Danielle Martin

SKILLS: Writer and Manager • Co-authored Start Making! book & research reports, while also directing programs in U.S. & internationally. Technology integration • From MIT Media Lab, Urban Planning to Maker Ed, connecting STEM, ed-tech, and instructional design in virtual or mobile contexts. Capacity building • Knowledge management for learner and educator generated curricula, plus activity sharing on custom social networks. Participatory design thinking for social good • Engaging tech volunteers to empower educators in local & international nonprofits and government schools. Replication • System thinking and research translated into practice, through organizing leadership and professional development in networks. Iteration among informal & formal learning spaces • from youth development at Boys & Girls Clubs, to Museum of Science, to HUD tech centers, to schools - all to boost the quality of education. Inspiration • through enthusiasm for learner-led, lifelong learning, digital inclusion & STEM. I am passionate about the possibility of new media and technology. My personal objectives are to continue fine-tuning my media-making and outreach skills with community groups and youth, particularly in an urban setting, as an educator, advocate, consultant and mentor. But the leap (whether you say it is over the digital divide or the participation gap) is still daunting for people who have never used a computer or struggle to put food on table instead of buying the so-called “inexpensive” tools of new media. A big part of making the leap may be in realizing it is possible. I have seen the simple act of bringing out a digital camera, taking a photo, and uploading it to a blog can become the first step to fluency. The focus of my work is to construct a practical framework for fostering the value of technology and media fluency in local community builders and activists while they implement new programs and initiatives for both individual and group empowerment.