My desire is to see students around the world involved in learning that is personal, relevant and meaningful.

I'm a passionate advocate for learning that matters, and because of this, I started an education society called OliveUs. Our InStill Life program enables students to create real change in the world by issuing microloans to farmers around the world, while at the same time, seeing how the math, science, art, technology and language arts that they are learning supports and interconnects into a real-world project.

I would like us to consider young learners not as students in a classroom, but as citizens of the world, and with that respect, to offer them participatory, engaging explorations.

My book and workshop, The Director in the Classroom, looks at how to integrate filmmaking in the classroom as a vehicle for content exploration, skill development and most importantly, connection to community, family and self.

My Mattering workshops explore engagement and relevance in learning and helps educators take what they are currently teaching and move it towards a richer experience for student and teacher alike.

I speak about these examples and visions of Creating Media That Matters and of Mattering at conferences around the world and then work with schools, districts and learning organizations to help them move their instructional design and teacher development towards a learning experience that is formed by engagement and purpose. Here's some organizations I work with.

I also want the organizations and businesses in our communities to matter, and so I work with them through my Thinking Like A Film Director strategic planning facilitation.

I enjoy storytelling and am currently working on a project called "Why Do Greeks Break Plates?", through podcasts, photo essays. I'm also slowly going through my collection of Cretan musicians that I have videotaped and sharing them online.

Education is transforming, there is beautiful evidence of this all around the world, and I am proud to add what I can to the metamorphosis that is underway.