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Hello Everyone,
Not sure why my post did not save...

I am an EDD student, really not sure of the year, since I completed the certificate and continued on to the EDD program which has been fantastic.  Almost finished with all my coursework!

I am excited to learn more about the background of IST this semester.

I  am going on my 17th year working at IU Bloomington as the Director of Student Engagement and Success in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering where I have been able to engage students in the Luddy School through courses I have designed, student organizations, leadership opportunities, international experiences in more.

I decided to join the IST program because of my desire to design programs, pamphlets, websites, while learning about the foundation of design to implement in my daily work.  I have the privilege of doing research on culturally and linguistically diverse professional development with other peers in the program.

When I am not working, you will find me with my family (three children, goldendoodle, and husband) traveling, baking, reading, walking, and trying to grow a herbal garden this year. Its doing great so far, so I will expand later .

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Hi, everyone! I’m new to the IST master’s program. I taught high school ELA for over a decade, and I spent most of that time teaching AP English Language Arts and Composition (the rhetoric course). I also had the privilege of co-teaching a humanities class called World Experience with the AP World History teacher, and that gave me a chance to design interdisciplinary lessons and gain some experience with project-based instruction.

Since leaving the classroom, I’ve explored a couple of different avenues, first devoting some time to trying to knock the rust off and produce writing of my own for a change. I then dabbled in graphic design for a few months, which gave me my first experience with online education (aside from the handful of classes I taught over Zoom early in the pandemic). The field of instructional design seems to live at the intersection of so many of my interests: education, communication, visual media.

I was fortunate to find a position as an instructional designer at a community college just a few months ago, so I’m working to learn as much as I can as fast as I can to be successful in my new career. My current role leans toward technical support, but there have been opportunities to contribute to other projects too, and I’m hoping eventually to make my way to the side of the house that focuses on course design.

In my spare time, I’m a gardener and a tennis player, so I’m eagerly awaiting the arrival of better weather. The weather in Texas has always been erratic, but I’ve finally given up on visions of a kitchen garden full of veggies and have shifted my attention to pollinator gardening. Discovering the app iNaturalist and the City Nature Challenge in 2021 led me to try to document all the insect life in my garden. Five hundred pictures later, it's unclear whether this is a hobby or an obsession. Regardless, it’s another example of technology facilitating learning. I still love books on paper, but Google Docs and various LMS transformed the way I taught writing. Now I’m looking forward to learning other ways that technology can enable educators to accomplish more while also connecting learners to resources in ways that would allow them to take ownership of their own learning… just as I am on my way to becoming an amateur entomologist.

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Hi everyone! I'm so glad to meet all of you here. My name is Chuying Yuan, and I've finished my first semester last year.  I have completed three IST courses in the previous year, with some flaws but a very good overall feeling.

I was previously an online course designer, mainly designing K12 related courses. But now I have some changes in my goals for the future, I have learned about a new field - UX designer, and I may want to become a UX designer in education in the future.

Other than that, I like to work out, usually go to the gym 2-3 times a week, and I'm currently learning to swim - my mom taught it before, but I didn't take it seriously, and swimming is the first step to surfing ；0

It was great to meet you all and I hope we all have a perfect semester!

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Hi everyone,

This is my first year and second class in the IST program pursuing a Doctor of Education.

I became interested in online education after enrolling my elementary school-age daughters in online classes after we relocated to Japan in 2011. I completed an M. Sci in educational technologies in 2017. My current research interests include gamifying museums using augmented reality and creating language lessons for immersive learning in virtual reality. I am currently working on an online course for tourism studies students in addition to teaching business English and digital literacy to undergrads at universities in Japan. I am open to partnering with overseas institutions for collaborative projects, presentations, and publishing papers.

