Expanding Minds, Expanding Goals
My learning journey through the Master’s of Arts in Education Technology (MAET) program at Michigan State University (MSU) has been one of shifting goals- from bettering my own practice to facilitating growth in my peers to pushing for larger systemic change.
My initial goals were narrow- I liked using technology in my classroom, I knew it helped my students, and therefore I wanted to learn how to be more purposeful in how I used technology. This is largely what my early learning looked like- I spent most of my time reflecting, polishing, and experimenting on my practice. At the time, I was content to sit and bask in my new accomplishments. However, as I became more and more excited to show others what I had learned and developed, I discovered that I had a knack for helping other educators develop new methods and resources. A new goal developed for me- I wanted to learn how to enable all educators at my school to better leverage the tools at hand to help our students.
As I realized this new goal, the year of virtual learning was unfolding. I was immediately able to work as a facilitator, serving as a digital triage center for any and all educators looking to better reach their students through a screen. I put my learning to the test as I collaborated with teachers of kindergarteners through seniors to help them fuse their preexisting curriculum with digital tools in order to make sure that our students could still have a good learning experience. Not only did our students benefit from this, but countless teachers learned new strategies that they are still using today. This experience has solidified a new direction for me- I want to facilitate teachers in the usage of educational technology in their classrooms to better my school system.
A parallel goal emerged for me as I have progressed through the MAET program. When I entered this program, I had a desire to achieve equity for the students at my urban high school with regard to technology, but I was unsure as to how my course of study could help achieve that, or if what steps, if any, could be taken to help. As I continued my studies, I learned more about what precisely the problem was, how it originated, and, most importantly, the actionable steps that I could take within my context to help my population of students. I have since started working to combat the myth of the digital native within my school system and am working with other educational technology specialists to develop standards and skill sets that will help our students to move past the digital divide.
As I continue on my educational journey, I know that my current goals are a checkpoint, not a finish line- I intend to continue to be flexible and reinvent myself and my goals to better serve my students and my school.
My initial goals were narrow- I liked using technology in my classroom, I knew it helped my students, and therefore I wanted to learn how to be more purposeful in how I used technology. This is largely what my early learning looked like- I spent most of my time reflecting, polishing, and experimenting on my practice. At the time, I was content to sit and bask in my new accomplishments. However, as I became more and more excited to show others what I had learned and developed, I discovered that I had a knack for helping other educators develop new methods and resources. A new goal developed for me- I wanted to learn how to enable all educators at my school to better leverage the tools at hand to help our students.
As I realized this new goal, the year of virtual learning was unfolding. I was immediately able to work as a facilitator, serving as a digital triage center for any and all educators looking to better reach their students through a screen. I put my learning to the test as I collaborated with teachers of kindergarteners through seniors to help them fuse their preexisting curriculum with digital tools in order to make sure that our students could still have a good learning experience. Not only did our students benefit from this, but countless teachers learned new strategies that they are still using today. This experience has solidified a new direction for me- I want to facilitate teachers in the usage of educational technology in their classrooms to better my school system.
A parallel goal emerged for me as I have progressed through the MAET program. When I entered this program, I had a desire to achieve equity for the students at my urban high school with regard to technology, but I was unsure as to how my course of study could help achieve that, or if what steps, if any, could be taken to help. As I continued my studies, I learned more about what precisely the problem was, how it originated, and, most importantly, the actionable steps that I could take within my context to help my population of students. I have since started working to combat the myth of the digital native within my school system and am working with other educational technology specialists to develop standards and skill sets that will help our students to move past the digital divide.
As I continue on my educational journey, I know that my current goals are a checkpoint, not a finish line- I intend to continue to be flexible and reinvent myself and my goals to better serve my students and my school.