Summary of 2014 Sabbatical Experience

Well, I am now wrapping up my Summer 2014 Sabbatical Experience, and I will return to regular work at Franklin this coming Monday. This has been a wonderful opportunity for me, something I have dreamed of doing for a long time. I am confident that this experience will be a pivotal point in my career - it has opened up many great opportunities for personal learning and professional growth. I've blogged throughout the sabbatical - below are blog posts on my sabbatical.

Travel

• Plans for travel to Utah
• Traveling to Utah from Ohio
• Yellowstone National Park
• Traveling from Utah back to Ohio

Hiking and Running

• Running and Physical Therapy
• Running In Logan
• 2014 Bear Lake Half Marathon
• Hiking in Dry Canyon
• Finishing a Marathon

Self-Reflection and Writing

• Writing at the Library
• Visualizing My Personal Values
• Principles of Positive Team Interaction
• My Leadership Values

Visiting Scholarship at USU - Teaching Support in Higher Education

• First Day at USU
• Top Services in Centers for Teaching Excellence
• Ideal Methods for Evaluating Teaching Effectiveness
• Keynote Address at Utah Instructional Design Summit

I Reached All Sabbatical Goals
At the beginning of this experience, I committed to my leadership at Franklin University that I would (a) write 2-3 scholarly articles, (b) visit Utah State University as a visiting scholar, and (c) apply to become a certified performance technologist. I am happy to say that I have completed each of these objectives, and I have learned a great deal in the process.

I Reached All Personal Goals
In my first blog post about the sabbatical, I also wrote that I wanted to (a) revisit my personal goals, (b) spend time with family, (c) run a marathon, and (d) broaden my knowledge. I can say with some satisfaction that I have been able to do each of these, as well. I have strengthened my goals, have run a half-marathon and a marathon, have spent a great deal of time with the members of my family who live in Utah, and have have read many books that have broadened my perspective.

I am very grateful to the leadership at Franklin University for giving me this opportunity. I have learned so much through my work at Franklin, and I will always be grateful for the opportunities I have received. This was an outstanding opportunity to extend my professional knowledge and experiences, travel, read, write, and spend time with my family. Thanks again to the leadership at Franklin for making this experience a possibility and for supporting me as I have moved forward in my goals. And thanks to my coworkers at Franklin who took over my responsibilities while I was gone. I could not have done this work without them!

Hiking in Dry Canyon

My brother in law Chris and I went on an outstanding hike last week and I thought I would share some pictures of the experience here.

We woke up at 4 am to start the hike. We began hiking at 4:30 am. Here I am still waking up at the trail head.

This is Chris as the sun was rising over Cache Valley (in the background). It was really cool to be there while the sun was coming up. It is a beautiful canyon.

Here I am later in the day as we continued to gain altitude in our hike. I think my socks look totally goofy in this picture.

We hiked north along the Syncline Trail and eventually crested the ridge between Dry Canyon and Logan Canyon. This is the view down into Logan Canyon and Cache Valley. Chris is the small do on the ridge on the left of the photograph.

I really enjoyed the hike. We covered about 13 miles total and had an outstanding time. Every once in a while I experience something like this - a clear, purifying experience in nature. I can't wait to get up into the canyon again!

My 2014 Sabbatical Opportunity

This afternoon I begin a sabbatical with Franklin University. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to improve myself personally and professionally. I am grateful to have been selected by the sabbatical committee and to have the support of the Franklin's leadership.

Related Post: 2014 Sabbatical Report

What I Plan To Do
During the sabbatical, I will complete activities designed to help me advance as a scholar and practitioner in the field of instructional design. My scholarly activities will include the following:

1. Write Scholarly Articles - I plan to write and submit at least 2 scholarly articles for publication. I am not involved in conducting traditional formal research, but I have participated in some really exciting, innovative approaches for designing instruction over the last several years. I'll probably blog more about these experiences as I write.
2. Apply for Certification - I will also apply for the Certified Performance Technologist designation. This certification is experience-based, and I will need to show how my past work has met the standards espoused by the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI). It'll likely be a fairly difficult application, but I am excited for the opportunity to focus on it.
3. Visiting Scholarship at CIDI - I will also spend some time as a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Innovative Design and Instruction (CIDI) at Utah State University. Utah State has long been a leader in the effective use of instructional technology, and I am hope that I can contribute in some way to their success, though I am certain that I will benefit the most from the opportunity. My family will come with me, and gratefully we have family that will stay in our home while we are gone. 

In addition to these activities, I have several other things I would like to accomplish

• Revisit my Personal Goals - I believe that effective goal setting is a vital activity for success. I am very goal-oriented, and I am grateful for the opportunity to revisit my goals and set new directions for myself in my life.
• Spend Time With Family - We will be spending time in Utah, and most of our extended family lives that state. I am excited to be with them and will enjoy spending time with them.
• Run a Marathon - I have a life goal to run a marathon, and I plan on training for and completing one this summer. I've begun my training schedule and will continue training for several months.
• Broaden My Knowledge -I am constantly reading, and I am excited to broaden my knowledge in a couple of key areas. I will focus my attention on the topics of positive psychology, leadership, spirituality, and goal-setting. I'll be sure to keep track of the books I am reading here.

Thanks to Franklin University
I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. Franklin University has been an outstanding place of employment, and I have learned so much from the people I have worked with over the past four years. I am confident that this sabbatical will benefit me personally and professionally, and I hope that the things I learn and accomplish this summer will benefit Franklin, as well.

I will certainly continue to write more about how things are going for the sabbatical over the coming weeks.