Pause and Play On
(A Reflection on My Ed Tech Goals)
When I applied to the MAET program I had many goals and reading back through them has made me realize how far I’ve come with this program. I feel that what I wanted to achieve was just what I experienced. From improving my understanding of technology to becoming a technology leader in my school, I can check these goals off my list thanks to the MAET, however, now that my understanding of educational technology has expanded my goals have become more specific.
Learn
When I first learned about the MAET program I had been looking for a practical masters for a long time that I would enjoy being a part of, and I was looking for something that could be useful in any school. That’s just what the MAET was/is offering and I quickly formed my goals. One goal that was nearly undeniable was to improve my understanding of technology available for education through the MAET. Throughout each course I took I experienced technology such as Audacity, Google Drive, Prezi, or Haiku, to name a few. There were also suggestions and opportunities to learn about many other tools through tutorial sites such as with Merlot and as well as several recommended lists of blogs, websites, platforms, and podcasting tools etc. I continue to this day to peruse these lists and explore the new educational technology tools, which are more commonly iPad apps since my school went 1:1 with iPads, however now I am looking at each tool or possibility with a refined eye and from a more critical perspective.
Improve
Other aims/goals I had were to make use of new technologies with a sophisticated approach and to navigate the myriad of technology options more expertly. Along with an abundance of practical methods for application, the MAET program guided me to develop a personal philosophy and stance on technology in classrooms. I have learned a great deal more about educational technology, not only through the courses, but also from ideas and projects that have spun off of the course work and kept me engaged and learning. One such development is an interest in coding, which that came from my Learning Technology Through Design course.
A goal I work towards constantly is to ensure that students are at the center of my classroom. This has never been more true now than before I entered the MAET program. Technology has become a part of my classroom to the point that students are selecting to use iPads for their work independently and with a good understanding, themselves, of the appropriateness of the iPad. It’s no longer a question of whether or not students are going to use iPads, instead it’s a question of, “what is the most effective way for “me” to show my learning?” Which may or may not involve technology. TPACK has become a part of my planning and approach to educational technology and it’s something I readily share with others.
Advance
I also had a goal to become a technology coordinator or curriculum coordinator. After taking the Technology and Leadership course coupled with the Electronic Portfolios course, I found an even greater desire to move from the classroom into a coaching or leadership position. I was presented with the opportunity to coach my grade level as we piloted iPads 1:1 for our school. This along with many of my colleagues approaching me for tech support helped me to be more confident in a leadership position. These opportunities and the MAET courses have set me up to present myself as a leader and to have a good understanding of the type of leader I can be. It is a new goal of mine to obtain a full time technology leadership position and I am actively seeking this goal.
My goals have been met on a level I only dreamed of. The courses and instructors in the MAET have helped me see the possibilities and have only fueled the fire to keep going beyond MSU. A not so distant goal is to keep on this track and aim for the Educational Psychology and Educational Technology (EPET) program.
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