Nicholas Balderas
Nicholas Balderas
Doctoral CandidateCurriculum and Instruction - Educational Technology
Expected Graduation:
Contact: nicholas.balderas01@utrgv.edu
Biography
My name is Nick Balderas and I am starting my fourth year as a doctoral candidate in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Educational Technology here at UTRGV. I am a local from Edinburg and I have attended this university since before the merger in 2015; UT-Pan American. Currently, I work in educational technology, where I support students, faculty, and staff in navigating learning management systems and a variety of third-party tools. I'm mostly trying to solve technical issues, helping them use technology for the first time, or helping set up their course for the semester.
Research Interest:
Learning has always felt like an exclusionary process as a latino growing up in the Rio Grande Valley. As a child I was very troubled and had difficulty learning. I was often in trouble for not sitting still, unable to keep my hands to myself, and having a lack of focus. My research interests focus on trend research in educational technology and curriculum development that is inclusive to a multicultural, multilingual, first-generation educational institution. As a futurist working in the educational technology space, one goal for my department is to anticipate changes, understand system-level influences, and think about design that is ethically sound, inclusive, and future-ready. This is all related to content development and course design. But today we have a broader range of choice when it comes to technology use in the classroom, and this includes artificial intelligence (AI). The inclusion of trend research can ensure that our institutions are being socially responsible, culturally relevant, legally compliant, and future-ready when choosing a product to support learning.