My interests include information theory, computation, media studies, computer programming and CS education, and most of my recent activities have focused upon the development of youth-oriented environments and learner-centered design activities that promote foundational computation skills and systems thinking. I've worked with youth of all ages in both formal and informal learning spaces, and have written and spoken extensively on the subject of constructionist approaches to learning in schools, after-school settings, technology centers, and online communities.
I teach for Chicago Public Schools and Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development. I also facilitate an out-of-school program, Code Phreaks, that partners with schools and libraries to offer informal game design, robotics and digital storytelling activities as a means of nurturing media literacy and programming skills among youth from about the 5th through 12th grade.