My annotated transcript page provides descriptions for all the courses I completed in Michigan State University's Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program. The courses are listed in chronological order and organized by semester.
CEP = Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education
CEP 811 Adapting Innovative Technology to Education Instructor: Kyle Shack
This course introduced me to valuable ideas about innovative technologies in education. Two central concepts focused on educators closing a digital divide and purposeful implementation of technology in the classroom. This course also taught me how to reimagine myself and my students as innovators and makers. I reevaluated previous lesson plans and reflected upon all different types of learners and identities. I discovered the power of iteration while encouraging students to be risk-takers in the classroom.
CEP 810 Teaching Understanding with Technology Instructors: Mary Wever & Nicole Zumpano
The topics, readings, and videos in CEP 810 were all informative and worthwhile, especially the 21st Century learning and TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) units. These ideas solidified my beliefs about education in two fundamental ways. I learned that educators must be flexible, encourage creativity and critical thinking, promote student-driven learning, and celebrate all identities in the classroom. Second, we also must identify the learning goal and determine the best tools to help students achieve it. This course also helped me realize my purpose as an educator is to ensure my students can be successful inside and outside my classroom. The results can be transformative using the TPACK framework and 21st Century learning ideas.
CEP 812 Applying Educational Technology to Uses of Practices Instructors: Ron Houtman and Nicole Zumpano
This course centered around wicked problems and beautiful questions. I was deeply inspired by the innovative stories the author, Warren Berger, shared and how the innovators used the why, what if, and how questioning structure when solving problems. Berger's book ultimately prepared me for the Wicked Problem Project. By asking why, what if, and how, I answered the question, "how do I perpetually find inspiration so that I can inspire my students?" My passion and curiosity led me to new methods to enhance my teaching practices and inspire a mindset of continued growth for my students and myself, which fueled my beautiful question.
CEP 818 Creativity in Teaching & Learning Instructor: Brooke Thomas
CEP 818 focused on the book, Sparks of Genius. This book inspired me to be a creative thinker and educator by learning about some of the best brilliant minds. I learned about perceiving, patterning, abstract thinking, embodied thinking, modeling, and play and how to apply these ideas to my daily teaching. In this course, I demonstrated my ability to foster a creative classroom environment and encourage students to be innovative, by looking at the world through multiple lenses.
CEP 820 Teaching Students Online Instructor: Dr. Matthew Schell
Establishing the foundation for effective online teaching was at the core of CEP 820. I learned how to implement best teaching practices, while teaching students virtually. I also evaluated different learning management systems and incorporated Universal Design Learning principles into my online lessons. Utilizing these methods, I built my virtual classroom. This online classroom demonstrated my ability to communicate with students and parents efficiently, align assessments to learning goals, formatively asses in real-time, and leverage the unique affordances of online teaching.
CEP 800 Learning in Schools Other Settings Instructors: Ron Houtman & Dr. Chris Sloan
CEP 800 allowed me to revisit the different learning theories I once learned about years ago, ultimately changing my "how people learn" schema. One particular learning theory that resonated with me came from Albert Bandura. Bandura was a social cognitive psychologist who proposed that observing and modeling others are primary roles in the learning process. Reflecting on the importance of learning more indirectly was highly enlightening. At the end of the course, I composed a personal learning theory essay in which I referenced Bandura's theories and how they impact learning in the classroom.
CEP 822 Approaches to Educational Research Instructor: Dr. David Wong
In this research-based course, I learned about different research methods and identified a current issue facing schools today; ineffective assessment and grading practices. To solve this problem and learn about more efficient ways to assess student learning, I applied what I learned about research approaches to my research project. I collected and examined quantitative and qualitative data and created a teacher action plan based on the information I gathered. This action plan was an interactive process of learning and adapting based on the data collected.
CEP 816 Technology, Teaching, & Learning Across the Curriculum Instructor: Dr. Brittany Dillman
In CEP 816, I learned about understanding and implementing new media in the classroom. I defined new media and focused on the challenges and affordances it presents in schools. I also examined different reading strategies and learned about cognitive load. To showcase what I learned, I designed a social studies unit that focuses on the concepts from CEP 816. The lesson plans I created reduce cognitive load, assess prior knowledge, and maximize the germane load. The strategies utilized in the unit help students connect new concepts to existing schemas and foster learning while using educational technology tools efficiently.
CEP 815 Technology and Leadership Instructor: Kyle Shack
I believe the future of educational technology falls into the hands of compelling and informative leaders. CEP 815 helped me gain the skills and knowledge to help me develop into an effective technology leader. In this course, I learned about different leadership strategies and styles and examined technology's role in educational leadership today. I created a five-year educational technology vision plan for schools that centered around student-centered learning, innovative learning opportunities for students, and digital literacy and citizenship in schools. I also constructed my leadership philosophy statement and discussed what makes an effective leader in the field of education.
CEP 807 Capstone Seminar Instructor: Dr. Matthew Koehler
The capstone seminar was the final course in the MAET program. In this course, I spent time reflecting upon my graduate work as a MAET student. I created a digital portfolio that includes my resume, a showcase of graduate work, and essays about my personal goals. I engaged with my classmates and received essential peer feedback on my work. In the end, I have constructed a comprehensive and professional portfolio that represents who I am and how I have grown in the field of educational technology.