Ryan V Bair
The College of Distance Education and Training
2015 - Present
I am fortunate to serve as the Department Head of the Digital Content Department which creates and manages the courseware and content on the Marine Corps' Learning Ecosystem (a collection of learning management systems and services to train and educate the United States Marine Corps). The majority of the 8000+ courses and other learning products we administer are self paced without an instructor or cohort (e.g. annual training, common skills training, prerequisites, and so on). However, my department creates and administers the Continuing Education Program (CEP). The CEP is an ever expanding collection of the Marine Corps University's distance courses designed to supplement and enhance the educational opportunities outside of the standard curriculum. Most of these 4 to 8 week courses are accredited through the American Council on Education (ACE) to award credits at the baccalaureate and upper division levels. We are an eclectic mix of educators, artists, and technical gurus made up of Marines, federal civilians, and contractors.
Breckinridge Hall
2076 South St
Quantico, VA 22134
Education
Liberty University
Mar 2020 - Present
Doctor of Education
I am slowly working toward my docorate in education (Ed.D.)
Utah State University
May 2008 - Apr 2009
Master of Science
M.S. Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences.
Utah State University
Jan 2007 - Aug 2008
Bachelor of Science
B.S in Sociology and minor in Psychology.
Skill Sets
Work Experience
Marine Corps Institute
Aug 2009 - Oct 2015
Department Director
My department created all the learning products produced and administered by the Marine Corps Institute until the command was dissolved in October of 2015. Our products were used by all United States Marines worldwide since 1920. If you know a Marine who served before 2015, ask them about "MCIs" or "Redbooks" and I'm sure they have a story or two. Many of our courses were accredited which saved our warfighters countless hours and dollars while completing their degrees.
As Director, I regularly interfaced with the best Marines in the Corps from our Commander (who reported directly to the Commandant of the Marine Corps) to Marines fresh from boot camp. This work was tremendously satisfying as we made a real impact in preparing our warfighters both in their military occupations and as productive members of society.
When the Marine Corps Institute closed its doors in 2015, the mission and resources were transferred to the College of Distance Education and Training (CDET). As the senior ranking civilian, I was instrumental in the transition and led our civilians and Marines to our new mission aboard the Marine Corps University.
Rocky Mountain Data Stream
May 2000 - Dec 2007
President
Rocky Mountain created and manipulated library databases primarily in the K-12 market.
It was an interesting niche job that grew out of my previous work as the Technical Director COMPanion Corporation which, "specializes in designing and developing software for library and textbook automation solutions as well as school security software for public and private K-12 schools, higher education, and public and corporate libraries."
I did jobs from Alaska to Trinidad and had a lot of fun doing it. I managed the company (20 or so employees), made sales, recruited, trained, and so on. I also did most of the backend database work and coding while my employees did the majority of the comparisons and data entry work.
The company made most of its money by digitizing the traditional 3x5 library cards and building them into searchable databases. After a number of years, opportunities for new work dwindled with the cuts from "No Child Left Behind." As we marketed largely to lower economic schools (who still had to search with catalog cards), and those schools were losing funding, I ended up closing the doors of the business in 2008.
After the close of Rocky Mountain, I became a full time student earning my masters and eventually accepted a federal position.