Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum vita | Portfolio | Blog

Richard A. Sebastian, Ph.D.
1240 Westminster Ave.
Richmond, Virginia 23227
(804) 840-5357
richard.sebastian@gmail.com

Areas of Interest
• Thoughtful, research-based technology integration
• Exploring the educational applications of digital, mobile, and pervasive games
• Using social media tools to create collaborative learning environments

Education

Ph.D., Instructional Technology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 2008
Dissertation: Using Personal Weblogs to Teach Writing in the GED Classroom
B.A., English, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 1991

Recent Projects
eLearnVA (2006-present)
Manage all aspects of eLearn Virginia, a statewide distance education program that
provides web-based GED and workplace instruction to adult Virginians. Research,
identify, and recommend emergent technologies and promote instructional practices to
improve online educational services for eLearnVA students.

PlugGED In project (2008-2009)
Principal Investigator and Project Manager for PlugGED In, an innovative pilot GEDtechnology
curriculum developed with funding from Governor Kaine’s Productivity
Investment Fund (PIF), the Virginia Department of Education, and the Chancellor’s e-
Learning Enhancement & Development (CEED) grant. Served, along with then Secretary
of Technology, Aneesh Chopra, as a member of the initial visioning team and, once
funded, oversaw all aspects of the curriculum development, implementation, and
evaluation of this unique project to ensure its success.

Summit on Adult Education in the New Digital World (2009)
Currently part of a team developing and organizing a 25-30 person summit in which
leading educational policy-makers, researchers, and practitioners will develop
recommendations about the future of technology integration in the field of Adult Basic
Education. The summit is to be held at VCU in November 2009.

The GED Podcast (2009)
Currently completing production of a series of professionally recorded podcasts on the
GED tests to be shared with interested adult education students and teachers through
iTunesU, the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center (VALRC), and eLearnVA web
sites. Wrote podcast scripts, identified and recruited voice talent, recorded audio content,
and edited and assembled the final podcast episodes.

M.Ed. in Adult Learning, Teaching & Learning with Technology Strand (2009)
Developed two courses, Theory & Practice of eLearning Integration into Adult Learning
Environments and Design Challenges in Using Educational Technology for Adult
Learning, for a proposed three-course Teaching with Technology strand for Virginia
Commonwealth University School of Education􀀁s graduate program in Adult Learning.

Distance Education Reporting in the NRS Web-based Data System Policy
Guidelines (2009)
Led the development and production of the policy guidelines for reporting adult basic
education distance education hours to the National Reporting System􀀁s (NRS) Webbased
data system. These include policy guidelines for reporting distance students􀀁
contact and proxy learning hours as well as vetting appropriate web-based learning
programs and establishing procedures for the appropriate creation and oversight of local
distance education programs throughout the state.

My GED Success Story Video contest (2009)
Proposed and launched a contest that challenged recent GED graduates in Virginia to
produce short videos that conveyed their experiences preparing for and earning their
GED credential. Wrote, filmed, and edited a promotional video for the contest and
promoted the contest through numerous print and web-based channels. Posted the
submitted videos to the Commonwealth of Virginia’s YouTube channel.

Virginia Government YouTube channel video content (2008)
Partnered with members of the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) to
create and share video content relating to Adult Basic Education on the Commonwealth
of Virginia’s YouTube channel.

Transparent LAN Service (TLS) installation (2008)
Helped resolve web access issues that resulted from the Virginia Adult Learning
Resource Center􀀁s relocation off-campus. Consulted with technical staff at VCU and
Verizon to identify a resolution, partnered with other VCU departments to share
expenses, and oversaw the installation of the TLS line into the office telecommunications
network.

Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) distance education
consultation (2008)
Consulted with executive staff of the department on the development and
implementation of a pilot e-Learning initiative for DRS clients using the web-based
program Aztec and provided guidance on the best practices of delivering online learning
to clients.

GED On Demand (2007)
Spearheaded a statewide project, in coordination with local and regional cable
companies, to provide powerful GED and ESOL broadcast content to digital cable
subscribers across the state of Virginia.

Low-level Learning Online Education Prototype (2006)
Directed partnership with Institute for Connecting Science Research to the Classroom
(ICSRC) and NASA Center for Distance Learning (CDL) to develop a prototype online
curriculum for low-level adult readers.

Professional Experience
Instructional Technology Specialist (2005-present)
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center
• Provide technology leadership and guidance to professional staff and faculty of the
Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center as well as to the adult education field at
large
• Direct and manage technology-related projects for the VALRC and Department of
Education
• Develop, coordinate, and deliver trainings to adult education administrators and
teachers
Educational Technology Office Graduate Assistant (2003-2005)
Educational Technology Office, Ruffner Hall, Curry School of Education, Charlottesville,
VA
• Trained School of Education faculty and students in various software and hardware
applications
• Assisted with migration of Curry Admissions Office to electronic application system
• Identified effective ways for faculty to incorporate instructional technologies into
existing curricula
• Built and maintained faculty web sites and database applications
• Researched new technologies to determine their applicability to faculty and staff
projects

