If you ever wondered what type of research & tech design I do, check out the video below. This video was created as a result of the lab being featured by The George Lucas Foundation and Edutopia. NOTE: I was in Stats class the day they filmed, so unfortunately, I missed it. But I did get an A in Stats! :) … [Read more...]
Reflections of Why I do What I do…
April 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Congratulations to me! I received word just a few days ago that I won the Google Anita Borg Scholarship for the 2009-2010 school year. I was so elated to realize that a company like Google acknowledged my accomplishments. I must say that I hadn't realized how much I had attempted to work on in my career until I compiled it all in preparation for submission. It is a great honor to be recognized for this work by one of the best computer companies in my field. This led me to ask myself, why do I do the things that I do anyway? And although I could provide a great answer, I've decided to post this video promoting one of my sorority sister's art & skill. Feel the energy, observe the passion, and note the song's content. This video says it all! ...and yes, I am a gemini (note … [Read more...]
Eureka!
February 25, 2009 By 1 Comment
OK, so after months of trying to figure out what I want to do when I finish school, I think I have a clearer picture. Initially, I thought I wanted to do a combination of things. But now, I realize that I just want to focus on one - and that one will most likely do many things. I thought I wanted to focus on Uplift, Inc. and The Center for Learning and Educational Media (research), teach @ Howard University, and attempt to create technologies and media that support learning. Today, I realized that I don't want to teach; I don't want to be stuck in a classroom. I am, however, anxious to do research and build things - and impact lives by doing so! I will have to find another way to partner with Howard. This is a great realization but it will not force me to focus on fundraising … [Read more...]
The Black Scholars Index wins Award
December 7, 2008 By 1 Comment
The Black Scholars Index (BSI) is now award winning, as they say. This past Friday, I won 3rd Place and a cash prize at the F.R.E.E. Research Poster Competition (Focusing Research on Entrepreneurial Empowerment). What is F.R.E.E? Focusing Research on Entrepreneurial Empowerment (FREE) is a research symposium with a poster session format. The purpose of this event is to provide a platform for students to showcase their research and receive feedback on it. Another purpose of the research symposium is to encourage entrepreneurship. Accordingly, we asked participants to dedicate a portion of their poster to explaining how they could apply their research to business exploits, namely a product or service. BSI is in its infancy, but has great potential and will launch its redesign and new … [Read more...]
KIPP DC: WILL Academy
November 22, 2008 By 2 Comments
I spent the last 2 days at KIPP DC: Will Academy helping Mr. Tiengtum (a very good friend of mine) teach the 6th graders how to use PowerPoint. It was a great experience, not just because I used to teach 6th grade computer classes years ago and missed being in that space, but because the students were great and it was rewarding watching them learn. We all (2 instructors and a total of ~90 students) spent a total of 1 hour and 40 minutes together exploring Microsoft PowerPoint. But it was more than that, I saw exploration, adventure, hesitation, yearning, creativity, enjoyment, bonding, and about 100 ah-ha moments. It was awesome. Here's to what may happen with those 6th graders and their laptops over the next year or so, once I am allowed to contribute to their learning...and they to … [Read more...]
I heard Dr. Pedro Noguera Speak Today!
October 10, 2008 By 1 Comment
He is awesome! Dr. Noguera was the keynote speaker at the 3rd Annual Minority and Urban Education Symposium today at the University of Maryland, College Park. He so plainly and eloquently expressed the importance of thinking of schools at political landscapes and described how African-American and Latino students are getting the short end of the stick. I know the event was recorded, but I'm not sure when or how it will be available. So, I've added a youtube clip from a previous speaking engagement of his, just to share how insightful he is... [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWbWgh_a9gQ&hl=en&fs=1] I will share more about my thoughts from the entire day after I let it soak in and absorb. But until then, here are some highlights of a few discussions: Using 'discourse' to … [Read more...]
One of many reasons why I do what I do…
October 1, 2008 By Leave a Comment
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8&hl=en&fs=1] … [Read more...]
The Very Basis of Research
September 16, 2008 By 1 Comment
Only a few classes into the Fall 2008 semester of my 2nd year as a PhD student in the iSchool at the University of Maryland, I am faced with some challenging information - the history of qualitative research methods. My first reaction is a recollection to something I recently read by Nikki Giovanni about how higher education is in itself a racist and classist descriptor. Qualitative research has it's beginnings in studying the 'other' and presents the 'other' as powerless, lower class, at times illiterate, and darker skinned. For many reasons, these descriptors are challenging to me as one of two Black female students currently in the program. It forces me to reflect upon a number of things - Nikki Giovanni's comments being one of them. This is a glaring challeng to me because my … [Read more...]
entrepreneur. educator. researcher.
