It's Been a Long, Winding, Educational Road
By Sarah Haglund
My Life Before the Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) Program
I have always considered myself to be a technologically savvy person. I have owned a computer since 5th grade, have surrounded myself with technology loving friends, and would prefer to do anything on a computer than write it by hand or look it up in a book. I started teaching in the Fall of 2007, and was a “go-to” person for many people in my building for questions on computer related tasks. It didn’t take me long to figure out that I had a strong desire to further my education in technology and how to integrate it into my classroom and the classrooms of others. Knowing that I would have a lot on my plate during my first years of teaching, I wanted a program that was flexible with my schedule. Michigan State University met that requirement by allowing me to do all of my work online, eliminating the need to physically go to class every week. They also allowed me to work at my own pace, taking time off during periods in my life that taking classes was not really an option. I took a bit more time that I would have liked to finish the program, but I’m here at last!
My Learning During the MAET Program
During the certificate classes (CEP 810 - Teaching for Understanding with Technology with Professor Joe Codde, CEP 811 - Adapting Innovative Technologies in Education with Professor Joe Codde, and CEP 812- Applying Educational Technology to Issues of Practice with Professor Sue Wright), I thought that the MAET program was going to be a piece of cake. I was so excited to be making things for my grad classes that I could actually use in my classroom. I was happy to be able to show off the skills that I had on the computer like Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. But boy was I in for a rude awakening. I was not as technologically savvy as I thought I was. Three letters: FTP. In CEP 812 with Professor Wright, we were given the task of creating a WebQuest and in CEP 820 - Teaching K12 Students Online with Professor Robin Dickson, we were assigned the project of creating a multiple page website. And because at that point MSU was promoting the use of their FTP space to host our websites, I was limited as to how to create and publish these items. I spent many hours stressing over the process of uploading my work to the internet, and shed a few tears in frustration because the process was just not working nicely for me. Thank goodness I had a friend that was able to help me through the process. Looking back at that time period, I do not ever want to go back to having sites hosted that way. I am so thankful for host sites like Weebly and Google Sites for making publishing your own websites easy and user-friendly. Since that time, I have become more humble about my knowledge of computers. I am now very willing to accept that there are MANY things online that I am just not knowledgeable about…yet.
While in the MAET program, I have learned many valuable things that I utilize in different ways. I learned about the concept of RSS readers, allowing me to be able to see updates to many different websites by accessing online one page. I have a NetVibes page, as well as a Google Reader page that I use to track websites of other teachers to “borrow” their ideas for my own classroom. I think that the most valuable concept that I have learned is the idea of showcasing student work online from Professor Dickson in CEP 813 - Electronic Portfolios. Not only does it highlight great things happening in the classroom, but it also makes the students feel that they work that they are doing is valuable, and they love that others get to see their work online. In CEP 813, I created a class website that shows many pictures from various activities in the classroom. I have given the web address to the families in my class, and have shown the website several times to the students when new pictures or videos are uploaded to it. The students are positively thrilled to see themselves online and that they get to show their friends and families the fun things that are happening in 3rd grade. Seeing this has really proven to me the importance of showcasing student work, making it meaningful for them, and allowing them to take ownership in their learning because they know that others will be seeing their hard work. Since learning about classroom websites and how they can improve student work by encouraging them to showcase their best work, I have become addicted to updating my class website. I have plans for items to add to make the website a place to celebrate student achievement and make it a resource for parents on concepts being taught in the classroom so they have a better understanding of the 3rd grade curriculum and what 3rd graders are able to do.
My Life as a Leader
In undergraduate school, I was a leader. I was involved in student organizations, took leadership positions in the daycare setting that I worked in, and led group projects for my classes. Then I became a teacher. I have really thrown myself into leadership positions in various aspects of my career. I continue to be a “go-to” person for questions involving technology in my building. I use technology to teach various concepts in my classroom, including math. I volunteer for committees that will allow me to use programs that we are currently using in new and better ways. I seek out professional development opportunities to further my knowledge in all components of my career.
