Annotated Transcript
CEP 810
Summer 2014
Course Title: Teaching for Understanding with Technology
Instructor(s): Dr. Michelle Schira Hagerman and Ben Rimes
Throughout my CEP 810 experience, I was challenged to reflect on ways in which technology and professional learning networks could support my learning process and, consequently, that of my students. Additionally, I learned ways to help students build upon existing knowledge and explored additional tools to identify and correct students’ misconceptions. I designed a 21st century lesson plan to formatively assess students and used Google Docs to promote collaboration amongst students. This course introduced me to ways to use digital tools in my classroom to help engage and assess students efficiently. Additionally, the networked learning project prompted me to consider the access learners have to information in a digital world.
CEP 811
Summer 2014
Course Title: Adapting Innovative Technologies in Education
Instructor(s): Dr. Michelle Schira Hagerman and Melissa White
This course focused on repurposing existing tecnologies for new purposes to provide new creative learning opportunities for students. I largely explored the "Maker Movement" which encourages people to use circuit board kits to create new purposes for everyday items. I interacted with several new technological devices and programs such as the MaKey MaKey inventor’s kit, SketchUp, Google Hangouts, Scratch, and Mozilla Popcorn Maker. Each of these technology tools allow the user to rethink traditional clasroom spaces and assignments.
Course Title: Apply Educational Technology to Issues of Practice
Instructor(s): Andrew Steinman
This course forced me to identify complex problems within education such as engaging and inspiring instrinsic motivation in students. I learned that complex problems are just that, complex, and there is not necessarily one correct way to address these issues. Throughout the course, we worked with a team to brainstorm ways to address a problem we personally see in our own workplaces. The summative experience of the course related these complex problems to inspiring what Thomas L. Friedman refers to as students' "curiosity and passion quotients". CEP 812 also emphasized utilizing the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge) framework to grow as an educator and help students become better and more engaged learners.
Course Title: Learning in School and Other Settings
Instructor(s): Dr. Danah Henriksen, Sarah Keenan, and Diana Campbell
This course had me utilize psychological perspectives of learning to design opportunitites to better meet the needs of all students. We explored how to use scaffolding, metacognitive tasks, elaborate rehearsing, and additional strategies to improve students' conditional knowledge, which allows students to know when to apply concepts. Not only did I work on understanding how my students learn but also on understanding how I learned when I was a student. After reflecting on understanding, I assessed the benefits of several digital tools with regards to how they supported psychological learning theories.
CEP 820
Summer 2015
Course Title: Teaching Students Online
Instructor(s): Dr. Anne Heintz and Trixi Beeker
This course focused on the affordances of teaching in an online environment. By creating my own online course using a Content Managment System (CMS) of our choice, I got to explore how to integrate digital tools, discussion forums, collaborative tasks, and applets into my virtual classroom. I considered whether to create a flipped classroom, hybrid classroom, or fully online classroom in my design. In making my course, I had the opportunity to explore and research the affordances and constraints of each of these options and their impact on learners understanding and engagment.
CEP 822
Summer 2015
Course Title: Approaches to Educational Research
Instructor(s): Daniel Freer and Ha Nguyen
In this class, I first explored my existing notions of and exposure to educational research. I learned ways to expand my view by learning how to conduct proper research from reliable sources and how to analyze data by looking at measures of central tendancy. Then, I conducted my own research by polling a sample and generating and analyzing the corresponding data. In general, this course focused on finding meaning in data that helps educators make informed decisions for instruction. I learned to write a thesis and research paper that was evidence based.
Course Title: Electronic Assessment for Teaching and Learning
Instructor(s): Colin Gallagher and Spencer Greenhalgh
CEP 813 was an opportunity to find new, creative, and effective ways to provide learning and assessment opportunities to students. I looked at tools from a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) perspective and found ways a digital learning environment can provide these flexible learning opportunities. I explored several genres of assessment such as gaming and digital portfolios that allow for some student autonomy and self-reflection. Moreover, I explored how assessments are not merely the end of a unit but rather the beginning of an open discourse between instructor and student.
Course Title: Technology and Leadership
Instructor(s): Dr. Aman Yadav and Dashika Cosby
This course focused on creating and developing plans for implementing a vision I had for technology integration in my workplace. These visions not only required me to think about what would help my school but how I could realistically be the catalyst for change. This plan took several revisions and was influenced by my study on several case scenarios where I had to consider various courses of action. With these analyses and discussions, I redefined my definition of "leader" over the course of the semester after gaining a better understanding of various leadership styles and the appropriateness of each given the context and goal of the leader.
Course Title: Learning Math with Technology
Instructor(s): Dr. Ralph Putnam
This was the one course that was specific to my current content area as a math teacher. The main focus of this class was to assess various digital tools and applets with regards to their educational benefits for students. In groups, my peers and I compiled various resource databases within our grade level content areas and cited the benefits for each tool and which learning objectives/state standards they met. By using guiding questions for each technology evaluation, I gained insight into how to determine whether a tool is effective and whether it offers learning opportunities a pencil-and-paper task could not.
Course Title: Capstone in Educational Technology
Instructor(s): Dr. Matthew Koehler, Spencer Greenhalgh, and Sarah Keenan
This course was the culminating experience for my Master's in Educational Technology (MAET) program. By creating a digital portfolio, I was forced to reflect on my experience in the program and my development as an educator and learner over this time period. Additionally, by creating a purposeful portfolio, I had to consider my future goals as a learner and professional. This digital piece showcases my best work and the image of myself I want to portray to colleagues and future employers.