Before teaching in a 1 to 1 iPad school, I had never realized how much technology could be utilized within the classroom. I was taught with Blackboards and Overhead Projectors and was then introduced to Smart Boards, Apple TV, iPads, MacBooks, and many other amazing programs that opened the doors to new ways of thinking and teaching. I decided I wanted to know more, so I explored around for a degree that would meet this new need and found the Master of Arts in Educational Technology program (MAET) at Michigan State University. Below is a link explaining about the online degree and the rest of the page is dedicated to showing the classes and learning that I have completed in the program.
This was the first course I took in my program. We explored how to use different technologies, such as Makey Makey kits, Zoom (similar to Skype), Pictochart, etc. in our classrooms and in our content area. We learned how Technology, Pedagogy, and Content Knowledge merge together to create new learning experiences and how to re-purpose what technology already exists to suit our student's learning styles and abilities.
This was a really busy class- a lot of learning occurred throughout this course. We learned about:
technology integration and digital culture
teaching problem solving with technology
using self-help forums like youtube and Wikihow
fair use policies of copy-righted materials in the classroom
strategies for integrating a range of technologies to enhance student learning.
In this course, we learned about various problems that occur with technology integration and that some problems (called wicked problems) don't have easy solutions, but must be worked through until a best possible solution can be reached that at least partially solves the problem. The course also showed us how to use technology to problem solve in the classroom and that participatory culture (the idea that everyone contributes to a workable solution) is a key ingredient to student success in the classroom.
We explored how learning various depending on the setting in which the student is learning. Some examples include: at home, where you learn to take care of your basic needs, at work where you learn how to do your job well, and online where you learn how to help yourself learn through different media and technology tools. We based our exploration in this course on how our students learn in our classrooms and the problems that they may face while in the room. We also explored possible solutions to the problems so that the learning process would be easier.
This course focused on the theories of assessment with a focus on various methods of using technology and different grading rubrics to assess student learning. Methods included portfolios, rubrics, surveys, online tests, self-evaluations, and creative projects that showcase deeper student learning than recall and memorization would be able to show.
This class was an interesting mix between statistics and how to properly research for information to further your own learning and inspire you to conduct further research on an educational topic. We also had a research proposal to write about a topic that we were most interested in. I chose the flipped classroom and how it can increase student engagement and motivation to improve the students' overall classroom performance and learning abilities. I still have further research to do, but it is a topic that I am interested in exploring within my classroom.
One of my favorite classes in the program because it allowed us to take an entire unit in the curriculum we teach and re-look at how and what we were teaching to our students. We looked for key themes of learning and how technology could enhance (and not hinder) student learning. We learned to blend what already works and new technologies to deepen student learning. We also researched how teaching practices have changed and developed in the digital age.
Creativity is a key tool that all teachers need so that their lessons and skills evolve with current and future teaching practices. We broke the mold of how we teach so that we could create new ideas and connections within our content areas. I chose one of my favorite units, Of Mice and Men, and created several new projects that are engaging and help teach different aspects of the story that I would not have normally considered because of the creative mindset that we learned.
We learned about design theory and how design is more than just how something functions- the product needs to be able to fit the needs of the user and it has us evaluating what good design can do within the classroom. It goes hand in hand with Creativity in Teaching and Learning because it has us take the creative mindset and blend it with design mindset to create new and engaging lessons. I have generated a lot of ideas that I want to try in my classes and am always looking for ways to implement them!
This was the final course for the Master of Arts in Educational Technology. In this course, we applied our creativity and design theory to creating an online portfolio that would outline our strengths and accomplishments throughout our course work. We reflected on our learning and created new professional goals to achieve after we have finished pursuing our current programs. The portfolio also showcases what we have done in our classrooms and the types of teachers/educators that we are and want to be.