Resume
David T. Russo
Education/Credentials
➢Master of Arts in Educational Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (2021 – 2023) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
➢Bachelors of Science in Education Adolescent to Young Adult Education (7-12) with a specialization in Integrated Social Studies University of Dayton – Dayton, Ohio 2009-2014
Work Experience
Virtual Reality Research and Development Intern, Lenovo [2022 – Present]
- Developing a comprehensive 360-degree video database as a free resource for for K12 educators on Lenovo’s Immersive Learning Hub (ILH).
- Streamlining metadata synchronization between the 360-degree video database and ILH using AI and Python.
- Collaborating with the immersive education product managers to conduct market research and generate industry reports to identify opportunities for future partners.
- Designing lesson plans and templates for educators to effectively integrate VR technology in classrooms, utilizing best practices and pedagogy
Civics, American History I, Civics and Economics Teacher, Wake Forest High School [2019-Present]
- Designed curriculum for new North Carolina Civics course using latest pedagogy and academic research such as cognitive load theory, motivation and engagement, active learning, and multimedia design principles
- Built relationships with the Wake Forest Community as a member of the Family and Community Engagement Committee and provided insights into the school website design to increase awareness of school events
- Restructured classroom environment to better meet the needs of students while teaching in a virtual and blended environment due to Covid-19
- Created new strategies for student revision and scaffolding to adjust for new, digital student-teacher interactions
- Worked with parents and school staff to design, adjust, and implement Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students with special needs
- Used new resources for digital learning and communication such as Talking Points to allow for better communication between parents and students during virtual learning
American History II, AP Human Geography Teacher, Garner Magnet High School [February 2019-June 2019]
- Worked with Professional Learning Team to plan American History units using the International Baccalaureate Program standards and template
- Incorporated student chosen topics for each unit to increase student engagement and relevance
- Assisted students with creating digital portfolios to display knowledge using Google Suite programs
- Completed training to become Google certified
- Students completed project performance tasks to connect knowledge to real-world scenarios and current events
- Assistant coach for GMHS lacrosse team
World History Teacher, Cary High School [August 2018-January 2019]
- Classes achieved a 9% mean increase on exam scores following test-taking and memorization skills lessons.
- Utilized data from Gradecam, formative assessments, and observations to adapt instruction and classroom management to improve classroom efficiency
Conference Presentations
- Russo, D. (2023, March 13-17). A Visual Framework for Incorporating Graphics into Instructinal Design [Best Practices]. Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference, New Orleans, CA, United States.
- Cherner, T., & Russo, D. (2022, April). An analysis of platforms for creating augmented reality: Identifying functionalities and offering implications for teaching and learning. Brief paper presented at the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education Conference, San Diego, CA.
- Russo, D. (2022). A Process for Preparing AR Content to Create a Learning Experience. In E. Langran (Ed.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 2071-2074). San Diego, CA, United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/220994/
References available upon request