We often learn about and celebrate cultural tradition and history through stories, music, and dancing. Why not have more opportunities to engage and learn for those who might not otherwise be able to? How can communities preserve their collective cultural heritage and identity when they if they have limited resources and are geographically isolated? Digital stories and video games are one way to overcome these challenges.   Never Alone  is a multi-media interactive experience that combines

We often learn about and celebrate cultural tradition and history through stories, music, and dancing. Why not have more opportunities to engage and learn for those who might not otherwise be able to? How can communities preserve their collective cultural heritage and identity when they if they have limited resources and are geographically isolated? Digital stories and video games are one way to overcome these challenges.   Never Alone  is a multi-media interactive experience that combines

It's been a busy week. Getting the logistics of my summer course in digital storytelling down, producing all of the content for my first week's tasks, and solving the technical challenges that inherently come with the work I do was no small feat. Accompanied by my developing role with the non-profit I work for and six days of documenting installation of the museum's next show, my week was non-stop. I took last night off to watch the Game of Thrones season finale (no spoilers here but if you also

It's been a busy week. Getting the logistics of my summer course in digital storytelling down, producing all of the content for my first week's tasks, and solving the technical challenges that inherently come with the work I do was no small feat. Accompanied by my developing role with the non-profit I work for and six days of documenting installation of the museum's next show, my week was non-stop. I took last night off to watch the Game of Thrones season finale (no spoilers here but if you also

Episode 5: Hometown 2   Inanimate Alice is a browser-based, interactive digital story. This story is number five in a series that follows the main character, a teenage girl named Alice. Her narration is facilitated through text accompanied by sometimes intense music and sound effects, and the main point of navigation requires you to click an arrow to move to the next scene.   This was my first experience with a media compilation of this kind, but the three traits I identified for my critique are

Episode 5: Hometown 2   Inanimate Alice is a browser-based, interactive digital story. This story is number five in a series that follows the main character, a teenage girl named Alice. Her narration is facilitated through text accompanied by sometimes intense music and sound effects, and the main point of navigation requires you to click an arrow to move to the next scene.   This was my first experience with a media compilation of this kind, but the three traits I identified for my critique are

#DS106  #VisualAssignments  #VisualAssignments1701    When I saw this assignment in the DS106 bank, I immediately knew what photo I wanted to use. The challenge was to color change a photo, creating a new or different perspective on the environment. I lived in this building, the old Hot Springs High School, during the year I spent in Arkansas. President Bill Clinton attended high school here and graduated in the class of 1964. My studio loft was a largely unchanged classroom with massive windows

This American Life is a podcast that I regularly listen to, and I eagerly look forward to Monday morning when the episodes become available for listening. If you are unfamiliar with the series, it is a journalistic, non-fiction program that features multiple acts relating to a theme that varies each week. How perfect was it that this week, “The Radio Drama Episode” featured a story about stories. A story about getting “stuck” while recording narration, a musical story based on real-world events,

This American Life is a podcast that I regularly listen to, and I eagerly look forward to Monday morning when the episodes become available for listening. If you are unfamiliar with the series, it is a journalistic, non-fiction program that features multiple acts relating to a theme that varies each week. How perfect was it that this week, “The Radio Drama Episode” featured a story about stories. A story about getting “stuck” while recording narration, a musical story based on real-world events,

Chapter 1 Reflection  New Literacies: Everyday Practices and Social Learning by Colin Lankshear & Michele Knobel   Lankshear & Knobel’s insights into the social nature of literacy are illuminating for me in multiple facets of my professional and academic worlds. As a learning experience designer and an arts educator, I am gaining a clarified understanding of how creating pathways to share and celebrate identity, culture and experiences are essential to learning and development. Storytelling is

Chapter 1 Reflection  New Literacies: Everyday Practices and Social Learning by Colin Lankshear & Michele Knobel   Lankshear & Knobel’s insights into the social nature of literacy are illuminating for me in multiple facets of my professional and academic worlds. As a learning experience designer and an arts educator, I am gaining a clarified understanding of how creating pathways to share and celebrate identity, culture and experiences are essential to learning and development. Storytelling is

#DS106  #VisualAssignments  #VisualAssignments1701    When I saw this assignment in the DS106 bank, I immediately knew what photo I wanted to use. The challenge was to color change a photo, creating a new or different perspective on the environment. I lived in this building, the old Hot Springs High School, during the year I spent in Arkansas. President Bill Clinton attended high school here and graduated in the class of 1964. My studio loft was a largely unchanged classroom with massive windows

The circle has meaning across the many cultures of the world. For some, the circle represents wholeness, centering, and unity. Others see the circle as a symbol of revolution, nuturing, and cycles. Overall, the circle  has a universal connotation of infinity and inclusion. In celebration of these themes, I chose to use the circle in my first ever The Daily Create through DS106. If you are unfamiliar with DS106, have a look at the open course on digital storytelling (more like a movement!) and

