About Me

I am passionate about creating powerful learning experiences for kids - whether that's in school as formal learners or out-of-school as informal explorers. From a camp counselor, to a tech teacher, to a researcher, I have worn many hats in the fields of media education and educational technology. No matter the setting, the work I do with kids always starts with one question: what will we make today?
See below for more info and please connect with me on Twitter @JenLLavalle.

Education

Harvard University, Graduate School of Education, Class of 2012
Master of Education in Technology, Innovation, and Education
Cambridge, MA

Fordham University, Fordham College Rose Hill, Class of 2011
Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies & French Language and Literature
magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
New York, NY

Teaching Experience

Instructional Technology Specialist, Cambridge Public Schools
August 2015 - Present

Support the faculty, staff, and students of two Cambridge Public Elementary Schools: the Morse School and Graham & Parks
Design and implement a scope & sequence for tech education in all grades; differentiate instruction according to student needs including development, physical, and linguistic considerations
Collaborate with teachers and staff to develop and teach curriculum that effectively integrates technology and ensures proficiency of the CPS ICTS Learning Expectations across grades PreK-5
Evaluate, select, and model appropriate technology tools to support instruction
Design, teach, and support professional development opportunities for staff
Explore, evaluate, and share emerging technologies with staff and students
Work with the Technology Support Technician to create and maintain student, teacher and staff accounts in a variety of software and online applications
Maintain an up-to-date inventory of all technology in the building, including equipment location, repair records, replacement/upgrade, and available software
Work with the ICTS department to develop, implement, and update the district Technology Plan and incorporate principles into school technology planning

Secondary Technology Integrator, Lycée Français de New York
August 2013 - August 2015

Teach two computer science courses to grades 6 and 7 within the secondary school (225 students per year total)
Serve as an advisor to eleven grade 8 students, providing them with academic and personal growth opportunities by developing a curriculum with the theme of diversity and understanding of self, meeting regularly with parents, and communicating with subject teachers
Participate in the design and implementation of a 1:1 iPad and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program, with a specific focus on managing the role out of the program during the grade 6 transition to the secondary school
Co-design, develop, and scale up a computer science curriculum spanning grades 6-12
Design and lead three after-school computer science clubs spanning grades 2-12
Chaperone a Service Learning Trip to Vietnam with twelve grade 10 students and a co-teacher to visit two orphanages in Hué and Da Nang
Design, coordinate and provide instructional technology in-service opportunities for students, faculty and staff, including orientation training and frequent workshops
Design and manage a Faculty Technology Ambassador program as well as a student Digital Leadership program in grades 6-11 to help introduce new tools to the community and implement larger-scale pilots and programs
Model effective uses of current and new instructional technology inside and outside the classroom for teachers and students
Instruct users in the appropriate uses of technology in an educational environment
Conduct research and provide input regarding school-wide and secondary-wide technology initiatives, policies and pilot programs
Provide end-user technical support to both faculty and students on a wide variety of issues including device management, network updates, and software roll-outs
Coordinate with the IT Department to assure that complex IT issues are resolved in a way that benefits both the IT infrastructure and the needs of faculty and students

Instructional Technology Intern, Newton Public Schools
September - December 2011

Work with IT Specialist to integrate emerging technologies into school curricula
Attend workshops and professional development sessions regarding technology integration, as well as school-focused and district-wide initiatives
Instruct teachers, administrators, and students to use a myriad of hardware and software tools, including interactive whiteboards, Google Applications for Educators, and other digital resources

Media & Technology Experience

Marketing Assistant, Scholastic
June 2012 - August 2013

Coordinate and support marketing plans through online, direct, catalog, and field channels
Expand reach of literacy programs for grades K-12; specific tasks include producing brochures and catalogs, creating and deploying web advertisements, developing video and web content, designing and executing social media campaigns, developing positioning strategy, presenting at conferences and workshops, organizing author events, and conducting product-based efficacy studies to inform product development
Collaborate with editorial, design, and inventory teams to reconcile marketing material and product inventory
Support sales force on product knowledge and design professional trainings for new products as well as best practices in educational technology
Conduct qualitative and quantitative research to support sales opportunities and marketing strategy
Attend lectures, webinars, and workshops and present findings to marketing team
Research current trends in education, including standards and funding opportunities
Serve as educational technology specialist for marketing team by communicating the latest research and best practices in the field

