{"id":46915,"date":"2025-05-14T08:42:22","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T12:42:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/?p=46915"},"modified":"2025-05-14T08:42:22","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T12:42:22","slug":"jessica-israel-sta-reflection-25","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/jessica-israel-sta-reflection-25\/","title":{"rendered":"Jessica Israel &#8211; STA Reflection &#8217;25"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 id=\"hello-im-jessica-israelsoontobe-graduate-of-the-college-of-wooster-and-fiveyear-veteran-student-technology-assistant-sta-in-educational-technology\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hello! I\u2019m <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/people\/jessica-israel\/\" data-type=\"itpeople\" data-id=\"12601\">Jessica Israel<\/a><\/strong>\u2014soon-to-be graduate of The College of Wooster and five-year veteran <strong>Student Technology Assistant (STA)<\/strong> in Educational Technology.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What began as an interest in helping friends troubleshoot projects grew into the heartbeat of my college experience. As an STA I have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Guided digital projects<\/strong> for students, faculty, and staff.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Written how-to blog posts<\/strong> and technical tips.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Assisted seniors with formatting Independent Studies<\/strong> so that they meet departmental submission standards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Promoted Ed Tech\u2019s Instagram<\/strong>, curating posts and stories that highlight campus resources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Explored emerging tools<\/strong>\u2014most recently Canva\u2019s web builder and generative AI with ChatGPT.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Alongside day-to-day support, I have <strong>designed and led more than ten workshops<\/strong>. Favorites include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em><a href=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/animate-in-canva\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"42990\">Animate in Canva<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/beginners-guide-to-website-design\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"18942\"><em>Beginner\u2019s Guide to Website Design<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/audacity-workshop-2\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/audacity-workshop-2\/\"><em>Basics of Audacity<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em><a href=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/website-design-in-canva\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"46593\">Website Design in Canva<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Each session sharpened my ability to translate \u201ctech speak\u201d into clear, actionable steps for every skill level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"202425-projects-im-especially-proud-of\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">2024\u201325 Projects I\u2019m Especially Proud Of<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"1-advanced-game-user-interface-design-renpy-instructional-blog-post\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/advanced-game-user-interface-design-renpy\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"45886\">Advanced Game User Interface Design: Ren\u2019Py<\/a><\/em> \u2013 Instructional Blog Post<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ren\u2019Py is a fantastic engine for visual novels, but customizing its interface can be tough for newcomers. I spent weeks experimenting with code, built the sample screen shown in Figure 1.1, and turned my notes into a step-by-step tutorial. Now anyone interested in game development can follow a clear path instead of piecing instructions together from scattered forums. Writing the post deepened my own Ren\u2019Py skills and gave me valuable experience in technical writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"578\" src=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2024\/09\/boba-game-menu-1024x578.png\" alt=\"A game menu picture that has the image of boba tea.\" class=\"wp-image-45893\" style=\"width:856px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2024\/09\/boba-game-menu-1024x578.png 1024w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2024\/09\/boba-game-menu-750x423.png 750w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2024\/09\/boba-game-menu-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2024\/09\/boba-game-menu-1536x867.png 1536w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2024\/09\/boba-game-menu-2048x1156.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Figure 1.1: The sample screen of the main menu in Ren&#8217;py.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"2-website-design-in-canva-student-workshop\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/website-design-in-canva\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"46593\">Website Design in Canva<\/a><\/em> \u2013 Student Workshop<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When I discovered Canva\u2019s website feature, I tested it to see how far a \u201cno-code\u201d tool could go. The answer: far enough to build sleek, mobile-friendly portfolios in a single afternoon. Because many peers were already using Canva for internship and job applications, I created a workshop that walks participants through layout planning, internal links, and publishing. Helping students leave with a live site\u2014and the confidence to update it\u2014was incredibly rewarding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"3-digital-media-bar-animatics-instagram-reels\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Digital Media Bar Animatics \u2013 Instagram Reels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To increase awareness of the Digital Media Bar (DMB), I storyboarded and animated two short videos: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DI_mVskAuj-\/\">one welcoming students to the space<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DJCzUpEPr5D\/\">another outlining the services we offer<\/a>. Posting them as Reels boosted engagement compared with static graphics and gave us data to justify making more motion-based content in the future. The animatics also showcased a new skill set for my portfolio: combining illustration, animation, and concise messaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"skills-gained-and-lessons-learned\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Skills Gained and Lessons Learned<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Teaching &amp; Facilitation<\/strong> \u2013 Developing agendas, pacing live demos, and adapting on the fly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Technical Writing<\/strong> \u2013 Producing clear tutorials with screenshots and accessible language.