Work Experience:

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EDUCATION:

Ph.D. Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dissertation Topic: Uncovering the Hidden Literacies of "Have-nots": A Study of Computer and Internet Use in a Low-income Community. | Abstract |

M.A. Communication Studies, Kent State University, Kent, OH. Thesis Topic: A Test of the Skills Deficiency and Self-efficacy Models to Explain Argumentative Behavior.

B.A. Communication and Political Science, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY. Graduated All College Honors.

Current Position:

Metadata Specialist/Digital Archivist
Penn State Outreach, Penn State University, University Park, PA (2006 to present).
I am working with WPSU and World Campus to understand the digital assets that each group manages (e.g. materials connected to a production or a lesson), the way this fits with their work practices, and the systems that they use to track and organize this material. Some of the questions we are exploring include:
Is there is a way to better manage assets within each unit (both in terms of work practices and technical systems)? What are the benefits?
Can a DAM system be developed that could be used by both WPSU and World Campus?
How can we assign metadata so users can more effectively find (and reuse) assets (e.g. multimedia from a lesson (learning objects) or B-roll from a production)? What standards, tools, and practices should be use?
What opportunities for synergy exist between the units in terms of DAM?

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:

Civic Nexus Project
Postdoctoral Scholar. Computer Supported Collaboration and Learning Laboratory, Department of Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State University, University Park, PA (January, 2004 to August, 2006).
In this project, the research team worked with nonprofits to both understand the challenges of IT adoption in community computing contexts and to find ways of working with these groups so that they can apply IT to their work. I coordinated the research and data collection activities for undergraduates and graduate students working on the project.
Project URL Civic Nexus: http://cscl.ist.psu.edu/nexus/
Development and Validation of Case Study Project
Postdoctoral Scholar. Computer Supported Collaboration and Learning Laboratory, Department of Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State University, University Park, PA (January, 2004 to August, 2006).
In this project, the research team studied how cases can be used to promote learning about usability engineering. I conducted interviews and observations to understand how students and faculty were making use of the case study library. I developed two cases for the case study library: a case involving an online education community (TappedIn) and a case involving a local community organization (Centre County PAWS).
Case Study Library: http://ucs.ist.psu.edu
Community Networking Initiative (CNI)
Research Assistant, Department of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (Spring, 1999 to Summer, 1999).
The CNI is affiliated with Prairienet, a community computer network in the Urbana-Champaign area. Through this project, low-income members of the community receive free computer hardware, software, and training. The research team was involved in evaluating the effectiveness of the training, user support, and all aspects of the project. My dissertation research was based on my involvement in this project.
Project URL: http://www.prairienet.org/

Illinois Digital Library Initiative Project (DLI), Social Science Team
Research Assistant, Department of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (Fall, 1996 to Summer, 1998)
This research group studied how scientists and engineers made use of a testbed containing engineering journals.
Project URL: http://dli.grainger.uiuc.edu/dlisoc/socsci_site/index.html

LEEP Virtual Community Project
Research Assistant, Department of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (Fall, 1997 to Fall, 1998)
This was an NSF funded project that studied a distance education program (LEEP) in the Department of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois.
Project URL: http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/~ruhleder/LEEP/overview.html

"Wired Organization" Project
Research Assistant, Department of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (Summer, 1996 to Spring, 1997).
This research group performed an ethnographic study of a holding company that made use of remote communication technologies to organize their work. The project morphed into the LEEP Virtual Community Project.
Project URL: http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/~ruhleder/thc/thc.html

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

Information Organization and Access
Visiting Lecturer, Department of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Fall, 2003). LEEP Distance Education Course, Master's level course.
Course URL: http://leep.lis.uiuc.edu/fall03/LIS380LEC/
Web Design and Construction for Organizations
Visiting Lecturer, Department of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Spring 2003, Summer 2003). Master's level course
Course URL: http://leep.lis.uiuc.edu/summer103/LIS450LWA/
Web Technologies and Techniques
Visiting Lecturer, Department of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Fall, 2002). Undergraduate level course.
Course URL: http://leep.lis.uiuc.edu/fall02/LIS250w1a/
Libraries, Information and Society
Teaching Assistant, Department of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (Summer, 2002). Master's level course.

