About Me
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."
-Confucius
Welcome to my electronic portfolio. I am Trisha Torkildsen, a December 2006 candidate for a Master's Degree in Instructional Technology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. I received my undergraduate degree in Special Education from UNC-W as well. I have been a teacher since 1998 and have served as a Special Education Coordinator since 2003.
Throughout my years in the schools, I have had the opportunity to encounter a wide range of educational experiences beyond the typical classroom. In my role as a coordinator, I have taken leadership of the Exceptional Children’s program for a 336-student school. In addition, teacher training, program creation and evaluation, case management, and implementation of federal and state guidelines are tasks which I address daily. Data collection and analysis are central to my position and help the entire faculty make decisions about the students in our classrooms. These experiences have both broadened my knowledge and skills and motivated me to become an Instructional Technologist.
As a teacher, I have been trained to use instructional design principles. Instructional Technology takes this training a step further by applying the science of learning and instruction. It is a logical extension of the preparation and beliefs that have guided me as a special educator.
Human Performance Enhancement forms the heart of Instructional Technology and can apply to any field and any situation. This universal paradigm mirrors what I know to be true about learning: all people learn differently. The key to any type of instruction is connecting with the learner and understanding how s/he learns best. Instruction is only effective if the learner receives it. Instructional technology emphasizes increasing individual’s performance, a belief central to my professional life.
In the future, I would like to integrate my expertise as a teacher and Special Education Coordinator with my skills and knowledge in Instructional Technology. Specifically, I am looking forward to leading instructional design projects, training adults in an array of settings, consulting with organizations, and developing instructional content.
I am confident that the diversity of my time in the schools as well as the education I have received at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington has prepared me well for these opportunities.