The Climb
Synthesis Essay
As technology continues to change and improve, so do my abilities and experiences with it. When it came time for me to decide what I wanted my Master’s degree to be in, I wanted it to be technology based. My first five years of teaching involved a lot of technology integration and experimentation with various online learning tools, but I wanted to learn more. I came across the Master’s in Educational Technology (MAET) program at Michigan State University (MSU) and noticed that there were a lot of options in completing the program such as in person, online, or a combination of both. This was appealing as I would be taking courses at the same time I was working as an 8th grade teacher. I also came across a lot of positive reviews regarding the program, an encouraging sign. I now understand why there are many positive reviews out there. The MAET program has allowed me to grow not only as a technology user and leader, but to improve my craft as an educator in many ways. Of the many takeaways I have from the program, a few stick out in my mind. Thanks to the MAET program, I have learned how to unleash my creativity, be a leader in educational technology, and facilitate online education.
Unleash the Creativity
We are all makers with the ability to create. The Maker Movement was the central theme of one of my first MAET courses, CEP 811: Adapting Innovative Technology to Education. In this course I took on the role of a maker and explored new technologies to create. I used a Makey Makey and a puzzle from a thrift store to create an interactive touch map on the thirteen original colonies. It was very exciting to learn about the capabilities of the Makey Makey and how I might use it with my students. I was able to play with the device and used the program Scratch to write the code that was used in the map. When the touch points on the map were activated, a voice announced which colonial region was touched. Click here for a video explanation of my map. This experience impacted me by showing me the possibilities of creation using technologies like Makey Makey. There are many “kits” such as this that I never knew existed that promote creative learning. Since taking this course, I have been able to help secure eight Makey Makeys to use in the Design and Technology class that I teach. It’s been great to see what my students can create when given the tools to do so.
Another creative opportunity from this course includes my Dream Classroom. Free of financial and space limitations, I was instructed to re-design my learning space. My design is unrealistic in the sense that I doubt a school would ever build such a large classroom, however the space includes a lot of features I enjoy. I based my design on a combination of research and personal experience. There is a large space for teacher directed instruction, a collaborative and technology area, and individual breakout rooms to be used as maker spaces and group activities. After learning about the maker space movement, I was sure to include elements to support this type of creative learning. The website I used to create this dream classroom was FloorPlanner.com. Since completing this assignment, I have gone and used this website in my Design and Technology class for my students to create their Dream Home. This project is a favorite of my students and they stay engaged the entire class period building their homes. If it wasn’t for taking CEP 811, I don’t think I ever would have found this website, or created this assignment for my students. Thanks to this course I now see that I need to provide students with opportunities like this to create.
Collaboration, Leadership, & Research
In the summer of 2019, I chose to take the MAET hybrid course option which met in person on MSU’s campus for two weeks, and then reconvened on campus a few weeks later. The hybrid was composed of three courses: CEP 800: Learning in Schools and Other Settings, CEP 815: Technology and Leadership, and CEP 822: Approaches to Educational Research. These courses were woven together and the content was integrated so it’s hard for me to separate them into singular courses. My hybrid experience was my favorite part of the MAET program because it had a little bit of everything. Collaboration, leadership, and research were some of the major themes of this experience.
I greatly enjoyed the amount of collaboration in our daily activities. Being immersed with other teachers and discussing technology and our craft allowed me to build my personal learning network and gain beneficial knowledge. Each day one of my peers presented “Tech Tips” which included three technologies we could use in our classrooms. We also did group projects, one of them on Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development. For this project, my partner and I designed an experiment to determine which stage of development a child is at. We were able to carry out our experiment on various children that our instructors brought in. It was eye opening to see the children in the different stages of operation. I work with middle school students who are for the most part more advanced in their thinking, however not every student I work with is at the advanced stage. This was a great reminder that some students need things explained in a concrete way because they have not made the jump to abstract thinking. I remember being taught to not use sarcasm with students because not all of them will understand it, but now I understand the stages of development behind that advice.