The circle has meaning across the many cultures of the world. For some, the circle represents wholeness, centering, and unity. Others see the circle as a symbol of revolution, nuturing, and cycles. Overall, the circle  has a universal connotation of infinity and inclusion. In celebration of these themes, I chose to use the circle in my first ever The Daily Create through DS106. If you are unfamiliar with DS106, have a look at the open course on digital storytelling (more like a movement!) and

For the last four months, I've been pretty quiet on my blog...but I have been writing quite a bit in other places. My classes this semester proved to guide my development of new skills, and also gave me the opportunity to reflect on different facets of my life. Games & Learning was an opportunity for me to examine various issues related to gaming and educational philosophy. My understanding of how games and game based learning can engage and empower individuals has grown exponentially. For those

For the last four months, I've been pretty quiet on my blog...but I have been writing quite a bit in other places. My classes this semester proved to guide my development of new skills, and also gave me the opportunity to reflect on different facets of my life. Games & Learning was an opportunity for me to examine various issues related to gaming and educational philosophy. My understanding of how games and game based learning can engage and empower individuals has grown exponentially. For those

In less than two weeks, the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot will make a three mile journey to it's new home at the Willow Springs Park in Long Beach. This hallmark of Long Beach transit history as originally contstructed in 1907 to replace a previous railroad station along Broadway Boulevard, between Cedar and Pacific Avenue.   The late 1800s expansion of the rail system in the Western United States included connections from Los Angeles to San Pedro and Long Beach, and was a popular mode of

  In less than two weeks, the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot will make a three mile journey to it's new home at the Willow Springs Park in Long Beach. This hallmark of Long Beach transit history as originally contstructed in 1907 to replace a previous railroad station along Broadway Boulevard, between Cedar and Pacific Avenue.   The late 1800s expansion of the rail system in the Western United States included connections from Los Angeles to San Pedro and Long Beach, and was a popular mode of

Privacy in the digital age is complicated. The same tools that we can use to connect with friends and develop a professional network can also be a point of potential damage to those relationships we take care to grow and manage. Blurring of the line between private and public spaces is a condition of these tools, but when your identity is mindfully managed you can maintain some semblance of control of your content.   In a world of invisible audiences, where many use social networking as a means

Privacy in the digital age is complicated. The same tools that we can use to connect with friends and develop a professional network can also be a point of potential damage to those relationships we take care to grow and manage. Blurring of the line between private and public spaces is a condition of these tools, but when your identity is mindfully managed you can maintain some semblance of control of your content.   In a world of invisible audiences, where many use social networking as a means

Keeping up with managing multiple social media sites can be a little exhausting, but it feels like a necessity to stay informed and relevant in today's digital world. I recently came across this article Cross Promoting your Facebook Page and relized that I haven't quite been using my social media sites to their fullest potential. When you manage a Facebook Fan page, every like, comment, and share on your page helps you to get more exposure and thus more likes, comments, and shares. If you create

Keeping up with managing multiple social media sites can be a little exhausting, but it feels like a necessity to stay informed and relevant in today's digital world. I recently came across this article Cross Promoting your Facebook Page and relized that I haven't quite been using my social media sites to their fullest potential. When you manage a Facebook Fan page, every like, comment, and share on your page helps you to get more exposure and thus more likes, comments, and shares. If you create

I've had a few friends and colleagues participate in MOOCs, or Massive Open Online Courses, but I've personally never participated in one. Why not? Probably because I have been enrolled as a student in more traditional academic environments and working full time for the past 6 years or more. MOOCs have  become popular in the recent years, and I could see myself participating in one after my current program is complete. Although some critique MOOCs as being ineffective compared to traditional

I've had a few friends and colleagues participate in MOOCs, or Massive Open Online Courses, but I've personally never participated in one. Why not? Probably because I have been enrolled as a student in more traditional academic environments and working full time for the past 6 years or more. MOOCs have  become popular in the recent years, and I could see myself participating in one after my current program is complete. Although some critique MOOCs as being ineffective compared to traditional

I recently came across survey for millenials that inquired about what they valued in a workplace. Aside from flexible scheduling and work/life balance options, they also said that company culture was also very important for them to consider when choosi...

I recently came across survey for millenials that inquired about what they valued in a workplace. Aside from flexible scheduling and work/life balance options, they also said that company culture was also very important for them to consider when choosi...

I recently came across survey for millenials that inquired about what they valued in a workplace. Aside from flexible scheduling and work/life balance options, they also said that company culture was also very important for them to consider when choosi...

  Playing games can result in transformational experiences for many people. Games like World of Warcraft create the opportunity for players to work collaboratively to solve epic challenges, but in the real world humanity often falls short in it's ability to empower people to solve real problems. Why is that? Is it because we don't have the same sense of accomplishment in real life as in WoW where time spent playing results in a 'level up'? Jane McGonigal gave this inspiring TedTalk about how

Playing games can result in transformational experiences for many people. Games like World of Warcraft create the opportunity for players to work collaboratively to solve epic challenges, but in the real world humanity often falls short in it's ability...

Playing games can result in transformational experiences for many people. Games like World of Warcraft create the opportunity for players to work collaboratively to solve epic challenges, but in the real world humanity often falls short in it's ability...