You Never Know What You’re Gonna Get
Jennifer Ivanoff
"Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." I think Forest Gump’s mother had it right. You really do not know what is going to happen until it happens. You can go into a situation with an idea of the events that will take place and the possible outcome, but there is no way to be 100% certain.
This quote personifies my journey in regards to completing my master’s degree completely online. When I started the Michigan State University program I had an idea of what I would encounter or hope that I would encounter, but it wasn’t until I was jumping head first into my courses and assignments, that I realized what it meant to work towards a masters in educational technology without entering a formal classroom.
I started off my courses hoping that I would find new resources to use with my students. I wanted to add to my ‘bag of tricks’ and that was my only expectation. I was not only able to expand my ‘bag of tricks’ but I was able to learn more then just additional resources to use in the classroom: I was able to identify the qualities that create a leader in the school in general as well as a technology leader.
Throughout the program I have taken courses that I have loved and wish that I could copy to use with my students. I’ve also taken courses that I struggled with as I was forced to go outside of my comfort zone in order to be successful. Yes, at the time I did not like the courses that I struggled with and thought numerous times, ‘why is this important to my future as an educator?’ However, now that I am able to look back and see what I have accomplished, I am able to appreciate the more challenging courses.
Throughout the Michigan State University masters program I have learned of many different and valuable resources and approaches to teaching. This information has helped me to become a better communicator, and meet more of the needs of my ever-changing students who live in a world where information is always at their fingertips.
Through completing nine courses so far there are a few that stand out as courses that have truly impacted the student in me, but also the teacher that I am being molded into. I believe that it was a combination of the material and the way my instructors presented the information and resources we were using that have made these courses outstanding.
CEP 813 – Electronic Portfolios
The course that has influenced me the most as a student, and as a teacher, is CEP 813 Electronic Portfolios for Teaching and Learning. I just completed this course last semester (Spring 2011). For this course I created a classroom portfolio that highlighted my own students work, and it also served as a place for me to communicate information to my students and their parents in a ‘one-stop-shop’ kind of way. And I continue to use it today.
I appreciated the deadlines and requirements that I had when I was creating my classroom portfolio. I have always wanted to create a class portfolio, but I didn’t know where to start. However, my instructor, Patrick Dickson, played the role of ‘guide on the side’ as he advised how to create a portfolio that met my needs as a teacher as well as the needs of my students and/or their parents. My favorite part of my class portfolio is my students’ work page. This is where I am able to brag about what my students have done and accomplished.
Throughout the process of creating this portfolio I have learned the importance of getting the proper parent permission (paperwork) from my students’ parents before publishing any of their work and/or photographs on the class portfolio. I have also learned that even though it may be more paperwork on my part it is worth it to see how excited my students are when they see their work on the class portfolio and are able to show it to their parents a home. They are so proud of themselves, and so am I!
My class portfolio helps create and keeps open communication between my student’s parents and myself, as it also helps to create a welcoming environment for my students. I am looking forward to including this web address in the summer letter that I write to my students to help get them excited for the upcoming semester.
CEP 820 – Teaching K-12 Students Online Another course that has helped to mold me into the teacher I am today is CEP 820, Teaching K-12 Students Online. The main project for this course was to create an online unit or class that I can use in my current teaching position. I was really excited to take this course and see what I was able to create. I am very proud of the transition unit I created for my students to complete independently on their own schedule. The unit I created helped students explore the different options they have after graduating from high school. This is a major component of my students Individualized Education Plan’s (IEP). As a primary goal for me as a teacher I want my students to become productive citizens whether that means continuing their education or entering the work force after graduation.
Through the process of designing a unit that is completely online I was able to create and use different videos as introductions to each days assignments to help guide my students in the tasks that were required for that days work. I used Camtasia to create different videos to show my students what each webpage they were asked to visit looked like. This was a very important component to my unit considering my students struggles with written directions. The visuals and audio instruction along with the written instructions helped to meet the needs of all my students and their individual needs. I am looking into purchasing Camtasia so that I can create more presentations for the upcoming school year. (It is one of my personal goals to continue to use the skills and materials that I used in my masters to help enhance my teaching.)
