Happy Professors Series: My 20-Year Journey Engaging Students and Teachers with Technology

“I started out my career as a high school history teacher in the mid-1990’s. I loved teaching and trying new things – particularly the new technology tools we had available to us. They were pretty limited – word processing, PowerPoint, slowwwww Internet, and CD-ROM-based digital encyclopedias. Even though the tools were pretty rudimentary, I was inspired by the potential for enhancing teaching and learning with technology.

Over time, I was able to successfully pitch a new position – technology integration specialist. In this job my primary responsibility was to help teachers determine how they might use technologies in their teaching. It was a challenge, however, since these technologies were so new. I found it difficult to help teachers connect these new tools with their existing practice. This experience led me to want to work with preservice teachers – folks that were studying to become teachers. I entered graduate school and earned my doctorate in instructional technology.

For the last 15 years, I’ve worked with both novice and experienced teachers to determine how technology tools and resources can help to support, enhance, and extend teaching and learning. I really enjoy empowering my students to mindfully explore and evaluate technology so that they can determine whether and how they might incorporate technology in their teaching. I love that the tools and resources change and evolve each semester – providing constant variety and updating in my courses. I also love finding ways to engage my students in a constructively critical way as technologies become both more pervasive and divisive in our society.”

Mark, Ph.D.
Professor
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