Educational Consultant, WGBH
October 2012 - June 2013

Manage marketing initiatives including monthly newsletters and communication with users
Collaborate with multiple public media content teams including PBS, WNET, and WGBH on research, marketing, public relations, and promotional efforts, most notably the use of social networking tools to engage educators
Monitor and communicate metrics for Teachers’ Domain website, monthly newsletters, Google Ad
Word Campaigns, and email campaigns to internal and external parties including grant funders
Develop and execute social media campaigns
Perform market scans and prepare reports regarding emerging trends in the field of educational technology
Produce marketing collateral (brochures, presentations, postcards, etc.) for conferences, workshops, and events

ScratchEd Intern, MIT Media Lab: Lifelong Kindergarten Group
January - June 2012

Scratch is a programming language designed for children of all ages to create and share interactive stories and games, as they learn to basics of coding and computer programming; ScratchEd is the educational extension of the program that works to engage educators
Conduct and report findings on a research project designed to provide recommendations for how to improve Scratch Day – an international network of Scratch events
Create and design a comprehensive Scratch Day Event Organizer Guide to assist organizers of Scratch Day events around the world
Work with Scratch team to help plan, organize, and run Scratch Day 2012 at the MIT Media Lab
Manage Scratch Day promotional efforts including the event website, video content, and communication with organizers

Educational Outreach Intern, Sesame Workshop
June 2010 - June 2011

Contribute to project management through scheduling, budget tasks and responding to department emails
Receive training in the Workshop's research protocol, observe focus groups, and transcribe research sessions
Support the Talk, Listen, Connect series with a focus on two projects, Sesame Rooms and USO Tour
Write research profiles on prospective advisors and distribution partners for outreach projects including Math is Everywhere, Financial Literacy, and Oral Health
Work closely with Public Relations, Sponsorship, Production, International Outreach, Digital Media, and Research to accomplish administrative tasks

Curriculum Design Experience

Documentation for GP
GP | http://gpblocks.org/
May 2017 - Present

GP is a NEW general-purpose blocks programming language currently in beta

Lesson Plan Development
Hopscotch
Academic Year 2016-17

Hopscotch is a game-based coding language helping people learn programming through creative play
Collaborate with Hopscotch team to create 4 lesson plans targeted to a middle school audience
Lesson plans include standards, goals, and activities in four subject areas including math, ELA, science, and social studies

Technology Curriculum Grades PreK-5
Cambridge Public Schools
September 2015 - Present

Design and implement curriculum for grades PreK-5 to implement ICTS Learning Expectations
Collaborate with Library Media Specialists to plan and teach an Integrated Library/Technology course for grades 3-5
Provide support and training for teachers interested in integrating technology in their classroom to achieve student learning goals
Create model lessons using interactive whiteboard technology, iPads, Chromebooks, and iMacs

Informatique Curriculum Grades 6 & 7
Lycée Français de New York
September 2013 - June 2015

Plan, implement, and evaluate an introductory computer science (informatique) course for grades 6 and 7
Organize 8 weekly lesson plans in a 32 week curriculum, organized into trimesters
Curriculum developed based on the Teaching for Understanding, Universal Design for Learning, and 5Cs models (Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Contemplation)

Computer Science Club Curriculum Grades 2-12
Lycée Français de New York
September 2013 - June 2015

Scratch Club for Grades 3-5: weekly 1.5 hour after-school club based on the computer programming language, Scratch, to introduce students to the foundations of computer science
Scratch Jr. Club for Grades 1-2: weekly 1.5 hour after-school club focused on leveraging the Scratch Jr. iPad App to teach the foundations of computer science
Introduction to Computer Programming Club for Grades 6-12: weekly 1.5 hour after-school club designed to teach the basics in a project-based environment. Project examples include: Web Design with HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Python; Stop-Motion Animation with MyCreate and iStopMotion iPad Apps; Graphic Design with Adobe Photoshop, Indesign, and Illustrator; Game Design with Gamestar Mechanic and Scratch, etc.

