Past Goals

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          I applied to the Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program through MSU when I was in the middle of my first year of teaching. At this time, there were two main factors of this program that initially caught my attention. Firstly, I was interested in growing my confidence and competence in using new technology in the classroom. As a child of the technological era, I was essentially raised with a basic level of comfortability using technology. That being said, using tech in a personal setting versus implementing it in the classroom are two different experiences! I wanted to learn best practices for introducing new tech in my classroom because after a year of teaching I identified this as something that I struggled with. Being able to easily integrate tech into my classroom will not only give my students the best learning experience available but will provide them with the resources to excel. 

          The second factor that excited me about MAET was their overseas experience. Ever since I was a child, it has been a personal goal of mine to live or study abroad. I was able to make that dream a reality in the summer of 2022 when I studied with other MAET scholars in Galway, Ireland. In 4 weeks I was able to make new friends, experience new things and places, and complete 9 credit hours toward my master’s degree. Fulfilling that goal has allowed me to pursue new goals in my personal and professional spheres.

 

Present Goals

            

            Now that I have completed my second year of teaching and am two-thirds of the way through my master’s program, my goals have shifted and grown. I am still, and probably always will be, looking to better implement new technology into my classroom. My ideas about my “classroom” are not what they used to be. I once thought I would teach 3rd grade forever. Now, I have a professional goal to move into a STEM position in an elementary school. Ideally, this would look like having my own classroom where students of all grade levels would come and learn about STEM! I would have a maker space for my students to learn through experiencing and creating. I would also be able to teach my students to embrace new technologies and learn to tinker, question, make mistakes, and move beyond. 

           Having participated in the MAET overseas program, I was able to fulfill my goal of living abroad. This initial international experience grew my interest in travel. My goal now is to visit as many different countries as possible. This overseas experiences has encouraged me to broaden my horizons and to broaden the outlook I have for my future. Taking the plunge and moving across the ocean for a summer showed me how brave I can be. It also showed me how I am not limited to my current situations, even if I enjoy them and are comfortable where I am at. My time in the MAET program showed me that this learning process is not linear. There will always be more to learn, new tech to discover, and new experiences to be had. As I continue to evolve as a learner and educator, my goals will change, grow, and expand with me.

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