Student-Centered Learning
A common thread in my work is regularly exploring different perspectives, as well as new ways to engage myself and my students. I believe that strong curriculum design begins with rich ‘essential questions.’ These questions allow us to contemplate how the themes we are working on in our classroom connect to the broader world. I believe that the key to authentic problem-solving and meaningful learning lies in giving students the space and autonomy to imagine problems of their own design. They are far more creative than I. And most importantly, they bring their own unique experiences and perspective into our classroom community.
Computer innovation is an exciting field that has revolutionized our way of life. Yet, it has brought with it both positive and negative consequences. As an educator, it is my responsibility not only to teach my students academic skills but to guide them to consider the impact of bias, and what they can do to create a more equitable world.
To provide a tangible showcase of my work, I’ve included a portfolio of my most recent student projects. Take a moment to explore below, and reach out if you’re interested in learning more about what I have to offer.
Creative Coding in p5.js
The 'big idea' behind my coding class is that computer innovation is primarily a problem-solving discipline - how do you take your idea, and what are all the steps you take to bring it to fruition?
Through modeling and project-based learning, students develop their algorithmic thinking, and learn how to take advantage of control flow, variables, conditionals and boolean logic to make their ideas come alive.
Physical Computing
Below you will find some of the overarching questions we have explored in this yearlong physical computing elective:
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What makes a computer a computer? How do computers work with information in its many forms?
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How do we bridge the gap between the digital world and our physical one? (i.e. how do systems take in input and output information?)
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Can technology be neutral? Are innovators responsible for the harmful effects of their computing innovations? What if those effects are unintentional?
