Friday, February 23, 2007

FYI - About me, just in case anyone has randomly stumbled by here...

I work for a company called Rockman et al, based in the Bay Area - but I work out of a small office in Chicago. Here's the official blurb from the Rockman et al company website:

Jennifer has an M.A. from the Mass Communications program at Indiana University, where her research focused on educational technology, physiological responses to media stimuli, and human-computer interface design. Before joining the team at Rockman et al, Jennifer worked for the Center for Excellence in Education, developing and studying the use of learning resources for the Turner Adventure Learning program, researching technology’s impact on new teachers, and conducting an assessment of technology competencies for the U.S. Department of Defense. Since coming to Rockman et al in 1998, she has been involved with the evaluation of several Technology Innovation Challenge Grants as well as a handful of school-based and district-wide technology initiatives within Chicago and surrounding communities. She recently led a two-year evaluation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s “Where fun and learning click!” program to fund educational Web sites for 9-12 year olds. Jennifer specializes in the evaluation of media programming and learning technologies. As an amateur photographer and videographer, Jennifer is interested in finding new ways to use still and moving images to enhance the work she does as an evaluator. Jennifer is an avid Science Fiction fan and also enjoys teaching swim lessons at a local YMCA.

Sadly, I'm not teaching at the Y any longer due to my travel schedule for work - but I did join a new gym that's a little closer to the office (the West Loop Athletic Club) and love it!

Here's some additional background:

I've presented at evaluation and education conferences throughout the US and also in Spain and The Netherlands. My research interests are varied, but include: technology-mediated communication, patterns of collaborative interaction and collaborative problem solving/game play, youth-oriented media, and information literacy.

At Indiana University, on the telecom side of things I was an Associate Instructor for Video and Studio Production, Intro to Telecom, and Human Computer Interaction Design. I also managed the Telecom Website for a brief period and was a member of the Institute for Communication Research. On the Education side: I worked for the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) developing educational resources for Turner Adventure Learning (Virtual Fieldtrips), studying and reporting on the impact of teachers' technology skills and usage during their induction years, examining technology core competencies for education (a project for the Department of Defense), Evaluating new technologies and assisting with training programs to help teachers integrate these technologies effectively, and running the Summer Distance Learning Seminar (a program that brought educators together from around the country to learn how to be more effective as providers of video and computer-based distance learning courses/programs). While attending IU I was also involved in Student Government (Director of Advertising, PR, Media Relations, Summer Senator, Academic Assembly - Speaker of the Assembly, and Student Body Vice President for Administration), and rode for the Equestrian Team.

I've also worked for the Children's Museum of Indianapolis (as a youth volunteer coordinator and video instructor in the Center for Exploration (CFX), The Indiana Educator's Technology Center (as newsletter editor), I was a lifeguard and long-time swim instructor for the YMCA, I was also a counselor and unit coordinator at Camp Tecumseh YMCA (and now volunteer there as a member of the Heritage Preservation and Torchbearer's groups), I was a volunteer mentor/coach for the Thinkquest program at Hinkle Creek Elementary School, I've been a volunteer "Conference Associate" for the (Computer)Game Developers Conference for several years, and I'm currently involved with my sorority (Alpha Delta Pi) as president of my chapters' corporation board, and the Chicago alumnae association, the Chicago Chapter of the IU Almuni Association, the young adult board at Old St. Pats Church, board president of my condominium association, and the Chicago City Administrator for My People Connection (a social networking/event programming group).

In a nutshell - I love to teach, and I love to learn! And, as you can probably tell, I'm also horrible at saying "no!"


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