Teresa Bender

School: King Science and Technology Magnet
Subject: Science 8, Science Seminar

I have been teaching at King Science and Technology Magnet for four years. I received a Bachelor of Secondary Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I am currently working on my Masters degree in Science Education at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I hope to graduate this summer. I am a very avid reader. It is not uncommon to find me in the YA section of a bookstore on the weekends.

What are your reflections about using media in education?

Media is a way to draw students into the conversation that is learning. Students today are surrounded by a wide variety of digital media. They see photographs and videos regarding current information. They blogg and Facebook and Twitter. It seems counter-productive to not use this same media as a tool to promote student learning.

What is one thing about the Omaha Science Media Project that you'd share with other teachers?

The greatest lesson learned from the Omaha Science Media Project was that media is a powerful tool to use with students. I learned that one does not need thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Teachers and students can use cell phones and non-expensive digital cameras to create and learn. Free, open source materials exist for our use.