Continuity & Change: A Story of Achievement
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The Big PictureAt the beginning of the MAET program I opened my initial goal statement with discussing the excitement generated by brainstorming the endless possibilities for “new education technology.” After reflecting back on the program, I can attest that I have had even more excitement about bringing technology’s education application to life. However what I did not realize at the time was that the technologies that can enrich the education experience for students are not necessarily education specific. Through the progression of the MAET program I have seen much of my early vision goals realized but perhaps more importantly the initial ideas have grown into something grander and even newer ideas have been formed for the undiscovered country, the future. The centerpiece of my early goals for this program, enriching student learning with technology to equip students with experience and skills for the future, still stands as my main focus. However a new unexpected force has emerged in my future thinking about technologies with educational uses, the cloud.
Continuities and AchievementsThere are a number of experiences in the program that have aided in obtaining my initial goals. Each of these achievements will continue to be important features of my teaching repertoire. The central goal for my development had to do with enriching student content experience while improving their technical skills for the future. The TPACK model which culminated with the ‘Dreamit’ proposal really helped me to clarify the process a teacher must use in creating lessons to help facilitate student development in content, thought, and technical expertise. Another goal at the outset of this program that I achieved had to do with finding more avenues for teachers to quickly get feedback from students in order to improve data driven decisions. Analyzing and regularly using online programs such as Googleforms, SurveyMonkey, & Polldaddy yielded a plethora of options for teachers to use at a great price, free. Additionally, I achieved my goals for developing individual instruction with the STAIR project, which allowed students to receive feedback and learn at their own comfortable pace. Each of these examples will continue to be a strong cornerstone of technical and pedagogical expertise that will improve instruction for the students in my classroom.
Changes and the Undiscovered CountryWhen it comes to technology, most laymen could not have fathomed the types of innovations that would come with the computer revolution that has been moving at an exponential rate. Perhaps the most impactful development that has emerged from this revolution is cloud computing. This new development has been at the center of much of my focus during the MAET program. Prior to the program I did not realize the potential this technology had for education. Now upon the eve of completing the program the cloud is at the center of my current and future development as an educator working with technology. At first I assumed most software that could be used for educational purpose was normally designed specifically for education. After assessing many of these great tools, I have realized that just about any online application can have a potential use for enriching student’s education at the cost of almost nothing. Whether it is collaborating using Googledocs, publishing using Youtube or a blog, each of these programs have the ability to prepare students for the rapidly moving global economy that has shrunk the earth to the size of a marble. Secondly the cloud has the potential to allow money strapped districts to continually keep up with the world’s best software with great prices. The cloud allows districts to purchase licenses to programs that are constantly updated or free programs that require a simple internet connection. Gone are the days where schools had to invest large amounts of money into programs that quickly become obsolete.
The Excitement of the UnknownI eagerly await the future. Each day excites me for what the unknown holds. What will succeed the cloud and the numerous applications that can help education improve for our future students? I feel as if I am a pioneer during a great historic revolution because I often venture into education territories that have never been explored. I cannot wait to deliver the future now with all of the great tools and ideas that exist today. It will be exciting.
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