An Employment Memoir

Charles Connor, Ed.D.

861 Union Point Rd, Crawford GA 30630-2629
Telephone (706) 542-3876 / Fax 413-622-8007
Email: cconnor@uga.edu

Summary of Academic Preparation

Degrees: Ed.D. Curriculum and Instruction, specialty in Instructional Design and Educational Technology, University of Georgia, 1991; M.A. Sociology, University of Alabama, 1972; B.A. American Studies, University of Alabama, 1966; Additional graduate work in Sociology at Vanderbilt University and Public Administration at the University of Georgia.

Areas of Study and Experience: Design and development of web-based courses in creative writing and of undergraduate and graduate courses for the preparation of teachers and other professionals in education; Development and administration of workshops and short courses in creative writing for adult learners; Design of instructional systems; Development of instructional/training curricula and materials, including computer-based multimedia instruction; Human performance engineering; Analysis of organizational structure and function; Program evaluation; Survey and experimental research design; Director of Office of Communications, overseeing publications, websites, electronic newspaper and public information for the UGA College of Education.

Summary of Professional Experience

Employment: Director of the Harriette Austin Writing Program, Program Director for the Harriette Austin Writers Conference, Coordinator of Internet-based Writing Workshops and Short-Courses, Director of College Office of Communications, College-wide Coordinator for Distance Education, Administrative Data Manager, Curriculum Designer, Human Performance Analyst, Educational Sales and Training, Training Consultant, Research Analyst / Staff Trainer, City-County Planner, Survey Researcher, Instructor in Sociology.

Educational Technology: Development of web-based college graduate and undergraduate courses in elementary, secondary, and adult education. Design, development and management of the UGA College of Education Speakers Bureau. Design, development and management of a searchable, geographically indexed database on the web of over 300 community outreach projects in education. Managing editor of the College’s web-based electronic newspaper, and designer and manager of the electronic archives for the UGA College of Education.

Adult Education/training: Development of web-based college credit and staff development courses; Consultation with the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil for the training and certification of an estimated 10,000 teachers; Development of staff training materials for the IBM Corporation, the JHM Corporation, the State of Florida's Fixed Capital Outlay, Leased Space Acquisition, and Food Stamp programs, for the State of Georgia's Child Care, Adult Services, and Mental Retardation programs, for the Dade County, Florida, School System, and for the Georgia Academy. Development and implementation of basic skills remediation instructional materials for the U.S. Army, for Georgia's Adult Education programs, and for Georgia's adult correctional facilities. Development of statewide curricula for Georgia's post secondary vocational education programs.

Elementary and Secondary Education: Development of web-based college credit and staff development courses in teacher-education. Provision of training to Georgia teachers in the nationally validated educational technology programs. Development of statewide secondary vocational curricula for the Georgia Department of Education. Implementation of validated basic skill remediation programs in over 200 junior and senior high schools in Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. I have consulted on-site with teachers of basic skills in all of Georgia’s 187 county and city school systems.

Research And Program Evaluation: Principal investigator: a nationwide survey of programs in the National Diffusion Network; a statewide evaluation of the program dissemination strategies used by the National Diffusion Network in Georgia; a statewide evaluation of Georgia's secondary vocational cluster curriculum; a nationwide survey of contracted social service programs. Comprehensive study of the residential children's homes in Georgia.

Employment History

Currently - Director of the Harriette Austin Writing Program and Program Director for the Harriette Austin Writers Conference (1994 to present ) held each summer at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education on the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Georgia. The primary purpose of the conference is to provide activities and a supportive atmosphere in which aspiring and published writers can meet with professionals from the publishing industry, have their writing evaluated by editors and agents, and learn about the craft of writing and getting published. During the past eleven years, more than 4,000 participants have attended over 400 workshops and presentations by literary agents, publishers, writers and special experts of national and international reputation. More than 2,000 manuscript critiques and interviews have taken place. The web site for the conference can be found on the web at http://www.coe.uga.edu/hawc. Developed, direct and teach the Elements of Fiction series of creative writing workshops on the web.

What I Used To Do

1968 - 1969. Instructor in Sociology at East Tennessee State University, where I met my wife Beverly. Married, August 1969. Wild and out of control.

