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Work experience

Innovative Teaching and Learning Specialist

August 2014May 2017
Gering Public Schools
  • Designed and delivered a variety of differentiated learning opportunities for K-12 teachers. 
  • Presented to students on a variety of topics related to digital citizenship. 
  • Taught Social Studies class to model correct implementation of educational technology and blended learning.
  • Modeled and taught how to create and manage a digital workflow.
  • Managed Hapara and Google Admin dashboards for the district. 
  • Presented at a variety of local, state, and national conferences. 
  • Organized of the Sugar Valley Tech Summit.
  • Created and curated digital learning resources for teachers (blogs, playlists, websites).
  • Provided advice and support in all curricular related technology purchases in the district to ensure consistency and coordination.

Social Studies Teacher

Aug 2005May 2014
Educational Service Unit 13
  • Created and taught face-to-face classes in an alternative educational setting.
  • Designed and facilitated blended and fully online classes. 
  • Implemented various digital tools in my classroom.
  • Managed Hapara and Google Admin Dashboard for the school.
  • Worked with a team to restructuring our online program to maximize its effectiveness.
  • Organized the first Identity Day for VALTS. This event showcased students and their interests. It brought together parents, principals, superintendents, school board members, and other members of the community who attended the event to support the VALTS students.
  • Member of the original team that created the Nebraska Educational Virtual Academy
  • Created various Social Studies courses and modules including US History, World History, Global Studies, and Digital Tools.
  • Organized the Digital Connections Boot Camp for teachers across Nebraska.
  • Instructed teachers on the use of Moodle and integration of digital tools into their curriculum.
  • Worked on the team that developed the Nebraska Educational Virtual Academy brand which included creating a unique Moodle page design, style guide, online readiness survey, and rubric to score the online classes.

Social Studies Teacher

Aug 2003May 2004
Scottsbluff Public Schools
  • Taught American Government, Advanced American Government, and World Geography.
  • Assessed student performance throughout the year.
  • Sponsored Freshman class.
  • Designed original activities to help engage students.
  • Worked with team of teachers to explore the benefits of block scheduling.

Education

Master of Arts, Curriculum and Instruction w/Emphasis in Educational Technology

20092013
Chadron State College

Chadron, NE

Bachelor of Science in Education, Field Endorsement in Social Science

Aug 2000May 2003
Chadron State College

Chadron, NE

Associates of Arts in Education

Jun 1999May 2002
Western Nebraska Community College

Scottsbluff, NE

Professional Profile

  • Helped build a partnership between the Valley Alternative Learning and Transitioning School and Western Nebraska Community College which resulted in College Planning Night and other activities.
  • Selected to serve on the International for Society for Technology in Education conference planning committee due to my tireless efforts at promoting educational technology.
  • Designed and taught multiple online and blended learning courses which incorporated the purposeful use of digital tools and served as a model for proper use and implementation of these tools.
  • Supported and trained colleagues when they began using Moodle, Hapara and incorporating digital tools into their face-to-face classrooms and online courses.
  • Presented on the use of educational technology, online learning, and the importance of personalized professional development at multiple local, state, regional and international conferences.
  • Recognized by my colleagues as being a leader in the field of online learning and educational technology.

Professional Accomplishments

Hapara Champion Trainer and Consultant

I am both a Hapara Certified Educator and Hapara Certified Trainer. These two certifications reflect my understanding of and commitment to a pedagogy first approach to technology integration. I believe that technology should  enable, not drive learning.

Google Certified Innovator and Google Certified Trainer

I was one of 50 educators selected to attend the Google Teacher Academy in Austin, Texas in December of 2014. In February of 2015 I became a Google Certified Trainer. Currently there are roughly 1400 Certified Trainers and 1120 Certified Innovators in the world. These certifications allow me to share my knowledge of Google Apps for Education and how they can be used to enhance teaching and learning with teachers around the world. 

ISTE Newbie Project

To date, this project has provided funding for several educational technology leaders to attend ISTE, including Richard Byrne, George Couros, and Jerry Blumengarten. The influence of these thought leaders in the education world is incredible. I am proud to say that I organized the fundraiser that made it possible for these educators to attend their first ISTE! 

Digital Connections Bootcamp

I collaborated with several different organizations including ESU13, Western Nebraska Community College, and Chadron State College to make this conference a reality. I worked tirelessly for months to make sure that the everyone who attended would walk away with knowledge they could put to use immediately. I taught an online component which could be taken in conjunction with attending the conference for graduate credit from Chadron State College. 

Presentations

Conferences Attended

  • Nebraska Fall Edtech Conference, Kearney, NE; Sept. 2017
  • Nebraska Educational Technology Association, Omaha, NE; April 2017
  • Google Geo Teacher Institute, Mountain View, CA; July 2016
  • International Society for Technology in Education, Denver, CO; June 2016
  • Wyoming Google Summit, Riverton, WY; June 13 & 14, 2016
  • Wyoming State Educational Technology Conference, Green River, WY;  May 2015
  • Nebraska Educational Technology Association, Omaha, NE; April 2016
  • Nebraska Fall Edtech Conference, Kearney, NE; Sept. 2015
  • Sugar Valley Tech Summit, Scottsbluff, NE; July 2015
  • TxGoo 2015, New Caney, TX; June 2015
  • TCEA Area 7 Conference, White Oak, TX; June 2015
  • International Society for Technology in Education, Philadelphia, PA; June 2015
  • Nebraska Educational Technology Association, Omaha, NE ; April 2015
  • Edcamp Denver, Denver, CO; Feb. 2015
  • Edcamp Omaha, Omaha, NE; March 2015
  • Edcamp Bayard, Bayard, NE; Jan. 2015
  • Nebraska Fall Edtech Conference, Kearney, NE; Sept. 2014
  • Techcellent Conference, Alliance, NE; Oct. 2014
  • Great Plains Google Summit, Lincoln, NE; July 2014
  • International Society for Technology in Education, Atlanta, GA; June 2014
  • Nebraska Educational Technology Association, Omaha, NE; April 2014
  • Educon 2.6, Philadelphia, PA; January 2014
  • Great Plains Google Summit, Lincoln, NE; July 2013
  • International Society for Technology in Education, San Antonio, TX; June 2013
  • Beyond the Techbook Forum, by Invitation Only, Hosted by Discovery Education; Silver Springs, MD; March 2013
  • International Society for Technology in Education, San Diego, CA; June 2012
  • Beyond the Techbook Forum, by Invitation Only, Hosted by Discovery Education; Silver Springs, MD; March 2012
  • Nebraska Educational Technology Association; April 2012.
  • International Society for Technology in Education, Philadelphia, PA; June 2011
  • Edubloggercon; Philadelphia, PA; June 2011
  • Nebraska Educational Technology Association; April 2011
  • Educon 2.3, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; January 2011
  • International Society for Technology in Education, Denver, CO; June 2010
  • Edubloggercon, Denver, CO; June 2010
  • Educon 2.2, Philadelphia, PA; January 2010
  • Conversation Colorado, Loveland, CO; February 2010
  • International Society for Technology in Education, Washington D.C.; June 2009
  • Edubloggercon, Washington DC; June 2009
  • Colorado Conversation, Littleton, CO; February 2009
  • National Educational Computing Conference, San Antonio, TX; June 2008

Portfolio

Awards

  • Recipient, Earl F. Strohbehn Memorial Scholarship, 2011
  • Graduated Summa Cum Laude, Chadron State College, 2003
  • Recipient, Adelia Gebaur Scholarship, 2003
  • Recipient, Western Nebraska Community College Division Social Science Division Scholarship, 2002

Publications

Professional Organizations

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