Scott Merrick
173 Carnavon Parkway
Nashville, Tennessee 37205
scott@scottmerrick.net
615 .730.7024
Education:
B.S., Cum Laude, in Elementary Education with a K-8 notation from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University, with a second major in English, Creative Writing
9 hours (Graduate Credit) of coursework at Nova Southeastern University toward a Masters degree in Technology in Education, 45 hours (Continuing Education) credit at Harvard University Graduate School of Education, 6 hours (Continuing Education) credit for "Mastering Dreamweaver" workshop from National Seminars Group/Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center, Inc.
Over the past years I have presented at a number of professional development conferences, served on several advisory committees and boards of directors related to my educational/professional interests and responsibilities, and led teacher workshops. I continue to do so. Here is a sampling of them, which I will continue to update as appropriate:
January, 2009 "Why Second Life?," for faculty and staff at the Vanderbilt School for Science and Math and the Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach
November, 2008 "What the Read/Write Web means for parents and students," Family Science Night at Cane Ridge High School for Middle Schoolers and parents
October, 2008, "Engaging Podcast Content" at Vanderbilt University for faculty and staff in the VU Webspiders program
September, 2008, "Virtual Worlds: The Future is Now" panel and "Real Experiences in Virtual Worlds" panel at the fall meeting of Internet2 in New Orleans, LA
September, 2008, "Real Life Experiences in Virtual Worlds" panel at the fall meeting of Internet2 in New Orleans, LA
July, 2009, "Web20forUs!," weeklong workshop for Metro Nashville Public School teachers at University School of Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee
July, 2008, "Sledupotential," 3-hour hands-on workshop with 8 other educators from 8 other states at the National Educational Computing Conference in San Antonio, TX
July, 2008, "Virtual World as Professional Learning Network" at at the National Educational Computing Conference in San Antonio, TX
July, 2007, "Web20forUs!," weeklong workshop for 12 faculty and staff at University School of Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee
June, 2007, "Windows Podcasting: Tips, Tricks, and StraTegies for Success," Presentation Session at the National Association for the Education of Young Children's annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia
June, 2007, "Virtual Worlds and Second Life," Birds-of-a-Feather Session at the National Association for the Education of Young Children's annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia
November, 2006, "Age Appropriate Content for K-2 Students at UpToTen.com," Technology Resource Room Session at the National Association for the Education of Young Children's annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia
July, 2006, "“Looking for Mr. Goodware” “Birds-of-a-feather” session at the International Society for Technology in Education’s National Educational Computing Conference in San Diego, California
July, 2006, "K2K Connections and Collaborations: Get Your Project and Partner Here!” “Birds-of-a-feather” session at the International Society for Technology in Education’s National Educational Computing Conference in San Diego, California
July, 2006, "“Truly Engaging Content from the Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach” IVC Showcase session at the International Society for Technology in Education’s National Educational Computing Conference, California
March, 2005, "Introduction to Desktop IVC" USN Evening School class, 1 hour hands-on workshop open to the public
December, 2004, "A Teacher's Technology Toybox" and "K12 Interactive Videoconferencing: Why It's Still 'The Next Big Thing' in Tennessee" at the Tennessee Education Technology Conference in Nashville with Jan Zanetis, Director of the Vanderbilt Virtual School
November, 2004, "What Works for Us (and What Doesn't)" at the Tennessee Video Conference Summit with Brandon Herrenbruck. This was a seminal meeting in the process to create a new Tennessee Distance Learning Association
October, 2004, "Videoconferencing, the 'Orphan Technology' - a Model of Adoption" via IVC to multiple sites nationally at the Keystone Conference in Indianapolis, IN, with Brandon Herrenbruck
October, 2004, "Sharing the Best Space: Live from Dyer Observatory" via IVC to teachers at the Governor's Wisconsin Educational Technology Conference in Wisconsin Dells, WI
June, 2004, "Limited $$$? You Can Still Videoconference!" at the National Educational Technology Conference in New Orleans
March, 2004 "Tech Toys for Everyone" at Business Professionals of America state convention, Nashville, Tennessee
December, 2003--"Tech Toys for Teachers" at the Tennessee Education Technology Conference, Nashville, Tennessee
September, 2003--"Virtual" presentation, the Interactive Multimedia & Collaborative Communications Alliance (IMCCA) conference on Videoconferencing, Denver Conference Center, presenting on classroom uses of videoconferencing and business outreach to education
February, 2003--"Virtual" presentation, Project DIANE and Vanderbilt University Virtual School "Videoconferencing K12 Workshop" for Teachers, Adventure Science Museum, now Discovery Science Center.
