As you can probably tell, I love technology and I especially enjoy helping others find just the right tech tool to support their teaching style and learning objectives. I'm always open to starting conversations with new people so feel free to take advantage of any the following communication channels to reach me!
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My first forays into computer technology began in 1970s with a computer programming class (long live punch cards! LOL) I still fondly remember pre-WWW days and was disheartened and a bit confused when things went GUI (you can probably guess I was not a fan of Mosaic). However, I perservered with the 'new' technology and am currently an ardent fan of Web 2.0 technologies and open educational resources online.
For the past 12 years, I've been fortunate enough to work with hundreds of educators in K12 and higher education settings. During that time, I've explored, researched, and practiced teaching with technology in f2f and online settings with high school students, k12 teachers, graduate students, and higher ed faculty. I have had meaningful and engaging encounters with many dedicated professionals and students - encounters that have profoundly shaped my understanding of the impact of technology in educational settings.
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If you're interested in more about me, here's some things I've done in the past. I've only included the highlights of my life as an educator. I had a previous life as a Navy girl (electronics and nuclear power - always a geek have I been!), but those stories aren't suitable for this venue. LOL.
Course and Curriculum Design and Development Projects
In my work with the Sloan Consortium, I've had wonderful opportunities to work with fantastic faculty from all over the world. Here's just a few of the projects I've been involved with as a instructional design and e-learning technologies consultant.
- The Online Teaching Certificate program - helped revised according to Sloan-C's 5 Pillars
- Second Life workshop series - collaborated with other Second Life facilitators to develop / align Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Second Life workshops and to establish learning spaces in Second Life.
- Great Web 2.0 Tools
- Audio and Video Tools for Teaching and Learning
- Getting Your Course Materials Online
- Digital Content, eBooks, and OER
- Conference Networking w/ Social Media
- Synchronous Teaching Tools and Techniques
Additionally, in my work for Sloan-C, I continue to research emerging technologies for future applications as well as stay up-to-date in changes to everyday computer technologies in order to support ongoing institutional efforts. I've really been blessed to work with Sloan-C because it has been such a wonderful learning experience and because it has given me even more opportunities to work with faculty.
I've also designed/developed many workshops, courses, and programs over the years while working for RETA at NMSU. Here are just a few.
I can honestly say that, without NMSU/RETA, I may not have even ventured down the education/technology intersection path if it weren't for RETA. The wonderful folks there taught me about the challenges facing K12 educators and gave me the exciting opportunity to work with them in their schools as they learned how to integrate technology effectively into their teaching practices. It was also because of my affiliations there that I was able to teach my first university courses and eventually began work on my PhD in instructional design. Yes, this is where the bug for helping educators with technology began.
Courses Taught
- EMD581 Administration of Distance Education
- CEL570 Designing and Organizing Online Learning Environments
- CEL590 Assessing and Evaluating Online Teaching and Learning
- CEL595 Online Teaching Practicum
- CEL595: Special Topics - Web Conferencing
Workshops Facilitated
- 1998 - 2003 - numerous workshops for RETA related to K12 teacher professional development in technology integration
- Second Life workshops - all aspects, from basic skills to building and scripting
- Great Web 2.0 Tools for Teaching & Learning
- Audio & Video Tools for Teaching & Learning
- Moving Your Course Content Online
- Textbook Alternatives
- Open Educational Resources
- eBooks, OER, and other Digital Course Content
- Synchronous Teaching
- Online Assessment Options
- Personal Learning Networks
- Various Learning Management System Workshops
Webinars
- Textbook Alternatives
- Increasing Feedback & Decreasing Workoad
- Wikis in the Classroom
- Copyright for Educators
- Screencasting
- Voice & Video Productivity Tools
- Personal Learning Networks
- Educational Uses of Animations
- Best Practices in Online Teaching
Conference Presentations & Conference Committee Work
Sloan-C Emerging Technologies Conferences 2009-2011: Track Chair for emerging tech track then for faculty development track
Campus Technology '08: Next-Gen.Edu
- Your Guided Tour of Web 2.0 Tools in Higher Education (pre-conference workshop)
- How to Use Web 2.0 Tools Like a Pro (pre-conference workshop)
- 10 Web 2.0 Tech-Enhanced Strategies to Engage Your Learners (presentation)
- Next-Gen Asynchronous AV Interactions that Boost Student Feedback and Lighten Faculty Workload (presentation)
Sloan-C International Symposium '08: Emerging Technology Applications for Online Learning
Served on Conference Steering Committee; Served as Track Co-Chair (with Jeremy Kemp) for Inventive Uses of Media and Tools in Online Learning track.
