While working towards my masters degree, I didn't always realize how privileged I was to be accepted into the Master of Arts in Educational Technology program at Michigan State University. Now that I have looked back on this journey, I can see how hard I have worked, the ways I have changed, and how much stronger of a teacher and leader I have become. When the opportunity to receive my master’s degree surfaced, I had no idea what I wanted to learn more about. After conferring with family and friends and realizing what the future of our world might look like, I decided to delve more deeply into educational technology. I truly believe technology is driving our future. As a teacher, this thought encouraged me to seek out more resources and strategies about technology in the world of education. When looking back at all the classes I have taken, I specifically feel that CEP 820: Teaching Students Online, CEP 8:17 Learning Technology Through Design, and CEP 807: Capstone Seminar have given me the resources and tools to reach the goals I wanted to achieve through this journey.
CEP 820: Teaching Students Online
During my time in Cep 820 I was introduced to many different online platforms. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring Canvas, Weebly, See Saw, etc. to learn how to bring those tools to my virtual second grade classroom. I loved that we created online lesson plans that I could actually use in my career. This class made me realize that I would not be doing my job if I simply put other scholars on a computer screen and had the technology do the teaching. Technology is an important tool, but whether my students succeed or not depends on me and how I use that technology in their best interests. I realized how technology can be an active tool in the classroom, but it isn't a babysitter. As a teacher, I can use technology to create interactive lessons in which scholars can collaborate and engage with each other. I learned how to take brick and mortar lesson plans and turn them into virtual lesson plans. This class was also the first class to teach me about Universal Design for Learning. "A teaching approach that works to accommodate the needs and abilities of all learners and eliminate unnecessary hurdles in the learning process" (UDL, 2022). When building lesson plans, I have learned how extremely important it is to consider the categories from UDL and how to best incorporate them.
My entire understanding of design has changed through this journey. I used to think design was merely about how a product looked, and I would ask myself, was it aesthetically pleasing? Today I know that there is so much more that goes into the design process. Specifically, I was able to learn about the Stanford Design process. Not only did I learn about what each part of the process was, but I experienced each step with hands on activities.
I was able to use new technological platforms such as Padlet in which I created a project to dissolve the screen in my online classroom. I focused on how to create a sense of community in the online world. I never would have had this experience without this program. Now I feel confident in my abilities to create an atmosphere, whether in person or online, in which my scholars are able to interact with each other and build relationships with their peers in a positive and safe environment. This activity was meaningful and relevant to my career. It turned into a product that I used in my classroom and will continue to use for years to come. This course also had many activities that challenged me to problem solve in many ways. Having completed it, I feel that I am ready to tackle new problems I will face in the future.
CEP 807: Capstone Seminar
Moving forward, one of my goals is to position myself as a technology leader in my school. I would love to see other teachers look to me for advice on how to integrate technology into their classrooms. This course set me up to create an online portfolio showcasing all that I have learned in my masters program. My online portfolio that showcases my design style and previous work will be of great benefit going forward as an educator. I can show this to future employers, parents, peers, and scholars. I have become extremely familiar with Weebly and have learned how to take my website to the next level by adding links, videos, and pictures. I feel confident in my abilities to lead others in my career who may also aspire to use technology in the classroom.
Now that I am at the finish line graduating with a master’s degree from Michigan State University, I am so proud of myself. I feel that I have truly developed as a person and as an educator on this journey, and I couldn’t thank MSU and all of my professors enough. I am so thankful that they were invested in me and worked so hard to help me to succeed. There were many moments where I felt like I wanted to just give up, but with the help of each professor, friends, and family, I was able to finish what I started. Now I feel on top of the world! I don’t take my education for granted because I realize how much I have learned and how much I have changed. I am very marketable in this career and am so lucky that I can go anywhere in the world to do what I love. Through my master’s program, I have acquired a very practical skill set that I will be able to use in my classroom for the rest of my life. I know that I have been changed, “For Good.”