About Mr. Schaefer

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I am the Lead Learner for STEAM by Design at Durham Academy Middle School. I advocate teaching children for their future and not our past, so I advocate using 21st-century tools with my students. I have conducted numerous workshops over the last 14 years. I am actively involved in the field of digital education. As the Lead Learner of STEAM by Design, I am responsible for helping to devise, schedule, and implement a curriculum covering Design Thinking, 3D Design and Printing, Robotics, Computer Science, and many other topics. I also serve as the Academic Leader of the Middle School Computer Science Department. I am excited to be involved in education and integrating digital tools into the classroom. I am constantly aware of how fearless today’s children are in their approach to using technology as a tool. Every day in the STEAM Design Studio is magical as the children approach their learning using the technology available to construct their projects and learning models.

In 2003 and again in 2004, I was selected to go to Uganda with the North Carolina Zoo to assist local educators in developing curriculum materials and assisting in integrating technology into their teaching methods. The picture above is me and a student at Bigodi Primary School as they demonstrated how they had progressed with typing after one year. I was impressed as the year before, most students had never witnessed the pressing of a key to make anything appear on a device like the AlphaSmarts.  To foster greater understanding for my students, I created a UNITE website for information and interaction. Sadly, due to a lack of funding, the site closed down in March 2009. To view a movie of one of my trips, check out: http://shielsproductions.com/zoo-tv/uganda-unite/  In December 2002, I was selected as a semi-finalist in the Technology and Learning’s Ed Tech Leader of the Year Award. I am greatly honored to be considered one of the semi-finalists for this great award.

I am a founding member of the NCAIS C.O.T. (North Carolina Association of Independent Schools Commission on Technology. We were an advocate group of teachers and administrators dedicated to helping member schools. We have adjusted our name to NCAIS Innovate. See more of our work at http://innovate.ncais.org/ncais-innovate/. In the summer of 2010, I dropped off the commission to balance my life.

2010 I was selected to be an NCAIS Master Teacher for the 21st Century. Learn more about this exciting leading-edge project at http://www.ncaisvirtual.org/page/6285_21st_Century_Teaching_Academy.asp

Follow me on Bluesky @digitalkarl.bsky.social or Mastodon @digitalkarl.twit.social

My YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/528digital

Interested in working together to harness the promise of digital learning? Check out http://digitalkarl.com/

I am also a grandfather, father, husband, and farmer. I strive to balance my digital life with my analog life. I suggest we all find time to unplug from technology and plug into the beauty of nature.

Disclaimer: The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent Durham Academy’s positions or opinions.

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  1. Pingback: Let students own the learning | What I Learned Today

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