Final: The podcast

In my life, if you were to ask people about me, they will tell you that I have one of the loudest personalities on the planet, and there have been so many times in my life where I felt like I was too much for people, too much for anyone to handle. When I found a passion for higher education, public speaking, and educational access, I was able to take that loud personality and use it for good. I was able to stand up in front of auditoriums filled with students and engage them and talk to them, and really hopefully inspire them to attend college and to make a difference.

Growing up a first-generation, low-income student, college always felt like it was so out of reach. No one ever talked to me about college because my parents didn't know anything, and my family didn't really know anything. I wasn't a student that was at the top of my class, I was very much toward the lower end. So guidance counselors and teachers pushed me aside and didn't think that I needed a career or college as an option. So, looking back at my own college search, I feel like my options were so limited because I had no one to help me. I had no one to guide me or assist. When I opened my acceptance letter to the University of Rhode Island, I was obviously excited, but I was also hit with a wave of crippling anxiety. I didn't know what I was studying, I didn't know who I was, and I had no one to ask these questions to. I had no one to help calm my nerves. I was so alone in this process, and yes, my parents were by my side, but they didn't know what to do. They didn't know what to ask, so it was really just me, myself, and I.

Going to school at the University of Rhode Island was an amazing opportunity. I was able to meet friends, get involved, and really figure out who I wanted to be. It was also one of the most eye-opening experiences for me. The race of life we are all playing was so unfair. I had kids in my classes that had never worked a day in their lives. Meanwhile, I was working two jobs trying to pay tuition. There were students who were slacking off and still passing because of the sports they played or who their parents were. Meanwhile, I'm spending every other night in a study hall. It was like even when I tried to get ahead, I was always two steps behind, based on the systemic oppression that has faced people of color, poor people, and first-generation people for their entire lives.

Finding higher education and college access as a passion was a gift. When I got the ability to really work with students and help break down educational divides and help make sure they felt wanted and welcomed on a college campus and they didn’t feel like the cards were stacked against them and they could talk to someone about the anxiety they were feeling, and I could make them feel better, I really felt a sense of purpose. Like I was supposed to be doing things like this with my life.

So why this podcast? Why share my voice with the world? Because I feel like it's what I'm supposed to be doing. I feel like I've seen all of the barriers and all of the issues, and this is my chance to attack them and to break them by bringing college access into people's homes in a way that is easy and simple for people to understand. That’s what the dream is.

In Scott’s news framework, I feel as though I'm stuck between two pillars: between a techno-traditionalist and a techno-constructivist. I want to become more of the techno-constructivist, someone who utilizes technology as a tool for empowerment and critical thinking and allows for transforming my role to be more user-friendly. I want to be able to transform how students engage on college campuses. I want to be able to make sure that we are connecting with students on levels that match what they need. And when looking at things from a techno-constructivist point of view, Rhode Island College is behind. We don’t do virtual tours and info sessions. We don’t do a lot of online engagement with students. We rely so heavily on the old-fashioned traditional recruitment of kids that we are not keeping up with the times and trends.

This is another reason why brainstorming a podcast or turning the podcast into a webinar series to fit more of the college environment is so powerful to me because we're able to connect with students and young voices on an easier level. At my core, I just think every person wants to feel special. And I think from a college perspective, when I'm asking a student to spend upwards of $80,000 to come to my institution, I think that student wants to feel very special.

Education is very generalized for most of a child and student’s career. I think it’s important that we individualize the things that we can individualize, and I think that by meeting students where they're at and making them feel like we see them and we understand them, we’ll make them feel connected to us as educators therefore making them feel connected to our institutions.

My other belief is that education was not designed for people of color, first-generation, and low-income people and that education has not necessarily adapted the way it should to accommodate these underrepresented demographics. And I believe that by taking price and cost out of parts of education, I believe by making college access accessible, we are slowly able to tackle some of these systemic barriers that have been put in place for generations. By being able to connect on being a person of color and being from a low-income background, and being able to explain things in a way that I wish someone had explained them to me, I'm really able to tackle real systemic issues in education and create positive change.

