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About the Author |
Bruce Benton graduated with his M.S. in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY. This web site was created as an independent study, and the vision for it grew out of several experiences. First, Bruce took two classes in particular in the Master's program that he found valuable- Instructional Technology in Learning and Human Factors Engineering.
The Instructional Technology in Learning class covered a variety of technologies used in instruction, including PowerPoint, KidPix, etc, but it also introduced web page design, and students in the course created several simple web based activities (often called Web Quests).
The Human Factors Engineering class covered the basics of usability and ergonomics, including the usability of web sites in general.
Also, in July of 2000, after teaching Technology Education in the 7th through 12th grades for three years in two separate school districts in the Rochester, NY area, Bruce took a job as a Project Coordinator with Genesee Valley/Wayne-Finger Lakes EduTech, a division of Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES. In that job he worked with 7 school districts helping them implement and upgrade computers and network infrastructure for educational and administrative use.
These experiences piqued and honed Bruce's interest in educational technology, and especially in the use of the interactive online environment as a tool to aid instruction. Since more and more teachers are creating and using web-based activities with their students, he decided that a web site that gave teachers an interactive opportunity to explore web usability could be beneficial. This project was completed under the advisement of Beth Napoli.
Bruce entered the field of education in the fall of 1996, as a teaching assistant in the carpentry program at the Finger Lakes Area Vocational Center (now the Finger Lakes Technical & Career Center) between Canandaigua and Geneva, NY. Prior to that, he had worked in residential construction for 7 years and owned a one-man fine woodworking business for 5 years during the same time period. He earned his B.S. in Industrial Technology in 1990 from Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA., after a rather lengthy undergraduate career that included a major in Environmental Resources Engineering and a double major in Oceanography and Mathematics. In addition to education and construction/woodworking, Bruce is an Instrument Rated Private Pilot, Advanced Open Water SCUBA diver, and licensed NY Real Estate Salesperson.
In 1995 he, his wife, and son moved to Bloomfield, NY., where they now share their home with 1 dog and 4 cats.
Please email me with any comments or suggestions about this site: bbenton@frontiernet.net