Steve Klitsch’s University of Maryland University College Journey in the Master of Distance Education Program
Get an idea! Set a goal! Find a way to achieve that goal through higher level education!
For sevreral years I had an idea, but was not certain how to bring it to fruition. So, in September 2010, I began taking courses in the School of Management and Technology within UMUC’s graduate program. www.umuc.edu My goal was to study Distance Education, at the graduate level, with the hope of learning how to develop and disseminate college level education courses in an asynchronous environment to my peers in the remodeling industry. Currently, there is no such education program in the remodeling industry at least within the USA. I believe there is a need for higher level asynchronous education and pursued this goal. As I engage myself in each class in the Distance Education curriculum, I was inspired by the instructors and encouraged to continue in my endeavors to create a first ever online education program for residential remodeling contractors. After my first two classes, OMDE 601 and 606, in the fall 2010, I purchased a domain name for my new business idea, www.remodelersinstitute.com This appeared to be an appropriate name for an online learning organization with a specific audience in mind. After taking three more courses, I was convinced I was the only student in this program with specific education goals for remodeling contractors. Linda Smith, instructor for DETT 607, let me try my idea with course design and this gave me confidence that my idea would work. Christine Walti and Cindy Whitesal, instructors for OMDE 610, encouraged me further as they both helped to develop other ideas for my online education idea. In the fall term of 2011, I made my career goals public to my classmates of which they were very encouraging as well. I began the process to incorporate the Remodelers Institute for LifeLong Learning and added depth to its website. Christine Walti is also involved with workforce development at Anne Arundel Community College of Maryland. She approached me after the fall term 2011 term concluded and asked if I would consider offering my four-course curriculum through the learning management system already established at her college. After several conversations and one meeting we came to terms and created a partnership. Beginning in September 2012, Anne Arundel Community College will begin offering the first business course written and instructed by the Remodelers Institute for LifeLong Learning. The other three courses will follow in future semesters. In the Spring of 2012, Lisa Blaschke, instructing DEPM 622, was the most enthusiastic of all previous instructors. At this time I was not shy and holding back any secrets about sharing my career goals with classmates and instructors. Lisa encouraged me further to stay focused on my goal and use the course content of DEPM 622 to allow for more research, critical thinking, and business planning to develop the Remodelers Institute even further. In an electronic press release by Hanley-Wood publishing July of 2012, the author gave me the title of “Professor of Remodeling” when he described the course curriculum and partnership I have with Anne Arundel Community College. I was encouraged even more by the title and most important, it is a title given to me by a respected industry stakeholder and it is a title I did not ask for. UMUC provided the program that allowed me to be creative and develop a new business. My goal is realized: College level learning for my peers. UMUC set me up for success.
Thank you Master of Distance Education and thank you UMUC faculty! www.umuc.edu
Steve Klitsch
Pedagogic Entrepreneur
Founder, Remodelers Institute for Lifelong Learning, Inc. 2012
Get an idea! Set a goal! Find a way to achieve that goal through higher level education!
For sevreral years I had an idea, but was not certain how to bring it to fruition. So, in September 2010, I began taking courses in the School of Management and Technology within UMUC’s graduate program. www.umuc.edu My goal was to study Distance Education, at the graduate level, with the hope of learning how to develop and disseminate college level education courses in an asynchronous environment to my peers in the remodeling industry. Currently, there is no such education program in the remodeling industry at least within the USA. I believe there is a need for higher level asynchronous education and pursued this goal. As I engage myself in each class in the Distance Education curriculum, I was inspired by the instructors and encouraged to continue in my endeavors to create a first ever online education program for residential remodeling contractors. After my first two classes, OMDE 601 and 606, in the fall 2010, I purchased a domain name for my new business idea, www.remodelersinstitute.com This appeared to be an appropriate name for an online learning organization with a specific audience in mind. After taking three more courses, I was convinced I was the only student in this program with specific education goals for remodeling contractors. Linda Smith, instructor for DETT 607, let me try my idea with course design and this gave me confidence that my idea would work. Christine Walti and Cindy Whitesal, instructors for OMDE 610, encouraged me further as they both helped to develop other ideas for my online education idea. In the fall term of 2011, I made my career goals public to my classmates of which they were very encouraging as well. I began the process to incorporate the Remodelers Institute for LifeLong Learning and added depth to its website. Christine Walti is also involved with workforce development at Anne Arundel Community College of Maryland. She approached me after the fall term 2011 term concluded and asked if I would consider offering my four-course curriculum through the learning management system already established at her college. After several conversations and one meeting we came to terms and created a partnership. Beginning in September 2012, Anne Arundel Community College will begin offering the first business course written and instructed by the Remodelers Institute for LifeLong Learning. The other three courses will follow in future semesters. In the Spring of 2012, Lisa Blaschke, instructing DEPM 622, was the most enthusiastic of all previous instructors. At this time I was not shy and holding back any secrets about sharing my career goals with classmates and instructors. Lisa encouraged me further to stay focused on my goal and use the course content of DEPM 622 to allow for more research, critical thinking, and business planning to develop the Remodelers Institute even further. In an electronic press release by Hanley-Wood publishing July of 2012, the author gave me the title of “Professor of Remodeling” when he described the course curriculum and partnership I have with Anne Arundel Community College. I was encouraged even more by the title and most important, it is a title given to me by a respected industry stakeholder and it is a title I did not ask for. UMUC provided the program that allowed me to be creative and develop a new business. My goal is realized: College level learning for my peers. UMUC set me up for success.
Thank you Master of Distance Education and thank you UMUC faculty! www.umuc.edu
Steve Klitsch
Pedagogic Entrepreneur
Founder, Remodelers Institute for Lifelong Learning, Inc. 2012