During this class, we talked about many different articles and people’s ways of viewing technology and education. Mark Prensky’s “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” really stuck with me throughout this class. Despite disagreeing with his claim that today’s generation is wired differently and automatically knows how to use technology, I do believe that this generation spends more time on their phones and online. Because of this, creating a podcast is a powerful way to reach them on platforms like Spotify and YouTube, places they are more likely to engage with, rather than attending a college fair or campus visit. I think the biggest takeaway from Prensky’s article is that we need to be more cognizant of how we deliver information to this generation.

Another piece that stood out was Rita Pierson’s Every Kid Needs a Champion. This was my second time watching it, and every time I do, I truly believe it’s one of the most inspirational videos educators can see. She reminds us of our “why” when it comes to the fields we work in and the students we serve. Her belief that every kid needs someone to believe in them and to give them hope is part of the reason I want to start this podcast. I believe this is a great technical solution because it can inspire every child to know they deserve college access and that there are people cheering for them on the other side of those microphones. Lastly, Linda Christensen’s Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us pushed me to reflect deeply. Part of why I’ve always wanted to do this work is because of the systemic barriers placed in front of students of color and those from underrepresented communities that send the message that college isn’t designed for them. Christensen discusses how the media teaches us these messages, often subtly. For example, when I look back on college movies like Legally Blonde, one of my favorites, I realize there isn’t a single person of color represented in that entire college setting. These messages, though unintentional, become internalized. I want to prove that despite what the media says or what students have been told, college is where people of color belong. Not only do they belong, but their voices are needed and valued in order to create a truly diverse and inclusive educational experience.

The number one thing I think this course gave me is confidence to bring my ideas forward. When I posted my blog about wanting to start a podcast, the amount of feedback I got talking about how something like this could really work and could really change lives made me realize how powerful our voices are and how powerful our ideas are. Now, do I think that I'm gonna get approval from my work to do a full podcast? No. However, could I definitely see myself being able to write a proposal to turn my podcast into a webinar series and potentially get Rhode Island College to buy into letting me host webinars weekly to help students through the college process? I think that could be feasible. I think that having the background from this class to be able to write a proposal to do this and talk about using digital media for marketing and educational purposes is gonna go a long way when I try to push for this in my office. So I'm grateful for the confidence I was able to build, as well as the information that I may also take with me and distribute to my office, and hopefully be able to really make a positive effort in turning Rhode Island College into both an in-person and digital recruitment-savvy educational infrastructure.

Useful Links and Tools for Our Podcast Project

• Adobe Podcast: This is the platform Vi and I used to record our podcast. It was extremely user-friendly and easy to navigate.
• Spotify for Podcasters:You can upload your podcast here to make it available for public listening. A great way to reach a wider audience!
• ChatGPT: We used ChatGPT to help generate content, outline episode ideas, and gather information and data for our discussions.
• Canva : Canva is a great tool to design cover art and graphics, perfect if Vi and I decide to make the podcast public.
• FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) A critical website for students applying for financial aid. It's important to understand how to navigate and support students through this process.
• Common App : This is the college application platform used by many students. Familiarity with this site is essential for guiding students through their application journey.
  

Chapter summary: Bonfire of the Disney Princesses

 I decided to summarize and reflect on Barbara Ehrenreich’s “Bonfire of the Disney Princesses.” This chapter really drew my attention starting with the title. As someone who grew up loving princesses and truly believed I was a Disney princess for most of my life, the idea of throwing them into a fire and watching them burn is not the stereotypical way people tend to view princesses. And that’s exactly what made me want to read more.

From the very beginning, Ehrenreich makes it clear that she does not support what Disney Princess culture stands for. Her opening statement compares the risk of lead poisoning from toys to the way Disney Princess movies, merchandise, and messaging poison  youth minds with patriarchal values. That comparison stuck with me. It made me think about how people worry so much about toy and food toxins but not the media toxicity.

Ehrenreich talks about how society wants to view princesses as role models, but in reality, they’re not. These characters are often in distress, trapped, or silenced, just waiting for a man to rescue them, rather than saving themselves. They aren’t portrayed as people with dreams or ambitions. They’re just waiting for their prince. Ehrenreich also makes a strong point that in many of these stories, aging equals evil (wicked stepmother trope). 