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Content Creation in Canva<\/strong> \u2013 Posters, short videos, animations, GUIs for games, and full websites.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Animation Basics<\/strong> \u2013 Planning, storyboarding, and timing for social-media-friendly clips.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Leadership &amp; Mentoring<\/strong> \u2013 Onboarding new STAs and guiding them through their first projects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Marketing Mindset<\/strong> \u2013 Tailoring messages to meet students where they are and tracking engagement to refine strategy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These experiences have prepared me to pursue a career that blends digital media, user-focused design, and technology education. I\u2019m grateful for every troubleshooting session, every \u201caha\u201d moment in a workshop, and every chance to see someone\u2019s project click into place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"thinking-about-becoming-an-sta\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Thinking About Becoming an STA?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you enjoy learning new software, solving creative problems, and sharing what you know, <strong>consider joining the STA team<\/strong>. You\u2019ll build marketable skills, contribute to campus innovation, and\u2014most importantly\u2014help your peers bring their ideas to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks for reading and thank you to Educational Technology for an unforgettable five years. I can\u2019t wait to see where these skills take me next!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hello! I\u2019m Jessica Israel\u2014soon-to-be graduate of The College of Wooster and five-year veteran Student Technology Assistant (STA) in Educational Technology. What began as an interest in helping friends troubleshoot projects grew into the heartbeat of my college experience. As an STA I have: Alongside day-to-day support, I have designed and led more than ten workshops. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":46923,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"coauthors":[410],"class_list":["post-46915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sta-reflection"],"acf":[],"gutentor_comment":0,"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772.png",785,902,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772-435x500.png",435,500,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772-768x882.png",768,882,true],"large":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772.png",785,902,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772.png",785,902,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772.png",785,902,false]},"post_excerpt_stackable":"<p>Hello! I\u2019m Jessica Israel\u2014soon-to-be graduate of The College of Wooster and five-year veteran Student Technology Assistant (STA) in Educational Technology. What began as an interest in helping friends troubleshoot projects grew into the heartbeat of my college experience. As an STA I have: Guided digital projects for students, faculty, and staff. Written how-to blog posts and technical tips. Assisted seniors with formatting Independent Studies so that they meet departmental submission standards. Promoted Ed Tech\u2019s Instagram, curating posts and stories that highlight campus resources. Explored emerging tools\u2014most recently Canva\u2019s web builder and generative AI with ChatGPT. Alongside day-to-day support, I have&hellip;<\/p>\n","category_list":"<a href=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/category\/sta-reflection\/\" rel=\"category tag\">STA Reflection<\/a>","author_info":{"name":"Jessica Israel","url":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/author\/jisrael24wooster-edu\/"},"comments_num":"0 comments","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772.png",785,902,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772-435x500.png",435,500,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772-768x882.png",768,882,true],"large":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772.png",785,902,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772.png",785,902,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2025\/05\/IMG_3772.png",785,902,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Jessica Israel","author_link":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/author\/jisrael24wooster-edu\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Hello! I\u2019m Jessica Israel\u2014soon-to-be graduate of The College of Wooster and five-year veteran Student Technology Assistant (STA) in Educational Technology. What began as an interest in helping friends troubleshoot projects grew into the heartbeat of my college experience. As an STA I have: Alongside day-to-day support, I have designed and led more than ten workshops.&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46915"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46973,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46915\/revisions\/46973"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46923"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46915"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=46915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}