1969 - 1970. Various dirty jobs. Pipeline construction crew, bulldozer operator, truck driver, drilled and blasted at a coal mining operation in Alabama. Hard, dangerous work. My number came up high in the draft lottery. I was not called to service. I dodged the bullet. Some of my friends didn't.

1970. City Planner for the Macon-Bibb County Planning and Zoning Commission, Macon, Georgia. Worked in the administration of Mayor Ronnie (Tommy Gun) Thompson, best known for his purchase of a U.S. Army tank during the civil racial turmoil of the day, and his command to the police accidentally recorded ordering them to fire machine guns into a public housing project. His words recorded for posterity, "I want to hear those Tommy Guns bark." This was to prepare me for my career in the educational bureaucracy.

1970 - 1975. Moved to Athens in 1970 so that my wife Beverly could finish her undergraduate degree which was interrupted when we got married. Worked for four years as a Systems Analyst in the UGA School of Social Work on a research grant. Studied the kids in all the children’s residential homes (orphanages) in Georgia. Developed training programs for state staff in federally funded social services programs. My first job in instructional design.

1976 - 1979. Operated a private consulting business that performed job analysis and developed training materials. With Dr. Murray Tillman in the College of Education designed and wrote the Food Stamp Eligibility Manual for the State of Florida. Developed the services eligibility manual for the State of Georgia program in social services and for the Georgia Department of Mental Health and Rehabilitation. Worked as the Georgia sales representative for a firm that produced a basic skills remediation program in math and language. Visited every school system and every Comprehensive Vocational High School in Georgia.

1979 - 1984. Worked as an curriculum materials designer in the Educational Materials Center of the College of Education. Authored four winning contract proposals in the amount of $680,000. Developed 18 curriculum guides for the State of Georgia programs in Coordinated Vocational and Academic Education. 1982: Entered the College of Education doctoral program in Curriculum and Instruction. 1984: Developed the College’s first statewide electronic discussion board with teachers, administrators and students using modems and toll-free 800 number phone lines.

1987 - 2004 (Retired). Employed as a staff member and then Academic Professional faculty member in the Dean’s Office of the College of Education at the University of Georgia.

•    System Manager of the IBM minicomputer system in Aderhold, our first computer network connecting the Dean’s Office to 50 computers in departmental offices throughout the building.

•    Installed the first 50 hard drives in office computers in the College of Education.

•    Conducted the first college-wide word processing training for faculty and staff in IBM DisplayWrite and WordPerfect version 4.2.

•    Installed the first microcomputer network based budgeting and accounting system connecting the schools and departments with the Dean’s Office to print purchase orders, check requests and personnel amendments and to compile the budget reports required by UGA.

•    Designed and installed personnel and budget form printing programs for school offices.

•    Developed the database and reporting system for the Office of Outreach inservice and offcampus courses.

•    Installed and operated the automated door lock and video security system still in operation in Aderhold Hall. (Never a major theft!)

•    Scheduled the use of classrooms and conference rooms in Aderhold for four years and developed the system for posting room schedule charts outside classroom doors.

•    Developed the College of Education database procedures for retrieving official UGA records on classes, courses and credit hours from north campus.

•    Developed online forms and procedures for automating the collection of faculty activity and program data to produce the College’s annual reports for UGA.

•    Oversaw the production of the COE annual report for two years.

•    1991: Was one of the original founders of the UGA Staff Representative Group, and served as president of the COE Staff Representative Group.

•    1994: Sold my soul to the devil and became a faculty member. The pay was better.

•    Founded the Harriette Austin Writing Program. Produced the first annual Harriette Austin Writers Conference.

•    Developed a statewide database of educational projects sponsored and operated by the Colleges of Education across Georgia.

•    Served as Coordinator of Distance Education for the College. Administered grants for faculty to develop online courses.

•    Designed and developed the COENEWS, the College’s (AWARD WINNING!) electronic newspaper on the web.

•    Took over publication of the College’s annual alumni newsletter. Redesigned and co-edited with Michael Childs to become the College’s (AWARD WINNING) annual glossy magazine Education.