Instructor (2001-2003)
Henrico County Jail East Educational Services, Barhamsville, VA
• Instructed Pre-GED, literacy, and ESOL classes for inmates
• Administered and monitored student assessment of students
• Reorganized delivery of ABE and GED curriculum to better serve students
educational needs
• Oversaw implementation of technology into the ABE and GED curriculum
Instructor (2002-2003)
Henrico County Adult Education Center, Highland Springs, VA
• Taught evening Accelerated GED classes to adults
• Instructed semester-long computer classes in Excel, Word, FrontPage, and other
software applications
• Coordinated with the Department of Social Services to instruct the Learning and
Employment Access Program (LEAP), a grant-funded employment and education
class for low-income mothers on public assistance
• Responsible for gathering and inputting student data into web-based National
Reporting System database

Workplace Instructor (1998-2002)
Philip Morris’s Employee Development Center (EDC), Richmond, VA
• Created, updated, and revised training manuals and course curricula
• Developed and taught a series of introductory and intermediate technology courses
• Instructed the Math & Measurement training courses for hourly employees in
employee advancement program
• Trained new staff members and students on educational software and supervised a
small staff of professional teachers
• Coordinated teacher schedules and quarterly class offerings
• Maintained computer lab, updated lab software, and set-up presentation equipment
for workshops and classroom demonstrations

Presentations
* peer-reviewed
*Sebastian, R. (November, 2009). PlugGED In: Creating a Career Pathway to Tech
Sector Employment and Education. National Career Transition Network (NCTN)
conference. Providence, RI.
Sebastian, R. & Stamper, R. (2009). GED 2.0: Innovative Initiatives in Adult Basic
Education. Governor􀀁s Conference on Education. Richmond, VA.
*Gibson, B. & Sebastian, R. (2009). PlugGED In: A Contextualized GED Curriculum to
Prepare Learners for the 21st Century Workplace. Commission on Adult Basic Education
(COABE) Conference. Louisville, KY.
Sebastian, R. (2008). Web-based Tools for Adult Education Professional Development
and Communication. Virginia Adult & Continuing Education (VAACE) conference.
Williamsburg, Virginia.
Sebastian, R. & Stamper, R. (2008). No More Road Trips: Web- Tools for Adult
Education Professional Development and Communication. Virginia Institute for Lifelong
Learning (VAILL). Radford University, Radford, Virginia.
*Crum, T. & Sebastian, R. (2008). Take advantage of educational programming available
on-demand through cable and the Internet. Commission on Adult Basic Education
(COABE). St. Louis, MO.
*Sebastian, R. (2007). eLEARN Virginia: A new e-learning program for adult Virginians in
need of GED and Workplace Education. Association for the Advancement of Computing
in Education (AACE). Ed-Media 2007 World Conference on Educational Multimedia,
Hypermedia, & Telecommunications, Vancouver, British Columbia.
*Sebastian, Richard (2006). Development of Social Problem-solving Networks in the
Interactive Web-based Game The Beast. Association for the Advancement of Computing
in Education (AACE). Proceedings, E-Learn 2006 World Conference on E-Learning in
Corporate, Government, Healthcare, & Higher Education, Honolulu, Hawaii.
* Sebastian, Richard (2005). Development of Social Problem-solving Networks in the
Interactive Web-based Game The Beast (Proposed Research). Fifth Educational
Multimedia Congress, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

Publications
* peer-reviewed
Sebastian, R. (2009). Twitter Wit. Editor: Douglas, N. Published by itbooks, an imprint of
HarperCollins Publishers.
Sebastian, R. (2009). PlugGED In. Progress: A Publication of the Virginia Adult Learning
Resource Center. Winter/Spring 2009. Vol. 21, No. 2.
Sebastian, R. (2009). Teaching & Learning with Technology in Adult Basic Education:
Technology Integration. Virginia Adult Education Certification Program. Virginia Adult
Learning Resource Center.
Sebastian, R. (2009). Teaching & Learning with Technology in ESOL Education:
Technology Integration. Virginia Adult Education Certification Program. Virginia Adult
Learning Resource Center.
Sebastian, R. (2008). Using Personal Weblogs to Teach Writing in the GED Classroom.
(Doctoral dissertation, University of Virginia, 2008). Dissertation Abstracts International,
69, 2884.
*Sebastian, R. (2007). eLEARN Virginia: A new e-learning program for adult Virginians
in need of GED and Workplace Education. Proceedings. Association for the
Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Ed-Media 2007 World Conference on
Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia, & Telecommunications, Vancouver, British
Columbia.
*Sebastian, R. & Kinzie, M. (2006). Development of Social Problem-solving Networks in
the Interactive Web-based Game The Beast. Proceedings. Association for the
Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). E-Learn 2006 World Conference on
E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, & Higher Education, Honolulu,
Hawaii.
Sebastian, R., video for The Airplane by One Ring Zero (2005). Addendum DVD. B&W,
16 mm film & digital video. 2 min.
Hammond, T. & Sebastian, R. (2005). Digital Image and Video Editing Software.
Teaching with digital images: Acquire, analyze, create, communicate. Editors: Bull, G.L.,
& Bell, L. Published by the International Society for Technology in Education.

