Phillip R. Christensen Full Curriculum
Vitae
301
Fitzgerald Street
Eldoraigne X6
0157
South Africa
Tel:
27-12-653-0305
Fax:
27-12-653-4351
Cell
phone: 27-82-570-8396
phil@thechristensens.org
Profile
Specialist
in educational development and reform who has lived and worked in
Africa for the last two decades. Substantial project management
experience with international donors and the private sector.
Instructional systems expert who has developed innovative
methodologies at all educational levels from primary to tertiary.
Particular interest in using technology to increase educational
quality, improve access and decrease costs. Ability to combine
systems thinking with group facilitation techniques to empower
strategic planning, policy development, and project design. Practical understanding of
monitoring and evaluation issues. Strong team-building and training
abilities. Effective cross-cultural work history, with
particular emphasis on Africa. Good entrepreneurial skills, including planning and
marketing.
Professional
experience
Director,
South Africa Office, Academy for Educational Development
(2000-present)
AED
is an independent, non-profit service organization committed to
addressing human development needs throughout the world. Serve
as Project Director for AED’s Education Indefinite Quantities
Contract (IQC) with USAID/South Africa. Provide technical assistance
to various projects and IQC activities as required, including the
Ikhwelo (adult education) Project (monitoring and evaluation support
plus management and strategic consulting) and the Tertiary Education
Linkages Project (mid-term program evaluation). Manage the
implementation of successful proposal bids; assist (where appropriate)
in technical delivery of services; foster and build relationships with
local partners, subcontractors and clients. Manage the South Africa
office and staff, coordinating all administrative, logistical and
financial support. Develop new business opportunities for AED,
including business planning, bid preparation, materials development,
contact database expansion, marketing and representational activities.
Human
Resource Development Consultant, South Africa (1996-present)
Assist
public and private sector organizations in Southern Africa to design
and implement effective education and training systems, including
needs assessment, curriculum and program development, instructional
delivery, teacher training, learner assessment and program assessment.
Provide organizational development and strategic planning support.
Consult internationally for education-sector donor organizations and
private foundations. Develop Internet and computer-based learning
systems.
Director,
Xtropy Media (Pty.) Ltd. and Education Manager, Cyberschool Africa
(1998-2000)
Cyberschool
Africa was a pioneer South African provider of leading-edge education
and training solutions based on the Internet and related new
technologies. As Education Manager, carried out the design and
implementation of a Web-based educational delivery system that was
outcomes-based, learner-centred and compliant with South Africa's
National Qualifications Framework. Assisted in developing Internet
support services based on a virtual community concept. As Company
Director, took primary responsibility for human resources while
assisting with strategic planning, marketing and finance.
Vice
President, Institute for International Research, Arlington, Virginia
(1995-1998)
Joined
IIR in 1991 as a Senior Research Associate. Promoted to Vice President
in 1995. Responsible for general corporate affairs include project
management, development of new business opportunities, proposal
writing, and short-term consulting.
Chief
of Party, Basic Education Support (BES) Project, Namibia (1995-1996)
The
BES Project
(implemented by the Institute for International Research) aimed
at lower primary education in post-independence Namibia through
national assistance in the areas of curriculum and syllabus design,
development of instructional materials, language development,
translations and continuous assessment, plus additional in-service
teacher training support to historically disadvantaged schools in the
country’s North. As Chief of Party (Project Director), coordinated
and directed all team members in professional activities related to
these various areas. Managed the Field Office. Monitored the project
for adherence to time schedules and adequacy of performance in meeting
project objectives. Liaised with Ministry, USAID and Peace Corps
officials in planning and implementing project strategies.
Chief
of Party and Management Information Systems Specialist, Educational
Policy, Management and Technology (EPMT) Project, Swaziland
(1991-1995)
The
EPMT Project
(implemented by the Institute for International Research)
sought to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of basic education
in Swaziland. As Chief of Party, coordinated and directed all
professional activities and project staff. As Management Information
Systems Specialist, developed and implemented a computer-based
information system incorporating information about students, teachers,
infrastructure and test results to assist policy development and
planning at the national, regional and local levels.
Deputy
Chief of Party for Program and Planning, and Instructional Systems
Design Specialist, Basic and Non-Formal Education Systems (BANFES)
Project, Lesotho (1985–1991)
The
BANFES Project
(implemented by the Academy for Educational Development) was
designed to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and relevance of
Lesotho’s primary schools. As the Deputy Chief of Party (and Chief
of Party for the project close-out), ensured that the project
developed practical plans to meet all of its programmatic obligations
and that those plans were carried out in a timely and competent
manner. As the Instructional Systems Design Specialist, advised and
assisted the Ministry of Education and its component institutions in
planning, developing, evaluating and improving effective instructional
systems and materials.
