2. 1 St. John’s University School of Education Center for Educational Leadership & Accountability Comprehensive Digital Portfolio Defense Patrick Okafor Thursday, July 19, 2007

3. 2 A search for greater personal and intellectual understanding compelled me to cross the Atlantic Ocean and my flight ultimately landed at St. John’s University, New York.

4. 3 Digital Portfolio The portfolio is comprised of five sections, each demonstrating a different aspect of the program: Personal Professional Learner Expert Scholar

5. 4 Personal Folio “Wherever you see a successful business, someone else made a courageous decision.” ---Peter Drucker My life’s journey so far.

6. 5 Professional Folio Performing a sacred duty for the People of God on God’s own altar has remained an incredibly humbling experience of grace The joy of being a professional surpasses every other! It comes from the feeling of fulfillment of watching my young students grow in knowledge; it’s sometimes baffling.

7. 6 Learner Folio A review of the courses studied in the program. Each course has its own page highlighting notes, projects, papers, and reflection/synthesis I wrote. The courses were divided into four sections: Instructional Organizational Governance Accountability

8. 7 Expert Folio An application of the learning; what I have acquired in theory and how I have applied it professionally. I have demonstrated my expertise in the following areas: Teaching Resource Community Participation Application for Fund and Land

9. 8 Scholar Folio This outlines a review of my tentative Thesis proposal, showing the potential impact of the program as well as my future research activities. Posted here are: Reading lists Notes on Theorists and Frameworks Possible Dissertation Topic and Potential Thesis Proposal

10. 9 Heading to the final stop: The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page St. Augustine

11. 10 At the Parking Lot: Others have driven me, directed me and flown me across the Atlantic in search of the golden fleece, I think it is time I contributed to the growth of others in an unbroken chain of the noble teaching tradition.

12. 11 Future Research Factors that contribute to the Academic Achievement of Low Socio-Economic Status students in Anambra South County, Anambra State Nigeria.

13. 12 PS Understand Outcomes Factors Achievement Low SES background in Nigeria

14. 13 10 Schools TeachersParents SES Demographics Community 100 Students Anambra 4 districts Setting Nigeria Subjects

15. 14 Data collection Interviews Questionnaire SES Students Teachers Type of Study Mixed Methodology Analysis Review Analyze Findings/ Conclusion Themes Patterns Discrepancies Instrumentation

16. 15 Vision Trust Collaboration Accountability Leadership The Invaluable Assets Program Synthesis