Reflecting back on my time in the Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program, I realize that it was quite different than I had expected, but also so much more. I had expected a program focused on technological resources and how to integrate them into the classroom, but I learned more about how to integrate content, technology, and pedagogy in an effective and purposeful manner. As I reflect on my learning experiences, I also realize that I have found a passion to continue learning about technology in education. I was a child who always grew up enjoying school and thriving on learning new things in all aspects of life. Continuing my education was always a passion that I knew I would pursue and will continue to commit myself to throughout my career as an educator. My goals for future learning focus on continuing to keep in touch with strategies and resources as well as collaborating with my colleagues.
Goal #1: Professional Development
While in college, I attended several local and national conferences and found that I learned so much from other educators in that setting. I always leave professional conferences with a feeling of inspiration and several ideas that I want to implement immediately in my classroom because I know it would improve the learning experience for my students. It is this inspiration that I wish to continue infusing into my practice and remain dedicated to being the best educator I can possibly be for my students. My goal in the future will be to attend at least 2 professional conferences each year to stay up to date on new programs and practices and gain inspiration from others. I have only been to a few conferences since I became a classroom teacher and it is something that I want to commit myself to doing on a regular basis. I plan on attending conferences hosted by organizations such as Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL), International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Association of Middle Level Educators (AMLE), and National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). This school year I attended a conference on Best Practices for Co-teaching and registered to attend the Michigan Association for Middle School Educators (MAMSE) conference in March 2020.
Goal #2: Technology Integration
During the same time that I was working toward my masters degree, my school transitioned to a new science curriculum. A future goal I have that will allow me to implement my learning from the MAET program is to continue altering our new science curriculum to integrate more technology. Our department has identified the lack of technological resources for students and will continue to search for resources to provide more learning opportunities for our students with the use of technology to support their learning. I can serve as a resource for the science department at my school while we are adding new units and adjusting the curriculum to meet the needs of our students. Common Sense Media can serve as a reference point for educators to search for specific tools to meet learning goals. I plan on utilizing this resource to learn about new apps and programs in order to meet student needs.
Goal #3: Sharing My Knowledge with Others
One area that I would like to continue working on is sharing my expertise with others. I have always been someone who assumes others have the same knowledge base, if not more, as myself so I have been hesitant to offer help in regards to technology. One goal I have for myself moving forward, especially after completion of my degree, is to share my experience and resources with my colleagues. This can also be done through my previous goal of working with my department to integrate more technology into our curriculum.
The school I work at implements a "Pineapple Chart" (example pictured below) where teachers can fill in days on a calendar with what they are doing in their class and colleagues can sign up to observe class for the day based on the activity. I will set a goal for myself to sign up at least twice a semester in order to push myself to share my knowledge and also expose my colleagues to resources I have learned about and how they can be used in the classroom.