Workshops
Sebastian, R. (2009). Learning is social. So is the web: Exploring social media tools for
the ABE classroom. Virginia Association for Adult and Continuing Education. Roanoke,
VA.
Sebastian, R. (2009). Teaching & Learning with Technology in Adult Basic Education.
Virginia Adult Education Certification Program Train-the-Trainer. Richmond, VA.
Sebastian, R. (2009). Teaching & Learning with Technology for ESOL Programs.
Virginia Adult Education Certification Program ESOL Train-the-Trainer. Fairfax, VA.
Sebastian, R. (2009). Web-based visual literacy tools for the classroom: exploring image
editing & video broadcasting tools. West Virginia Department of Education TSIP
Training. Morgantown, WV.
Sebastian, Richard (2007). An Overview of Distance Learning in Adult Education.
Regional Commission of Adult Basic Education, Williamsburg, VA.
Sebastian, Richard & Guard, J. (2007). Blogs, Wikis, & Podcasts. 2007 Literacy Fair,
Southside Virginia Community College. Keysville, Virginia.
Sebastian, R. (2004). Digital Storytelling in the Classroom. International Leadership for
Educational Technology (ILET) Visiting Scholar Program. Grupo de InvestigaciÃ􀀁n
Enseanza y Aprendizaje Multimedia (GREAM), Universidad de Barcelona.
Fanning, E., Sebastian, R., & Warren, K. (2003). Digital Storytelling Workshop. Center
for Multicultural & Human Services (CMHS), Falls Church, VA.
Grants
Distance Learning Center: eLearnVA (2009-2010): Awarded over $205, 000 by the
Virginia Department of Education, Office of Adult Education & Literacy to manage and
run eLearnVA, a statewide GED distance education program.
The Governor􀀂s Productivity Investment Fund (PIF): Awarded $127,000 to develop and
evaluate the PlugGED In curriculum.
Chancellor􀀂s e-Learning Enhancement Development (CEED) Grant: Assisted in writing a
$50,000 CEED grant to fund Southwest Virginia Community College􀀂s implementation of
the PlugGED In curriculum.
Distance Learning Center (2008-2009): Awarded over $185,000 by the Virginia
Department of Education, Office of Adult Education & Literacy to manage and run a
statewide online GED distance education program.
Distance Learning Center: eLearnVA (2007-2008): Awarded approximately $125,000 by
the Virginia Department of Education, Office of Adult Education & Literacy to manage
and run eLearnVA, a statewide online GED distance education program.

Courses taught

Digital Media Development
Curry School of Education, University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
This class provided undergraduate and graduate students with a hands-on introduction
to current methods of producing various forms of digital multimedia, including digital
photo editing, digital video production, podcasting, and web design. Each class included
introductory lectures, hands-on assignments, reading discussions and supervised lab
time.

Educational Game Design
Curry School of Education, University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
Building on instructional design, video production, and computer-based development
skills, this hands-on course explored various aspects of education game design and
evaluation. Students were given opportunities to apply these concepts by designing their
own educational games.

Software Applications
Curry School of Education, University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
This graduate-level course introduced students to various software and hardware
applications and their educational uses, fostered discussion on best uses and practices
of technology in education, and allowed students to produce an electronic portfolio
demonstrating their technical competencies to current or future employers.
Teaching with Technology: Special Education
Curry School of Education, University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
This course provided an introduction to effective, standards-based methods of
integrating technology into classrooms, focusing on the Special Education content area.
Students learned how to evaluate and use basic hardware and software applications,
identify best practices, and effectively integrate these tools into lesson plans. Students
developed an electronic portfolio of their class work.

Awards & Recognition
• GameJam Game Design Contest winner (2009) Innovations in eLearning
conference, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA. Part of a four-person design
team. The game prototype was a political game called Permanent Campaign. One of
the three judges was game designer Will Wright, creator of Sim City, The Sims, and
Spore.
• Visiting Scholar (2004). International Leadership for Educational Technology (ILET),
Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
• Finalist (2004), Adrenaline Film Project, Virginia Film Festival, Charlottesville, VA.
Developed and shot a 5 minute film, based on a them, in 72 hours during the 2004
Charlottesville Film Festival.
• *Film selection (2004), Vinegar Hill Film Festival, Charlottesville, VA. Previewed my
submitted film, The Airplane, a film shot for Brooklyn band One Ring Zero.

Technology Skills
Learning/content management system experience
• Blackboard support and use
• Moodle
• Joomla & Drupal
Web design (including HTML hand coding and CSS)
• Macromedia DreamWeaver
• HomeSite, FTP
• Some experience with CSS & JavaScript
Graphic design
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe InDesign
• Macromedia Fireworks
• Macromedia Flash
Digital video production and editing
• Super 8, 16mm film, VHS, digital video
• FinalCut Pro
• iMovie
• Adobe Premiere
Digital audio production and editing
• digital recording
• Garageband
• Adobe Soundbooth
• Audacity
• podcasting
Video streaming compression and delivery
• MakeRefMovie
• QuickTime Pro
Programming & database
• Flash/Action Script experience
• PHP/MySQL web database experience
• Access/SQL experience