Teaching the Last Backpack Generation: A Mobile Technology Handbook for Secondary Educators

Dr. Zachary Walker is an Associate Professor with the University College London Institute of Education (IOE) and author of Teaching the Last Backpack Generation.  Zachary serves as the Academic Head of Learning and Teaching for the Department of Psychology and Human Development and leads the Masters in Special Education and Inclusive Education (MASIE) and Masters in International Leadership in Inclusive Education (MAILIE) graduate programs at IOE.  He was named an Emerging Scholar by Think College (2012), a Millennium Milestone Maker by the World Academy for the Future of Women (2015), was awarded the John Cheung Award for the Innovative use of Social Media in Teaching and Learning (2015) and nominated for the Wharton Reimagine Education Awards (2016).  In the last three years, Dr. Walker has worked with educators and policymakers in more than 30 countries on instructional reform, neuroscience, and inclusive pedagogies.

Kara Rosenblatt is an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Dr. Rosenblatt obtained her master’s degree in Special Education, Learning Disabilities, and Behavior Disorders in 2001 from Florida State University and her doctoral degree in Exceptional Education in 2009 from the University of Central Florida. In her current role, Dr. Rosenblatt teaches undergraduate and graduate level special education courses.

In addition to her teaching experience in higher education, Dr. Rosenblatt has experience working within state agencies, collaborating with special education personnel and agencies to coordinate training and delivery of services focused on improving the use of assistive technology, accessible instructional materials, and virtual instruction and assessment. Dr. Rosenblatt’s research interests revolve around technology and learning, with a specific interest in the academic achievement and post high school outcomes of students with disabilities and the use of technology in teacher preparation and professional development. She has facilitated and evaluated professional development projects on the implementation of research-based strategies, parent school collaboration and the legal aspects of special education throughout Florida and Mississippi. She spent five years working with middle school students with behavioral and learning disabilities in Florida and Maryland.

Don McMahon is an Assistant Professor of Special Education Technology at Washington State University in Pullman, WA.   Don received his Doctorate in Education from the Special Education Ph.D. program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.    In addition to his doctoral work, Don attended the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Universal Design for Learning Summer Institute.  His research involves increasing the use of Universal Design for Leaning principles in education, using mobile devices to increase achievement for students with disabilities, and exploring the impact of augmented reality as an assistive technology for students with disabilities.   Don was a special education teacher for 7 years and then became an instructional coach for general education and special education teachers.  Don is a national presenter providing professional development sessions for both general educators and special educators on using mobile devices in education.   He has worked with diverse groups of children as the director of an adventure based summer camp, outdoor educator and sailing instructor, volunteer in Haiti, technology instructor, and teacher at an alternative school.