•    2001: Became Director of the COE Office of Communications and Publications.

•    Designed, developed and publish the series of Pocket Guide public information pieces for the College.

•    Developed and operate the web based Community Connections database of educational projects and community partnerships participated in by our faculty and departments.

•    Developed and operate the College’s Speakers Bureau web site and database of faculty who are available as speakers to local community organizations. Published the Speakers Bureau catalog of speakers.

•    Coordinator of the judging for the COE Staff Award for Excellence from the beginning of the award program.

•    2002: Became Director of the Harriette Austin Writing Program, which in 2004 celebrated its 11^th annual Harriette Austin Writers Conference. The conference has an international registration of over 400 paying participants and annually brings top New York literary agents and publishers and national bestselling authors to the University of Georgia campus. In its eleven year history the Harriette Austin Writers Conference has brought in $1,000,000 in direct revenues to the University. It is now among the top five attended writing conferences in the country.

•    Developed, direct and teach the Elements of Fiction series of creative writing workshops on the web. The program soon will be graduating its first class of students.

Publications and Performing Arts

Connor, Beverly (2004). Dead Guilty. A Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation novel. Penguin-Putnam / Onyx. New York, NY. Charles Connor, contributing editor.

Connor, Beverly (2003). One Grave Too Many. A Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation novel. Penguin-Putnam / Onyx. New York, NY. Charles Connor, contributing editor.

Noel Goodwin Hubbard, with Charles Connor (2002). Screams in the Night. A short story in New American Review, A digest of short contemporary fiction, essays, and poetry. Summer 2002. Vol. I, No. 1. Authorlink Press.

Noel Goodwin Hubbard and Charles Connor (2002). The Two Worst Terrors. A short story in New American Review, A digest of short contemporary fiction, essays, and poetry. Fall 2002. Vol. I, No. 2. Authorlink Press.

Connor, Charles C., Editor (2001-2004). The UGA College of Education Pocket Guides, a series of short publicity pieces highlighting the awards, honors and recognitions of the College of Education faculty, students and programs. http://www.coe.uga.edu/research/publications/publications.html

Connor, Beverly (2000). Airtight Case. A Lindsay Chamberlain Mystery Novel. Cumberland House Publishing. Nashville, Tennessee. Charles Connor, contributing editor and photographer.

Connor, Charles C., Managing Editor (1999 - 2004). The UGA College of Education News Online, the electronic newspaper of the College of Education, The University of Georgia. On the web at http://www.coe.uga.edu/coenews

Connor, Charles C., ed. (1999 - 2004). Education, the news magazine of the College of Education, The University of Georgia. Circulation of 30,000.

Connor, Charles C. (1999 . . . ) Midnight in Macon. A fiction novel. Represented to the publishing industry by Bob Robison Literary Agency.

Connor, Beverly (1999). Skeleton Crew. A Lindsay Chamberlain Mystery Novel. Cumberland House Publishing. Nashville, Tennessee. Charles Connor, contributing editor and photographer.

Connor, Beverly (1998). Dressed to Die. A Lindsay Chamberlain Mystery Novel. Cumberland House Publishing. Nashville, Tennessee. Charles Connor, contributing editor and photographer.

Connor, Charles C. (1998 . . . ) Roadkill Man. A fiction novel. Represented to the publishing industry by Bob Robison Literary Agency.

Connor, Charles C., ed.(1998). The Education Alumnus. Annual newsletter of the College of Education, The University of Georgia. Circulation of 21,000.

An Evening with Hemingway (1998). A forty minute radio drama produced by Charles C. Connor, featuring a performance by Robert Vaughan. Performed before an audience of 300 at Masters Hall on the University of Georgia campus and recorded live for broadcast by NPR affiliate station WUGA.

Connor, Beverly (1997). Questionable Remains. A Lindsay Chamberlain Mystery Novel. Cumberland House Publishing. Nashville, Tennessee. Charles Connor, contributing editor and photographer.

Desserts and Just Deserts (1997). An interactive theater drama produced, directed and co-written by Charles C. Connor. Performed with an audience of 400 at the Continuing Education conference center on the campus of the University of Georgia.