The MAET professors have done a good job of instilling in me the desire to stretch my thinking and try new things to enhance my technological repertoire, both for my own knowledge, and to improve the learning environment of my classroom. Two classes in particular, CEP 812 - Applying Educational Technology to Issues of Practice with Professor Sue Wright, and CEP 815 - Educational Leadership with Professor Nick Sheltrown, have really shown a focus on this idea.
In CEP 812 with Professor Wright, students were asked to think about educational problems that we encounter in the classroom and ways to solve those problems. A problem that I encountered at the time in my own classroom was the concept of teaching time and money to my students. Through collaboration with my peers in CEP 812, a solution that we came up with was using WebQuests to teach the concept to students. Professor Wright also introduced me to the idea of the website Delicious, which is a place that you can store web page links online and are able to access them from any computer with an internet connection. I utilized this site for quite a while, because I loved the idea of not having a “favorites” menu on each computer. I was so excited about the idea that I shared it with all of the teachers at my building. This allowed all 3rd grade teachers that I shared my links with to benefit from the site and games that I tagged as time and money games for students to reinforce skills taught in class.
In CEP 815 with Professor Sheltrown, the major focus was on taking leadership positions within learning environments for the good of all. We learned that there is a difference between being a leader and a manager. In my opinion, anybody can be a manager. Being a manager simply means that you can delegate tasks and make sure that they are being done. But I learned in CEP 815 that to be a leader, you must have a connection to your work. It must be meaningful to you. You must be able to collaborate with others to ensure that you are doing what is best for the good of all. To be a technology leader, you must try new things, introduce them to others, and guide them in their learning so they can use it in effective ways. In this class, I created a presentation using PowerPoint that highlights information on hybrid learning. I knew that colleges offered online classes. I had taken a class online one summer for science fiction. I turned in work online, read lectures online, talked to my professor online. But I never put thought into offering the same concept to high school students. With different learning styles and the different emphasis being put on technology today, this is a very important concept for schools to look at. It allows for greater differentiation, which is huge in the educational world today. In traditional schools, with 30 students in a classroom, differentiating and students all working at the same pace can be troublesome. Students finish at different times, which can be disruptive to students that need more time or attention from the teacher. The presentation details what kinds of training would be needed for both teacher and student to make the experience online a successful one. The presentation could be shown to families in districts that are thinking about opening virtual learning opportunities to their students, to show benefits and things to have families and districts think about.
However, I know that there are still many opportunities for me to be a leader in technology for my district. To be a leader, you must be willing to try new things that the crowd has not attempted. You must forge the way for others, seeking out new technologies and experimenting with them, and then sharing the new knowledge with peers. I will seek out more professional development on utilizing technology to enhance learning in all academic areas. I will seek ways to add virtual learning opportunities for my students both in my classroom and at home. I will find ways that are developmentally appropriate for my students to showcase their own work online that they are able to maintain and build on for their educational futures. I will instill in all of my students a desire to use technology to enhance their learning and to use technology to produce the best work they possibly can. Classes in the MAET have really shown me the importance of being a technology leader in my district.
My Life as a Teacher
Rewind…Five years ago, I had zero computers in my classroom. I used worksheets that were part of my textbook series. My students got technology during library class once a week, for a maximum of 30 minutes. I had a gradebook that was a program on the computer that was not internet based. The only website to which I had any connection was the Lapeer Community Schools district site, which was not used for more than locating teacher email addresses and announcing snow days.
Fast forward…Today I have five computers in my classroom that get used every single day. My students use the computers to play math games, create presentations, and locate information. They practice math facts, they learn spelling words, and they make items like calendars. My students bring in flash drives at the end of the school year to preserve their work on because they are proud of the effort they have put in and want to continue their effort at home. I have a class website that is visited frequently by families for information. I have a gradebook that is internet-based so families can access grade and teacher comments any time of day. I create assignments that are better geared towards my student’s learning than the worksheets of the past.
