experience, although that may because it took us 2 hours to travel up the PCH parking lot. I was totally happy to be wearing my Pepperdine royal blue robes. But I knew that I should have worn short pants and Berks or something. We were all like little personal sweat lodges- it was so bloody hot. But to look around me, and see the smiles of diversity, so joyful, of a feeling of completion of an academic walkabout. Perhaps I am over-dramatizing this, but my journey seemed to take me along a sometimes Job-ian path of opportunities masquerading as challenges. I had more of some of these opportunities then I would have liked, but I got to learn about broken collarbones, different hospitals. Huntington was really great for emergency,  UCLA was good for pneumonia (except for their cable TV that showcased the Alligator Channel), Kaiser for all kinds of other stuff (like the insertion of Bert and Ernie, my two stents).  There were parts of this journey that took me pretty close to the seas of despair and worry. Some of it was received from the news, some of it was the lack of steady work. But the love and support from family and friends prevented me from drowning and let me pursue this dream. I am truly grateful to all for all from a smile to a beer to a good word to a month and another. What a journey! Whew! One thing about this journey is that you really need persistence, and a sense of humor. Yep, definitely a sense of humor!

Three stages of dissertation: The elevator pitches. 
Stage 1– Using available technologies to develop innovative partnerships between schools and different arts institutions to provide year-round arts education in underserved and distant communities.
Stage 2– Using MOOCS as a platform for Number 1. Massive open online classes, built on the Community of Practice described by Lave and Wenger. Way cool. Imagine students anywhere and everywhere gaining to access to organized courses at LACMA, the Norton Simon, the Louvre, National Gallery, or theater schools, in year long programs. Parts as lecture and parts as interactive experience. There are models about, like the University of the People.
Stage 3, my dissertation– Using graphic novels and comics in schools to teach social justice and identity issues.

To be continued.
Graphic Novels and comics are really……

This entry was posted in Comics, David Greenfield Dissertation, For all mankind, Graphic Novels, Innovation, Learning, MOOCs, Museums, Social Justice and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

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