Juli's Bio

My Background

After graduating from Whitworth College, I moved to the Seattle area to begin my teaching career. In my first 7 years of teaching, I taught middle school French, Spanish, Math, Language Arts, Social Studies and Advanced Computers. As a result of this broad background, I decided to complete a Masters degree in Educational Technology at the University of Washington, knowing that an understanding of technology would enrich any future teaching assignment. My Master's final project included studying how technology can be used to support and enhance critical thinking across content areas, especially as teachers and students incorporate Internet resources into the classroom.With the assistance of various grants, I created a technology-rich classroom environment, which allowed me to focus on project-based learning using current technology tools. My students and I presented at NCCE conferences and other technology showcases.

Currently I am an Instructional Technology Specialist in the Seattle School District. I enjoy supporting teachers as they integrate technology in meaningful ways in to the classroom. I also teach educational technology courses at the University of Washington and Whitworth College. In addition to my work in Seattle, I am pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Washington. This experience has provided an opportunity to critically reflect on many aspects of education, often from a systems perspective. Technology is not the focus of my graduate work, but it is certainly a part of my thinking about educational systems.