Through these interviews, we hope to encourage you to actively participate in CRSTE's mission
Meet Bonnie J. Roskes
Bonnie dedicates her work to teaching kids, teachers, and design pros how to use SketchUp. She is a former bridge engineer, a mom to five kids, and an amateur volinist. Her goal is to get everyone to think, visualize, and create in 3D. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her family.
When did you become interested in educational technology?
BJR: About 2 years ago. I'd been writing training materials for Google SketchUp for years, but once Google made SketchUp free in 2006, many teachers found it and fell in love with it. But I heard complaints that there weren't any teaching materials that show teachers and students how to use SketchUp, so I came up with the ModelMetricks and GeomeTricks project books.
Do you currently use educational technology inside or outside of school settings?
BJR: I would say both inside and outside of school settings, but I'm not a school teacher (nor do I play one on TV!) I do in-school SketchUp demos for teachers and students, and will soon start providing professional development training for teachers, but mostly I write my materials outside of schools (here in my little office).
What benefits does technology bring to the learning process?
BJR: In certain subjects, technology is becoming essential for keeping kids engaged. Whether or not teachers themselves are able or willing to keep up, kids almost always know what's the latest and greatest, and expect to see this at school. Beyond that, kids need to be fluent in the latest technologies if they want to be competitive in the workplace. In terms of my own materials, which have to do with 3D design, the ability to transfer an idea from a student's imagination to a computer screen is priceless and opens doors to subjects that might have previously been considered too hard or too "techy." Imagine a student being able to study and investigate a 3D model of a bridge - it would make the engineering profession seem much less esoteric!
Before you became involved in educational technology, did you have a previous career?
BJR: I sure did - I was a bridge engineer for several years. I did a lot of design, renovation, and inspection work. The inspections were both my favorite and least favorite part of the job - I got out in the fresh air and got to see all types of bridge constructions. But we were always out in the winter, and I got tired of freezing all the time. After that, I worked as a tech writer for a CAD-CAM software company, and then I went out on my own as a freelance writer. I discovered SketchUp in 2001, and that's been my primary writing subject ever since.
What are you favorite computer programs? Why do you like them?
BJR: This answer's obvious - Google SketchUp. It's easy to learn, fun, robust, and they have a FREE version with all the design tools a K-12 student could need (not to mention tools that please design pros as well). I guess my second choice would be Google Earth, since it integrates so nicely with SketchUp, but also because it's chock-full of information about nearly every spot on earth. It's impossible not to spend WAY too much time running around and exploring Google Earth. For making video tutorials, I really enjoy using Camtasia Studio, and for webinars and collaboration sessions, I've used WebEx and lately I've been getting into another free application called Vyew.
When was the first time you put information on the web?
What concerns or reservations do you have about educational technology?
BJR: Like most people, I get overwhelmed by what's out there: Facebook, Twitter, Picasa, a billion blogs. And I get the feeling that once you master something, it gets replaced by something new! But progress can't be stopped, so we all need to keep up as best we can, and realize that almost everyone else is in the same boat.I also fear that, as much as technology is necessary for students, in school as well as at home, we might be losing our tolerance for non-instant gratification, such as taking a few weeks to read a good book (the dead-tree kind). Kids also seem to be opting for time on the computer over going outside to kick a ball around. As a parent, the balance is become hard to maintain - I want my kids to stay technically fluent, but we also spend time on walks, going to playgrounds, etc. I know this will become harder as my kids get older.Here's one activity that will never be replaced (I hope) by a computer screen: going as a family to the local public library. Ours is in walking distance, and it's a wonderful feeling to browse the stacks together, get advice from the librarian, and walk home with armfuls of books. Now if only we could figure out how return them on time...
Do you have any stories to share about how technology changed the life of one of your students?
BJR: As I said, I'm not a teacher, but I have heard from teachers about how their students LOVE designing things in SketchUp. Some of the more interesting life-changing stories have come from some special-needs teachers, particular teachers of kids with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). There are some kids who aren't very verbal, but can use SketchUp to create complex, intricate designs. So SketchUp has provided an alternate way for them to communicate the ideas in their heads. I have a son with a mild form of autism, and he uses SketchUp to make houses, which he then uses as the basis for stories about who lives there, who uses which room, etc. I'm not sure this is "life-changing" for him, but it does his creative juices flowing!
What will schools look like in 20 years?
BJR: The way things are trending, one might say there won't be a need for physical schools in 20 years. That all classes can be taught within a network, with many forms of collaboration. There are home schooling networks that are already working this way. But with all the problems schools might have these days, I hope they don't actually disappear - there's no replacement for competitive sports, school plays, band practice, even high school crushes ;-)
What will learning look like in 20 years?
BJR: In 20 years, it would be shocking if there were still students out there without their own computers, but who knows what computers themselves will look like in 20 years! Maybe by then, all academic materials can be swallowed in a pill. OK, maybe that'll be in 50 years. I guess this answers depends on who in this generation decides to become teachers. And not being a teacher myself, I simply have no idea ;-)
Do you have any favorite book authors who write on topics dear to your heart?
BJR: All my professional reading is done online, during work hours, and there's no one particular author I turn to. I read about SketchUp-related news, the latest in Web 2.0, etc. When I read books after-hours, it's for fun; I almost always turn to novels or biographies. Historical fiction is my favorite subject. I'm in two book clubs, so I end up reading dozens of books every year - it's one of my favorite hobbies.
Who do you find inspiring in the educational technology field?
BJR: Not being an actual educator, I'm not so familiar with any ed tech pioneers. But here?s my pandering answer ? anyone who goes into the teaching field inspires me! There?s no way I could do that full-time; I lack the patience.
