Professional Projects

Introduction

I am going to group my professional projects together. I will write one reflection to go with each position I have held over my career in my the field of Instructional Technology.

KU Academic Computing Services (ACS)

I worked for ACS during my junior and senior years of college. I started as a lab assistant, then worked in the help desk, until finally I was hired as the Student Trainer. These positions impacted my career and education paths greatly. I studied psychology as an undergraduate but decided to change my path to instructional technology after working with computers for two years. My work helped me find a full-time position at UNK where I worked as a Software Technician and completed my Master’s degree. When I was working as a Student Trainer, I had my first opportunity to teach workshop participants about technology. I enjoyed doing it and the project I am including shows handouts that I created to go along with the training.

Project

Reflection

As reflect back on my two years working for Academic Computing Service, I realize this job is the one that started me on my career path in instructional technology. I feel that in this job I demonstrated my teaching and technology skills. I taught a variety of workshops as well as attending workshops that helped me learn how to build web pages. It was a good job to hold as a student as it was flexible and allowed me to learn new things about technology. It definitely helped shape who I have become as a professional.

Freelance Web Designer

I have been doing freelance web work since 2000. I started by designing a website for the KU Drumline and have continued to do it ever since. Technology has changed a lot since I started, and I have enjoyed learning new things to keep up with the changes.

Projects

Reflection

I feel that the projects that I done as a freelance web designer do a good job of demonstrating my technology skills. These websites were created outside of my full-time jobs and coursework. They required that I used many different technical skills. I always tried to build a site that a client could later update and maintain on their own. I enjoyed building these sites and feel that they do a good job demonstrating my technical skills.

UNK College of Education

I started at the College of Education at UNK in June of 2001. I worked there for two years leaving in 2003. I had several roles there as a Software Technician. Not long after I started the director of their computer labs left and I took over as an interim director until someone new was hired. I didn’t apply for the job as director because I didn’t feel that I am well suited to serve in an administrative role based on my experience. I prefer to teach or work more behind the scenes, which is more of what I did in my role as Software Technician.

Projects

Native American Public Telecommunications

I worked for NAPT from September 2003 to December of 2006. I started by supporting their websites and doing their print work and was eventually promoted to being their Technology Coordinator. In this role, I supported all of their workstations and servers while continuing to do web and print work. I learned a lot about streaming audio and video in this position as they did both as a provider of media to Native Americans.  I feel that these samples of my work demonstrate my technology skills especially those in the area of graphic design.

UNL College of Arts & Sciences

After I left NAPT, I worked for a year as the Web Technical Associate for the College of Arts and Sciences at UNL.  My primary role was keeping the content of the college’s website up to date.  I also served as a member of the campus Web Developer Network, and I attended weekly Quality Assurance committee meetings.  At these meetings, we reviewed campus websites to ensure that they were complying with campus wide template guidelines.  I feel that my work with the CAS best demonstrates my technology skills particularly in the areas of web design and standards validation.

UNL English Department

I worked for the English Department at UNL for five years.  One of my responsibilities was to maintain their website.  I also transitioned their website onto the Drupal platform.  I created a website for Ted Kooser while I was there as well.  I created a troubleshooting sheet for the A/V equipment in their classrooms too.