Teacher as Architect: Instructional Design and Delivery for the Modern Teacher

In this thoughtful book authors Smith, Chavez, and Seaman define the blueprint for blended learning and curriculum design with a focused and seamless integration of 21st century technologies that better serve 21st century learners. Teacher as Architect Second Edition takes readers on an engaging and enriching journey that:

• Connects the isolated parts of instructional design and delivery into a coherent whole
• Provides a comprehensive guide and the blueprint for blended learning implementation
• Supports the implementation of digital learning systems into classroom practice
• Creates structures for organizing, managing, storing, and collaborating with digital content
• Offers practical, useful tools for teachers to design and deliver highly-effective instruction built to the specs of the Conceptual Age

Dr. Shawn K. Smith is currently serving as a founding partner and Chief Executive Officer of Modern Teacher. Born and raised in the Midwest, USA, Shawn is a former elementary and middle school teacher, assistant principal, principal, director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, and most recently Chief of Schools for the nation’s third largest school system, Chicago Public Schools, USA. For the past 15 years Shawn has served inside four different public education school systems in California and Illinois, USA. He has also taught as an adjunct professor for several universities. He is the author of several articles and has made appearances on both the Discovery and Learning Channels. Shawn holds degrees from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA (bachelor’s degree, elementary education), the California State University, San Bernardino, USA (master’s degree, middle school education), and the University of Southern California, USA (doctorate degree, urban education policy and leadership).

Dr. Ann M. Chavez is currently serving as a founding partner and Chief Academic Officer of Modern Teacher. A native Southern Californian, USA, Ann has 24 years of experience across all levels of public school service. As a teacher and principal, she worked in school districts across Southern California, USA. As a district leader, she most recently served in Chicago Public Schools as the Deputy of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for a regional area on Chicago’s Southside, USA. Ann believes that we find the path to results by providing focused support for teachers and empowering principals as instructional leaders. She uses a practical hands-on approach and brings her daily experience as both teacher and principal as she mentors and coaches today’s educational leaders. Ann focuses on the individual needs of districts and school sites to build the leadership capacity within and empowers them to make strategic decisions that directly affect student-learning outcomes. Ann earned a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from California State University of Long Beach, USA, a Masters of Education in School Administration from Azusa Pacific University, USA, and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership in Urban Schools K–12 from the University of Southern California, USA.

Garrett Seaman is currently serving as a founding partner and Executive Director of Educational Operations for Modern Teacher. He has spent the past eight years as a teacher and school district administrator, studying and perfecting instructional strategies around effectively integrating technology and media. In addition to training students, teachers and administrators on how to best capitalize on the participatory-web, Garrett is versed in: website development, instructional software, educational assessments, and is an expert in understanding how the learner interacts with multiple technologies. Garrett’s ongoing mission has been to continuously re-define effective instructional technology in the modern classroom. Garrett earned his B.A. from the University of Illinois, M.A. from Aurora University, USA and is currently conducting research at Northern Illinois University, USA on how the role of the instructional technologist effectively functions in urban school systems. With the completion of this research he plans to apply this knowledge to both private and public sector technology leadership.