PBS Learningmedia Digital Innovator

Due to the concern for under privileged children, Steve Case, chairman and CEO of America Online is attempting to erase the “Digital Divide” by providing computer literacy programs to the underserved community. He also feels that a liberal arts education helps you be exposed to a wide range of perspectives.

In an interview with a local elementary school teacher Elizabeth Romero, when asked the question “Why teach at the elementary level versus teacher higher up such as high school or college?” , She responded with the answer “ I believe that in this time of the kids life is the most influential. If I as a teacher can teach these kids the rights things to do and prepare them for the future than I believe that they all can do great things with their lives.” Mrs. Romero began teaching at the age back in 2004 originally teaching high school. She realized that there was only a select few who chose to excel in their studies. In her words “…some were what some would call lost causes but there were only a select few who put real efforts into their studies.” It was at that moment that

While pursuing my Master’s degree in education, I developed all of the skills necessary to design and implement a variety of instructional materials. Through my work experience I learned how to infuse that knowledge with technology to meet the needs of a twenty-first century learning environment.

In Tanner Higgin's article, "Making Media Literacy Central to Digital Citizenship," Higgin explains that new technologies such as, VR headsets, do not make their way into the classroom despite the potential benefit. However, students and teachers have utilized video in the classroom for many years. Higgin suggests that students should learn about media literacy in order to become digital savvy citizens, in doing so, will potentially change the world to become more, "thoughtful, inclusive and just." Higgin provides five steps that will aide in molding media literacy into digital citizenship. As students gain knowledge and confidence, and encouraged to create video content about issues that matter to them, they are prepared to challenge any disagreement

Mr. Garcia and I spent a few hours discussing his knowledge and sharing intellectual thoughts about IT and the future it may bring us. His thoughts and knowledge are remarkable and bestow great credit upon his parents and the educational system he attends. Most importantly it emulates his wiliness to learn and achieve goals above standards.

As we discussed, I find the Canvas technology related to using data-driven instruction fascinating and an amazing opportunity for the future. In addition, testing is also a major concern; enhancing student achievement would be a top priority for the person in this job. With this in mind, I would love to foster a safe, engaging, learning environment and implement AISD's tools while honing my own abilities though PLC's and professional development .

-Florida PBS LearningMedia - a free digital library of more than 125,000 PreK-13+ educational resources aligned to Florida K-12 and VPK educational standards and customized for Florida educators and students. www.pbslearningmedia.org

Have you ever thought that you can’t accomplish something, but yet it all comes together well in the end? When I was little, I always wanted to be an animator, but thought that’s something only a celebrity like Walt Disney can ever accomplish. With that idea in mind, I told myself I would take any opportunity that would lead me closer to my goal. This led me to attended a magnet middle school that taught media-technology. Despite the school being an hour away, with determination I would wake up early in the morning and endure over an hour school bus ride. School days were very long, getting back home past 6 o’clock in the evening. As I grew up, technology continued to expand and improve. When it came time to select a high school that would

At this time, our state department had a website (Kaleidoscope/Content Coliseum) that pulled the best of the best digital tools available and organized them by discipline. They also included web quests and interactive sites. This was a new area of growth for me, as previously we did not have the means of deploying digital content. This changed with the arrival of the laptops. I researched and developed my skills based on information I acquired through this conference. Based on what I learned, I was able to develop training for my faculty on how to use these tools and implement them into 21st century learning. This training initially consisted of six parts. Teaching the tools to teachers deepened my knowledge and pedagogical skills. As a result of the training I was able to collaborate with teachers spanning various curricula. I worked directly with the

knowledge that is shared to the world through new media? Why do we create our own

An important project that is currently a significant part of my life is the creation of an educational website that promotes learning around in school and the community by making resources that promote a high level learning experience and intellectual achievement. In my high school, we have a vigorous curriculum and a highly competitive atmosphere. With such expectations, many students find it critical to find a learning source they can trust and achieve high with. Many students also have trouble learning the content of different rigorous courses such as Advanced Placement courses but lack the capability to learn individually and need a reliable outside source. To fulfill this need, I decided to lead a project and create a website called Revolutionary Education (RevEd) that would help students of my school and a lot of schools around the country be able to actively challenge the difficult courses and learning material in America’s high school curriculum.

However, when asked their thoughts about the balance between digital consumption (reading, watching, listening) and digital production (making videos, building web pages) in their institutions’ digital literacy efforts, more than 66% answered that their unit leaned partly or entirely towards consumption. This may be due to the inherited pre-digital literacies noted above, designed for a time when students were considered to be consumers, or it may be driven by institutional leaders’ backgrounds in the mid- and late 20th century — the heyday of the consumer, before what Alvin Toffler dubbed “the prosumer” age.24 The United States’ multi-agency digital literacy portal reveals a similar consumption-oriented stance.25 However, as the third decade of the 21st century approaches, it is clear that digital tools have democratized creation, as well as made accessible many platforms for sharing one’s products.

Many discussions have grasped my interest; even those that do not pertain to my everyday work as a media specialist. I eagerly click each email to see the topics and discussions waiting in my inbox. This is a convenient medium that allows users to convey information, seek assistance, and develop relationships within the spectrum of school library media specialists.

Many people in the United States grew up with shows like Sesame Street. Fun, ‘children’ shows that offered important social and educational values. Recently, there have been severe budget cuts to PBS, the program that funds Sesame Street and other educational programs such as the YouTube show Crash Course. While this seems like an issue that shouldn’t be brought into the public eye, there are many repercussions to completely terminating very relevant, poignant programs.

However, I believe the most innovative thing I’ve done is establish a team and model to sustain learning innovation over time.