Marines


Biography

College of Distance Education and Training
Lieutenant Colonel Timothy A. Sparks, USMC

Lieutenant Colonel Timothy A. Sparks is the Director of the Command and Staff College Blended Seminar Program.

 

Education

Cedarville University (B.A. Philosophy) May 2003 

Expeditionary Warfare School Distance Education Program: May 2010 

San Diego State University (M.A. Philosophy) Aug 2011  

Thesis: A Pragmaticist Argument for the Assumption of Moral Reality 

Command and Staff College Distance Education Program: May 2016 

University of Michigan (M.A. Higher Education Institutional Research) May 2019 

University of Michigan (Rackham Professional Development Certificate: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) May 2019 

Webster University (M.A. International Relations) May 2020 

Air War College Distance Learning: Dec 2022 

Johns Hopkins University (Ed.D. Mind, Brain and Teaching) Dec 2023 

Dissertation: Fostering Graduate Student Creative Problem Solving in a Professional Military Education Context 

 

Publications

King, Patricia M., and Tim Sparks. 2022. “An Examination of Students’ Moral Character Experiences Using the Four Component Model and Self-Evolution Theory.” Journal of College and Character 23(2): 97–118. doi:10.1080/2194587X.2022.2053292 

King, Patricia M. and Tim Sparks. 2022. “Why Use the Four Component Model to Examine Moral Character Development in College? Critical Conversations #29.” JCC Connexions 8(2): https://naspa.org/blog/why-use-the-four-component-model-to-examine-moral-character-development-in-college-critical-conversations-29  

Forthcoming book chapter:  “What do Creative Problem-Solvers Need?” MCU Press. 

 

Presentations

“Targeting Metacognition and Creativity.” MCU Faculty Development (Apr 2024) 

“What do Creative Problem-solvers need?” Military Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Forum (Dec 2023) 

“Creativity Research at MCU,” Marine Corps University Faculty Development (Apr 2022) 

“Science of Learning,” Marine Corps University Faculty Development (Jan 2022) 

“Diversity Bonuses,” Marine Corps University Faculty Development (Feb 2020) 

“Liberating Structures,” Marine Corps University Faculty Development (Nov 2019) 

“The Environment, Democracy, and Love,” Southern California Philosophy Conference, (Oct 2015) 

“Consensus Theories of Morality,” Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy Conference (Mar 2013) 

 

Service

Editorial board, International Perspectives on Military Education 

Planning team, 2024 Military Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Forum 

SACSCOC 5th Year Interim Report Coordinator, MCU 2021 

Quality Enhancement Plan Committee Member, MCU 2024-2025