In the summer of 2009 I began on a road not knowing where it would take me. When I first started in the Educational Technology program I was unsure how far I would go into the masters program. I needed some credits to continue my certification and I knew I was interested in educational technology. Knowing I needed to meet state requirements and after taking a few courses I realized I really enjoyed what I was getting myself into and decided to move ahead into the masters program. I decided to take the online route with the program because of my hectic schedule which included: teaching three to four different preps, coaching two varsity sports, getting married, running a school store, buying a house, and going into my third year of teaching. With a goal in mind to learn more about technology use in the classroom I jumped in full speed ahead, taking at least one course every summer and spring. I knew I could continue to grow and learn as a young educator and improve my classroom, lessons, and units for my students. By taking the courses I chose, I learned a lot about myself as a person, teacher, coach, and coworker. I became more confident, capable, and sensible when applying new technologies to my teaching methods. This is a road I am glad I chose for myself and a trip I would like to share with you.
Though there were frustrations along this road that was my masters program, I can honestly say that I have learned at least one thing, more than that in most classes, that I continuously use in my career as a teacher in every single class I teach. The quality of the MAET is second to none! The program, professors, and classmates I came into contact with impacted how I view technology, learning, reading, writing, and many other aspects of education.
THE COURSES
Starting with CEP 810 and 811 in the summer of 2009 I was a bit nervous about online learning, "tough masters classes," and finding time to complete all of the work. With both courses only being eight weeks, I learned that I could do this and I began looking forward to what was next. In CEP 810, I learned to work through some frustrations of working in groups with others all the while not being in contact with them other than through the Internet (e-mail, Google Docs, etc.). This was a struggle for me but it also made me a better student, learner, and teacher. From this course I took some ideas that I use in my own classroom. I now utilize Moodle on a daily basis in my Computer Applications classroom to help organize how our class is run. Something else I have taken from CEP 810 and Carolyn McCarthy was how important technology is to our education today, whether it be the grade book, a course management system, or using presentation software. These experiences and ideas are things I will not forget and will continue on my winding road into the future.
Taking CEP 813 in the Spring of 2012 I was able to learn about myself, my web presence, and how to expose my students to showcasing their work. Using Google Docs, I created a website (or e-portfolio) about myself. This was an experience that I found to be very intriguing and was a time for me to learn a lot about myself and who I am as an educator. About six years previous to this I created my first portfolio, something I still hold onto and refer back to from time to time. But by creating this e-portfolio where I could showcase myself, my classroom, and my student's work, I was able to capture who I am six years later and how much I have changed and adapted to my settings, whether it was curriculum, classes taught, or technology. I also realized the importance of putting students' work out on the web for others to see and for them to showcase their talents. I did this with my Computer Apps. II students and it was a great experience for them and also for me. They dabbled in web design and they were able to find ways to demonstrate some of their best work for my class and also for others. By figuring how I could design an e-portfolio and display my work, I was able to do this with my students and stress the importance of showcasing themselves to the world.
Lastly, in CEP 820 I discovered many new technologies that can be used in education. I have continued to use many of these tools for my personal use and in my classroom. Software and tools such as Screencast, Blogging, Moodle (and other Course Management Systems), Excel, PowerPoint, and Word were all used in multiple ways to enhance learning for students. I still use many of these tools today and actually one of my favorite lessons for my Computer Apps. classes was designed during CEP 820. Using Excel, students create a spreadsheet on buying new cars. The students really enjoy researching car prices, finding interest rates, taxes, and title and license fees. Once they find this information they put it together in a spreadsheet and see how much it really costs to buy a new car. By incorporating Word, I have them find a picture of each car they researched (three total) and put them with their spreadsheet on this document. They then turn in the final Word document on Moodle, which was also developed during this course. Without CEP 820, I could say I never would have experimented with Moodle and used it to create something that has made my students and my own life so much simpler.