Chief
of Party and Instructional Systems Design Specialist, Radio Language
Arts Project, Kenya (1980-1985)
The
Radio Language Arts Project
(implemented by the Academy for Educational Development)
developed Interactive Radio Instruction lessons to teach English to
lower-primary school children. Coordinated and directed the
project’s team members in all research and development activities,
including curriculum analysis, instructional design, radio
instructional methodology, production and evaluation. Managed the
Field Office. Hired and supervised all field staff. Prepared commodity
specifications and inventories. Monitored the project for adherence to
time schedules and adequacy of performance in meeting project
objectives.
Faculty
Member (part-time), Graduate Faculty of Education, University of
Ottawa, Cornwall, Ontario, Canada (1978-1980)
Taught
introductory and advanced curriculum courses to M.Ed. candidates.
Head
of the Learning Resource Center, St. Lawrence College, Cornwall,
Ontario, Canada (1975-1980)
Planned,
developed and managed a new Learning Resource Center for a
vocational-technical college in Ontario. Provided three campuses with
bilingual instructional systems design services, including curriculum
development, staff development, program evaluation and computer
applications. Undertook a variety of special assignments, including
international consulting.
Executive
Secretary, National Bahá’í Teaching Committee and National Bahá’í
Youth Committee, Wilmette, Illinois (1973-1975)
Planned
and implemented national programs in community development, education
and youth counseling, while managing a central office.
Lecturer
(1971-1972) and Assistant Professor (1972-1973), School of Education,
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
Taught
undergraduate and graduate courses in curriculum and instruction,
educational innovation and change strategies.
Project
Director, Modular Systems Development Program, School of Education,
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts (1969-1973)
Conceptualized,
designed, managed and evaluated a comprehensive restructuring of the
education curriculum.
Research
Assistant, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts (1965-1969)
Carried
out summer research projects in the fields of computer graphics and
community mental health.
Consultancies
-
Lincoln-Sudbury
(Mass.) Regional High School
-
New
York State Department of Education
-
First
National Conference on Differentiated Staffing
-
White
House Conference on Children, 1970
-
Springfield
(Mass.) Technical Community College
-
Bedford
(Mass.) Public Schools
-
Saugus
(Mass.) Public Schools
-
Alice
Lloyd College (Kentucky)
-
Lookout
Mountain (Tenn.) Title III Evaluation Project
-
Pasadena
(Calif.) Unified School District
-
East
Hartford (Conn.) Public Schools
-
University
of Massachusetts Clinical Psychology Area
-
Malcolm
X College (Chicago)
-
Academy
for Educational Development (Washington, D.C.)
-
Scarrit
College for Christian Workers (Tenn.)
-
Clinic
To Improve University Teaching, University of Mass.
-
In-Service
Innovators Program, University of Massachusetts
-
College
of Education, University of Guam
-
Bow
Mills, (N.H.) Public Schools
-
Glenville
(W.V.) State College Title III Curriculum Improvement Project
-
North
Shore Community College (Beverly, Mass.)
-
Old
Dominion University, Center for Educational Research and Services
(Norfolk, Virginia)
-
Virginia
State Department of Welfare, Tidewater Division
-
United
Nations Economic Commission for Africa, African Institute for
Higher Technical Training and Research (Nairobi, Kenya)
-
USAID
Mission to the Yemen Arab Republic, Education Development Support
Project, Project Paper Writing Team
-
World
Bank Planning Mission for the Second Education Sector Credit to
Malawi
-
USAID
Mission to the Kingdom of Swaziland, Educational Policy,
Management and Technology Project, Project Paper Writing Team
-
Radio
Learning Project, Ministry of Education, Uganda
-
Steiner
Consulting (market research in Southern Africa for major
international Internet Service Provider)
-
Africa
Bureau, Agency for International Development
-
USAID
Mission to South Africa
-
Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development
-
SCANS/2000
Program, Johns Hopkins University Institute for Policy Studies
-
Global
Learning Network World School Project
-
United
Negro College Fund
-
USSALEP
(United States-South Africa Leadership Exchange Program)
-
Project
Literacy Ikhwelo Project
-
IFESH
(International Foundation for Education and Self-Help)
-
Academy
for Educational Development
-
Project
Literacy Ikhwelo Project
-
South
African National Department of Education, Centre for Educational
Technology & Distance Education, Open Learning Project
Reference Group
-
SMC
Kidz
-
Cyberplex
Africa
Education
-
Ed.D.,
School of Education, University of Massachusetts, Amherst,
Massachusetts, 1972
-
Concentrated
in Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Administration and
International Education
-
B.A.
cum laude, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1969. Majored in
Social Relations
Personal
Data
Birth
date:
1 November 1947
Citizenship:
United States
South African Permanent Resident
Language
fluency: English,
French
Marital
status:
Married
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