In addition to the blatant sexism Disney pushes through its princesses, Ehrenreich also highlights the racial issues. She points to Mulan and Pocahontas, who break your stereotypical Disney trope of waiting for a man to save them and being independent and ironically, these are also the two Disney princesses of color, however, these two women of royalty are never seen in the beautiful gowns and the sparkle and glam. So what is Disney teaching us that as a young woman we can't be both we can't be fearless and beautiful. We can't have dreams and ambition and wear a sparkly dress while we do it? 

And the major point Ehrenreich raises is the sexualization of the Disney Princesses. These characters, designed for young children, are often dressed in revealing outfits and given curvy. Ariel, for example, spends nearly the entire movie in a bikini top. And yet, we see children wearing these costumes, the sexualization of princesses contributes to the sexualization of children. And that’s something we need to take seriously.

I knew that reading this article was going to challenge my beliefs. I grew up a very girly child, believing in the sparkles, the pink, the glitz, and the glam. But reflecting now, these movies did show us that women are just here to wait for a man to save them. I think Disney needs to do better at creating princesses who are more than just characters waiting to be rescued. I also think Disney needs to do a better job of allowing their princesses of color to be both strong and fearless, while still getting to enjoy the glitz and glam. Women need to realize that they don’t have to pick between the two we can be and have everything

Digital Tool: Voicethread

How to Use VoiceThread 

Step 1: Logging In

1. Go to https://voicethread.com/login/
   
   

2. Click “Sign In” 

1. You can sign in using email or an institution if your school has an account 

2. If your school or college has an account, you can search for it under “Find your institution.”

3. Once you sign in you can either jump right in to get started or watch some one the
   “how to Voice treads” that are located on the welcome screen. 
   
   

   
   
   

 Step 2: Creating Your First VoiceThread

1. Once you’re logged in, click “Create”
   

• The little + in the top corner 

2. Upload your materials ;this can be:

• Pictures, slides, PDFs, or even short video clips.

• You can also just record yourself as a video 

• Once you upload your documents/ powerpoint you can add media before after or in the middle of your thread interactive

•   Once you upload your work you can make organizational changes in Voicethread
• You can move things around delete and reorder things
• You can also add missing information by repeating the upload steps

Step 3: Add Your Voice/Face/ Text

1. Click “Comment” to start adding a voiceover or instructions.

2. Hit the “+” icon and choose how you want to respond:

• Microphone: voice comment

• Camera: video comment

• Text: type it out

• Upload: audio files or clips

  
  
  

 Step 4: Share It With Your People

1. Click “Share” at the top.

2. Set your permissions: 

• You can make a public or private link

• You can allow people to interact back with your threat

• Example: If you want feedback from students you can allow them to leave comments 

• Or you can make it view only 

Please enjoy this Voicethread I made to try and explain and show you how the app works :)

https://voicethread.com/myvoice/thread/31020317

To do list!!!

 

Sooo after class VI and I met and actually created a rough draft of a podcast!

But over the weekend to prep for the final project I need to... 

Step One: Write the narrative that explains the story behind our podcast, what it means to me personally and professionally, why we created it, and how it connects to everything we’ve learned in this course. I am very excited to talk about why I wanted to do this podcast and how this class has really inspired me!

 Step Two: Meet with Vi on Monday to finalize and polish our podcast presentation. We are opting out of the Pecha Kucha, because creating a podcast is more our thing!

Final Project Brainstorm "Demystify College Admissions" my podcast dreams turn reality

 When thinking about higher education, one issue that has always bothered me is access. Many colleges choose not to recruit in certain areas based on socioeconomic status. I’ve even heard institutions in Rhode Island say they won’t recruit in Providence because “students from Providence can’t afford their college.” This narrative is incredibly harmful. It reinforces systemic inequities and creates barriers for students in underserved communities, barriers to information, support, and ultimately access to higher education.

My goal is to demystify the college admissions process and provide free, accessible support to all students regardless of where they come from or who they are.

While I don’t work in a traditional K–12 classroom, my role sits at a unique part of education, almost like a hybrid between education and sales. From this perspective, I’ve come to believe that students learn best when we meet them where they are both cognitively and literally. Learning becomes more meaningful when it’s individualized and delivered in a way that makes sense to them.

That’s why I want to create a podcast/webinar  that offers clear, accessible college admissions information in a format students already know and use platforms like Spotify and YouTube. By using digital tools in this way, we can break down barriers, particularly for students who may not have the ability to attend college fairs or visit campuses. 