Advisory Curriculum Grade 8
Lycée Français de New York
September 2014 - June 2015

Develop academic and personal growth opportunities for eleven students in grade 8
Meet one period per week and three times weekly for daily check in
Grade 8 theme is diversity and sense of self; therefore, weekly lessons include activities to deepen understanding on critical issues such as race, gender, sexuality, stress and anger management, self-awareness, etc.
Receive quarterly trainings from representatives from Morningside Center, an expert in Social and Emotional Learning

Redesigning Self-Paced Lessons with Universal Design for Learning
Harvard University
January - May 2012

Course project for T560 Universal Design for Learning with Professor David Rose

Redesign self-paced lessons from the Walmart Middle School Literacy Initiative hosted by Teachers' Domain, a WGBH Educational Production
Infuse the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the recommendations of the National Educational Technology Plan (NETP)

Virtual Support Community for College Students
Harvard University
January - May 2012

Course project for T581 Advanced Design Studio with Professor David Kahle
Design and prototype a web community and mobile application aimed at college students to assist with the transition to college life and assist with other mental health issues

Proposal for Kinect Video Game to Support Informal Learning
Harvard University
January 2012

Course project for HT123 Informal Learning for Children with Professor Joe Blatt
Design and write a proposal to pursue the development of a video game, powered by Microsoft Kinect, to teach sign language
Conduct formative evaluation with target audience to inform proposal design; presented proposal to children's media professional

Contemporary Multicultural Education (C-ME)
Harvard University
September - December 2012

Course project for T522 Innovation by Design with Professor David Dockterman
Design a website and curriculum to connect students in primary schools across cultures
Research, design, and develop a prototype while studying innovation in educational technology

Media Literacy in Action: Using Teaching for Understanding and Networked Culture to Develop a Media Literacy Lesson Series
Harvard University
September - December 2012

Course project for T526 The Power of Networked Culture with Professor Martha Stone Wiske
Design a comprehensive lesson series for a middle school health classroom to instruct the core principles of media literacy using lesson frameworks with a focus on Teaching for Understanding
Incorporate core principles of other curriculum design theories including Understanding by Design (UdB), Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), Backward Design, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Research Experience

Researcher, September 2011 - January 2012
Program in Education, Afterschool, and Resiliency (PEAR)

PEAR is a collaborative effort of the Harvard Medical School, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and McLean Hospital to study the efficacy of afterschool STEM programs
Trained in Dimensions of Success research protocol consisting of twelve rubrics to measure program effectiveness
Conducted research sessions (approximately 40 sessions total) in the Greater Boston area
Worked to strengthen the DOS protocol by providing feedback to designers

Literature Review, September - December 2011
Harvard University
Informal Learning with Mobile Technologies: A Literature Review

Course research project for Professor Chris Dede, T561 Transforming Education Through Emerging Technologies
Used to inform Professor Dede's work in writing the technology chapter of the Handbook of Teaching
Surveyed current and emerging research on ubiquitous technologies in informal settings

Formative Evaluation, January - May 2012
Harvard University
Formative Evaluation Prepared for Frontline, WGBH

Course research project for Professor Ilona Holland, T523 Formative Evaluation
Conducted focus groups to assess WGBH's television program, Frontline
Prepared comprehensive report and presentation for the Frontline team to inform future production
Co-author: Alex Schoenfeld, Ed.M.

Research Assistant, September - May 2011
Fordham University
The Future of Children's Television Programming: A Study of How Emerging Digital Technologies Can Facilitate Active and Engaged Participation and Contribute to Media Literacy Education

Research project funded by Time Warner Cable's Program on Digital Communications
Conducted expert interviews with principal investigators
Researched and wrote literature review included in final report
Presented research findings at conferences

Senior Thesis, January - May 2011
Fordham University
Kids Media Guide: A Parent's Guide to Children's Media and Media Literacy Education

Senior thesis designed to assess the current state of children's media and provide resources to stakeholders
Researched and wrote a blog to address themes and provide resources to this audience

Organizations, Affiliations, and Volunteer Experiences

Watertown Boys and Girls Club, Watertown, MA
November 2015 - Present
I am currently working with the team at the Boys and Girls club to help improve programming for teens by offering a range of programming including introduction to computer science and college and career readiness programming. I volunteer for two hours per week and at special events.

Vietnam Service Learning Trip @ The Lycée Français de New York
November 2014
I joined the Vietnam Service Learning student trip in its second year. With a co-teacher, I organized a trip for twelve students in grade 10 to visit two orphanages in Hué and Da Nang, Vietnam. Duties include: coordinating travel documents and procedures, facilitating communication with administrators and parents, managing a travel budget, organizing activities and experiences with both Lycée and Vietnamese students while traveling, and ensuring the safety and security of students during the trip.

Massachusetts Computer Using Educators (MassCUE)
Scratch Educators (attend Scratch meet-ups regularly)
International Society of Technology Educators (ISTE)