Leigh Graves Wolf

2018 was quite a year of transition – maybe the most change I’ve had in a year, ever! Let’s start with some personal changes…

I started 2018 in recovery mode (after having an emergency colostomy due to endometriosis in October 2017.) In March, I went back to the Cleveland Clinic for a check up, and I was cleared for the colostomy reversal. I was extremely anxious, but also excited at the potential of being “put back together.” Over Memorial Day weekend, I had my reversal surgery – it was SO much easier than the original surgery and I was released to go home 3 days after the surgery. Additionally, I met with Dr. Judith Scheman of the behavioral medicine program before my surgery – it was incredibly helpful to learn about the brain/gut connection and to learn ways to deal with my anxieties. At the end of 2018, I’m feeling 98% back to my new normal (still some aches, pains and anxieties – but much better than how I felt in January 2018!)

I have tried to share my story publicly so others know they are not alone. I am here to help connect you to resources that have helped me (specifically here related to endo, ostomy or wound care!) I have tremendous respect for my doctors and nurses – for their training, for my ability to access world class care due to our health insurance. Being confronted with these medical and health challenges first hand brought many things into sharp focus. I’ll do my best to continue to advocate and donate so others who are also faced with these challenges have the same privilege and support that I have had during my journey.

While all of my personal challenges were presenting themselves, I went through the process of applying for – and getting – a new job. I resigned from MSU in June of 2018 and started as a Clinical Associate Professor at Arizona State University in August of 2018. My first semester was incredible – I’m so happy to be teaching again. I’m working remotely from Michigan and visit Tempe a few times per year. Ditching my 120 mile/day commute has been life changing. I have reclaimed about 15-20 hours/week, time I can funnel into – anything! I have missed daily interaction with colleagues face-to-face, however, I have been co-working with some amazing friends around town which has helped fuel my creativity & energy.

I’m proud of my academic publishing and presenting record this year – though it was not as voluminous as it has been in the past, I still was able to produce scholarship (with amazing friends and colleagues) despite my physical challenges.

Wolf. L. (October, 2018) #CPED2018 – Constructing a collaborative convening “syllabus”. Learning exchange presented at the meeting of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, Glendale, AZ.

Buss, R., Henriksen, D., Mertler, C. Rotheram-Fuller, E., Wolf, L. (October, 2018) Leader-scholar communities (LSCs) @ ASU: Lessons learned, lessons shared, lessons inspired. Learning exchange presented at the meeting of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, Glendale, AZ.

Buss, R., Henriksen, D., Mertler, C. Rotheram-Fuller, E., Wolf, L. (October, 2018) Growing into change: Moving from F2F to online in a doctoral research conference. Learning exchange presented at the meeting of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, Glendale, AZ.

Dousay, T. A., Wolf, L., Santos Green, L., & Asino, T. (2018). Rise of the “Teacher Influencers”: Examining the benefits and conundrums. In Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 973–975). Washington, D.C.: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).

Marciano, J., Wolf, L., Oviatt, R., Tunstall, L. & Varrichione, A. (2018). Creating community in online courses: A case study examination of instructor practices. In E. Langran & J. Borup (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 214-218). Washington, D.C., United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).  

Wolf, L.G., Marcotte, C., Kosko, M. (2018). The Quickfire Challenge Roundtable: How to fail fast & learn while having fun. Roundtable presented at the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education conference, Washington, DC.

Hagerman, M.S., Wolf, L.G., Woods, H. (2018) Educational technology programs, evaluation, and transformation. In Smith, B., Ng-A-Fook, N., Radford, L., Pratt, S.S. (Eds), Hacking Education in a Digital Age: Teacher Education, Curriculum, and Literacies. Information Age Publishing.

I’m working on my 2019 goals (both personal and professional.) I’m elated to be returning to Ireland for #OER19 and have some exciting writing and presenting projects in the works. I’m also looking forward to continued growth – continuing to listen, continuing to learn.