Meet Jason Rosenblum, Ph.D.
Dr. Jason Rosenblum is the program coordinator of the Learning, Equity, Action and Design (LEAD) stackable graduate certificate program within the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education. He is also an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Learning Technologies program.
In his time as an educator and researcher, he has focused his attention on the importance of viewing digital learning experiences through a justice-based lens and incorporating tech innovation, online learning, and design thinking with that perspective in mind.
"Our program features a theory-into-practice approach that prioritizes real-life tech integrations while helping teachers to build communities of practice around these complex topics. The potential for impact and transformation here is very high."
Developing an Interest in Classroom Tech Integration
Rosenblum’s program is partially based on his experiences earlier in his career as an instructional designer, when he researched and developed strategies for student engagement powered by technology innovation. He worked with faculty to develop teaching and learning applications through gameful experiential activities, and lightweight augmented and virtual reality tools to support learning in and out of class.
As a doctoral student at UT, he further explored facets of engagement through sound, specifically, while serving on the Alien Rescue research team in the Learning Technologies program. He closed out his doctoral degree by writing a dissertation focused on people’s experiences of sound across several different educational games.
Currently, Rosenblum’s research interests include design-justice and game-based learning approaches to curriculum and technology design, while encouraging community-involved design and participation in learning. He has recently received an Actions that Promote Community Transformation (ACT) grant to support the LEAD program.
Putting Research into Practice
The result of Rosenblum's research and experiences is the Learning, Equity, Action and Design stackable graduate certificate. Built to serve a critical national need for technology integration professional development for K-12 teachers, both the certificate and the Master’s program will help new and veteran teachers acquire a greater depth of applied knowledge to integrate technology into their classroom. They'll increase their pedagogical knowledge while learning to meet standards-based classroom learning outcomes.
"I hope that the design of LEAD (in both certificate in master’s form) will give local educators an easily accessible path by which they can apply knowledge about digital equity and tech innovation and integration in ways that help them to design 21st century learning environments and to adapt to modern-day challenges such as online learning and emergency remote teaching."
Learning
Learning within LEAD means student-centered and humanizing approaches for children and adults.
Equity
Equity within LEAD goes beyond access to technology and includes knowledge and skills to help students and teachers succeed equally with technology integration, regardless of background.
Action
Action within LEAD means working with technology, and within and outside of the four walls of the classroom, to help students apply learning to real-life interests and projects.
Design
Design with LEAD means adopting aspects of human-centered and justice-focused design processes to education. Critically, this process is something we believe should involve teachers and students where possible.
Learn More About LEAD
To learn more about the Learning, Equity, Action and Design graduate certificate, attend our upcoming online information session. Held via Zoom, this session will have detailed information about what you'll experience in the program, as well as give you a chance to meet Rosenblum and bring up any questions you have.