October, 2002--Sole "Virtual" Panel Participant (of four panelists), introductory session for the Regional Technology in Education Consortia’s (RTEC) National K-12 Interactive Videoconferencing Project, Dallas Texas Infomart. nearly 100 K-12 educators from 31 states gathered at the symposium to hear how videoconferencing is used in classrooms across the country. See the NW Regional Educational Laboratory site for more information.
Summer 2002--Development Team and Presenter, STEP teacher workshops for VideoTeleConferencing skills-building, at University School of Nashville, June 5-7 and July 8-10
2002--Colloquium Presenter, Hyogo University of Teacher Education in Japan: "SCOPE and USN: Increasing Student Focus and Teacher Creativity through VideoTeleConferencing"
Presenter ("NetMeeting: An Educator's Toolbox"), WNPT "National Teacher Training Institute in Math, Science, and Technology." A full day of workshops for teachers in surrounding states. This was Vanderbilt University's Virtual School's first year collaborating with our local National Public Television affiliate, and I was pleased to be a part of that new partnership. View a letter of thanks from NPT and its accompanying certificate of participation
October, 2006, Conference proposal review committee for the International Society for Technology in Education's SIGIVC-related presentations for NECC 2007.
January, 2005-Present--Conference development team for Keystone2005. The Keystone Conference is the nation's premier K12 Interactive Videoconferencing gathering.
December, 2004-Present--Appointed to the Pulse Committee of the Global Nomads Group, an international agency dedicated to bringing together culturally diverse youth from all over the world by means of Interactive Videoconferencing and project collaboration.
2004-present--Board of Directors for TASC (the Tennessee Arts and Sciences Consortium)
2003-present--Progam manager and site facilitator, Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory "VIA Dyer" (Videoconferencing Interactions with Astronomers from Dyer Observatory) series, through Vanderbilt Virtual School and the Vanderbilt University Center for Science Outreach Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory
2001-present--Teacher-in-Residence, Vanderbilt University Center for Science Outreach
2003-present--Advisory Committee, American International University Masters in Education Program
2001-2005--Board of Directors, Vanderbilt University's Friends of the Alexander and Jean Heard Library
July, 2003--Web Manager, courtesy of Vanderbilt University Office of Science Outreach, for Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory's online presence. Participated in redesign and still responsible for videoconferencing related content
2003-present--Contributing author, techlearning.com's "Educator's Outlook" (search "Merrick")
Summer 2001--Project Development Team Member and Presenter, Vanderbilt University's SCOPE 2001 Summer Science Institute. Project Development Team Member and Presenter, Vanderbilt University Virtual School and SEPA 2001 Video Conferencing Lesson Plan Development workshop, grades 5-12. See Virtual Vanderbilt Videoconferences for more information
JMarch, 2008, Tennessee Association of Independent Schools Technology Institute, Memphis, TN
September, 2001--Attendee, eSchoolNews Best Practices in Educational Technology Conference, Washington, D.C.
Summer 2000--Attendee, NECC 2000 The National Educators' Computer Conference 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia at the Georgia World Conference Center. I attended all three days of the conference proper and functioned as a volunteer presider at a workshop session entitled "Innovative Strategies to Enhance Learning with Mobile Technologies," presented by Apple, Inc. The highlight of my experience at NECC 2000 was a small "Make and Take" workshop on Global Information Systems with keynote speaker John Kuglin. John Kuglin is Director of Educational Outreach and Executive Director for NASA’s Earth Observing System at the University of Montana-Missoula August 1996, August 1997, and February 1998: Three separate two day STC training sessions at Tennessee State University. "Science and Technology for Children™ (STC™) is a complete science program for children in grades 1-6. Filled with innovative hands-on activities designed to motivate your young students, it is the result of a joint effort by some of the leaders in the fields of education and science."*
July 1999--Summercore, five days of work with other teachers who are searching out links between technology and sound teaching practices. Summercore was an amazingly valuable experience for me: I brought back to my work a plethora of practical learning and some new positive attitudes, including a renewed dedication to the teaching of intellectual property rights
November 1997, 1998, 1999--Tennessee Educators' Technology Conference, three years. One, two, and three day meetings and interest sessions at Nashville's Opryland Hotel. Attended by 2,000-4,000 educators from across the state of Tennessee
July 1996--Three day workshop: "Pathways to Literacy," the International Institute of Literacy Learning, under the Guidance of Dr. Geoff Ward
Summers, 1996, 1997, and 1999--The
Virtual Watershed Program.
Vanderbilt University's Virtual School Director, Susan Kuner, PhD.,
led teachers in annual programs designed help children understand complex
issues surrounding water quality protection in the state of Tennessee.
My personal Virtual Watershed page describes my involvement in detail,
including dates and duties. Three of my summers since graduation were
dedicated to this project. Teaching teachers has comprised a large part
of this experience.