Technology Skills at a Glance:

With respect to my technological endeavors, there are certain ideas that impact how I go about designing and using various technologies. As a web designer, I am a firm believer in the concept of Web standards, in particular those agreed upon by the World Wide Web consortium. In order to make websites that are highly accessible, I strive to balance artistic needs with ways of designing that are in keeping with standards in XHTML,CSS, and Accessibility(WAI). I am also an enthusiastic believer in the free and open-source software movement, and use such software whenever possible when developing or using technology. This website, for example, was designed using jEdit and GIMP, both freely available, and has been validated for HTML compliance and WAI compliance.

Projects

The following list provides summaries and links for some of the projects that I have been, or am currently, involved with that involve various combinations of technological skills.

Adolescents and Smoking

I have recently provided transcription, qualitative analysis and technology support for a project led by Jenifer Monahan at the University of Georgia. This project examines the discourse of focus group interviews of adolescents to gain insights as to how these participants construct their own discourse models around smoking. Technological skills involved: Media Lab, Direct RT, Video compression.

Streaming Video to Enhance Feedback to International Teaching Assistants

I have worked on a project at the University of Georgia that is designed to assist in the training of international teaching assistants in instructional communication. This project, headed by Don Rubin, involved the use of streaming video and web-based interaction, where students are allowed to provide feedback and critique to others' and their own presentations. Due to anonymity concerns, access to the website is restricted, however a demonstration site exists here. Technological skills involved: HTML/CSS, PHP/MySQL, QuickTime, Real, Video Integration.

Engaging Students in Argumentative Discourse

I have been part of a research team at the University of Georgia, headed by Daniel Hickey, whose primary purpose was the development of student and teaching materials designed to help engage students in argumentation. My primary role was in the development of Flash-based animated video rubrics for modeling argumentation and providing a way to help students reflect on and rate their own argumentation. Other projects may expand on this concept, including newer versions of the rubrics. Technological skills involved: HTML/CSS, Flash.

Hendricks Family Genealogical Database

In order to incorporate extensive family information into an easy-to-access web delivery format, I have been developing a website that includes a database-driven family tree. Plans are to include multimedia within the family tree, in order to make use of the amount of video and audio material collected of family members. Technological skills involved: HTML/XHTML/CSS, PHP/MySQL, GIMP.

Virtual Museum of Language and Linguistics

I have been a co-chair for a Linguistic Society of America Outreach Committee on developing outreach programs introducing linguistic research and ideas to the general public. The project developing from this committee is the Virtual Museum of Language and Linguistics (http://projects.coe.uga.edu/lsava), a multimedia website that presents work from the linguistic community, including audiovisual material designed by the linguistic community. Technological skills involved: HTML/XTML/CSS, Video Editing, QuickTime, PHP/MySQL, Director, Flash.