Another major insight gained from this course was being able to take on the role of a technology leader. My assignment was to act as a technology specialist. I was paired with a first year MAET student and assisted her with integrating technology into her lesson plan. It was a period of growth for me thinking of how to apply technology to a subject area that I was not familiar with. I actually felt like a technology specialist and really enjoyed putting myself in this position. Although this was a relatively short simulation, I am interested in learning more about the role of a technology specialist and may consider a position like that if I encounter one in the future.
The culminating assignment for my hybrid experience was a research paper. In order to prepare us for research, we read Daniel Willingham’s book “When Can You Trust the Experts” and engaged in meaningful discussion around the book. I found myself questioning everything and feel that I’m more prepared to decipher and question sources, a skill that I want each of my students to have as well. As for the research paper itself, I was dreading doing the research and completing the writing process. However, we created an annotated bibliography, something I never did in my undergrad, and this was a huge help to writing my paper. I was able to summarize articles, extract quotes, and basically design the outline for my paper during this phase. Now that I see the benefits of an annotated bibliography, I plan to have my students create one on their future research papers. Most of my students are reluctant to write papers, and I believe this strategy will help them be more interested, willing, and engaged in the writing process.
Online Teaching
Several months ago, I never would have expected to be thrust into an online teaching environment, however due to the events of Covid-19, I finished my school year teaching online. If it wasn’t for CEP 820: Teaching Students Online, I would not have been as prepared for this very different way of teaching. This course allowed me to explore various online learning management systems (LMS) that exist for teaching. I chose Canvas as my LMS and created a realistic course using the features of Canvas. This experience was extremely valuable as it simulated what it was like to teach in an online environment. I learned how to create and organize a lesson online and to incorporate appropriate multimedia to enhance my lessons. Due to this experience, I was more prepared to assist other teachers at my school with the shift to online teaching. I became a designated resource at my school for teacher to reach out to with any questions they had with online teaching.
Big Picture MAET
Outside of these specific courses, there have been many other opportunities that have allowed me to grow throughout the MAET program. One of these areas of growth is in my professional learning network. Before MAET, I had my “go to” people for teaching questions, but I never thought about what my network looked like and my role in that network. The MAET program pushed me to contribute to a greater and more expansive professional learning network. In just about every course, I have written blog posts to share my learnings and have used Twitter to share my thinking with others. Before this program, I never used Twitter and underestimated the power of how Twitter can be used for educational purposes. Taking the time to share and see the work of my peers has shown me the power of what a professional learning network can do.
Another skill that I gained throughout the MAET program is the skill of screen casting. I cannot underestimate the value of this skill. Before starting the MAET program, I had never created a screen cast. Screencastify became my best friend as I have made countless videos for various MAET courses. My friendship with Screencastify continues as I have made many videos for my 8th Graders for online teaching during Covid-19. Screen casts are helpful to my students because they can watch and listen to instructions being explained to them, a method they typically prefer over reading. I also feel it’s more personal to include screen casts of myself and promotes a human connection, something that was missing during online Covid-19 teaching.
An initial goal of me joining the MAET program was to be exposed to new technologies. Not only have I been exposed to a large variety of technologies to use in the classroom, but I’ve explored the philosophy behind technology integration and the role technology should have in schools. This way of thinking was new to me, and I never expected it to impact me the way it has. I have learned the theory of TPACK, which shows how technology, pedagogy, and content work together. Good teaching requires knowledge of all three topics and how they work together and this philosophy was prevalent through all of the MAET courses. I have taken my knowledge of TPACK and have tried to create lesson plans that integrate technology to support content and pedagogy. Technology must be integrated in order to create better learning for my students. Furthermore, technology we use in the classroom should not simply replace a tool, but should enhance learning. It should challenge us and our students to take things to the next level.
All in all, the MAET program has allowed me to expand upon my teaching, technology, and creative skills, while introducing me to the philosophy behind technology in the classroom. I am more aware of the benefits of my professional learning network, and my role in that network. I am happy to have partaken in this program and am grateful for the impact it’s had on my teaching craft.
