Carmella Maria Rodriguez

Owner/Instructional Designer/Digital
Storytelling Facilitator, nDigiDreams,
LLC
Practitioner Profile by Weaam
Almuzain

Introduction: little about herself life:

Carmella is from New Mexico and grew up in a small village called Nambé. It
means “People of the grounded Earth” in the Tewa Native American language. Her
entire childhood was spent in foster homes until the age of 17. She became an
emancipated minor and left her second home before she graduated from high school. She
bought her first car for $300, had to learn how to drive overnight, and had to travel over
22 miles one-way every day to get to school so she could graduate.

From her website” My inspiration comes from independence. In my youth I

didn’t realize the importance of what I was experiencing or what I was learning. I
enjoyed the colors of day and the temperature of night. This is where I laughed and
where I played. I identify with simplicity, truth, and balance. If we take, we must
give; if we give, we must receive. And, we always give thanks for what is.”
(http://ilt.ndigidreams.com/reflection.html)

If she had to choose three words that describe herself they would be curious,
compassionate and concerned. Her curiosity has created an innate desire inside herself
to keep learning. Her experience in the foster care system contributes to her compassion
for the world we live in and the people that share it with us. Carmella has an honest
concern to help reduce health disparities for rural and underserved communities
developing health media literacy tools.

Dialogue:

1. I want to know what is your job? what exactly you work in? and why you chose this job?
During the ILT program I created a company called nDigiDreams. It’s a mobile
instructional design consulting company that I operate out of Santa Fe, New Mexico and
Tucson, Arizona. As I entered the ILT program I realized that video could have a great
impact in learning because of the video production and multimedia work I had done in
the past, the Internet, new developments in technology, and the affordability to most
consumers.
 Currently, I conduct digital storytelling workshops with a focus on public health,
education, policy, and cultural preservation. Our cultures, identities, histories and
stories hold enormous strength and beauty. I seek to empower indigenous individuals
and communities with participatory media techniques and tools to realize optimal health
and wellness.

I don’t refer to this as a job, I refer to this as my life’s mission. I have so much fun and
I’m able to see instantaneous positive outcomes. If we listen to ourselves, we are our best
doctors. Digital storytelling helps people journey through a reflective moment in their
lives where they feel empowered to tell their story. In that process they experience a sort
of healing and then afterwards; they start spreading the healing to family members,
communities, tribal councils, and health care providers.

Digital storytelling has brought an opportunity to expand into research, to go from

practice-to-science instead of science-to-practice. I’m observing an urgency to curve the
upswing of disease because we have communities, languages, and cultures that are
becoming extinct.

2. How does your background history affect you to be an expert in learning technology?

Is there really one true expert in learning technology? In my opinion it’s a collective of
people that can create methods and tools that are effective. My personal and professional
backgrounds have both contributed to my skills and ability to be a successful facilitator.
It not only takes skills but compassion and understanding of the person you are trying to
teach.

I carry around an imaginary brown leather saddlebag. It’s a bag that contains all my
life’s experiences and skills I have earned through living and through education both on
the field and off the field. The bag is always full and always has room for more.

3. What is your main goal as a professional in learning technology?

I’m currently creating a 20-year plan to work with indigenous peoples around the world
to improve health and wellness using digital storytelling and other participatory media
techniques and tools. This will involve face-to-face workshops at the location of the
community and on-line.

4. What are the most popular problems that faces people using new media in technology?

I can only speak from my experience teaching workshops. Students that have participated
in my workshops have been from the ages 15 to over 80. In some instances the students
over 80 have needed extra teacher time because they didn’t have a lot of experience with
technology. Elders finish their movies before the younger generation because the
younger students spend too much time surfing the Internet looking for photos. Most
problems that have occurred have been with the hardware or software, mostly software.
In some indigenous communities there is not enough money for them to afford
technology.

5. Can you explain to me (briefly) the steps to become an ILT professional?

Keep up with the trends and how they relate on a broader scale. Always update your
 skills. Learn more about your students and their learning styles. Have respect for your
colleagues, mentors, and students.

6. How does ILT program developed you in your work?

The ILT program really helped me focus on my professional life and gave me skills to be
competitive in the Information and Learning Technology market.

7. What advice can you give to those who are new in this field?

Work hard during the program, follow your dreams and always do what you love.

8. How can you help people become more familiar with the technology and not be afraid to
use it ?

Introduce them to the subject matter first not the technology. Make sure when they start
using the technology they are having fun and are not frustrated. Have patience teaching
them.

Conclusion:

Carmella and me couldn’t meet face to face . We had a good conversation through email.
We talked about ourselves and my country. We expressed our view of ILT program and
how that will bring us to be ILT technologist.

She was very useful for me. I learned a lot from her interview. Her Struggling to achieve
her own company beside the other job. I was surprised of how many projects she create
through her study and work in the same time. Unfortunately, there were no
much time to have long conversation about her experience in true life
instead of study. But I really hope to meet her as soon as we can. She
is a really wonderful women to talk with.