Hello, my name is
JD
Narrative Inquirer
- info@jddillensnyder.com
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About me
I’m a narrative inquirer and digital media educator based in South Carolina, using qualitative research and story-driven design to explore identity, learning, and lived experience.
I share my academic journey, research expertise, and narrative inquiry work through a clear, intentional online presence.
With years of experience in higher education, I’ve cultivated a professional identity rooted in narrative inquiry, instructional design, and digital media. My research explores how teacher candidates make meaning of their lived experiences and the ways those stories shape their decision to enter the teaching profession. Using narrative inquiry framework, I center the voices of future educators, focusing on identity, agency, and the complexities of learning to teach. My work bridges scholarship and practice, seeking to elevate the lived experiences that often go unseen in traditional research models.
As an Assistant Professor, I bring that same narrative sensibility into the classroom. I view teaching as a relational and reflective practice, one that values student voice, embraces diverse perspectives, and fosters intellectual curiosity. Whether I am designing digital media courses or facilitating discussions on social responsibility, I strive to create learning spaces that are purposeful, student-centered, and grounded in care. My goal is to help students develop their skills while also making meaningful connections between what they learn and who they are becoming as learners, leaders, and change-makers.
Areas of Expertise
From developing research questions to designing learning experiences and mentoring future educators, my work bridges scholarship, practice, and purposeful storytelling.
Narrative Inquiry & Qualitative Research
I use story as method to explore how people make sense of their lived experiences, with a focus on identity, agency, and meaning-making in educational contexts.
Digital Media & Instructional Design
I design learning experiences that blend theory and technology, helping students and educators engage with content in ways that are relevant, accessible, and empowering.
Teacher Education & Reflective Practice
My work supports future educators in connecting personal experience with professional growth through student-centered, practice-based pedagogy and relational teaching.
Core Competencies
- Narrative Inquiry
- Qualitative Data Analysis (NVivo, coding, thematic analysis)
- Online Course Design (Canvas, Blackboard, SCORM)
- Instructional Technology Integration
- Digital Media Production (Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva)
- Higher Education Teaching
- Academic Writing & Research
- Public Speaking & Workshop Facilitation
My Experience
2020-Present
University of Cincinnati, Clermont College
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Courses taught include Digital Photography, Animation, Audio Production, Web Design, and Fundamentals of Digital Media. Developed creative, skills-based curriculum aligned with industry standards and student-centered learning principles.
2020-Present
University of South Carolina
PhD Candidate
Program evaluation, teacher residency support, and qualitative research. Graduate research associate on a U.S. Department of Education–funded Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) Grant. Led undergraduate courses focused on social responsibility, education, and university transition. Academic accomplishments include presenting at national conferences, collaborating on peer-reviewed publications, and mentoring undergraduate students.
2015-2020
United States Air Force
Superintendent of Education Technology
Directed education technology strategy and training operations for a major Air Force command. Oversaw curriculum development, LMS integration, and instructional systems design while managing a multimillion-dollar training budget and implementing Lean Six Sigma initiatives for efficiency and effectiveness.
2012-2015
20th Maintenance Training School (U.S. Air Force)
Instructor Supervisor
Oversaw the delivery of advanced technical training in aviation maintenance. Managed course planning, instructor development, and readiness assessments for over 100 personnel annually.
Selected Work
A narrative inquiry exploring how teacher candidates make sense of the experiences that led them to pursue teaching. Teacher candidates’ recognition of their initial motivation(s) for choosing teaching as a profession can fuel their career progression and job satisfaction.
Presented at UofSC Graduate Student Symposium, this visual summary of my dissertation proposal outlines the study’s narrative methodological framework and highlights early insights into teacher identity and decision-making.
Delivered at the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI), this co-authored presentation examined how our personal narratives shaped our academic identities and research trajectories within our doctoral program.
Co-led a faculty development session for graduate teaching assistants through the UofSC Center for Teaching Excellence. The workshop invited participants to reflect on their teaching and offered strategies for navigating imposter phenomenon in academic spaces.