Personal Data
Born January 13, 1948 in Orange, California.
Hobbies include various outdoor pursuits, photography and genealogy.
Education
B.Sc. in Agriculture (Animal Sciences), 1970, Colorado State University (CSU)
MEd. in Adult and Continuing Education, 1973, Colorado State University
PhD in Adult Education, 1978, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Employment
1970 Conference coordinator in CSU's Office of Conferences and Institutes
1973-75 Intern with FSU's Division of Continuing Education
1975-77 Assistant Director of Continuing Education at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro
1978-81 Department of Adult and Continuing Education at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln
1981- Professor, Adult Education; Associate Dean of External Programs and Learning Technologies in the Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Awards and Honors
Curriculum Innovation Award from the Commission of Professors 2005
Honorary doctorate by Linköping University in Sweden 2005
Killam Teaching Prize 1997
Induction into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame
Membership-Professional Organizations
Commission of Professors of Adult Education, Chair 2002-2004; Chairman, Houle Oversight Committee
American Association for Adult and Continuing Education
Publications
2009 Planning and delivery of adult learning experiences. In C. Kasworm, A. D. Rose, & J. Ross-Gordon (Eds.), Handbook of adult and continuing education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
2009 Applied ethics in adult and continuing education literature. In L. Burge (Ed.), Negotiating dilemmas of practice: Applied ethics in adult education (New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
2007 Going online: Uploading learning to the virtual classroom. In S. C. O. Conceicao (Ed.), Teaching strategies in the online environment (pp. 13-24). (New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education no. 113). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. ISSN 1052-2891
2005 Ethics. In L. English (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Adult Education (pp. 222-228). New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1-4039-1735-3
2005 Needs assessment. In L. English (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Adult Education (pp. 422-426). New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1-4039-1735-3
2004 Program development in adult education and training. In G. Foley (Ed.), Dimensions of adult learning: Adult education and training in a global era (pp. 96-117). St. Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1741142822
2000 Editor, Proceedings of the 41st Annual Adult Education Research Conference. Vancouver, BC: Department of Educational Studies, The University of British Columbia
1991 Editor, Mistakes made and lessons learned: Overcoming obstacles to successful program planning. New Directions for Continuing Education No. 49. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
1984 Editor, Designing and implementing effective workshops, New Directions for Continuing Education No. 22. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
1979 Editor, Research and Investigation in Adult Education: 1976-78 Register. Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career and Vocational Education.
Professional Interest Areas
Program Planning and Evaluation
Continuing Professional Education
Planning in Educational Organizations
Resource Allocation Processes
Professional Ethics
Major Contributions to Adult Education
His contributions have influenced the direction of scholarship and contributed to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a skilled, reflective practitioner in a complex, globalizing world. His scholarship has helped shape new ways of thinking about program planning that balance technical skills with political astuteness and ethical sensitivity. His writing with others about planning international, multi-institutional, collaborative online programs has extended our understanding of the complex dynamics involved in planning across cultural, political, technological and economic boundaries.
Additional Resources
Articles
Larsson, S., Boud, D., Abrandt Dahlgren, M., Walters, S., & Sork, T.. (2005). Confronting globalisation: Learning from intercontinental collaboration. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 42(1), 61-71.
Boud, D., Dahlgren, L. O., Abrandt Dahlgren, M., Larsson, S., Sork, T. J., & Walters, S. (2006). Creating a ‘world class’ programme: Reciprocity and constraint in networked global collaboration. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 25(6), 609-622.
Photo Gallery
Video/Audio
Presentations
Books
Interesting Facts
Dr. Sork co-developed the online Master of Education in Adult Learning and Global Change involving four universities in Canada, Sweden, South Africa, and Australia. This global master’s degree program received the Curriculum Innovation Award from the Commission of Professors in 2005. In recognition of his contributions to the development of this program, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Linköping University in Sweden in 2005.
References
Department of Educational Studies: Sork, Thomas J. (n.d.). Retrieved: July 14, 2011. From: http://edst.educ.ubc.ca/facultystaff/tom-sork
Commission of Professors of Adult Education: leadership roster, 2006-2007. (2007). Retrieved: July 14, 2011. From: http://www.aaace.org/cpae/leadership.htm
International Adult and Continuing Education: Class of 2008. (2008). Retrieved: July 15, 2011. From: http://www.halloffame.outreach.ou.edu/2008/sork.html
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