In addition to virtual reality research, I love being immersed in art and nature. I enjoy attending art shows and gallery exhibitions with a keen appreciation for Chinese and Japanese ink painting and contemporary Japanese art and architecture. In my spare time, I enjoy hiking locally and going on 3-day/2-night spiritual pilgrimages/digital detoxes around Shikoku, a nearby island known for its temples.

I'm in Japan's standard time zone so I might post comments and classwork in the dead of night to those in the USA. I assure you that I'm not completing all of my assignments at 3 or 4:00 a.m., except for when I am, haha.

Nice to meet you all, and I look forward to learning with and from you this semester.

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My name is Meika, and I am a 3rd year IST EdD student. My experience in the program has been positive, and I hope to learn more about the history of IST this semester!

Currently, I am a speech-language pathologist. I have worked primarily in school settings, but my experience also includes working in skilled nursing facilities and early intervention settings (e.g., a center or a child’s home). I now work in an outpatient clinic treating children and adults with various disabilities. I use game-based learning platforms like Kahoot to teach adults social communication skills for workplace success. Most of those sessions are online, so I have been using online learning principles I’ve learned in the IST program, especially Dr. Bonk’s TECH-VARIETY framework to engage them online. With the pediatric population, I have introduced parents to different EdTech tools to support their child’s speech-language skills at home.

I decided to pursue an IST degree because I am interested in using online learning and EdTech to help individuals with communication disorders learn, especially those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. I also plan to leverage what I learn in the IST program to support others who care for them (e.g., other speech pathologists, educators, and families).

Aside from work and school, I enjoy reading, gardening, traveling, and outdoor runs. My husband and I are trying to do early morning runs now. Hopefully, I can keep it up this semester.

I look forward to getting to know you all and wish you a successful semester!

P.S. I’m serving as the GIST EdD student rep this year, and I’m excited about the conference in March. I have never been to I.U., so I’m contemplating attending the in person.

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Greetings! This is my first semester in the IST master's program. I'm switching from a background in studying robotics design and research back to my love of UX design and research with a particular interest in the intersection of UX and experience learning design.

I am pretty new to the education field, with minimal experience based in assistant teaching as well as training in critical observational research on inclusive learning environments. I look forward to deepening my experience and knowledge through the IST program in preparation for moving into industry.

I'm a Bloomington native, so feel free to ask me about anything local.

Favorite astromech: Chopper ;)

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Hi, all! I'm Kristin. It's a pleasure to meet you all! This is my first course and first semester in the MSEd IST program. I've been involved in instructional design, training, and eLearning development for over ten years, and am thrilled to learn and apply educational theory and strategies to my daily work in the pharmaceutical world.

My bachelor's is in English from Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MA, and I took a few masters-level courses in instructional design from NC State University in Raleigh, NC, but put that on hold when I had my son. He's 7 years old now and is in first grade, and some of his learning challenges are fueling my desire to develop an online learning environment specifically for children with learning and/or behavioral challenges. That's the ultimate goal, and in the meantime, I'm looking forward to immediately applying what I learn at work.

Besides work and school, I'm addicted to CrossFit, love camping and doing outdoorsy things with my kids, going to concerts and live music events, and spending time with family & friends.

I can't wait to meet each of you and to learn more about your backgrounds! Cheers to a great semester.

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Hello everyone! This is my first semester and first course in the IST Master's program. I may be one of the few who doesn't have an undergraduate degree in education, and I may even be one of the few Gen Xers (yikes).

I moved organically into education technology by way of becoming a clinical aromatherapy educator. I've worked at 2 online clinical aromatherapy institutes in 2 different countries over the last 8 years, where I gradually took over their learning technologies because nobody else could (or wanted to) figure out how, and I fell in love with the work. I don't have an extensive background in ID, more so the technical aspects, but I greatly enjoy working with adult learners in certificate programs, I notice that many of these programs are not well designed, and I hope to be of greater service in these realms going forward.

I have a particular interest in optimizing the online learning environment as a whole ecosphere, making sure the best platforms are used/maximized, and creating the underpinnings that support faculty and staff, from workflows to tutorials and on-the-spot support. It frustrates me when students and faculty cannot find or understand how to use all of the resources available to them, knowing this can negatively impact their educational and social experience. I hope this course will provide me with some foundational theory and an opportunity to learn more about my future options in the field.  I can see myself in a Distance Learning Coordinator position, as that's an elevated version of what I do and enjoy currently.

In my personal life, I'm a big fan of jazz, fountain pens, and all things British. I live in a century home, which means I do a lot of DIY by default. I live in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, a very vintage-looking suburb of Cleveland.

Looking forward to learning with you all!

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Hello everybody! This is my first year in the IST Masters Program. For the past five years I have worked in Title I elementary schools in San Antonio and Bloomington as a classroom teacher and reading interventionist. I got into teaching with an interest in helping cultivate the genius of students whom our society marginalizes.

Teaching online during the pandemic exposed me to new tools and ideas as well as new challenges which sparked my curiosity regarding the process that goes into developing the online tools and curriculum I was using. After researching more about the field of education technology, I decided I will be able to have a greater impact pivoting into a career more in line with my temperament and skills.

As a teacher and interventionist, and now as a tutor, I have a love/hate relationship with the reading apps and websites available to school districts. While the practice and tracking tools can be useful, I found they are generally geared more towards test prep than student centered inquiry, critical thinking, and discussion.

Much of this field is new to me, and I hope to narrow down my vision of where I see myself as we progress through this course. Whatever direction I end up taking, I would like to bring my experience in the classroom to bear on how these tools are developed and improved. I am excited to see that some of my classmates have a background both in teaching and IST, and I look forward to talking more about everyone's experience in the field.

In my free time, I enjoy cycling, cooking, video games (I'm currently throwing myself against the brick wall that is Elden Ring), listening to audiobooks, re-learning bass, drawing, painting models, and playing tabletop/board games. I also have two dogs named Hercules and Venus, who I love taking long walks with!

I'm both excited and nervous, because I haven't taken a college course since I graduated from Baylor in 2017, and having ADHD required significant adjustments to succeed. One comfort is knowing that  creating own optimal learning process can directly inform how I design the projects I will be producing as a part of this program.

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Happy New Year!  I’m excited to be part of this course and look forward to interacting with each of you this semester.  My name is Matthew Leos (call me Matt) and this will be my third course in the IST Certificate program.  My experiences have been very positive thus far!  I’m hoping to transition to the IST EdD program and continue on my journey beyond the certificate program.

Instructional Design is a passion of mine; I’ve been fortunate to make a career in L&D with the County of Los Angeles, my employer since I finished my undergraduate studies 20 years ago!  I earned an MS in Instructional Design and Technology almost 10 years ago from California State University, Fullerton.  Currently, I serve as a principal analyst with the County’s Department of Human Resources where I oversee a team responsible for leadership development programs.  2022 was a major occupational transition for me as I went from staff work to management.  Suffice it to say, managing has its rewards and challenges.  I have yet to experience a dull moment in this relatively new role! :)

When I’m not working or studying, I’m spending time with my wife and our two beautiful daughters (10 and 8 years old).  We love to take Rey - our mini golden doodle - for walks and narrate what we imagine he’s thinking at any given moment.  We got him at the start of the pandemic and are grateful we did as he kept us sane during the lockdown.

I recently got back into freshwater fishkeeping.  I put it on hold after our kids arrived but fortunately had not lost the knowledge I acquired through trial and error.  My favorite fish is the cardinal tetra.  For any of you who have thought about getting into the hobby, I’m more than happy to share my experiences.

Our household also enjoys studying music.  Our daughters take piano lessons.  I’ve been studying jazz guitar for the last five years.  My favorite players are the late Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino.  These days I’ve been listening to Pasquale Grasso, who is a total jazz guitar phenom.

