A Time for Reflection
A reflection on the personal and professional educational goals I had upon entering the Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program at Michigan State University, my current goals, and the transformation that occurred along the way.
Goal Reflection Essay
I am as excited, enthusiastic, and passionate today as I was when I began my journey into the Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program at Michigan State University. My passion for teaching and learning particularly in an online environment, and the use of various technologies to promote active learning inside and outside of the classroom, are what compelled me to pursue a second master's degree – this time in education. What an amazing ride it has been and I can assure you, it will continue!
When I began the MAET program, I had the following learning goals:
- The knowledge and skills that I acquire through the MAET degree program will help me to better understand the online learner and how to use a range of technologies to aid in enhancing the learning process.
- The MAET program will provide me with the formal learning techniques, education, and knowledge that I can use to create positive, dynamic, and effective learning experiences for my students within an online learning environment.
- I want to take my personal education and knowledge to another level and focus on an area that combines education with technology.
- I never want to stop learning and growing as a person and as a teacher – I want to learn something new every single day.
My current goals align with my original goals but with an added twist. Let me explain. I continue to learn as much as I can about the online learner and how to best support their learning and educational goals. I continue to integrate purposeful technology into my online classroom(s) in order to provide and create positive, dynamic, and effective learning experiences for my students. The pursuit of learning, growing, and self-discovery remains a constant in my life. Now for the twist that I never seen coming…enter the maker movement!
The maker movement was introduced early on in the MAET program and in an instant lead to the epiphany that I was a maker! What I was doing and feeling had a name. Wow! The maker movement/culture has afforded me so many personal and professional opportunities that I could never have imagined. It's about creativity, risk-taking, growing, learning, self-discovery, awareness, passion, grit, and affectionately described as "box outside the think" only without any boundaries. I try work this mentality and way of thinking into the courses that I teach, to ignite my student's passions. Amazing things can happen when the imagination extends beyond its set boundaries. One course ignited the spark, but the MAET program transformed my life. I am a maker. The journey continues.