- Inventive Uses of Media (online pre-conference workshop, with Jeremy Kemp)
- A Whirlwind Tour of Web 2.0 Emerging Technologies for Education (pre-conference workshop)
- Using Online Technologies to Improve Feedback to Students and Reduce Workload and Costs
New Mexico Technology in Education '07
- Educational Podcasting: Create Your First Podcast (pre-conference workshop)
- Technology Enhanced Strategies to Increase Learner Engagement (presentation, winner of best presentation award)
- Teaching and Learning in Second Life (presentation)
Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International conference (SITE) '03
- Web-based Professional Development for Teachers: A Process Approach (presentation)
Publications and Proceedings
Sims, R., & Bovard, B. (2007). Teaching and learning online: How elaborations of online presence can foster critical thinking and reflection. In R. Ganesan & M. Spector (Eds), Finding your online voice: Stories told by experienced online teachers. Hershey, PA: IDEA Group.
Bovard, B., Gonzales, C., Parra, J., & Bussmann, S. (2007). Teaching the teachers. In R. Sharma & S. Mishra (Eds), Cases on Global E-Learning Practices: Successes and pitfalls. Hershey PA: IDEA Group
Sims, R., & Bovard, B. (2004). Interacting with online learners: How new elaborations of online presence can foster critical thinking and reflection. Proceedings of the Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ASCILITE) conference 2004.
Gonzales, C., Bovard, B., & Bussmann, S. (2003). Web-based professional development for teachers: A process approach. Proceedings of the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International conference (SITE), Vol. 2003, (1).
Gonzales, C., Bovard, B., Parra, J., & Holsombach-Ebner, C. (2003). Facilitating online teaching and learning using Centra and WebCT. Proceedings of the World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia, and Telecommunications (EDMEDIA), Vol. 2003, (1).
Education
Degrees
- Doctor of Philosophy: Education, Capella University, ABD (for a little while longer! LOL)
- Program: Instructional Design for Online Learning
- Master of Arts: New Mexico State University, 2003.
- Major: Secondary Education – Foreign Languages
- Bachelor of Arts: New Mexico State University, 1998.
- Major: Languages and Linguistics – Spanish
- Supplementary Major: Latin American Studies
Professional Service
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2010-2011 - Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks: Editorial Board for Faculty Satisfaction division.
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2010-2011 - Sloan-C International Symposium on Emerging Technologies: Track Chair (Faculty Development Track
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2009-2010 - Sloan-C International Symposium on Emerging Technologies: Track Chair (faculty Development Track)
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2008-2009 - Sloan-C International Symposium on Emerging Technologies: Track Chair (Inventive Uses of Media/Tools track)- and Tech Planning Committee
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2007-2008 - Sloan-C International Symposium on Emerging Technologies: Steering Committee and Track Chair (Inventive Uses of Media/Tools track)
Formal and Informal Professional Development
- Workshop on Video Narration Practices for the Visually Impaired, 2011
- Workshop on Copyright, Fair Use, and the Teach Act, 2010
- Workshops on Drupal & Moodle, 2010
- Various workshops on designing courses with WebCT, Blackboard, Moodle, 1998-2009
- Various webinars on everything from online assessment to synchronous online teaching strategies, 2002-2009
- Certificate, Instructional Design for Online Learning: Capella University, 2004
- Design Strategies for Producing Higher Interactive eLearning: eLearning Guild, 2004.
- Writing for the Web: International Web Masters Association & HTML Writers Guild, 2003.
- Certificate in Mac OSX System Administration: Apple Training Center, 2002.
- Certificate, 3D Animation, Stanford Academy for New Media, 2001.
Comments (2)
Susana Rios said
at 11:13 pm on Aug 27, 2009
Bethany,
I found your vitae quite impressive. I am looking forward to learn from you and the rest of our colleagues in CEL 570.
Susana R.
Raymundo Vasquez said
at 7:33 pm on Sep 5, 2010
Bethany,
You are my hero! I see myself teaching online in a few years so I will hold on to your internet persona(s) if you don't mind. Thanks. RV
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