I also learned of another reason why it is so important to offer online classes for students to complete at their own pace. Online classes can become essential if a student has an operation and has to go out on medical home hospital. This actually happened to me this past semester where a student of mine missed over two months of school. It would have been very beneficial for this student to have had classes offered online for him to complete in the comfort of his own bed. I am hoping that I can use the knowledge that I acquired during this course to assist my co-workers to make more resources available online for students, so that they can continue to learn anywhere they have a computer/phone/tablet with Internet access.
CEP 805 – Learning Mathematics with Technology
Learning Mathematics with Technology was the course that forced me to step out of my comfort zone the most. I decided to take this course as one of my elective courses for my masters. My main objective with this course was I wanted to acquire resources and different ways to reach my students who struggle with learning mathematics. From the very first day that this course opened I was challenged. Reading different educational journals that address how mathematics is changing and the standards for each grade level I was thrown out of my comfort zone and into this math world with a whole different language. I found it difficult to use the correct terminology because being a special education teacher I need to put concepts into simpler terms, and somewhat funny ways of remember information, to assist my students. Therefore, I would lose focus of the correct terminology.
My instructor Jack Smith and my assistant instructor Sam Otten helped me explore the many different mathematic applications that can help students strengthen their math skills. I never realized that there were so many free applications on the web to help you practice different math skills. I am lucky and very happy that I am able to have my students go on my Google sites where all of my math applications are located. If I ever have a student who needs additional practice they can just find the link from my class portfolio. I have had a few students use this last semester and they enjoyed being able to practice by themselves.
Even with the challenges and struggles that I had to stay on top of the reading, and the application to real world examples, I am now able to see how taking this course has helped me to grow as a teacher. Being placed back into the role of a struggling student helped me to empathize with my students and their individual difficulties. I have to remind myself that what I find to be simple may not be the case for someone else.
CEP 822 – Approaches to Educational Research
CEP 822, Approaches to Educational Research was a course that seriously challenged my ability as a writer. I remember spending many hours in the library, and on the computer researching, and trying to remember exactly how to write a research paper. This was the one course that was most like typical undergraduate courses in the sense that there was a strict rubric and outline to follow when writing a research paper.
I was able to use the Michigan State e-resources that I could access anywhere there was Internet access. I have used e-resource before but by attending a bigger university I found that there are many more resources available. I have improved my ability to narrow my searches down, but this took me numerous hours to obtain articles and information that was useful. Once again I was put back into the role of a struggling student who possessed the anxiety and stress that came along with a major project. Not to mention, worrying about performing well.
I enjoyed being able to research how Quizlet, an online study resource, affects students with learning disabilities to perform better on tests and quizzes. I completed a cause-and-effect research project. This was something I have never done before, and to be completely honest, I would have never tried it were it not required to expand my knowledge during his course. I am very pleased that I did! I also learned the needed skills to successfully write a grant in order to obtain additional resources that can be used in my classroom. I will definitely be utilizing this knowledge.
By studying the impact of Quizlet on students with learning disability test/quiz scores I was able to find that Web 2.0 resources can help engage different learners. You can review my findings in my Teaching & Research Revision Summary Sheet. Here you are able to see the process I went through as I was setting up my research project.
As I began this Michigan State masters program I was expecting to gain some information about technology and possible information about becoming a technology specialist, but I truly did not think that I would have created and gathered so many essential resources that I can and will actually use. Like most teachers, I have collected and saved a lot of books and papers, so I still have most of my course work from my undergraduate studies, but unfortunately have not thoroughly used much of this information. However, with this masters degree program I feel I have created resources that I will most definitely use. Furthermore, I am very excited and anxious to use them in the future.
So, like Forest Gump said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get” has turned out to be very true for me. I was not sure what the outcome of this program would be beside having a piece of paper saying that I met the requirements for a masters degree in educational technology. Now I am certain that this masters program has given me the skills and materials that I can effectively use in my classroom and that can be used to take my teaching to a new level. I feel confident that I will be able to efficiently help all of my students be successful, as well as, becoming a technology leader in my school. Expanding my ‘bag of tricks’ like I originally thought is only a small portion of what I truly acquired. This masters degree program has not only helped me grow as a teacher and student, but as an individual as well.