Lynda.com Video: Women in STEM

This short film profiles inspiring examples of women who got their start, and found their calling, in STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics.

It features Sheeri K. Cabal, database admin at Mozilla and author of the popular OurSQL podcast; Jess Stratton, lynda.com author and the founder of Solace Learning; and Peggy Fisher, professor of computer science at Penn State and leader of several tech-focused after-school programs for disadvantaged youth.

Here Sheeri, Jess, and Peggy talk about the key factors to their success (confidence, community, and curiosity), and the ways they’re encouraging more students to enter STEM.

http://vimeo.com/107201940

 

The video includes my friend Jess Stratton who you may know from the IBM/Lotus world and who is now a Lynda.com staff author. The video also includes photos of Gab Davis, Kathy Brown, and many others of the “Nerd Girls”. It’s a “must watch” video.

Watch it now >

Classes I am Teaching at Clark College this Fall

For the Fall Quarter I will be teaching the following courses at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington:

  1. CTEC 121 (class full): Intro to Programming and Problem Solving (Python) – 5 credits
  2. CTEC 122 (class full): HTML Fundamentals (HTML/HTML5/CSS) – 4 credits
  3. CTEC 122 (seats available): HTML Fundamentals. This class will be for the Vancouver Public Schools iTech Program at Washington State University (HTML/HTML5/CSS) – 4 credits
  4.  CTEC 126 (seats available): JavaScript – 5 credits

If you are interested in taking any of these classes please let me know.

Congratulations Chris Martin

At the Clark College graduation ceremonies in June, Chris Martin was awarded the “Exceptional Faculty Award“.

The Clark College Exceptional Faculty Awards are presented annually to full-time and part-time faculty members in recognition of exemplary work performance, positive impact on students, professional commitment, and other contributions to the college. Nominations are submitted by Clark College students, faculty, classified employees, administrators, alumni, Board members, and Foundation directors. The awards are made possible through an endowed trust fund established by the Washington State Legislature and the Clark College Exceptional Faculty Endowment Fund, which was established in 1993.

Please join me in congratulating Chris on his award. This award is the highest accolade the college awards to instructors.

Congratulations Chris!

More >

 

And I’m Off to Lynda!

Today I am flying down to Carpinteria, California to record the “Up and Running with IBM Connections” video learning series for Lynda.com. The current course outline has some 35+ videos covering, Profiles/People, Communities, Files, Activities, Blogs, Ideation Blogs, Forums, Status Updates and much more. I will be returning on Saturday, August 9th. Let the fun begin!

If you are interesting in a free 7 day Lynda.com trial, you can start right here.

Seven Microsoft MTA’s Completed

Earlier this week I completed my seventh Microsoft Certified Technology Associate (MTA) exam. The test was the “HTML5 Application Development Fundamentals (Exam 98-375). This exam focussed on the following:

  • Managing the Application Life Cycle
  • Building the User Interface by Using HTML5: Text, Graphics, and Media
  • Building the User Interface by Using HTML5: Organization, Input, and Validation
  • Understanding CSS Essentials: Content Flow, Positioning, and Styling
  • Understanding CSS Essentials: Layouts
  • Managing Text Flow by Using CSS
  • Managing the Graphical Interface by Using CSS
  • Understanding JavaScript and Coding Essentials
  • Creating Animations, Working with Graphics, and Accessing Data
  • JavaScript Coding for the Touch Interface, Device and Operating System Resources, and More

Here is a list of the MTA’s that I have completed the last few months:

  1. Microsoft Technology Associate: HTML5 Application Development Fundamentals, July 17, 2014
  2. Microsoft Technology Associate: Networking Fundamentals, June 18, 2014
  3. Microsoft Technology Associate: Security Fundamentals, June 11, 2014
  4. Microsoft Technology Associate: Database Administration Fundamentals, June 09, 2014
  5. Microsoft Technology Associate: Web Development Fundamentals, June 09, 2014
  6. Microsoft Technology Associate: Windows Operating System Fundamentals, June 04, 2014
  7. Microsoft Technology Associate: Software Development Fundamentals, February 25, 2014

Next up is the .NET Fundamentals exam.

Chris Lema: Getting the first two minutes of your talk right

As with anything, writing or speaking is something you get better at over time. The more you do it, the calmer you get, the more muscle memory you have, and ultimately, the faster you can get things done.

But when it comes to speaking, I notice that there are people who’ve been speaking for years and they continue to make a classic mistake every time they start a talk.

Don’t get me wrong – it’s not a horrible mistake. But it’s done so often, by so many people, that it’s easy to not think of it as a mistake.

More >

Video Training for IBM Connections

I’m happy to announce that I have been hired by Lynda.com to author a video series entitled “Up and Running with IBM Connections”.  I have been collaborating with IBM’s Luis Benitez on this effort and he has been great to work with. My producer at Lynda, Jonathan Sears is awesome as well. I have to say that the experience has been amazing. A huge hat tip also to my friend Jess Stratton for hooking me up with Lynda.com and for being an amazing coach and resource. Stay tuned.

Interested in a 7 day free trial of Lynda.com? Click on the image below to get started.

7-day free trial