Have you created any notable web sites, screencasts, videos, etc?
BJR: My blog http://www.3dvinci.blogspot.com is where I write mostly about 3D design in education. I also have a bunch of instructional videos posted on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/bonnieroskes, which focus on using SketchUp for all sorts of things, particular math education. I'll be creating a page soon on mathforum.org, for resources on teaching math with SketchUp. And soon I?ll also be opening a new online forum called Skooglers, which is for teachers and students to exchange SketchUp projects and ideas. Look for it sometime this summer (fingers crossed for good luck...).
What role do community volunteers have in realizing the promise of educational technology?
BJR: Without volunteers, teachers have a much harder battle. There are groups of professionals such as architects and engineers who spend time with local students, showing them what their careers are like. That sort of experience for a student is so valuable - it brings an otherwise obscure topic to life. Instead of just talking about how a building is built, an architect can bring in sets of plans, show pictures of actual construction projects, etc. There are some of these groups that take kids out in the field to see projects in action ? that would have been much appreciated when I was in school!
Do you know any computer programming languages?
BJR: I used to, back in college. Those languages are now pretty archaic ;-) But I have done a bit of Ruby script programming, while creating dynamic components in SketchUp. (A regular component just "sits there," like a couch or a rock. A dynamic component can do something, like move, spin, change colors, stretch, etc.) I also know the basics of HTML, since I run my own website and blog.
What is your most proud accomplishment as an educator?
BJR: Seeing what kids have created after working through some of my projects. Some kids recreate what I've done perfectly, and others add their own personal touches, such as using different colors, different windows, etc. It?s fun to see what they come up with.
Which is your favorite social network, and why? (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc)
BJR: YouTube is great - it's how I post my videos and I get a lot of hits from people who wouldn?t otherwise find me. It's a kick finding out that people, usual total strangers, are subscribing to my YouTube channel. Twitter seems great; I've only recently gotten into it. I find it a little overwhelming to keep up with everyone I'm following, but I'm always amazed that when I post to Twitter I get numerous hits and responses in almost no time. Facebook is fun, but I only use it for personal stuff - friends and family.
Who are your favorite educational technology colleagues here in the DC-area?
BJR: I don't really know that many since I mostly work on my own. But I hope to start traveling around the area doing some teacher training, so I look forward to meeting lots of you!
Who are your favorite educational technology colleagues outside of the DC-area?
BJR: Same answer. I'm hoping to start networking locally, and hopefully build out from there.
Have you written any articles or books?
BJR: I have a long list of books! For students in K-12 I have two series. ModelMetricks focuses on 3D design projects, and GeomeTricks has geometry projects, such as tessellations, tilings, and fractals. I've been writing SketchUp books for design pros since 2002, and I've also published the Google SketchUp Cookbook, published by O'Reilly.
Which conferences have you presented at?
BJR: I presented with a colleague this year at NCTM, showing how to use SketchUp to teach geometry. We plan to present at a few more local NCTM's in 2009 and 2010, and hopefully beyond! Someday in the not-so-distant future I'd love to present at NECC.
How would you describe your educational philosophy? (i.e. your view of how people learn)
BJR: I've spent a lot of time thinking about this, and over the years I've discovered that there are two types of learners: those who prefer to read and those who prefer to see. I myself learn better by reading, but there are many out there, especially these days, who "get it" once they see it. This is why there are so many video tutorials out there, including my own. But the problem with video is that people don't remember more than about 30 seconds of what they've just seen - to the level that they can repeat it exactly as they've seen it. So for those who learn by seeing, there must be enough written material accompanying the visual, to remind the viewer what he just saw.
Who was your own favorite teacher? Why were they your favorite teacher?
BJR: One of my favorite teachers was my elementary school music teacher, which doesn't have much to do with what I do now, but she made school fun, and kept me practicing my violin at a time when I was ready to give up playing. Another great teacher was one of my middle school math teachers. She recognized that I was a darn good math student, despite the fact that I was too shy to raise my hand in class. She encouraged me to stick with math, at a time when girls were subtly steered toward "softer" areas of study.
Do you favor year-round schooling? Why or why not?
BJR: The parent in me loves the idea of having my kids in school for more time. And the educator in me likes the idea as well, though I realize it's not too popular among classroom teachers (for reasons I completely understand). The fact is that kids in the US attend something like 50 fewer school days than kids in some Asian countries, and we're paying the price at graduation time; our kids are simply not as competitive.Our school calendar goes back to the days when kids were needed on the farm for summer harvesting work. While this may still the case in some rural communities, the vast majority of American kids don't need such a long break from learning. Over the summer, kids lose a lot of what they learned in the previous school year, which is why so much time in September is spent on review lessons. With year-round schooling, you can have several shorter vacation breaks - still plenty of time for the beach but not enough time for the brain to empty out.
Since I assume that year-round schools won't take off in popularity anytime soon, teachers and parents need to make efforts to get their kids to continue learning throughout the summer. This could mean joining reading incentive programs at local libraries, going to computer camps, even doing crossword and logic puzzles.
Phil Shapiro has been involved as an educator and technology access activist in the region since the late 1980's. He finds inspiration in the learning that goes on through afterschool programs, adult literacy organizations, public libraries and organizations bringing music instruction and the arts to children. Phil earned his Juris Doctorate in Law from Howard University and studies Mechanical Engineering and Philosophy at Queen's University. You can read more about Phil at http://www.his.com/~pshapiro/briefbio.html.
Interested in nominating someone to be an upcoming Profile Encourage? Contact Phil at pshapiro@his.com!
