In my day-to-day life, I work as an instructional technology specialist for a rural school district located just outside of Austin, TX.  A fun feature of my job is my freedom to test products.  There are so many educational materials that support learners of all ages acquisition of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  I like to take some of those products and use them as a tool that supports instruction across curricular boundaries.  Imagine that… – You can teach reading and robotics at the same time!  I love my job and as time passes, you will get to know more about the scope of my position.  When you test products that can be used in an instructional setting, you should always make sure it’s kid approved.  There are so many products and online programs, made for kids in a certain age group, that are just no fun or not developmentally appropriate.

This is where Mackenzie comes into the picture.  Mackenzie is a wild curious fifth grader.  She and her family have been great friends for almost 9 years.  Mackenzie is super charismatic, she can compute basic arithmetic in her head, and she’s fearless when it comes to robotics, basic technological applications, and self-growth.  From time-to-time, Mackenzie, and sometimes her older brother, tests products for me.  I trust their opinions and I hope you will come to trust them as well.

Interested in learning more: Critical success factors for new product development in the Hong Kong toy industry