Introduction to Communication Technologies
Teaching Assistant, Department of Speech Communication, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (Fall, 1996 to Spring, 1997). Undergraduate level course.
Course URL: http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/c-merkel/spcom199.html

Persuasive Speaking
Teaching Assistant, Department of Speech Communication, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (Fall, 1995 to Spring, 1996). Undergraduate level course.

Public Speaking
Teaching Assistant, Department of Communication Studies, Kent State University, Kent, OH (1992-1995). Undergraduate level course.

COMMUNITY TRAINING EXPERIENCE:

Community Information Technology Workshop (CITW)
I was involved in organizing the first Community Information Technology Workshop (http://learn.centreconnect.org ) in Centre County, PA. In 2005, close to 50 organizations participated in the first conference, which focused on helping community organizations to envision how they might use information technology in their work. We are currently planning the 2006 conference that will focus on creating work plans (strategic planning) to address technology issues in nonprofit organizations.
Project URL: http://learn.centreconnect.org
P.S. U Vote - Pennsylvania Governor's School of Information Technology
In summer 2004, I co-taught a course for high school seniors who participated in the Pennsylvania State Information Technology Governor's School. This course was focused on teaching students how to install and configure a content management system (PostNuke). Students worked with a bipartisan Penn State student organization (P.S. U vote) to build a web site to encourage voting in the 2004 presidential election.
Web Design for Non-profits
In 2004, I worked with CentreConnect and the Schlow library to create a course designed to teach nonprofits how to design and maintain an organizational website using FrontPage.
Community Networking Initiative (CNI)
Curriculum and Instruction Coordinator, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL
Responsible for planning adult computer and Internet training classes for the Community Networking Initiative (CNI ) project, an outreach effort of Prairienet (http://www.prairienet.org). Prairienet is a community computer network affiliated with the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois. Through this project over 750 low-income families received free computer/Internet training, Internet access through Prairienet, and refurbished computers.
 

PAPERS:

Merkel, C.B., Rosson, M.B. & Carroll, J.M. (submitted, 2006). Using cases to teach usability engineering: Designing the Tapped In case study. Submitted to INNOVATIONS 2006: World Innovations in Engineering Education and Research (INEER Special Volume). International Network for Engineering Education and Research.

Farooq, U., Merkel, C.B., Xiao, L., Nash, H., Rosson, M.B., and Carroll, J.M. (2006). Participatory design as a learning process: Enhancing community-based watershed management through technology. Environmental Communication Yearbook, III, In Press.

Merkel, C. B., Clitherow, M., Farooq, U., Xiao, L., Ganoe, C. H., Carroll, J. M. & Rosson, M. B. (2005). Sustaining computer use and learning in community contexts: Making technology part of "who they are and what they do." Journal of Community Informatics, 1 (2). Available from http://ci-journal.net/viewarticle.php?id=53&layout=html

Merkel, C. B. (2005). Beyond deficit models of technology use: Viewing "have-nots" as active technology users. To appear in Internet Research Annual: Selected Papers from the Association of Internet Researchers Conferences (AOIR) 2003, Volume 2, New York: Peter Lang Publishing Group.

Merkel, C. B., Xiao, L., Farooq, U., Ganoe, C. H., Lee, R., Carroll, J. M., & and Rosson, M. B. (2004). Participatory Design in Community Computing Contexts: Tales from the Field. In Proceedings of the eighth conference on Participatory design: Artful integration: Interweaving media, materials and practices - Volume 1 (PDC 2004). ACM Press, New York, NY, pp.1-10.

Mehra, B., Merkel, C., & Bishop, A. P. (2004). The internet for empowerment of minority and marginalized users. New Media & Society, 6 (6), 781-802.

Bishop, A., Neumann, L., Star, S., Merkel, C., Ignacio, E., Sandusky, R. (2000). Digital libraries: Situating use in changing information infrastructure. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 51 (4), 394-413.

Merkel, C. B. (1999). Folkloristics of educational spaces: Material lore in classrooms with and without walls. Library Trends 47 (3), 417-438. | Abstract |

PRESENTATIONS

Xiao, L., Merkel, C. B., Nash, H., Ganoe, C., Rosson, M. B., Carroll, J. M., Shon, E., Lee, R., & Farooq, U. (2005). Students as teachers and teachers as learners. Accepted at the Hawaii International Conference On System Sciences (HICSS 38), January 3-6, 2005, Big Island, Hawaii.