I hope this course continues to expand my knowledge of IST and its various theories and practices.  Ideally, I’ll expand my range and become more adept at deciding which IST approaches (or combinations thereof) are best for the various types of learning projects we’re responsible for.  My goal is to become more adept at conveying this knowledge to my team so that they will also become better designers/technologists.  As many of you know, this field is dynamic and expands at such a pace that there is always something new to learn and incorporate.  Frankly, I feel that there is no field of study as exciting as IST.  It is a complex blend of creativity, science, design, innovation, and experimentation.  I look forward to learning from you and your own experiences at work and school.  Here’s to a great semester! :)

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I hope this finds you all well, refreshed, and as excited as I am for the upcoming semester!  My name is Beau Scott, this is my 2nd full year in the IST Ed. D. program and everything I have learned thus far has been so much fun and so applicable to my current role as an Educational Consultant.  Currently, my title is the Director of STEM Learning for Equitable Education Solutions, a consulting firm based here in Indiana. My main focus is supporting schools and districts across Indiana as they grow their STEM programs in pursuit of becoming recognized as STEM Certified schools, recognized by the Indiana Department of Education.

At the moment, I reside in Boilermaker Country, in West Lafayette, IN though my educational journey has quite literally taken me around the world. I graduated from Purdue University in 2007 as an elementary education major which I leveraged to obtain a teaching position in London, England where I spent 4 years abroad teaching, traveling, and learning all I could from the many diverse cultures I was able to visit whilst using London as my travel hub. Upon returning to Indiana in 2012, I took over as a 4-5 grade High Ability teacher prior to moving into the position of Elementary Math and Science Specialist for the Indiana Department of Education where my main focus was on the development of the Math and Science Frameworks still utilized by teachers across the state.

I have 2 young children, ages 5 and 8 who large amounts of my time are dedicated to, however beyond that, I’m an avid trail runner when it’s not too muddy on the banks of the Wabash River. An oddity here on this topic, I run in sandals, and last year was unfortunate enough to learn that while running in the snow, shoes are probably a better option should one wish to avoid frostbite.

Regarding expectations for the course, mine are quite high as I’ve been able to leverage so much of my education thus far for use in my current job, where a large portion of my energy is spent developing online courses for teachers in supporting their development in Project Based Learning and STEM instruction.  Any and all of my past experiences, academic, or professional, I would be more than happy to share with anyone in the course in order to help make them more rounded and successful.  I’m looking forward to learning alongside everyone and can’t wait to get started!

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Curtis J. Bonk is Professor in the School of Education at Indiana University (IU) teaching psychology and technology courses and Adjunct in the School of Informatics at IU. He is a former software entrepreneur, certified public accountant, corporate controller, and educational psychologist who presently is an educational technologist, award-winning writer, highly published researcher, statewide and national awardee in innovative teaching with technology, and internationally acclaimed presenter. Curt is the author of nearly 400 publications and has given close to 2,000 talks around the world. In 2020, Curt was awarded the IU President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Technology and in 2021, he received the David H. Jonassen Excellence in Research Award. Recently, the American Educational Research Association named him a 2022 AERA Fellow for his exceptional contributions to, and excellence in, education research and the following week he was honored with the International Engagement award from the IU School of Education. He co-hosts the weekly podcast show, Silver Lining for Learning (https://silverliningforlearning.org/). He can be contacted at cjbonk@indiana.edu and his homepage is http://curtbonk.com/.