In five short years, many things have changed in my teaching. I carry an iPad to take notes on student learning. I can easily create groupings of students and keep records of their growth. In a matter of 1 minute I can email a parent about student achievement or behavior. My students know how to use iPads, and can take pictures and videos to upload to our website. My students use apps to reinforce skills learned in class. Technology has streamlined my job as a teacher in different ways. Tasks are quicker, neater, and family friendly.
I have created several files that can be used as supplements to the standard curriculum. While teaching 2rd grade, I was enrolled in CEP 811 - Adapting Innovative Technologies in Education with Professor Joe Codde, and I created a WebQuest based on the topic of bats. At the time, part of the 2nd grade curriculum was to create a magazine feature article. My WebQuest had students watch videos about bats, read articles about bats, and use Microsoft Word to create text that would be used to create a magazine article about bats. This assignment was a self-paced task, allowing students to take more time if needed to create a quality final project. I created a StAIR project (Stand Alone Instructional Resource) that touches on the concept of place value. In the presentation, there is a video for students to watch, a website that has virtual manipulatives for students to use, and a self-checking quiz for students to take. I truly feel confident in creating tasks for students that are technology-based, engaging and student-friendly.
My Time in the MAET Program
During CEP 807 - Proseminar in Educational Technology with Professor Matthew Koehler, I have spent many hours of time reflection on my learning over the past few years. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to broaden my horizons by being in the Master of Arts in Educational Technology from Michigan State University. I have learned something from each and every professor and class that I have taken. I have always felt comfortable with technology, but now I feel comfortable to experiment with technology that I have never used before, because it might be something that I can use to further my student’s education. I seek ways to broaden my technological horizons. I feel like a more competent teacher, leader, and technology user. I look forward to what the future has to hold for technology and for ways that I can use that technology to make learning engaging for my students.
I have always considered myself to be a technologically savvy person. I have owned a computer since 5th grade, have surrounded myself with technology loving friends, and would prefer to do anything on a computer than write it by hand or look it up in a book. I started teaching in the Fall of 2007, and was a “go-to” person for many people in my building for questions on computer related tasks. It didn’t take me long to figure out that I had a strong desire to further my education in technology and how to integrate it into my classroom and the classrooms of others. Knowing that I would have a lot on my plate during my first years of teaching, I wanted a program that was flexible with my schedule. Michigan State University met that requirement by allowing me to do all of my work online, eliminating the need to physically go to class every week. They also allowed me to work at my own pace, taking time off during periods in my life that taking classes was not really an option. I took a bit more time that I would have liked to finish the program, but I’m here at last!
My Learning During the MAET Program
During the certificate classes (CEP 810 - Teaching for Understanding with Technology with Professor Joe Codde, CEP 811 - Adapting Innovative Technologies in Education with Professor Joe Codde, and CEP 812- Applying Educational Technology to Issues of Practice with Professor Sue Wright), I thought that the MAET program was going to be a piece of cake. I was so excited to be making things for my grad classes that I could actually use in my classroom. I was happy to be able to show off the skills that I had on the computer like Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. But boy was I in for a rude awakening. I was not as technologically savvy as I thought I was. Three letters: FTP. In CEP 812 with Professor Wright, we were given the task of creating a WebQuest and in CEP 820 - Teaching K12 Students Online with Professor Robin Dickson, we were assigned the project of creating a multiple page website. And because at that point MSU was promoting the use of their FTP space to host our websites, I was limited as to how to create and publish these items. I spent many hours stressing over the process of uploading my work to the internet, and shed a few tears in frustration because the process was just not working nicely for me. Thank goodness I had a friend that was able to help me through the process. Looking back at that time period, I do not ever want to go back to having sites hosted that way. I am so thankful for host sites like Weebly and Google Sites for making publishing your own websites easy and user-friendly. Since that time, I have become more humble about my knowledge of computers. I am now very willing to accept that there are MANY things online that I am just not knowledgeable about…yet.
