Joining the Program

 

Was enrolling in the Educational Technology Master’s program my first consideration? I’d honestly have to say, no. As many young educators do, I was weighing my options and trying to find a program that would help me in my future career as a teacher and be interesting to me. I have completed my undergraduate degree at Michigan State University (MSU), and I knew I wanted to complete my Master’s through MSU as well. The education I received as an undergraduate and an intern has really prepared me to succeed in my first few years of teaching. I was pointed into the Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) when a colleague of mine was finishing this same course of study. I knew this would be how I continued my education to better myself as an educator and prepare myself for the future of the educational system. However, I was unaware of the impact this program would ultimately have on my educational beliefs and classroom practices.

​

I was shocked at how much this program aligned with what I am currently doing in the classroom as well as what I want to be doing in the future. Admittedly, I had a head start in the concepts addressed in this program because I am in a New Tech and STEM based school. This has allowed me to experiment and learn how to use one-to-one technology with students and use an online learning platform with my students. I went into the program trying to help me become better in the position I currently hold. While this was a goal I achieved during this time, I was able to grow much more than I anticipated. It is also important to understand that having technology readily available to each student is not what the MAET program is all about. This program focuses on the ideals behind technology integration and how to do so in a way that will help students learn effectively.

​

​

Courses that Stood Out

 

One of the first courses I completed, CEP 810 “Teaching and Understanding with Technology,” really inspired me to think differently about technology in the classroom. In this course, I was introduced to the concept of Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK). TPACK is the framework that connects the separate ideas of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledges. While a little silly, I participated in a “cooking with TPACK” activity in which I was given kitchen tools chosen for me and had to complete a task that was decided randomly from a few options. I ended up trying to make a fruit salad using a plate, a small bowl, and a pair of metal tongs. What I learned from this activity was that it isn’t so much about the tools you are given (i.e., technology), but it’s about how you use them. This course taught me to be very intentional with how I include technology in the classroom and how to tie that technology into the content and pedagogical knowledge I already have. I have been crafting my pedagogical and content knowledges. I need to keep those in mind when decided when and how to use technology for learning.

 

When I was in the course, and even after, I went to my principal to ask if I could share some of my new knowledge with my colleagues. I was so excited to learn about this framework, yet it seemed like everyone else should know about it too. I realized that, through various trainings, I had already picked up most of the ideals present in the framework. Going forward, I want to continue attending trainings that challenge my comfort with this framework and make me think about educational technology in innovative ways.

 

In another course, CEP 811 “Adapting Innovative Technology to Education,” I was pushed a little outside of my comfort zone into the role of an innovator or maker. Students in this course were asked to pick a technology to learn about and use throughout the semester and complete various tasks. I chose something called a ‘Makey Makey’ kit that includes the basics (i.e., alligator clips and a circuit board) for someone to create things. I was able to create a piano using empty pop cans and a computer program already shared on the Makey Makey website. I found myself thinking like my students might while navigating this course. There was frustration when I couldn’t figure out how to set it up at first and when the first try didn’t work, but there was also excitement when I did get my pop-can piano to work. I was thrilled to step into the innovator role once I got over the initial anxiousness of something new. This experience made me wonder how I could start incorporating tools like Makey Makey into my classroom and just let my students play around with technology. I learned that my students need to be given the opportunity to work through things, use their hands, and have fun with technologies because that is how they will learn.

 

With both the CEP 810 and 811 courses, I kept track of my learning through a blog. Truthfully, I dreaded the thought of being that person that kept a blog, but I am so thankful I did. Blogging my tasks allowed me to reflect deeply on my own learning. I found myself looking forward to the blogs because I could share with others what I was learning about technology and how I was thinking about using it with my own students. I have even been able to share this with my principal and colleagues so that they can benefit from my learning as well. One of the ideas in the MAET program is learning networks and I believe my blog will serve as a way for me to network with others and see other teaching blogs to help me continue to improve. This will also act as an archive for resources and examples. Just the blog aspect of these classes alone has changed the way I view my teaching job. I have begun to archive more of my work and think more deeply about how I use technology and how I can use it more effectively next time.