Connor, Beverly (1996). A Rumor of Bones. A Lindsay Chamberlain Mystery Novel. Cumberland House Publishing. Nashville, Tennessee. Charles Connor, contributing editor and photographer.

The Case of the Violin (1996). A thirty minute radio drama produced, directed and co-written by Charles Connor. Performed before an audience of 400 at the Mahler Auditorium on the University of Georgia campus and recorded live for broadcast by NPR affiliate station WUGA.

The Limping Man (1995). A thirty minute radio drama produced and directed by Charles Connor and co-written by Charles C. Connor and Beverly H. Connor. Performed before an audience of 300 at Masters Hall on the University of Georgia campus, and recorded live for broadcast by NPR affiliate station WUGA. Aired statewide in Georgia over Peach State Public Radio, October 31, 1995.

Lake Simon (1994). A thirty minute radio drama produced and directed by Charles C. Connor and co-written by Charles C. Connor and James O. Howell. Performed before an audience of 250 at Masters Hall on the University of Georgia campus, and recorded live for broadcast by NPR affiliate station WUGA. Aired statewide in Georgia over Peach State Public Radio, October 31, 1994.

Connor, Charles C., ed. (1994). Fox Tales on Lazy Dog Days. A collection of short fiction by students of Harriette Austin. Quick Brown Fox Publishers.

Gustafson, Kent L., and Charles C. Connor (1987). Electronic Bulletin Boards for Business, Education and Leisure. Visions in Leisure and Business, Summer 1987.

Connor, Charles C., Mike Hale, and Kevin Knight (1986). Software Installation Procedures for the Principle of the Alphabet Literacy System (PALS). Prepared for the JHM Corporation.

Connor, Charles C. (1986). Video Development Procedures for the Principle of the Alphabet Literacy System (PALS). Prepared for the IBM Corporation.

Tillman, Murray H., Beverly H. Connor, and Charles C. Connor (1985/1986). Litany, Cornbread and Expert Systems. Performance and Instruction, 24 (10), December 1985/January 1986, 12-15.

Connor, Charles C., and Beverly H. Connor (1985). Fixed Capital Outlay Procedures Training and Reference Manual. Tallahassee: Florida Health and Rehabilitative Services.

Connor, Beverly H., and Charles C. Connor (1985). Leased Space Acquisition Training and Reference Manual. Tallahassee: Florida Health and Rehabilitative Services.

Connor, Charles C. (1985). Telecommunication Procedures Between the Radio Shack Model 100 Computer and the College of Education Electronic Bulletin Board (RBBS). Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia, Department of Educational Media.

Georgia Department of Education (1985). Educational Technology Local Planning Guide. Atlanta, Georgia. Major contributing author to this microcomputer technology selection and implementation guide for educators.

Connor, Charles C., Beverly H. Connor, and Murray H. Tillman (1984). Certification Skills Packet for Public Assistance Specialists (Florida Food Stamp Program Training Manual). Atlanta: Omni Systems, Inc.

Connor, Charles C., Beverly H. Connor, and Murray H. Tillman (1984). Certification Skills Packet for Public Assistance Specialists: Trainers Manual (Florida Food Stamp Program Training Manual). Atlanta: Omni Systems, Inc.

Connor, Beverly H., and Charles C. Connor (1983). Computing Area (A BSEP Training Module). Fort McLean, Virginia: U.S. Army TRADOC Command.

Connor, Beverly H., and Charles C. Connor (1983). Conversion of Linear, Liquid and Weight Measures (A BSEP Training Module). Fort McLean, Virginia: U.S. Army TRADOC Command.

Connor, Beverly H., and Charles C. Connor (1983). Conversion of Temperature - F and C (A BSEP Training Module). Fort McLean, Virginia: U. S. Army TRADOC Command.

Gordon, Steve, and Charles C. Connor (1983). The 24 hr Clock (A BSEP Training Module). Fort McLean, Virginia: U.S. Army TRADOC Command.

Konke, Karen, and Charles C. Connor (1983). Estimating a Sum or Difference (A BSEP Training Module). Fort McLean, Virginia: U.S. Army TRADOC Command.

