“I hope that we may all live in the spirit of Dr. Burniske and make as much of an impact as he did on the lives of others.”

Hometown

Honoka‘a, HI

Department

Learning Design and Technology

Related Degrees

• MEd, Learning Design & Technology
• PhD, Learning Design & Technology

What is your current occupation?
I am an educational assistant at the King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center.

Briefly describe your master’s project.
For my master’s project, Be a Part of History: Web-based Volunteer Training Module for Judiciary History Center Docents, I developed and evaluated a training module for volunteer docents at the King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center. This project was conceived to create a better experience for visitors of the Judiciary History Center by improving the effectiveness of services the volunteer docents provide.

I am both humbled and honored to receive the Buddy Burniske Memorial Award.  I would like to acknowledge my equally deserving peers in the LTEC program who have made this journey with me and have contributed to my successes.  This award belongs to all of us.  I hope that we may all live in the spirit of Dr. Burniske and make as much of an impact as he did on the lives of others.

How did you become interested in the LTEC program?
After teaching English in Japan for five years, I explored the possibility of becoming a high school counselor. I was still entertaining my options when my wife enrolled in a graduate program at the College of Education. She invited me to accompany her to a conference where I saw a presentation by Dr. Peter Leong on the use of virtual worlds in education. This is where I learned about the LTEC program (formerly Educational Technology). With my background in education and my interest in technology, it seemed like a perfect fit, so I applied. I guess the rest is history!

How have the faculty/staff helped you along in your program?
The guidance and support of the LTEC faculty and staff have given me the wisdom and confidence to excel. When I first enrolled, I had already been out of college for some time. I was definitely a bit rusty, but with the aid of the faculty, staff, and my peers, I was able to pull through. During the first two semesters, I built a foundation that would prepare me for my master’s project by engaging with projects, presentations, and other various assignments.  Over the subsequent two years, the LTEC faculty and staff continued to guide me throughout this process, helping me develop the tools necessary for success. There have been occasions when the rigors of the LTEC program have tested my resolve. In hindsight, I realize these challenges have only helped shape my development. It is through the example set by the LTEC faculty that I hope to model my future as an educator.

What are your future plans?
I plan to continue my studies in the LTEC program and earn a PhD. Beyond that, I hope to contribute to the advancement of Educational Technology by training future educators and conducting research in the field.

* The Burniske Outstanding ETEC Master’s Project Award is given to an ETEC student whose master’s project and other graduate work in the department best exemplify what Buddy valued in his students’ work: innovation, high quality research and writing, and significance to the field.