I did the same thing!

I read Mallory's post and realized I had done exactly what she did. Posted my profile but not on the blog. Lots to learn evidently. I actually HAVE a blog, but someone else set it up for me.

Here's what I wrote in my profile

I'm a retired special educator who works as an independent consultant. I specialize in technology applications for people with disabilities. I sometimes teach online classes and webinars but I am am a self-taught teacher. I am very excited about the chance to learn with others. E-learning has so much potential!

Intro- I posted it on the profile area not realizing that we need to post it here too.

My name is Mallory. I live in Vancouver. I am 24. I am in my final year of the PACE program with a focus in student services. I am a first generation college student myself and know first hand how overwhelming navigating the college system can be for the inexperienced student. Although I am currently a PSU student I am a true Coug at heart. I have two bachelor degrees: Psychology and Human Development. I spent a month in India on a service-learning trip this past winter. I loved it and want to go back someday. I look forward to getting to know all of you a bit better.

Its about time

Hello All,

My name is Dave Williams and I am a bit late to the class but I am going to jump in anyway.  I teach Health/Physical Education, I am the Dean of Students, act as Athletic and Activities Director, at a middle school in La Pine, and Coach baseball at Bend High School.  I also have twin Kindergartners and my wife is student services coordinator (different name for assistant principal) at two elementary schools.  Pretty active life but I can also handle a class right no.  I am looking forward to diving into the class with you all.

As you probably noticed we are beavers!!

Hello all!

Sorry the introduction took so very long! My name is Monica Root. I was born and raised in Oregon, though I love to travel and have spent 3 months living in Spain. I love the outdoors, sports and spending time with my hubby and dogs. My weekends are usually full of sports and fun, so it's often a chore to sit down at the computer. ;-) I am a special education teacher in a juvenile corrections facility. I originally got my teaching license at Oregon State University in elementary education. I just finished up my licensure for special education at Portland State and am going to work on getting my high school endorsement. We use a lot of online (well, computer-based) programs at our facility and I am pretty technology challenged so I thought I would take a course to try to learn more. I am excited and nervous for the course because I tend to only do the basic things on the computer but will love knowing more. I love a challenge and am looking forward to seeing what I can learn from this class!

*Monica*

About Me

Hi all,

My name is Carissa McCann and I am currently in the PACE (Postsecondary Adult and Continuing Education) program under the Educational Leadership and Policy department at Portland State University. I am also working toward a Teaching Adult Learners graduate certificate in addition to the master’s degree and this certificate.

I have always been involved with and loved education. My undergraduate degree is in mathematics with an emphasis in education. I then went on to obtain two California teaching credentials. My husband and I moved to Portland a couple of years ago where I struggled to find employment as a K-12 educator and decided to get involved with adult education. I was accepted to the master’s program at Portland state and have been immensely enjoying the study of adult education.

Along with my passion for education, I’m also technologically inclined. I’ve worked with technology throughout my educational and personal life. Most recently, I worked for CASIO in their Marketing, Research, and Design office here in Portland. I continue to be an instructor for a section of their online training course for teachers across the nation who want to learn how to use one of their calculators with their students. I am also employed at Clackamas Community College as an instructional designer, helping faculty design courses, providing workshops and training, and troubleshooting technology issues related to the learning management system. For both CASIO and Clackamas Community College, Moodle is the learning management system used.

I am really looking forward to moving through this course and learning more about effective e-learning course design techniques and strategies.

Greetings from North Carolina

Hi!  My name is Michelle Irinyi and I’m distance learning mentor and social media content provider for the North American Montessori Center (NAMC) in Vancouver, BC.  Having grown up in Spokane, Washington, I now call central North Carolina my home – at least until I am able to relocate my family  back to the west coast. 

I hold K-12 teaching certificates in several states and as well as Montessori teaching certificates for ages 3-12.  In addition, I also hold a master’s degree in educational administration with an emphasis in curriculum design and instruction.  

Over the course of my career, I have taught every grade between pre-k through 12^th grade, both in the public and private sectors!  I now work with Montessori teacher candidates around the world, touching the lives of countless unseen children and their families.  While I miss my own classroom, I know I am able to touch the lives of more children in my current capacity as teacher trainer.  I am also currently an educational consultant for the Mojave Unified School District in California.  

I enrolled in this class because I have the exciting task of helping move NAMC’s hybrid distance learning course into a more online and interactive platform.  Currently, 90% of the teacher trainer’s interaction with students is via email.  Students complete an extensive written assignment using the NAMC manuals and submit them to their mentor.  I am looking forward to helping bring more interaction and dialog between Montessori mentors, teacher candidates and alumni while also showing the Montessori community that there is room for technology in this hands-on, sensorial, and liberating approach to education.

Hello there!

Hi! My name is Sue Rosemarin and I am a science teacher at an alternative high school here in Portland. For the last 5 years I have been working on integrating technology into my lesson plans and it is my dream to one day either write curriculum for online education and/or help teachers use technology in their classrooms to enrich their lessons. Presently I am also the technology coordinator at my school and do my best to "turn the other teachers onto" the wonderful things that are available to them. I am familiar with moodle and hope to have a chance to use it in the future, although I teach at a VERY low socioeconomic school and I am unsure of how that will work.

Anyhow, I look forward to interacting with all of you and learning as many E-learning strategies as possible.