At Rhode Island College, for example, we still rely heavily on face-to-face recruitment. While that personal interaction is one of my favorite parts of the job, I recognize it’s not always feasible for students to visit campus or attend events. By creating a podcast, we give students a way to hear our voices, understand our values, and learn about the admissions process on their own time, in their own space, and without the pressure of having to come to us first.

What is your relationship to Barbie or any kind of children’s culture (like Disney?) How does Christiansen validate or challenge your views?

 My relationship with Disney movies and Barbies is very complicated. My childhood was full of pink, bright-colored dresses and truly believing I was a Disney princess. I never looked at things through a critical lens as a child I just took them at face value and went on with my day. But now, as an adult, I see the harmful stereotypes that exist within Disney movies and Barbie culture.

Reading Christensen’s “Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us” made me feel both validated and challenged. She explains how children's media shapes how young people perceive the world. She writes, “Children’s cartoons, movies, and literature are perhaps the most influential genre” and this is so true. Through stories and play, we internalize roles and ideologies we're expected to live by. If we fall outside of those roles, it’s seen as wrong or unacceptable. We are constantly comparing our lives to media.

I know we’ll discuss the Barbie movie in class, but while reading this article, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Barbie dolls have historically created a narrow and harmful image of what a woman should be. When girls don’t meet these unrealistic standards, the emotional and psychological impact can be heartbreaking. The worst part is, as children, we don’t even realize we’re internalizing these messages society places these expectations on us before we even understand what they mean.

Christensen uses the term “secret education” in the article, and I find that concept incredibly powerful. It’s as if society wants to indoctrinate us into specific norms but doesn’t want to be transparent about it. So instead, we’re bombarded with TV shows and movies where men are always the superheroes and women are damsels in distress. These stories frame marriage as the ultimate goal for women, instead of promoting the idea that women can find identity, strength, and fulfillment within themselves. Society teaches these lessons at such a young age, and they stick with us, often without our awareness.

Prensky Revisited: Is the Term “Digital Native” Still Applicable to Today’s Learner?

 Marc Prensky coined the term "digital native" in 2001 to describe youth who have grown up surrounded by technology. Much of his research and arguments are based on the idea that students’ brains are being rewired due to constant digital exposure. He believes this generation is naturally more tech-savvy and has a stronger understanding of the general design and architecture of technology and digital media. Prensky even suggests that digital natives can multitask more proficiently than those who did not grow up with technology.

On the other hand, Jennifer Spiegel believes this is outdated thinking. She argues that tech skills aren’t based on age, but rather on how someone actually uses technology. Early in her article, Spiegel points out that assuming students are tech experts just because of their generation can be problematic. As she writes, “The term ‘digital native’ implies that the native is both comfortable with and adept at using multiple forms of technology. This has been proven by multiple scholars to be untrue and in some cases counterproductive to the learning process” (Helsper & Eynon, 2010; Wong, 2015).

Now, focusing specifically on how both of them talk about youth, it’s very interesting to see how they each believe young people’s brains are wired. Prensky, as I mentioned previously, truly believes that students are naturally more tech-savvy and that they’ve been shaped this way simply by growing up in a world full of digital media. He firmly argues that this generation is fundamentally different from older ones. Spiegel, on the other hand, takes a different approach. She doesn’t assume that youth are automatically skilled just because they were raised around technology. Instead, she focuses on the variety of abilities students may have, using terms like “digital creator” to describe those who might be more technically advanced and who actively use technology to its fullest potential.

I’m definitely on Team Spiegel. Personally, I’m someone who doesn’t really remember life before technology. I was born in 1998. I grew up with tools like the LeapFrog learning pad, had a Facebook account before I turned 11, and got my first smartphone at 13. I’ve always had access to the world at my fingertips. But even with that background, I wouldn’t consider myself a tech expert. For example, I still don’t fully understand how to use all the functions in Excel, and I didn’t feel confident in PowerPoint until much later in my career. There are still a lot of basic tech skills I’ve had to learn as an adult. On a more personal note, I’m awful at typing, I cannot type fast to save my life. However, I rely on voice-to-text for many of my assignments and projects because my typing speed can’t always keep up with how fast my brain moves. Spiegel’s point really resonates with me: just because someone grew up with technology doesn’t mean they’ve mastered it.