 

Another course that stuck with me was CEP 822, “Approaches to Educational Research.” This course surprised me as one that left such an impact. Normally, research is not something I gravitate toward, however, this class was set up in such a way that I was drawn in and truly interested in what I was learning about. My school participates in wall-to-wall Project Based Learning (PBL) (it is required and meant to be integrated among all subjects). Because I was thrust into this use of PBL, I made it my focus for the Research Review Project. I wanted to know if this really was an evidence-based approach to learning or if it was the newest teaching fad. My instructors for this course gave me feedback that allowed me to look into PBL research on all sides of the issue and to make sure the research I was using would be relevant to my circumstances. This was my first experience with research that left me feeling empowered. The first time I felt that what I was doing in the classroom was based on research and was really benefiting my students. I left this course feeling much more confident in my ability to find, and talk about, educational research with my peers and administrators. Moreover, this research course made me think about the responsibility I have to my students to use best practices when teaching them. There will always be new ideas and practices used in the educational system, but research will shed light on which of those are worth class time.

 

The other courses in the MAET program are just as helpful in shaping a future (or current) educational technology leader. Even though I have an online platform for learning in place for my students to use, I have learned about how to create them using free resources such as Schoology or Canvas. This taught me how to improve what I have been using to make the learner experience better for my students. Throughout this entire program, I have been pushed to think from the perspective of the teacher, a parent, a student, and an administrator. I have been challenging my own thinking about how technology should be used in schools. I believe this has made me grow so much as a teacher because I need to think through all aspects of tools and practices, not just technology, before I include it in my classroom.

 

 

How the Program Impacts my Teaching

 

How has this program changed the way I approach my job as a teacher?

 

The first thing that comes to mind is that the MAET program has made me want to become a leader in my school. I have stepped up and asked to take on more roles within my building to help my colleagues think differently. Yes, this program is focused on technology, but the overarching message I have learned is that everything we do for our students needs to be intentional and with their learning in mind.    

 

This program’s courses did more than just help shape me as an educational technology leader, they helped make me better as a well-rounded professional in the education field. I can truthfully say that I am a more reflective and thoughtful teacher after completing this program. Reading books like The Power of Habit have made me rethink how my students act, how I act, and how I react in the classroom. Questioning was also a theme for an entire course which made me stop and realize that asking questions is incredibly important. If I don’t question my practices, I will not be able to improve. I will also miss out on identifying important patterns in my classroom or understanding my students as much as I can.

 

As I step forward into the rest of my career, I have a new goal for myself. Because of my experience in this program, I will choose more carefully when introducing new technologies, concepts, and pedagogical approaches. I know how important each addition to the classroom can be and it is my intention to make a learning environment for my students that is engaging and safe for them to take risks and become makers. It’s also important for students to be able to take risks and create, so I want to introduce things into the classroom that will allow them to use their imaginations. This will require me to be more creative with how I fit technologies into the curriculum, but I think this is necessary for children to keep being curious and excited about learning. Additionally, I have a deeper understanding of how research plays an integral role in new curriculum and practice changes within a school. I will be better prepared to defend practices and tools I use in my classroom because I will be able to do research and give evidence as to why what I am doing works.

 

I have also become more open to the possibility of stepping outside the classroom as a result of the MAET program. There is a position in my district called a Focus Teacher. This position is aimed at helping a school meet the goals of whatever focus the building has. For example, my school is New Tech and STEM, which means our Focus Teacher helps staff with organizing projects and making sure STEM related programs are following the expectations of our grant. This includes going into classrooms and observing teaching to help improve practices and finding and introducing new technologies into the school. I want to be the person that can help make the school better with the knowledge I have acquired while in this program.