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This is the homepage of Bonk background: Curtis J. Bonk, Ph.D. Curt is Professor at Indiana University teaching psychology and technology courses. Curt is affiliated with the cognitive sciences program and is adjunct in the School of Informatics at IU. He founded SurveyShare, Inc. in 2003 which he sold in 2010. In addition, he has been founder and president of CourseShare, LLC since 1999. Before coming to IU in 1992, Curt taught at West Virginia University for three years. In the early 1980s, he was a CPA and corporate controller in Wisconsin, while in the late 80s, he obtained his Master's and Ph.D. degrees in educational psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (see bios for more detailed info). Professor Bonk firmly believes in distance learning since he is a product of it. Curt is a popular conference speaker with many books in the area of emerging technologies for learning (see also Amazon author profile ). He is currently conducting research in the field of self-directed online learning environments (SOLEs) and open education (including massive open online courses (MOOCs)).

Curtis J. Bonk is Professor in the School of Education at Indiana University (IU) teaching psychology and technology courses and Adjunct in the School of Informatics at IU. He is a former software entrepreneur, certified public accountant, corporate controller, and educational psychologist who presently is an educational technologist, award-winning writer, highly published researcher, statewide and national awardee in innovative teaching with technology, and internationally acclaimed presenter. In 2020, he was awarded the IU Presidents Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Technology - and in 2021, received the David H. Jonassen Excellence in Research Award. In April 2022, the American Educational Research Association named him a 2022 AERA Fellow for his exceptional contributions to, and excellence in, education research and the following week he was honored with the International Engagement award from the IU School of Education. Curt is the author of nearly 400 publications and has many widely used technology and learning related books, including Transformative Teaching Around the World, Engaging Online Language Learners, The World Is Open, Empowering Online Learning, The Handbook of Blended Learning, Electronic Collaborators, Adding Some TEC-VARIETY, which is free as an e-book ( http://tec-variety.com/), and MOOCs and Open Education Around the World as well as MOOCs and Open Education in the Global South ( www.moocsbook.com/). Across his career, Curt Bonk has given over to 1,800 presentations around the globe related to online teaching and learning, including over 300 keynote and plenary talks in places like Bangkok, Thailand, Melbourne, Sydney, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Toronto, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Madrid, London, Manila, Seoul, Tel Aviv, Edinburgh, Dublin, Coimbra, Tampere, Barcelona, and Arequipa, Peru. He can be contacted at cjbonk@indiana.edu and his homepage is http://curtbonk.com/.

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Professor Curt Bonk's Open Learning World

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This is the homepage of Bonk background: Curtis J. Bonk, Ph.D. Curt is Professor at Indiana University teaching psychology and technology courses. Curt is affiliated with the cognitive sciences program and is adjunct in the School of Informatics at IU. He founded SurveyShare, Inc. in 2003 which he sold in 2010.

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Morgan Luo, Graduate from UIUC in spring 2021

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Hello, everyone! Hope all had a wonderful holiday season with your loved ones. I am really excited to be a part of this course and am looking forward to learning from all of you throughout the course. My name is Morgan Luo, and I am currently a second-year Ph.D. student in the Learning Sciences program here at IU Bloomington, and some of my research interest includes online learning environments, assessments, and student engagement. I have had some past experiences with online learning and teaching, as I majored in DELTA (Digital Environments for Learning, Teaching, & Agency) during my undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois. Additionally, I was able to become one of the creators of an online pronunciation course that is currently used by multiple ESL courses at the University of Illinois in which I have developed online materials for modules on consonants, vowels, and commonly confused consonant pairs. Through the course development process, I recognized all the considerations and challenges that developers may face when trying to create an online learning environment that meets the curriculum and student’s learning needs, thus, I am eager to deep dive into varieties of design theories and explore the central idea behind them. Further, much of my current research project is also related to online learning, in which I have just finished developing an intro to computer science course for IU high school and am hoping to do my early inquiry project based on student's performance in the course.

Given I have done both undergraduate and graduate-level courses related to online learning and the design of online learning environments, I would not consider myself as a nuance of the field, but there are definitely still more things for me to dive deeper into or explore and learn. I hope this course could help me to gain further knowledge of IST and help me to understand the current controversies within the field. I am really excited to learn and interact with all of you and hope all had a great start to the new semester!