Faculty

John Stetson & Kate Tabor discuss Shakespeare or computer science or both

One of the most rewarding aspects of Constructing Modern Knowledge is the ability to work with some of the world’s leading educational technology experts on personal project development.

Artemis Papert helps with TurtleArt

Cynthia Solomon, Brian Silverman, Gary Stager, Jeff Richardson, Sylvia Martinez and John Stetson have unrivaled experience and expertise teaching and learning with computers. Cynthia was one of the three people responsible for creating the Logo programming language over forty years ago and Brian Silverman is a master learner who has created many of the world’s most popular construction environments for learning since the late 1970s.

Sylvia Martinez assists Generation YES founder Dennis Harper

Faculty
	Cynthia Solomon, Ed.D. - 6th year Dr. Solomon directed the creation of educational materials for the One Laptop Per Child Foundation. Before that she was the Technology Integration Coordinator at Monsignor Haddad Middle School in Needham, MA and before that taught at Milton Academy for seven years. She is a pioneer in the fields of artificial intelligence, computer science and educational computing. 40 years ago while at Bolt, Beranek & Newman, Cynthia, along with Seymour Papert and Wally Feurzig created the first programming language for children, Logo.She was Vice President of R&D for Logo Computer Systems, Inc. when Apple Logo was developed and was the Director of the prestigious Atari Cambridge Research Laboratory. Dr. Solomon has maintained a long relationship with the MIT Media Lab and the One Laptop Per Child Foundation in addition to her teaching, consulting and scholarship. Her doctoral research at Harvard led to the publication of the critical book, Computer Environments for Children: A Reflection on Theories of Learning and Education. Cynthia Solomon is also the co-author of Designing Multimedia Environments for Children, with Allison Drum.Cynthia Solomon’s archive of classic videos about learning and computers, Logothings, may be found here.
	Eric Rosenbaum - 1st year Eric Rosenbaum is a doctoral student in the Lifelong Kindergarten group at MIT Media Lab, where he creates new technologies at the intersection of music, improvisation, play and learning. His projects include the MaKey MaKey invention kit, the Singing Fingers app for finger painting with sound, the Glowdoodle web site for painting with light, MmmTsss software for improvising with looping sounds, and a Scratch-like language for creating interactive behaviors in the virtual world of Second Life.Eric holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Technology in Education from Harvard University. He also holds a Master’s degree in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT Media Lab, for which he developed Jots, a system to support reflective learning in the Scratch programming environment.
	Stephan Costa - 1st year Steve (ex Minnesotan – Go Vikings!) has taught in Australia since 1975. During this time he has been a teacher in both public and independent schools. He has experience teaching in co-ed schools, single-sex boy schools and single-sex girl schools. His experience has combined classroom teaching, technology support and mentoring with administration duties.Steve has been the Deputy-Head of Methodist Ladies College Junior School (Kindergarten – Year 6) since 1989. He led the team of teachers at MLC who introduced laptops into the College in 1990! This innovative laptop program was the first of its kind in the world, where each 5th grade student was given their own laptop, for both home and school use, as an integral learning tool. The College then extended this laptop program in the next two years to include all students from grades 5-12. Steve is not only the first teacher in the world to teach in a 1:1 computing setting, but he has done it every day for nearly a quarter century. Countless educators have visited his classroom and been inspired by his innovative teaching.Steve has also been responsible for the overall Junior School IT curriculum, as well as the development and management of the notebook computer program in 5th and 6th grades. Presently he is also involved in overseeing the educational program as well as integrating technology across the primary school curriculum, which now includes Smartboards, iPads and notebooks.Steve was Chair of the Junior School Heads Association of Australia’s Computer Support Group for a number of years. In addition he has run numerous IT workshops and been a presenter and speaker at a number of conferences in Australia and overseas. He has been a long time supporter of constructivism and an advocate of Logo and MicroWorlds for all ages.
	Brian Silverman - 3rd year Since the late 1970s, Brian Silverman has been involved in the invention of software learning environments for children. His work includes dozens of Logo versions (including LogoWriter & MicroWorlds), Scratch, LEGO robotics and the PicoCricket. An incomparable presenter, Brian is a Consulting Scientist to the MIT Media Lab, a brilliant mathematician, computer scientist and master tinkerer. He once even built a tic-tac-toe playing computer out of TinkerToys.
	Sylvia Martinez - 6th year Sylvia Martinez is a veteran of interactive entertainment and educational software industries, with over a decade of design and publishing experience. She is currently President of Generation YES. Prior to joining Generation YES, Sylvia oversaw product development, design and programming as Vice President of Development for Encore Software, a publisher of game and educational software on PC, Internet and console platforms.Sylvia was also involved in the company’s Internet initiatives, including Math.com, the award-winning web site that provides math help to students worldwide.For seven previous years, Sylvia was an executive producer at Davidson & Associates/Knowledge Adventure, a leading educational software developer. She designed, developed and launched dozens of software titles including Math Blaster: Algebra, Math Blaster: Geometry and Maurice Ashley Teaches Chess. In addition, she was responsible for Educast – the first Internet service for teachers that provided teachers with free news, information and classroom resources.Before Davidson & Associates, Martinez spent six years at Magnavox Research Labs, where she developed high-frequency receiver systems and navigation software for GPS satellites.Sylvia has been a featured speaker at national education technology conferences in areas ranging from the use of the Internet in schools, Web 2.0 technologies, student leadership, project-based and inquiry-based learning with technology and gender issues in science, math, engineering and technology (STEM) education. She holds a Master’s in Educational Technology from Pepperdine University , and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. Read Sylvia’s popular blog here.
	John Stetson - 6th year According to Gary Stager, “John Stetson is the finest educator I’ve ever met and a tireless champion for powerless children.” For more than a decade, John Stetson has worked as a daily volunteer teacher, collaborator and advocate for incarcerated teenagers within Southern Maine’s juvenile prison. He worked side-by-side with Seymour Papert, Gary Stager and MIT’s David Cavallo during the creation and three year life of The Constructionist Learning Laboratory at the Maine Youth Center and continues working with at-risk students nearly every day.In addition to teaching kids to build guitars, robots, telescopes and to fall in love with astronomy, Stetson has arranged for college courses to be offered to at-risk high school students and has spearheaded the creation of an instrumental music program in a facility where one would not have otherwise existed. John Stetson is a father of three and holds a Masters degree in educational technology from Pepperdine University.
	Brian C. Smith - 4th year Brian C. Smith is ICT Facilitator at Hong Kong International School before that he was an Instructional Technology Specialist for the Monroe #1 Board of Cooperative Educational Services in the Rochester, New York area. His 15+ years in education have taught him a most important aspect about learning, to enjoy it. Believing that play can be a sophisticated way of learning, Brian has been creating and promoting Math and Inventor’s Playshops teaching both students and educators the power of learning through creative computing. Of particular interest lately has been the DIY phenomenon and the use of Arduino prototyping platform for creating interesting interactive objects and solving problems. Brian was also a NYSCATE Board Director and has helped plan, organize and coordinate numerous conferences and events, including a Constructivist Celebration at the National Museum of Play. Read more about our amazing guest speakers!