Shanda Veatch

Hello! I'm very much looking forward to being in this class. I've always been excited about the world of online multimedia and have been an avid consumer for years. Over the years I have cast aside late night radio broadcasts and thousands of hours of books on tape in favor of the unlimited world of podcasting. The world of podcasting and webcasting is to me an uncharted territory, much like the Wild West, or the "final frontier" as put forth by the venerable Captains Kirk and Picard. I have found that webcasting, in any form, allows amateurs and professionals an almost level playing field, the participation upon which is strictly up to the imagination of the individual. This technology is the future of media, education, business and lifestyle. As it transforms the very core of our culture, it is exciting to delve in as educated participants rather than passive consumers.

I am indeed a nerd, and am hoping to become even more of one, while raising one as well. My 14 year old son is currently enrolled in a C++ training course with his sights on a career in computer programming and science. He is also a full time online high school student and is achieving great success in this learning environment. As a public school teacher, I am an advocate for change, and am eager to see the opportunities that will emerge for our educationally underprivileged populations as the web breathes fresh life into a system that seems to be losing sight of its primary goal: to teach and to learn “in the least restrictive environment”. In the words of Shakespeare, “gentlemen in England now abed shall think themselves accursed they were not here.” As educators in the MET program, “we happy few” are riding the edge of this wave, and it is truly an exciting time to explore this renaissance.