McElyea, Virginia, and Charles C. Connor (1983). Interpreting Bearings and Azimuths (A BSEP Training Module). Fort McLean, Virginia: U.S. Army TRADOC Command.

Scott, Paul, Michelle Sarkees, and Charles Connor (1983, Spring). A Review of the Cluster Study. Curriculum Bulletin. Athens, GA: University of Georgia, Vocational Education Materials Center.

Connor, Charles C. (1982). Providing Opportunities for Verbal Interaction. Unit B.1. in Teacher Assessment and Development System: Prescription Manual. Dade County, Florida: Dade County Public Schools.

Connor, Charles C. (Ed.) (1981). Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration. (Post Secondary Curriculum Guide). Atlanta: Georgia Department of Education, Office of Vocational Education.

Connor, Charles C. (Ed.) (1981). Electronics. (Post Secondary Curriculum Guide). Atlanta: Georgia Department of Education, Office of Vocational Education.

Connor, Charles C. (Ed.) (1981). Electronic Technology. (Post Secondary Curriculum Guide). Atlanta: Georgia Department of Education, Office of Vocational Education.

Connor, Charles C. (Ed.) (1981). Food Services. (Post Secondary Curriculum Guide). Atlanta: Georgia Department of Education, Office of Vocational Education.

Connor, Charles C. (Ed.) (1981). Food Services. (Secondary Curriculum Guide). Atlanta: Georgia Department of Education, Office of Vocational Education.

Connor, Charles C. (Ed.) (1981). Radio - TV. (Post Secondary Curriculum Guide). Atlanta: Georgia Department of Education, Office of Vocational Education.

Connor, Charles C. (Ed.) (1981). Welding. (Post Secondary Curriculum Guide). Atlanta: Georgia Department of Education, Office of Vocational Education.

Scott, C. P., and Charles C. Connor (1980). Getting Ready for Work . . . Final Report for a Study of the Cluster Approach to Secondary Vocational Education in Georgia. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Education, Office of Vocational Education.

Scott, C. P., and Charles C. Connor (1980). Getting Ready for Work . . . An Executive Summary Report for a Study of the Cluster Approach to Secondary Vocational Education in Georgia. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Education, Office of Vocational Education.

Connor, Charles C. (1978). Title XX Services Eligibility Determination and Goal Selection: A Training Manual for Day Training Centers for the Mentally Retarded. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Mental Retardation.

Connor, Charles C., and Murray H. Tillman (1977). Title XX Adult Services Eligibility Determination and Goal Selection: A Training Manual for Contract Agencies. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Human Resources.

Connor, Charles C., and Murray H. Tillman (1977). Title XX Child Care Services Eligibility Determination and Goal Selection: A Training Manual for Contract Agencies. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Human Resources.

Connor, Charles C., Murray H. Tillman, and William M. Gardner (1977). Title XX Training Needs Test. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Human Resources.

Contracts And Grants

1995. Principal instructional designer for the Circles of Support parenting program for Pre-K parents. The Georgia Academy, Atlanta.

1984. Coauthor of a winning competitive grant proposal for funding from the U.S. Department of Education for the National Diffusion Network State Facilitator Grant. A four-year grant totaling $469,016. University of Georgia, College of Education.

1981. Coauthor of a winning competitive contract proposal to the Georgia State Department of Education for "Development of a Self-Paced Competency Based Articulated Curriculum for the Secondary Level Transportation Cluster and Post Secondary Automotive Mechanics Program." $84,107. University of Georgia, College of Education.

1980. Coauthor of a winning competitive contract proposal to the Georgia State Department of Education for "The Development of Curriculum Guides for Secondary Vocational Clusters and Specialized Post-Secondary Programs." Project Number Two. $125,000. University of Georgia, College of Education.

1980. Coauthor of a winning competitive contract proposal to the Georgia State Department of Education for "The Development of Curriculum Guides for Secondary Vocational Clusters and Specialized Post-Secondary Programs." Project Number One. $125,000. University of Georgia, College of Education.

1976. Author of a successful proposal to the Georgia Department of Human Resources for development of a program for statewide training of social services staff in the operating procedures of Georgia's Title XX Child Care and Adult Services programs. $35,000. Connor Associates, Crawford, Georgia.