Though I am not a faculty member, as an instructional designer for the LaGuardia Center for Teaching and Learning I lead faculty seminars mostly related to the thoughtful integration of technology and pedagogy. This seminar has enabled me to engage in new readings and discussions that I have already started to bring into the work that I do with faculty.

Because of my colleagues, I have read and discussed authors and topics including Foucault, Grau’s take on the evolution of virtual reality (since the 16th century), comics, sex with robots, and gamergate.

The seminar has deepened my interest in issues of culture and behaviors, specifically as related to ideas of identity, invisibility and visibility both on and offline. The interest has led me to work with texts I was introduced to by colleagues in the seminar (especially Race and Social Media by Senft & Noble and Coleman’s Phreaks, Hackers, and Trolls) which have already proved valuable as I’ve shared them in other seminars I lead.

Participating in the seminar has also led me to develop two activities for faculty related to online identity: “Identity Exploration Activity” (an activity in need of a better name) and for the new Digital by Design seminar “Self-Portrait: My Life in Technology”. I hope that faculty will be able to use and adapts these activities for their students.

Thanks to the leaders and my colleagues for the useful adventure that this year has been.