Tranell Gilmore
I am enrolled in the M.Ed. in Instructional and Learning Design Technology program, and I plan to graduate December 2024.
Where do you currently work?
I currently work with Fort Worth ISD as a 9-12th Grade English Language Arts teacher at the Juvenile Justice Alternative Education and Detention Center. I am also a philanthropist, the founder and President of the Brotherhood Foundation, store owner, published author and musician. The foundation’s mission is to create equitable lifestyles for fostered youth and minorities, one life at a time.
There are many options for graduate school. Why did you choose UTA’s Instructional and Learning Technology Technology program?
I chose Instructional and Learning Design Technology because it aligned with my life’s purpose. I have spent years developing programs to help fostered youth and other economically disadvantaged minorities and I believed this program would amplify my efforts; it has. I am also an alum at The University of Texas at Arlington.
There was only one other school I wanted to attend. I toured both schools as an undergrad and as soon as I parked at UTA I knew I had found my home. The University of Texas at Arlington has opened doors for me because of its tight knit network. So, when it was time to choose a graduate school UTA was my only option.
What is your summer capstone?
The capstone project I am working on this summer is in collaboration with Dr. Hugh Kellam and Professor Arenas-Itotia (Professor K) and the School of Social Work. I have a background in education, philanthropy, as well as web design, so Dr. Kellam found an amazing opportunity for me to use all of my past experiences socially professionally and academically. The professors and I met a few times to finalize requirements and qualifications. At the beginning of June I found myself embraced by the School of Social Work and Professor K tasked a number of duties and responsibilities, comprised is a functional user-friendly website of educational support for parents, K-12, and homeschoolers. Building the website was challenging and loads of fun entailing web design and development, curating the aesthetics, program and lesson planning a range of topics like SEL, Life Skills, STEM, and Language Arts. Not to mention original content creation, promoting, managing, maintaining, marketing, and advertising educational resources. Analyzing the efficacy of existing marketing campaigns and strategies and adapting accordingly. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity.
What is your ultimate hope for how the ILDT program will help you advance in your career?
Instructional and Learning Design Technology is helping me professionally. Take my capstone project for example, I have already made new connections on my LinkedIn and have been invited to intern with a growing nonprofit. I have taken the texts exemplars for program, project, and event planning and ensure that I implement them. One in particular has a six-month check list for event/program planning that covers all your bases from planning, budgeting, developing, booking hotel stays, guest speakers and everything in between.
My ultimate goal for ILDT is to master building effective programs and curriculum for my nonprofit, home schools, K-12s, community colleges, and universities within a 21st century classroom. I also hope that this program opens doors for a Doctorate program and a chance to transition from teaching high school to higher education. My ambitions are typically overlooked, mocked and a bit farfetched, but a master’s program leading to a Doctorate, employment, and opening schools seems in alignment to me.
Looking back at past courses, do any favorites stand out? Are there any takeaways that come to mind?
Looking back at past courses, my favorite from the program ILDT was 5370 - Plan Hybrid & Virtual Learning Environment. The major take away from the ILDT 5370 was mastering the ability to create cohesive instructional assessments and instructional plans. The course was classified into 5 or so categories and subdivisions for practice, development, and fine tuning of instructional planning. To name a few categories, devising transfer of learning plans with a subsection of choosing strategies and techniques to use in transfer of learning, and formulating program evaluation plans, as well as techniques for collecting evaluation data. Practicing these steps leading up to a final submission, a demonstration of learning at the end of the semester put me in a state of accomplishment and completion. I use the structure of the course in my professional life, and I too implement the material from the course to create strong programs with measurable outcomes. I’ve successfully gained support from stakeholders as a direct result of the course’s material and will continue to imbed Dr. Kellam’s teachings into the fabric on the foundation.