LEARNING ABOUT LEADERSHIP
After taking a few classes and learning about using technology in my classroom I began to share some of my ideas with others in my department and even in my building. I then talked to my principal about a possible in-service about sharing some of the technologies I had learned in the MAET program. By taking CEP 815 in the summer of 2011 I felt confident I could do this. In the fall of 2011 I spent an hour during a staff meeting teaching the staff at my high school and our alternative education school about the features of programs and software, specifically Moodle, Google Earth, Prezi, and the Khan Academy. I also discussed the issue we were always discussing as a class about not keeping the monkey on your back and getting things taken care of when necessary. As educators, I have learned that we all have the monkey at some point in time, whether it appears on us or it is passed on to us. We must find a way to get the monkey off our back and find a way to work together as a staff to eliminate monkeys all together. Though this sounds crazy, it was a great analogy of stress and issues that build on us and we pass them off to a peer, administration, a tech person, or somebody else but we must learn as a whole to eliminate these problems together in a reasonable amount of time to help everyone.
Also, as I have become a leader with technology in my school and district, I have taken more time to become an active learner and I am constantly trying new things with technology. I am a committee with one other teacher from my school and we communicate (through Moodle) with other teachers in the district about the different technologies we are using in our classrooms and buildings. Some of the things we have discussed lately have included Interactive Whiteboards, iPads, podcasting, and blogging questions for different subject areas. I am also on the technology committee in my building with a few other teachers. Though we only met twice last year, we discussed some new technologies to purchase, to test, and where our school is going in terms of online instruction. Without CEP 815 and the other MAET courses, I would have struggled to find myself as a leader not only for my building but also for my district.
BUMPS IN THE ROAD
Throughout the process of the MAET program, I have had my fair share of bumps and potholes on this road. First of all, the workload was not too much but there were times I sacrificed my family, classroom, coaching, and other priorities to complete work for certain courses. I am partially to blame for putting things off or taking two challenging courses in one semester. There were times of frustration and anger towards the computer for issues when dealing with programs, software, or even internet outages. Through this, I have learned how to persevere and overcome to complete the necessary work to be successful in this program. Without this challenge I do not know where I would be as a person or an educator. I feel that as my road continues to wind, I have gained tremendously in many different facets of education and technology. There will be other bumps in the road and my road will continually wind but I know I can continue to push and challenge myself through anything now.
ANOTHER BEND IN MY ROAD
Where does my road go from here? That is a question I continue to ponder and wonder about myself, my career, and my classroom. I am happy where I am now but I know that I can continually be learning, improving, and questioning as an educator. Though this road with the MAET program is beginning to come to an end, I want to take my experiences, lessons, ideas, and everything I have learned with me into my future as an educator. This program has helped me become a more successful and prepared educator who is constantly learning and trying new things. I have become a better guide for my students and I feel this has helped me gain respect throughout my building by both the students and the staff.
My first year teaching at my current location brought me things I was comfortable with such as overhead projectors, instructional manuals for the students to follow in Computer Apps., poster board projects, and only two computer labs of 25-30 computers each and this was only five years ago. Since then we have passed two bonds that have allowed just in my building so many new technologies that have improved teaching and learning tremendously. We have seen some of the following: projectors in every classroom, surround sound systems with teacher microphones, online grade books, wi-fi throughout the building, two laptop carts, one more lab of 40 computers, upgrades to all of the computers, new staff computers, two whiteboards on wheels and two in shared classrooms, and also iPads for staff to share. Will this be the end? I hope not, we as a district need to continue to change and improve with the times to better prepare our students for the ever-changing world they are moving into. As the road winds for us as individuals, it needs to continue to do the same for our district and the teachers throughout the district. I am taking it upon myself to initiate change and to take what I have learned in the past three years or so to better myself as an educator, assist my peers in using new technologies, discuss changes with the administration, and help our district continue to build and excel in terms of new ideas and technology.
