Wendy Gorton

Wendy Gorton is an enthusiastic Google Certified Teacher, Google Apps EDU Certified Trainer, and lifelong learner. Currently, she is a 5th grade social studies teacher and technology developer in New York City. She has taught 4th graders in Los Angeles, and has been an elementary technology coordinator, a university technology specialist, an online teacher, a curriculum developer, and a research assistant. She is passionate about project-based learning and using technology like Google Apps to open her students up to collaboration and to the world! She is particularly passionate about international education, and was recently based out of India as a secondary technology integrator at an American school. She loves working with international teachers to find out how technology can make learning come alive for their students. She has been a conference and webinar presenter for ISTE and CUE, and she has lead educational workshops in Canada, the US, Jamaica, Austria, Singapore, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic on topics such as Google Apps, iPad applications in the classroom, professional development, curriculum development, project-based learning, grant-writing, and global collaboration.

Her Master's degree is in educational technology. Her research focused on exploring how real-world science projects using technology increase student motivation. She is interested in research experiences for teachers, and has helped bring the world of science and social studies to her students as a NOAA Teacher at Sea, Earthwatch Educator Fellow, PolarHusky Teacher Explorer, National Geographic Challenge Teacher, NEH Fellow, and participant in a wide range of projects - from learning archaeology in Wisconsin, and helping build shelters for sick Tasmanian devils in Australia, to dog-sledding in Scandinavia. She enjoys reaching out and volunteering with international organizations, and currently is collaborating with teacher education projects in Jamaica and Nepal.