I have come to information technology in a relatively typical manner. I have always had an interest in the simplicity of a message created through the complexity of the process. Entering into the IT field from design/photography, I was overwhelmed by the obscurity of the computer language. I have a desire for things to be more refined. While I found the early years of the Internet to be vast landscape of information, I also felt that the delivery should be more graceful and accessible.

While I have grown savvier implementing software systems, a sense of fear has grown as well. I fear I will begin to loose sight of my desire to make Internet based applications more approachable, hence my interest in HCI. I have the desire to draw upon skills in design, programming, and HCI to make things that communicate and work better.

Computer mediated communication has been a central topic in my work for Online Learning here at RIT. I have realized that I can possibly help make a difference in that way people learn though computer interaction. My interest in CMC related to work stems from the same interest I have in HCI, I want to see more effective tools for teaching. I have the overwhelming sense that current course management systems, and for that matter most teaching tools, are not designed for teaching but are rather corporate tools modified in an attempt to support the academic domain. I feel that thorough understanding of CMC will allow me to more actively participate in a dialogue that will hopefully lead to improved systems for teaching and learning.