Through this program I have become a leader in technology and have found tools that I can use immediately in my career. So often, I was able to take strategies I had learned in one of the MAET courses and apply it immediately to my students and what we were doing in one of my classes, whether it was Computer Apps, Economics, or American History. Hopefully by continually learning, trying new things, and striving to be the best teacher I can be, I have shown my students how to be a good community member, a lifelong learner, and a guinea pig for trying new and different things. Though my road in the MAET program is coming to an end, even with some of the bumps along the way, I have become a better person, educator, mentor, peer, and community member. I know my road will continue, whether it be furthering my education, constantly researching and reading, discussion with others about education and technology, or just trying out new technologies on my own I am going to work hard to become the best teacher I can be and I know that means trying new methods to reach my students in our ever-changing society.
Though there were frustrations along this road that was my masters program, I can honestly say that I have learned at least one thing, more than that in most classes, that I continuously use in my career as a teacher in every single class I teach. The quality of the MAET is second to none! The program, professors, and classmates I came into contact with impacted how I view technology, learning, reading, writing, and many other aspects of education.
THE COURSES
Starting with CEP 810 and 811 in the summer of 2009 I was a bit nervous about online learning, "tough masters classes," and finding time to complete all of the work. With both courses only being eight weeks, I learned that I could do this and I began looking forward to what was next. In CEP 810, I learned to work through some frustrations of working in groups with others all the while not being in contact with them other than through the Internet (e-mail, Google Docs, etc.). This was a struggle for me but it also made me a better student, learner, and teacher. From this course I took some ideas that I use in my own classroom. I now utilize Moodle on a daily basis in my Computer Applications classroom to help organize how our class is run. Something else I have taken from CEP 810 and Carolyn McCarthy was how important technology is to our education today, whether it be the grade book, a course management system, or using presentation software. These experiences and ideas are things I will not forget and will continue on my winding road into the future.
Taking CEP 813 in the Spring of 2012 I was able to learn about myself, my web presence, and how to expose my students to showcasing their work. Using Google Docs, I created a website (or e-portfolio) about myself. This was an experience that I found to be very intriguing and was a time for me to learn a lot about myself and who I am as an educator. About six years previous to this I created my first portfolio, something I still hold onto and refer back to from time to time. But by creating this e-portfolio where I could showcase myself, my classroom, and my student's work, I was able to capture who I am six years later and how much I have changed and adapted to my settings, whether it was curriculum, classes taught, or technology. I also realized the importance of putting students' work out on the web for others to see and for them to showcase their talents. I did this with my Computer Apps. II students and it was a great experience for them and also for me. They dabbled in web design and they were able to find ways to demonstrate some of their best work for my class and also for others. By figuring how I could design an e-portfolio and display my work, I was able to do this with my students and stress the importance of showcasing themselves to the world.
Lastly, in CEP 820 I discovered many new technologies that can be used in education. I have continued to use many of these tools for my personal use and in my classroom. Software and tools such as Screencast, Blogging, Moodle (and other Course Management Systems), Excel, PowerPoint, and Word were all used in multiple ways to enhance learning for students. I still use many of these tools today and actually one of my favorite lessons for my Computer Apps. classes was designed during CEP 820. Using Excel, students create a spreadsheet on buying new cars. The students really enjoy researching car prices, finding interest rates, taxes, and title and license fees. Once they find this information they put it together in a spreadsheet and see how much it really costs to buy a new car. By incorporating Word, I have them find a picture of each car they researched (three total) and put them with their spreadsheet on this document. They then turn in the final Word document on Moodle, which was also developed during this course. Without CEP 820, I could say I never would have experimented with Moodle and used it to create something that has made my students and my own life so much simpler.
LEARNING ABOUT LEADERSHIP
After taking a few classes and learning about using technology in my classroom I began to share some of my ideas with others in my department and even in my building. I then talked to my principal about a possible in-service about sharing some of the technologies I had learned in the MAET program. By taking CEP 815 in the summer of 2011 I felt confident I could do this. In the fall of 2011 I spent an hour during a staff meeting teaching the staff at my high school and our alternative education school about the features of programs and software, specifically Moodle, Google Earth, Prezi, and the Khan Academy. I also discussed the issue we were always discussing as a class about not keeping the monkey on your back and getting things taken care of when necessary. As educators, I have learned that we all have the monkey at some point in time, whether it appears on us or it is passed on to us. We must find a way to get the monkey off our back and find a way to work together as a staff to eliminate monkeys all together. Though this sounds crazy, it was a great analogy of stress and issues that build on us and we pass them off to a peer, administration, a tech person, or somebody else but we must learn as a whole to eliminate these problems together in a reasonable amount of time to help everyone.
