My Introduction

My name is Rachel Mercer. I am currently the Coordinator of Instructional Technology for Moss Point Schools. My educational background includes a Bachelors in Secondary Education from USM, a Master’s in Education from William Carey, and now I am back at USM for my Ph.D. in Instructional Technology.
I absolutely love this position and am very passionate about integrating technology in education. I heard about this program while at MECA this year and felt that it was perfect for me and my future goals. I feel that educating students through a medium that is meaningful, relevant, dynamic, and interactive in nature will help nurture the desire to learn within the students.
Prior to taking this position I taught history at the secondary level. I was able to see first-hand how students reacting to the initial infusion of technology as my classroom transitioned from one where notes where presented on a projector to one where we had and interactive white board and a portable pc lab. The integration of these tools allowed me the opportunity to create a more student centered, interactive environment in which the students were able to become researchers and developers. Behavior problems decreased and student engagement increased, and this had very little to do with the teacher and a lot to do with the presentation of the lessons through a medium that the students enjoyed. It is for this reason that I am so passionate about instructional technology. I am very excited to learn new and innovative was to integrate technology into the curriculum.
On a personal level I have been married to an incredible man for the past fourteen years. We have two amazing boys. One is twelve years old and the other is five years old. They keep us both busy and entertained. My interests include reading, socializing with friends and most importantly my children.
I am very excited to be a part of this class and look forward to learning all that I can.