Farooq, U., Merkel, C., Nash, H., Rosson, M. B., Carroll, J. M. & Xiao, M. (2005). Participatory design as apprenticeship: Sustainable watershed management as a community computing application. Accepted at the Hawaii International Conference On System Sciences. (HICSS 38). January 3-6, 2005, Big Island, Hawaii.

Merkel, C.B., Clitherow, M., Carroll, J., & Rosson, M. (September, 2004). Sustaining Computer Use and Learning in Community Computing Contexts: Making Technology Part of "Who They are and What They Do". Paper presented at CIRN 2004: Sustainability and Community Technology, September 29 to October 1, 2004. Monash University, Prato, Tuscany, Italy.

Merkel, C. B. (2004, October). The Civic Nexus Project: Putting community computing in context. Paper presented at the meeting of the Association of Internet Researchers (AOIR) Conference, Sept 19 - 22, 2004. University of Sussex, UK.

Merkel, C. B. (2003, October). Beyond deficit models of technology use: Viewing "have-nots" as active technology users. Paper presented at the meeting of the Association of Internet Researchers (AOIR) Conference, Toronto, Canada.

Merkel, C. B. (2003, September). Uncovering the technology literacy practices of "have-nots": Community and home-based use in low-income communities. Multiliteracies: The Contact Zone. Paper presented at the meeting of the Association Internationale de Linguistique Applique (AILA), Ghent, Belgium.

Merkel, C. B. (2002). Ethical aspects of researching technology "have-nots." Computers and Writing Conference 2002. Bloomington-Normal, IL, May 17, 2002.

Merkel, C. B. (2002). Bridging the technology gap: Bringing technology to people's homes and communities. Post-WCAR: Reviving the Dialogue for Africans and African Descendents. 5th Annual Graduate Student Conference on African and African Diasporic Issues. Champaign, IL, February 23, 2002.

Merkel, C. B. (2000). Outreach and community involvement: Prairienet. Community Network Technology Conference: TeleCommunity 2000. Austin, TX, December 11, 2000. (Presentation slides available at: http://www.prairienet.org/~merkel/austin/)

Merkel, C. B. & Bishop, A. P. (2000). Prairienet: A sociotechnical infrastructure for community knowledge networking. Global Community Networking: Building an Internet for Citizens. Barcelona, Spain, November 3, 2000.

Merkel, C. B. (1999). Access and training in low-income communities: Community networking initiative. Community Technology Center Network (CTCNet) Conference. Chicago, IL, June 18, 1999. (Presentation slides available at: http://www.prairienet.org/~merkel/ctcnet1999/)

Merkel, C. B. (1999). The internet: A resource for creating an inclusive classroom. Parkland College Workshop. Champaign, IL.

Merkel, C. B. (1999). Approach to and lessons learned in training the public. Alliance Library System (ALS) Workshop, Canton, IL, April 21, 1999.

Merkel, C. B. & Kist, W. R. (1998). Integration of technology: Unplanned conversations. Presentation to the College Reading Association (CRA), 42nd annual conference, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, November 6, 1998.

Bishop, A., Merkel, C. B., Caroline, J., & Camp, S. (1998). University/community collaborations: Technology for the disadvantaged. Presentation to the College Administrators Conference, Urbana-Champaign, IL, October 15, 1999.

SERVICE:

  • Editorial Board, International Journal of Educational Technology (IJET), (http://www.outreach.uiuc.edu/ijet/)
  • Program Committee Designing Interactive Systems (DIS 2006)
  • Review of Papers: Information, Communication & Society Journal, International Journal of Educational Technology (IJET), Computer Supported Collaborative Work Journal (CSCW), Designing Interactive Systems (DIS) conference, Journal of Community Informatics, New Media and Society Journal, International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) Conference, Community Informatics Research Network conference, Interacting with Computers Journal.

AWARDS:

  • Inducted into Beta Phi Mu, International Honor Society for Library and Information Science, 2003
  • Incomplete List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students (2002, Fall semester - LIS250W1A)
  • Invited to Participate in the ASIST/SIG ED Doctoral Seminar on Research and Career Development (November 18, 2002). ASIST conference, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Berner-Nash Award (2002), Outstanding Dissertation, Department of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois.
  • Fellowship (1999-2001), Department of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois.

ORGANIZATIONS:

  • American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST)
  • American Library Association (ALA)
  • Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR).