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About Me

me and R2D2

I have been teaching students to learn how to problem-solve for over 20 years through courses in mathematics, physics, and computer science.  I am passionate about teaching people to learn to code, utilizing technology, design thinking, and STEM/STEAM.  I am a strong advocate for interdisciplinary learning and team teaching. I encourage students to take risks in their learning and celebrate their failures along the way to gaining real skills and knowledge.  I have been working with teachers to infuse technology into their classrooms as well, teaching various workshops.

I am active with Makerspaces and Digital Fabrication.  I believe all educators and students are makers! They learn by creating and doing.  Every class can incorporate Makerspace into the curriculum.  I have consulted with various schools on building their MakerSpaces and incorporating design thinking.   In 2020, I was recognized by NCWIT NJ with the Aspirations in Computing Education award. 

Outside of school, I enjoy spending time in the garden with my daughter and cooking up a storm in the kitchen.  My current projects in the kitchen are learning how to make bread and making pasta from scratch. 

This site was created for a graduate class. Yes, after 20 years I am getting my Master of Education! It will continue to evolve as I reflect on the classes and my continued learning of Instructional Media.  I hope you enjoy learning with me. 

My previous blog is located here.

Follow me on Twitter: @MsATesta. Instagram:  @techgoddess07 


Popular posts from this blog

Problem Based Learning

When I first thought of problem-based learning(PrBL) students need to solve a real-world problem. I thought about the innovation challenges where students are designing items to solve a need for a community or person. I thought about design thinking workshops where students engineered a plan to fix the cafeteria seating. I think about the Anatomy and Physiology class where students are solving case studies (Punahou, 2011). I thought about my own class Design of Emerging Technology (DET) where some students design a project to solve an issue they see (mail sensor, sensors for low stock items, light that changes based on heart rate). These are all real-world problems and fall under the umbrella of Project-based learning in my mind. In fact, some of my students in DET would create art installations and be more project-based. Then I read Krall’s (2012b) statement “we need to define what is an “authentic mathematical experience”. A mathematical experience to me is something that promotes ma...

Inquiry based Research Update: DATA DATA DATA

 It's been two weeks since I posted about learning about action research.  I have decided on a question based upon not being in a classroom currently and reflecting upon weaknesses of my teaching CS.  I felt I would love to learn more about teaching cybersecurity.  I don't have enough knowledge to do this well, and I always fumble.  I also think that students need to understand the fields that can be involved in cybersecurity and that it is not just about hacking.   When I have students complete GoCyberStart, I know I am no help.  I have even struggled to complete them.  I need to get better at this, now is the time.   My research question is: How do I design an inquiry-based unit on cybersecurity for students to understand the impacts on their lives? This will provide me with a chance to determine what is essential for students to know about cybersecurity, learn more about cybersecurity, and an opportunity for action research as a ...

Inquiry Based Research

  My next set of classes has started.  We are reading The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Classroom Research in one class, and Chapter 1 mentions starting an inquiry journal.  The book is about doing inquiry-based research or active research in your classroom.  It discusses the importance of intentionally writing down the observations of the class (Dana and Yendol-Hoppey, 2020).  This makes sense, given that you have a lab, research, engineering notebook that needs to be done if you are doing scientific research.  These are taken seriously as the documentation.  I think teachers should be doing this as well.  I thought this would be a great place to my inquiry journal and record my thoughts.  My hope of learning about inquiry-based research is to do more research in my classroom.  I want to use data in my classroom to drive my teaching methodologies and maybe publish (One of these days, I will write about how much I fear writing)....