Me as a Learning Engineer

Accomplishments

Background

I am currently working as a 6th Grade Math and Engineering Teacher at The Girls' Middle School in Palo Alto, CA. In 2020, I earned my Master's degree in Learning Engineering from Boston College. Before that, I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Philosophy from Brown University. I have previously taught at Edward Brooke Charter Schools in Roslindale, MA, and Peninsula School and Castilleja School in Palo Alto, CA.

Over the summers during undergrad, I worked at "Camp Kinetic," an educational science summer camp run out of the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo. I worked with a team to develop, prototype, and implement hands-on science projects for K-5th grade students. I learned that I love informal STEM learning. It was so exciting to work in an environment where children could cultivate their love for STEM through fun, hands-on projects.

During my Learning Engineering studies, I worked with the Museum of Science in Boston during all three semesters. During the Fall semester, I worked on an exhibit about immunity, where I created a a tangible interaction for guests. During the Spring, I worked on an engineering design challenge about parachutes, where I collaborated with a colleague to create both an in-person and a virtual environment for guests to explore. During the Summer, I completed internship with the Museum of Science, where I will work on a Productive Struggle project. Throughout these experiences, I have gotten a taste of what it would be like to work as a Learning Engineer at an organization.

Carrying out an iterative design process

During my MA program, I worked on 3 larger, semester-long projects, and 6 shorter, five-week-long projects. For each of these projects, I have carried out an iterative design process. I have learned about testing early and often, seeking out feedback from a diverse set of stakeholders, and iterating multiple times. In my write-ups of my projects, I have included explanations of my design process, and information about my multiple iterations.

Engaging in critique

From my MA program, I have learned about the importance of critique—both seeking informative feedback from others, and engaging in self-critique. For each project under my Projects page, I have included a section about what I did well, what next steps I would take to improve.

Ability to apply the literature

Throughout my time in the Learning Engineering program, I have engaged with a wealth of literature. I have learned to apply this literature to my designs, and use this literature to justify design decisions. You can view my insights about various literature topics on my Insights page.

Aspirations

After completing my Master's in Learning Engineering, I was excited to return to a classroom setting. I am currently working at The Girls' Middle School, teaching 6th Grade Math and Engineering.

I hope to continue to work in the field of STEM learning for children, designing and facilitating hands-on learning experiences. I am lucky that I have experienced working as a STEM educator in both in-school and out-of-school environments. I am interested in STEM for children because I think it is important to get children excited about STEM from a young age. 

Strengths

Perspective-taking

One of my strengths is being able to put myself in the shoes of my learners. I am able to imagine what my learners would find challenging, or what they would be interested and excited by. Part of why I am able to do this is because I have spent so much time with my learner population (elementary-aged children). I have seen what excites various children, and I have seen what they struggle with.

Incorporating feedback from diverse stakeholders

While working on my various projects, I have learned how to seek out feedback from a diverse set of stakeholders. While working on a project with the Museum of Science, I sought out feedback from museum educators, from families, and from members of my cohort. Different stakeholders will have different perspectives, so it is important to have a variety of testers.

Collaboration

Through this program, I have strengthened my ability to work effectively in groups. I have collaborated with different members of my cohort on various projects. During my Spring semester, I worked on a project with a colleague who has extensive background in the creation of virtual worlds. By collaborating with him, I was able to better hone my ideas and create a virtual learning environment. During my Summer semester, I will join a team of content creators at the Museum of Science (Boston), for my internship. I am excited for this opportunity to work with a team in a professional setting.

Managing multiple projects at once

During my Master's studies, I have learned a great deal about managing multiple projects at once. There were times where I was worked on 3 different design projects at the same time. This is a skill that will be extremely useful for my future aspirations, as I hope to be working at an organization where I will collaborate on multiple projects simultaneously. 

Interests

I am interested in helping a broader range of learners identify with STEM. Students—especially minorities and girls—need to think STEM is for them and to believe they can succeed in these fields. An important step in overcoming the achievement gap is self-assurance, and exposing students to fun, creative, hands-on learning experiences is a powerful way to build that confidence in STEM. During my time at Camp Kinetic, I witnessed firsthand that young kids are inherently interested in and fascinated by STEM. In our Kindergarten-2nd grade cohort, there were equal numbers of boys and girls at camp. But in older age groups, there were fewer girls. As women grow older, they are constantly exposed to messages telling them they cannot be scientists or mathematicians because they are women. I want to help create a world where there is equality in these fields—where girls and minorities are encouraged to enter the STEM world, and where all people can identify as scientists, mathematicians, and engineers.