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A History of Learning Courses

 

With seeds of knowledge, a forest of learning grows.

Each course below has developed my understanding of education.

Differentiation within a literacy program is necessary to meet the needs of my students. I was re-introduced to a variety of diagnostic and assessment tools, as well as instructional strategies through this course. With this knowledge I was able to provide additional support for each of my students based on their current reading performance. When I consider my students' interests in combination with proper support of their reading development, each reader contributes to our classroom literacy culture.

The foundations of the Master's in Educational Technology (MAET) program were established here. 1) The overlap of Technological, Pedagogical, And Content Knowledge serve students with the Total PACKage of learning opportunity. 2) I was asked to consider new learning experiences, and this reminded me just how imperative making connections to prior knowledge is, as well as reinvigorated the lifelong learner inside of me. 3) Strengthening my Personalized Learning Community has also been benefitial. 4) I better understood that educational technology is not about setting any technology in a room and waiting for learning to magically take place, but purposeful integration of specific technologies based on learning objectives and my teaching practice.

Our world is in constant motion, and technology is in flux at a faster rate than we can comprehend. These realitities allow change and creativity to  thrive. I was introducted to the "remix" and "maker" cultures. And as a result I re-imaginged lesson-planning, my classroom layout, and the process of gathering information. I also learned how I could share my understanding at a global level. What I found was a need to adapt not only technology, but to adapt to our ever-changing world at large.

I aim to teach my students to question, to ponder, to bring their curiosity into the classroom. I do this to stir up their passion for learning and problem-solving. Our goal within this course was to address issues, the wicked problems of the teaching realm. We did this by studying human nature and the trends in our ability to problem-solve. We analyzed our "info diets," as well as how and who we were collaborating with to see where our scope was limited or perhaps biased. I was asked to question, to ponder, to participate curiously.

When we are knowledgeable of how learners learn, educators are better able to make informed decisions about how to support understanding. In CEP 800, we studied how children connect their learning to prior knowledge. Hence the importance of uncovering what students already know about concepts and unearthing any misconceptions that might exist. We explored various learning theories too and the role they play in today's learning settings. In my final DreamIT project, I was asked to consider how to integrate technology for my students' understanding. I created a plan for a blended learning experience for my fourth grade math class. 

Summer 2014, Michigan State
CEP 815: Technology and Leadership
Instructors:  Jon Good &
Dr. Danah Henriksen

Within learning and teaching, there are multiple participants; rarely is either act a completely independent experience. You then add technology into the mix, and there are multiple perspectives and options to manage. In this course we explored the appeal and the challenges that technology provides for different people.  Additionally, it unpacked the role of a technology leader. While not all of us have the job title, we are students of the MAET program. And as such, we have a responsibility to stay informed, reach out to other educators, and grow the awareness within our respective educational settings.  

Within CEP 822 we explored the impact that research can have in an educational setting. What problems are considered worthy of research? When a problem is uncovered, how do I go about gathering, interpreting and making use of data? In our final collaborative project, my group explored misconceptions about Christopher Columbus through research procedures. We collected data from various media sources, designed interview protocol and gathered participants, and analyzed our data. We presented our results in the form of a website that outlines our procedure and results in the form of text, video and images.

In the culminating course of the MAET program, I build my online portfolio as a means of capturing my learning and my teaching -- to better define my professional presence, my teaching philosophy, and to house my experiences, reflections, and coursework. If you are reading this, you have taken time to look through my portfolio. Thank you! This portfolio will continue to develop as my experiences within education expand. 

Assessments should be used to inform teaching. It is as simple as that. This course urged for assessments to be given proper value, so that students benefit from identifying personal areas of strength and those they need to improve with the guidance of feedback. Through the digital context, we analyzed numerous forms of assessment including portfolios, self-evaluations, and rubrics. I designed assessments FOR learning, AS learning, and OF learning, and identify the difference between the three forms of assessment.

Creativity is thought of by many as a gifted talent - a genius that people have naturally. However, within CEP 818 we took a very different approach to creativity, holding the belief that creativity can be a learned skill. Sparks of Genius by Root-Bernstein guided our exploration of thirteen specific thinking tools (observing, patterning, abstracting, playing...) that have been fostering creativity throughout the ages. We, as educators, must capitalize on these thinking tools not only for our student learners, but for our personal learning, too.

"Advice From a Tree"

by Ilan Shamir

 

Stand tall and proud.

Sink your roots into the earth.

Be content with your natural beauty.

Go out on a limb.

Drink plenty of water.

Remember your roots.

Enjoy the view!

Course Abbreviations  

TE: Teacher Education  

CEP: Counseling and Educational Pyschology

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