ABOUT THE DESIGNER
JIMMEKA ANDERSON
Jimmeka Anderson is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Development and Family Studies. She currently is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Educational Media at Appalachian State University. Jimmeka resides in Charlotte, NC where she is the Founder and Executive Director of I AM not the Media, Inc., a non-profit organization for teens that empowers youth through media literacy and media creation. (www.iamnotthemedia.org) Jimmeka is also an author of two books, a poet, and a public speaker for youth and young adults where she travels locally and outside the Carolinas. In her current position at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Jimmeka serves as a Library Supervisor Coordinator for Outreach Services. She is a recipient of the 2013 National YALSA Award for Youth Programming and has been recognized by the community of Charlotte as a 2014 Trailblazer Honoree.
COURSE REFLECTION
The Instructional Design Course and Design Project has enabled Jimmeka with tools and knowledge to develop curriculum and understand the foundational elements of design. Through this course and project, Jimmeka has enhanced her ability to create effective objectives and enhance her design skills to better serve youth through strategic programming. Critical analysis of graphics and digital development, which were all learned in this course, have culminated the final product of this website. As Jimmeka continues to pursue her career in instructional design to develop curriculum for higher education and her non profit, she has acquired essential strategies to effectively enhance her profession.
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
When it comes to technology and education, Jimmeka's philosophy is very simple, the way we learn should always align with the way we engage! In today’s society people engage through online communities and social networks, therefore Jimmeka strongly believes that the classroom and learning platform should reflect that model. Utilizing online resources and technology is vital in today’s learning model as literacy has indeed evolved to multimodal formats. This type of philosophy encourages teachers and students to develop their own content while engaging with the subject matter. Technology allows teachers and students to create and become as innovative as their minds will allow! Jimmeka believes in the saying that “Listening is not Learning” and “Talking is not Teaching.” By incorporating technology and utilizing affinity and semiotic spaces online to foster learning communities and dialogue, teachers will then permit education to become an experience.