Disclosures

I am always suspicious when I hear people invoke "objectivity" -- whether they're scientists or journalists or teachers. I am deeply implicated -- me, Audrey -- in all I write, in all I think. I try my best to be transparent about that. So here's some things that situate my knowledge (and for you, dear reader, to situate me in turn):

Education

I went to public school in Wyoming through 11th grade when I attended a private boarding school in Oxford, England. (My dad's from Wyoming; my mom's from England.) I did not graduate from high school. (The State of Wyoming would not grant me my diploma as I didn't have enough PE credits.) I have an International Baccalaureate instead. The IB was the best education I received in my entire educational career: from kindergarten through graduate school.  I recognize the privilege of private school.

I dropped out of college when I was 19. I had a baby when I was 21. I went back to school eventually and stayed there for multiple degrees. I was widowed when I was 34. I dropped out of a PhD program a year later.

I taught university for almost 10 years. I taught a variety of classes in a number of departments: composition, Folklore, Women's Studies, English, Film, Comparative Literature. During that time, I was a member of the Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation, the labor union representing the University of Oregon graduate students and a local of the American Federation of Teachers. I am no longer a member of either union, as I'm no longer a grad student.

I wrote my Masters Thesis in Folklore on political pranks. This included a chapter on political pie-throwing. Yes, I remain a rabble-rouser. Yes, I laugh at this stuff. Yes, I think it's important.

I worked for the International Society for Technology in Education for (not quite) two years before resigning to become a freelance writer. I have no financial interest in the organization and am not a member.

My 19-year-old son is not going to college.  I'm sorta freaking out -- not because he's not going to college, but because our economy looks so grim for the young, the inexperienced, the un-credentialed.

Economics

I currently write regularly for Inside Higher Ed. It pays me per post. I have freelanced for other publications, including KQED MindShift and The School Library Journal.  I also write for my own ed-tech blog Hack Education, but I have struggled to figure out a way to monetize the site. I won't run ads. I just won't.  (But hey, feel free to donate.)

I've done some research to pay my bills.  I've done some speaking.  I won't do consulting. I hold no stocks in any company. The only investing I do is via crowdfunding. (Does that count? I dunno...)

My partner Kin Lane is also a technology professional, and we've started a business together called Techgypsi.es. The name pretty much says it all.  When people ask where we live, I say "out of a suitcase."  I should add "hopefully near free WiFi and a power source," but always in motion.

Updated December 2012