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Stonington Retreat Faculty:
Special Guest Presenter Mitchel Resnick explores how new technologies can help people (especially children) learn new things in new ways. His Lifelong Kindergarten research group at the MIT Media Lab has developed a variety of educational tools, including the "programmable bricks" that were the basis for the award-winning LEGO MindStorms robotics construction kit. Resnick co-founded the Computer Clubhouse project, an international network of after-school centers where youth from low-income communities learn to express themselves creatively with new technologies. Resnick's group recently developed a new programming language, "Scratch," which makes it easier for kids to create their own animated stories, video games, and interactive art. Resnick earned a BS in physics from Princeton, and an MS and PhD in computer science from MIT. Before pursuing his graduate degrees, he worked for five years as a science and technology journalist for Business Week magazine. He is the author or co-author of several books, including Turtles, Termites, and Traffic Jams.
Laura Allen is the Founder and President of Vision Education & Media. She has worked with teachers and students and technology for over eighteen years, creating some of the field's most effective solutions for using technology as a tool for learning and teaching. Laura's visual arts background is the foundation of her belief that creative thinking is the key to effective learning. An early interest in LOGO programming led Laura to the Harvard Graduate School of Education where she collaborated on projects with the MIT Media Laboratory and the mathematician and educator, Dr. Seymour Papert, the founder of LOGO programming and one of the world's foremost expert on instructional technologies. Prior to founding Vision Education, Laura directed the Computer Department at The Buckley School in Manhattan for fourteen years and was Director of the Technology Program at the Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School for two. Laura is also the founder and director of The Stonington Retreat, a summer technology workshop for educators, which is now in its twelfth year. She also developed the concept and curriculum for the YWCA's TechGYRLS program, a national program for girls ages 9 - 13 that is currently running in over 35 YWCA's across the country. In recent news, Enterprising Women has named its 2006 Enterprising Women of the Year and Laura was chosen from among over 400 entries!
Jennifer Wardell is the Director of Programs for Vision Education & Media and a Lead RoboFun Instructor. Jennifer is a seasoned teacher of both youth and adult learners. She developed and implemented RoboPet, a LEGO® Robotics curriculum for New York City adolescents. She has taught MicroWorlds and other multimedia programs and has designed and facilitated trainings for teachers, community leaders, and Vision Education & Media staff. Jennifer holds an M.A. in Educational Communication and Technology from New York University where she researched, designed, and produced an art education interactive multimedia prototype CD-ROM for adolescents. She also holds a B.S. from the University of Georgia in Early Childhood Education including Graduate studies in Educational Psychology. Jennifer previously taught as a full-time classroom teacher for the fourth and fifth grade.
Corbett Beder is the Director of High School Programs at Vision Education & Media. For the past two years, his projects have included teaching high school digital video, middle school video game design, and LEGO Robotics. Additionally, he has assisted with numerous FIRST LEGO League teams and conducted professional development seminars in Robolab and MicroWorlds. He hails from the Southwest and tremendously enjoys the opportunity to work throughout New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey. He holds BA in Philosophy from NYU and an AM with a focus on Cinema and Media Studies from the University of Chicago. Prior to working with Vision, Corbett has worked in the film industry, publishing, and even repaired a computer or two. He is currently developing curriculum that incorporates hands-on technology and New York State Math, Science, and Technology Standards.
Carmen Alvarado is the RoboFun Manager for Vision Education & Media and a Lead RoboFun Instructor. She holds a B.F.A. in Sculpture from Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogota as well as an M.F.A. with a focus on Installation Art from Hunter College in New York City. Through her studies of sculpture and her work as a professional artist, Carmen has explored concepts of structure and construction; she has been fascinated by the ways in which the utilitarian can become artistic and the artistic, utilitarian. Her previous teaching experience includes 4 years of arts education at the museum Luis Angel Arango in Bogota and several years of Spanish language instruction. Carmen brings her love of the construction process to all her RoboFun classes as she encourages her students to bring their own artistic point of view to their robotic creations.
Eduardo Bringas is the Technology Manager and a Technology Mentor at VEMNY. Ed teaches primarily high school programming, robotics and physical interactive arts using various microprocessors and analog circuitry. He hold two BA degrees in interdisciplinary studies focusing in Fine Arts and Biology and an MPS from the Interactive Telecommunications Program at NYU. His current exploration includes kinetic art, CAD/CAM, sustainable design, and wearable technology. His collaborations have been exhibited in various NYC galleries as well as SIGGRAPH. Ed enjoys empowering students with tools that help expand creativity, knowledge and perceptions of technology.
Tali Padan is a Program Manager and Technology Mentor at VEMNY. Tali is managing and teaching a three-year National Science Foundation program in parternship with SoBRO and Columbia University called SoBRO TEC. Having worked with Vision Education & Media for two years, Tali has taught primarily high school students Video, Blogging, Cricket Robotics, Web Design, and more. She holds a BS in Computer Science from Georgia Tech and an MPS from the Interactive Telecommunications Program at NYU. At NYU, Tali worked on a thesis proving that a constructivist, hands-on approach to learning helps students improve important areas in their lives, such as Leadership, Confidence, General Knowledge, and Motivation. Tali cares less about the technology itself and more about guiding students through an experience that empowers and enlivens them in their every day lives.