Also, as I have become a leader with technology in my school and district, I have taken more time to become an active learner and I am constantly trying new things with technology. I am a committee with one other teacher from my school and we communicate (through Moodle) with other teachers in the district about the different technologies we are using in our classrooms and buildings. Some of the things we have discussed lately have included Interactive Whiteboards, iPads, podcasting, and blogging questions for different subject areas. I am also on the technology committee in my building with a few other teachers. Though we only met twice last year, we discussed some new technologies to purchase, to test, and where our school is going in terms of online instruction. Without CEP 815 and the other MAET courses, I would have struggled to find myself as a leader not only for my building but also for my district.
BUMPS IN THE ROAD
Throughout the process of the MAET program, I have had my fair share of bumps and potholes on this road. First of all, the workload was not too much but there were times I sacrificed my family, classroom, coaching, and other priorities to complete work for certain courses. I am partially to blame for putting things off or taking two challenging courses in one semester. There were times of frustration and anger towards the computer for issues when dealing with programs, software, or even internet outages. Through this, I have learned how to persevere and overcome to complete the necessary work to be successful in this program. Without this challenge I do not know where I would be as a person or an educator. I feel that as my road continues to wind, I have gained tremendously in many different facets of education and technology. There will be other bumps in the road and my road will continually wind but I know I can continue to push and challenge myself through anything now.
ANOTHER BEND IN MY ROAD
Where does my road go from here? That is a question I continue to ponder and wonder about myself, my career, and my classroom. I am happy where I am now but I know that I can continually be learning, improving, and questioning as an educator. Though this road with the MAET program is beginning to come to an end, I want to take my experiences, lessons, ideas, and everything I have learned with me into my future as an educator. This program has helped me become a more successful and prepared educator who is constantly learning and trying new things. I have become a better guide for my students and I feel this has helped me gain respect throughout my building by both the students and the staff.
My first year teaching at my current location brought me things I was comfortable with such as overhead projectors, instructional manuals for the students to follow in Computer Apps., poster board projects, and only two computer labs of 25-30 computers each and this was only five years ago. Since then we have passed two bonds that have allowed just in my building so many new technologies that have improved teaching and learning tremendously. We have seen some of the following: projectors in every classroom, surround sound systems with teacher microphones, online grade books, wi-fi throughout the building, two laptop carts, one more lab of 40 computers, upgrades to all of the computers, new staff computers, two whiteboards on wheels and two in shared classrooms, and also iPads for staff to share. Will this be the end? I hope not, we as a district need to continue to change and improve with the times to better prepare our students for the ever-changing world they are moving into. As the road winds for us as individuals, it needs to continue to do the same for our district and the teachers throughout the district. I am taking it upon myself to initiate change and to take what I have learned in the past three years or so to better myself as an educator, assist my peers in using new technologies, discuss changes with the administration, and help our district continue to build and excel in terms of new ideas and technology.
Through this program I have become a leader in technology and have found tools that I can use immediately in my career. So often, I was able to take strategies I had learned in one of the MAET courses and apply it immediately to my students and what we were doing in one of my classes, whether it was Computer Apps, Economics, or American History. Hopefully by continually learning, trying new things, and striving to be the best teacher I can be, I have shown my students how to be a good community member, a lifelong learner, and a guinea pig for trying new and different things. Though my road in the MAET program is coming to an end, even with some of the bumps along the way, I have become a better person, educator, mentor, peer, and community member. I know my road will continue, whether it be furthering my education, constantly researching and reading, discussion with others about education and technology, or just trying out new technologies on my own I am going to work hard to become the best teacher I can be and I know that means trying new methods to reach my students in our ever-changing society.