It is crucial to design classes that require both technical and soft skills in a way that can support students with diverse backgrounds, interests, and skill levels. To achieve this, I believe that it is essential to begin by teaching the fundamental elements of the tech stack, system, or infrastructure. This will enable students to comprehend the various components of the system they are working with when they begin their hands-on experiences.
As someone who began without a technical background, I am capable of instructing a diverse array of courses that demand both technical and soft skills for students in various fields. When I worked as a special reader for the IS270 Systems and Infrastructures class, I noticed that many students did not have a technical background. Although the class covered different technical topics each week, including networks, APIs, and linked data, the class aimed to make the materials more accessible by teaching the necessary terminology, concepts, logic, and sequence to develop essential literacy skills. Many students actively participated in the hands-on activities and discussions, and they left positive feedback about the class at the end.
In addition, as a Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) for The Social Media and the Spread of Hate (SMASH) Project, I am conducting both quantitative and qualitative data analyses on teenagers’ use of social media applications, their exposure to hate speech online, and their school-level demographics from middle and high school assemblies. This research offers valuable insights into the challenges and inequalities that arise in the digital realm, in particular, how various factors, such as socio-economic status, geographic location, and educational resources, contribute to these challenges and inequalities.
All these experiences have bolstered my confidence and sparked an interest in researching, developing, and teaching digital literacy instruction. My goal is to bridge the digital divide and empower students to navigate the digital landscape effectively. I look forward to integrating my experiences as an educator and researcher to not only teach relevant courses but also to work together on the development of new courses and programs.