While in the MAET program, I have learned many valuable things that I utilize in different ways. I learned about the concept of RSS readers, allowing me to be able to see updates to many different websites by accessing online one page. I have a NetVibes page, as well as a Google Reader page that I use to track websites of other teachers to “borrow” their ideas for my own classroom. I think that the most valuable concept that I have learned is the idea of showcasing student work online from Professor Dickson in CEP 813 - Electronic Portfolios. Not only does it highlight great things happening in the classroom, but it also makes the students feel that they work that they are doing is valuable, and they love that others get to see their work online. In CEP 813, I created a class website that shows many pictures from various activities in the classroom. I have given the web address to the families in my class, and have shown the website several times to the students when new pictures or videos are uploaded to it. The students are positively thrilled to see themselves online and that they get to show their friends and families the fun things that are happening in 3rd grade. Seeing this has really proven to me the importance of showcasing student work, making it meaningful for them, and allowing them to take ownership in their learning because they know that others will be seeing their hard work. Since learning about classroom websites and how they can improve student work by encouraging them to showcase their best work, I have become addicted to updating my class website. I have plans for items to add to make the website a place to celebrate student achievement and make it a resource for parents on concepts being taught in the classroom so they have a better understanding of the 3rd grade curriculum and what 3rd graders are able to do.
My Life as a Leader
In undergraduate school, I was a leader. I was involved in student organizations, took leadership positions in the daycare setting that I worked in, and led group projects for my classes. Then I became a teacher. I have really thrown myself into leadership positions in various aspects of my career. I continue to be a “go-to” person for questions involving technology in my building. I use technology to teach various concepts in my classroom, including math. I volunteer for committees that will allow me to use programs that we are currently using in new and better ways. I seek out professional development opportunities to further my knowledge in all components of my career.
The MAET professors have done a good job of instilling in me the desire to stretch my thinking and try new things to enhance my technological repertoire, both for my own knowledge, and to improve the learning environment of my classroom. Two classes in particular, CEP 812 - Applying Educational Technology to Issues of Practice with Professor Sue Wright, and CEP 815 - Educational Leadership with Professor Nick Sheltrown, have really shown a focus on this idea.
In CEP 812 with Professor Wright, students were asked to think about educational problems that we encounter in the classroom and ways to solve those problems. A problem that I encountered at the time in my own classroom was the concept of teaching time and money to my students. Through collaboration with my peers in CEP 812, a solution that we came up with was using WebQuests to teach the concept to students. Professor Wright also introduced me to the idea of the website Delicious, which is a place that you can store web page links online and are able to access them from any computer with an internet connection. I utilized this site for quite a while, because I loved the idea of not having a “favorites” menu on each computer. I was so excited about the idea that I shared it with all of the teachers at my building. This allowed all 3rd grade teachers that I shared my links with to benefit from the site and games that I tagged as time and money games for students to reinforce skills taught in class.
In CEP 815 with Professor Sheltrown, the major focus was on taking leadership positions within learning environments for the good of all. We learned that there is a difference between being a leader and a manager. In my opinion, anybody can be a manager. Being a manager simply means that you can delegate tasks and make sure that they are being done. But I learned in CEP 815 that to be a leader, you must have a connection to your work. It must be meaningful to you. You must be able to collaborate with others to ensure that you are doing what is best for the good of all. To be a technology leader, you must try new things, introduce them to others, and guide them in their learning so they can use it in effective ways. In this class, I created a presentation using PowerPoint that highlights information on hybrid learning. I knew that colleges offered online classes. I had taken a class online one summer for science fiction. I turned in work online, read lectures online, talked to my professor online. But I never put thought into offering the same concept to high school students. With different learning styles and the different emphasis being put on technology today, this is a very important concept for schools to look at. It allows for greater differentiation, which is huge in the educational world today. In traditional schools, with 30 students in a classroom, differentiating and students all working at the same pace can be troublesome. Students finish at different times, which can be disruptive to students that need more time or attention from the teacher. The presentation details what kinds of training would be needed for both teacher and student to make the experience online a successful one. The presentation could be shown to families in districts that are thinking about opening virtual learning opportunities to their students, to show benefits and things to have families and districts think about.
