REFLECTIONS
Growing Aspirations
I have a somewhat unique situation when it comes to reflecting on my goal statement for entering the Master’s of Educational Technology (MAET) program at Michigan State University (MSU). This is because I have actually applied to the program twice; once in 2013 when I just finished my undergraduate degree in elementary education (with a specialization in science) from the University of Iowa, and then again in 2016 after I had finished my third year of teaching. The reason for this is after applying and being accepted the program in 2013, I decided that I just wasn't ready to start a graduate program and that I wanted to get my feet underneath me in the classroom before I started taking on additional learning. After teaching junior high science for three years, I felt confident that with those experiences under my belt, I was ready to get the most of a graduate experience at MSU.
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In 2013 my goals were largely focused on myself and improving my technology use in the classroom to support my students. This focus broadened in my 2016 goal statement to improving technology use of students and staff, as I was at the time considering taking on a technology coach position (which I have now performed for one school-year).
In both my 2013 and 2016 goal statements, I talk about being an innovative leader in 21st Century education. The difference between the two is that the first was focused on me being an individual leader, while the second was about me working to make my organization a leader in 21st Century education. Since entering the program, my aspirations have continued to grow. With the connective power of the internet, there is no longer any reason to isolate my ideas, learning, and efforts to one classroom or one building. I now have the larger goal of influencing the education system in general, and helping to collaboratively shape meaningful 21st Century learning experiences for all learners around the world.
Even though I mention things like “innovation”, “leader”, “technology”, and “21st Century Education” in both of my original goal statements, my views on what these things mean have all changed significantly since entering the MAET program. At the time, many of my thoughts were centered on the use of new technologies in a classroom setting. My experiences in the MAET program have pushed me to think deeply about what teaching and learning should look like in the 21st Century. Previously, I thought of innovation as having the latest technology in a classroom, but having the latest technology doesn’t necessarily produce innovating teaching. Innovation has much more to do with your ideas of how to use technology than the technology itself.
My job as a technology leader in education is not to show teachers how new technologies work. It is about inspiring teachers and learners to see and develop new ways of teaching and learning, so that they can get the most out of their time both in and out of the school system.
A Creative Future
Being a learner has never been a problem for me. I’m not the type of person who gets bored. I’m curious, and my curiosity drives me to explore new things, or delve deeper into interests I already have. This was true of me as a child, but with access to the internet and all the resources that come with it, is even more true today. For me, inspiration is constantly at my fingertips and on the screen of my device. If I had to lay out one large overarching goal for myself as a learner and an educator moving forward, it would be to develop more strategies to inspire and help people embrace their curiosity, passion, and creativity. Helping people to pursue their interests and passions will create lifelong learners who produce new works, and move our society forward.
As I embrace my own creativity and passions, I will strive to inspire students to do the same. It is crucial to provide opportunities for students to create while they are at school. I love the philosophy behind the “maker movement”, and want to bring more “making” into the classroom. I have worked to design a space at the high school where students have access to high quality digital creation tools such as cameras, microphones, and computers, but also encourage students to utilize creation tools in woodworking, metal fabrication, 3d printing, family and consumer sciences, and anything else students might carry a heavy interest in. I’m glad that the elementary has also received a grant to create a STEAM lab, and am excited at the opportunities it will provide staff and students. If a student has a passion to create something, I will strive to put the tools in their hands so they can create it. In order to grow teaching and learning opportunities at both schools, I will tap into local resources such as the AEA (Area Education Association), local community members for grant and funding opportunities, and other maker-driven educators both local, and abroad.
To make reality the changes that I have envisioned for the education system, I will continue develop my leadership abilities. I am big believer in leading by example. In this regard, I will work towards being the best educator I can be, and continue to innovate in my classes, and share what I’m doing with others. I realize that if I want to influence the education system, sharing what I’m doing will not be enough; I also want to empower others to innovate and share. In order to help me develop as an influential leader, I will study leaders I find inspirational, as well as the strategies they employ. I’ll connect with leaders like Todd Whittaker, Buddy Berry, George Couros, Sir Ken Robinson, and Erik Wahl through their writing, social media, TED Talks, and at local conferences such as SEIIS (which I help organize) and ITEC.
The technologies of the 21st Century provide us nearly limitless opportunities to create and connect. By embracing these technologies, we can harness the passions of teachers and students to create an inspirational system of education that values individual interests and creativity. To do this, leaders will need to empower people to pursue their passions. I will continually strive to create and inspire those connected to me both locally and digitally, and will push to move us towards a passion-driven education system.