Ferdi Serim helps people become more effective in “real life” by incorporating the power of digital learning communities focused on talent development. He has worked in many venues: Board Member of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE); the New Mexico Public Education Department's EdTech Director, Reading First Director, Program Manager for Literacy, Technology & Standards; Board Member of the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), Innovate+Educate, and Education360; director of the Online Internet Institute (OII); Associate of the David Thornburg Center for Professional Development (and jazz musician). Most recently, he has launched CLARO Consulting: Community Learning and Resource Optimization, focused on talent development through knowledge capture and transfer.

Ferdi pioneered the use of the Internet to improve learning, developing one of the first online professional development projects funded by the National Science Foundation. Ferdi has worked with leading national experts to develop online courses that advance understanding of standards based assessment, instruction and grading, and preparing for adoption of the Common Core State Standards. He currently consults with leading organizations, districts and ministries of education focused on transforming learning. He is the author of four books: NetLearning: Why Teachers Use the Internet; From Computers to Community: Unlocking the Potentials of the Wired Classroom; Information Technology for Learning: No School Left Behind, and Digital Learning: Strengthening and Assessing 21st Century Skills, from Jossey-Bass. Ferdi has walked the talk: his students' Internet achievements are documented in the Scientific American, Los Angeles Times, the Learning Channel and other media. Ferdi presents at numerous state, regional and international conferences, conducts staff development workshops and seminars for parents, teachers, school administrators and others involved in systemic school reform, including the US Department of Education, National Science Foundation, Los Alamos National Labs, the Milken Exchange on Educational Technology, the Singapore and Malaysia ministries of education, and others. Ferdi’s favorite credential, however, comes from Dizzy Gillespie, who said he’s a “pretty good drummer.