Below is a description of the courses that comprise my Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program at Michigan State University over the past two years. (CEP=Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education)
Summer 2018 |
CEP 810: Teaching for Understanding with Technology
Professors: Debbie McHorney & Mary Wever One of my favorite and most memorable assignments in this course was the "Networked Learning Project." For this assignment, I learned basic HTML code by only watching YouTube videos then used my new skills to develop my own basic website. I developed a 21st century lesson plan for this course which allowed me to determine how to integrate technology in a meaningful and purposeful manner. This course also provided my introduction to the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge) framework.
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CEP 811: Adapting Innovative Technologies in Education
Professors: Melissa White & Rachel Matz Learning about the Maker Movement, especially as a science teacher, was quite an enjoyable experience and this class was very hands-on so I was able to switch modes between teacher and student often. Utilizing a LittleBits kit, I was able to develop lessons where students would not only be building to demonstrate their knowledge, but also covering a topic that can sometimes be abstract for middle school students. Students would not only be able to create their own model, but it would then serve as a tool for them to learn about the causes of the phases of the moon, eclipses, and the seasons. My favorite assignment for this course was using the program SketchUp to create a model of my classroom and then determine which changes I would make to the learning space based on research.
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CEP 812: Applying Educational Technology to Issues of Practice
Professor: Dr. Andrew Steinman I enjoyed reading the book for this course titled, "A More Beautiful Question," which not only taught me about utilizing questioning in the classroom but also about several companies and products who were created because people had asked questions that led them to an idea for a solution. By reflecting on my Information Diet, I realized that especially as someone who believes there are always two sides to a story the information I was being exposed to on a daily basis was not necessary reflecting that belief so I was able to adjust my Information Diet. The Wicked Problem project allowed me to collaborate with peers to determine reasons behind the problem and why it is such a difficult issue to solve. My group attempted to answer the question "Should schools use failure as a mode for learning?" and dug into the research and history behind the idea that only success counts as learning.
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Fall |
CEP 813: Electronic Assessment for Teaching and Learning
Professors: Bret Staudt Willet & Colin Gallagher I intentionally selected this course with a purpose in mind since I was transitioning my assessment practices due to a shift at my school to standards based grading. This course provided an opportunity for me to reflect on what I deemed were important characteristics when developing an assessment that went far beyond wording of questions and format. Developing my Assessment Design Checklist required me to determine what I believe is most important and summarizes it into a document that I can easily use in the future to make intentional decisions regarding assessment. I was able to explore a variety of ways to provide feedback to students and create a game-based assessment, which I believe would be quite impactful for middle school students.
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Spring 2019 |
CEP 800: Learning in School and Other Settings
Professors: Dr. Diana Brandon & Brittany Dillman The most unexpected aspect of this course was the focus on learning outside of school. I think this was the perfect reminder for me about the processes that we go through to learn new skills and be introduced to new information naturally that we could be applying to learning in schools. One of the most memorable assignments in this course required watching several video clips and assessing what type of learning was occurring. Throughout this course I was able to solidify my theories about both learning and teaching by putting them into words.
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Summer 2019 |
CEP 815: Technology and Leadership
Professor: Brittany Dillman This course provided the opportunity for me to learn more about various leadership styles and various ways to approach situations as a leader. I determined my personal leadership philosophy, developed a plan to address thorny issues, and developed my vision as a leader. The most memorable assignment for me was addressing a "thorny issue" since I am not a fan of conflict. This assignment allowed me to determine how I would approach the situation and how I could ensure its conclusion, while remaining true to my teaching style. Developing a professional development (PD) session for this course was the point in the program where I began to contemplate the possibility of pursuing a career as a technology leader in a school in the future.
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CEP 820: Teaching Students Online
Professor: Dr. Anne Heintz As part of my learning process for this course, I developed my own hybrid course for 7th grade students on Canvas covering three modules of an ecosystems unit. I was able to learn more about the Course Management System (CMS) system Canvas and pushed my thinking to determine which assignments could maximize on the in person sessions of the course and which assignments would allow students to utilize technology to both learn the content and demonstrate their learning. Through my research for this course I discovered several technology resources that I have since used with my current students. I had never given online teaching much thought because I enjoy interacting with students so much, but I ended up enjoying developing my course and realizing that a hybrid course could also be an option I could pursue in the future.
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Fall |
CEP 818: Creativity in Teaching and Learning
Professors: Missy Cosby & Swati Mehta I enrolled in this course with the purpose of pushing my thinking about creativity and my ability to be creative. This course flipped my understanding of what it means to be creative upside down and provided many opportunities for me to be creative in different ways in a way that is applicable to my curriculum. The open-ended assignments had me wondering if I had addressed the assignment requirements, but taught me that learning expectations do not have to be so specific and detailed but that there is power in allowing the student the opportunity to interpret the learning goal and demonstrate it in a way that makes sense to them. I gained confidence in my abilities to be creative and learned a multitude of ways in which I can provide opportunities for my students to be creative through my experiences in this course.
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CEP 822: Approaches to Educational Research
Professor: Dr. Michael Lachney This course led me through each section of a research project starting with selecting a topic of interest. The process of approaching the large research paper one section at a time in order to revise along the way rather than attempt to put it all together at the end of the course was very helpful to my learning experience. The question I attempted to answer through my research was regarding teacher perspectives on technology in the classroom and if professional development was a factor specifically at the school I work at. I conducted an interview with a colleague to collect information and reflect on the data. This course challenged me through the process of writing a research paper, but taught me so much about the research process.
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Spring 2020 |
CEP 807: Capstone in Educational Technology
Professors: Dr. Matthew Koehler & Aric Gaunt This course allowed me to reflect on my learning in the MAET program as well as identify future learning goals and ways in which I will apply my learning to my practice as an educator. By developing an online portfolio I was able to reflect on previous assignments and review my learning, which allowed me to start thinking about my takeaways from the program in a more holistic way. Providing peers with feedback and interacting on Flipgrid allowed me to develop my feedback skills and provided so many ideas regarding revisions than if one person had been providing feedback throughout the course, which I enjoyed.
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