However, I know that there are still many opportunities for me to be a leader in technology for my district. To be a leader, you must be willing to try new things that the crowd has not attempted. You must forge the way for others, seeking out new technologies and experimenting with them, and then sharing the new knowledge with peers. I will seek out more professional development on utilizing technology to enhance learning in all academic areas. I will seek ways to add virtual learning opportunities for my students both in my classroom and at home. I will find ways that are developmentally appropriate for my students to showcase their own work online that they are able to maintain and build on for their educational futures. I will instill in all of my students a desire to use technology to enhance their learning and to use technology to produce the best work they possibly can. Classes in the MAET have really shown me the importance of being a technology leader in my district.
My Life as a Teacher
Rewind…Five years ago, I had zero computers in my classroom. I used worksheets that were part of my textbook series. My students got technology during library class once a week, for a maximum of 30 minutes. I had a gradebook that was a program on the computer that was not internet based. The only website to which I had any connection was the Lapeer Community Schools district site, which was not used for more than locating teacher email addresses and announcing snow days.
Fast forward…Today I have five computers in my classroom that get used every single day. My students use the computers to play math games, create presentations, and locate information. They practice math facts, they learn spelling words, and they make items like calendars. My students bring in flash drives at the end of the school year to preserve their work on because they are proud of the effort they have put in and want to continue their effort at home. I have a class website that is visited frequently by families for information. I have a gradebook that is internet-based so families can access grade and teacher comments any time of day. I create assignments that are better geared towards my student’s learning than the worksheets of the past.
In five short years, many things have changed in my teaching. I carry an iPad to take notes on student learning. I can easily create groupings of students and keep records of their growth. In a matter of 1 minute I can email a parent about student achievement or behavior. My students know how to use iPads, and can take pictures and videos to upload to our website. My students use apps to reinforce skills learned in class. Technology has streamlined my job as a teacher in different ways. Tasks are quicker, neater, and family friendly.
I have created several files that can be used as supplements to the standard curriculum. While teaching 2rd grade, I was enrolled in CEP 811 - Adapting Innovative Technologies in Education with Professor Joe Codde, and I created a WebQuest based on the topic of bats. At the time, part of the 2nd grade curriculum was to create a magazine feature article. My WebQuest had students watch videos about bats, read articles about bats, and use Microsoft Word to create text that would be used to create a magazine article about bats. This assignment was a self-paced task, allowing students to take more time if needed to create a quality final project. I created a StAIR project (Stand Alone Instructional Resource) that touches on the concept of place value. In the presentation, there is a video for students to watch, a website that has virtual manipulatives for students to use, and a self-checking quiz for students to take. I truly feel confident in creating tasks for students that are technology-based, engaging and student-friendly.
My Time in the MAET Program
During CEP 807 - Proseminar in Educational Technology with Professor Matthew Koehler, I have spent many hours of time reflection on my learning over the past few years. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to broaden my horizons by being in the Master of Arts in Educational Technology from Michigan State University. I have learned something from each and every professor and class that I have taken. I have always felt comfortable with technology, but now I feel comfortable to experiment with technology that I have never used before, because it might be something that I can use to further my student’s education. I seek ways to broaden my technological horizons. I feel like a more competent teacher, leader, and technology user. I look forward to what the future has to hold for technology and for ways that I can use that technology to make learning engaging for my students.