Princess Wade's Teaching Portfolio
Pursuit of Knowledge
Earning my Master of Arts in Educational Technology is not the end of my learning path. As a lifelong learner, I am constantly in the pursuit of knowledge. Currently, I am interested in attending various conferences related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to learn and explore best practices from my peers in education. I also want to invest time into refreshing my skills in Programming to stay current for job opportunities and prepare students for future career opportunities. Lastly, I still have a desire to become an Instructional Technology Coach to assist classroom teachers with effectively implementing technology in the classroom.
STEM Conferences
Through the MAET program, I gain interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education. Lately, I’ve been inspired to attend conferences related to STEM Education. After viewing the Mathematics and Science Partnership net (MSPnet) hub, I became interested in attending the International Society for Technology in Education conference to receive interactive learning experience through workshops, and connect with peers who share the same passion. This year the ISTE conference will be held in Chicago during the month of June. There are a variety of learning opportunities that allow you to learn through various modes such as Explore and Create, Listen and Learn, and Participate and Share. As I sorted through the program, I noticed the conference provides diverse learning opportunities and an opportunity to personalize your learning experience. Below are a few examples of what the program provides and a promotional video for ISTE upcoming conference.
Programming
Since I am approaching graduation, I’ve previewed various job postings related to Educational Technology in both the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As I was looking to advance in my field, I stumbled across posting that announces the UAE Government Schools is currently accepting applications for Computer Science Design and Technology Teachers across the United Arab Emirates. The application states that this is a new position that consist of, but is not limited to engineering styled projects, robotics, programming and web designing. Unfortunately, I feel that I do not meet the qualifications and requirements for this position due to my limited experience in programming. I completed C++ during my undergraduate years. Yet, I have background knowledge of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) through my experience maintaining web pages. Some examples of my experience are embedding various videos and graphics within a blog, and linking to different pages or websites on a web page. Since a list of the requirements are desirable, I believe there is hope for me to attain such a position if I put forth effort in gaining the skills the employers seek. Recently, I’ve visited my students’ Information and Communication Technology (ICT) classroom and they shared their programing assignment with me. My students are using a programing software very similar to Scratch. In the program the algorithms are pieced together like a puzzle using a drag and drop method. It appears the educational programming languages for young students are presented in a graphic and text form which seems to be more user friendly than the more complex language of C++. After gaining a little hands-on experience exploring the programing software, I believe I will develop the skills desired.
Instructional Technology Coach
Along with developing skills that prospective employers are seeking, I periodically view Indeed.com to compare my education experience through Michigan State University (MSU) with future positions related to Educational Technology. Since I desire to become an Instructional Technology Coach, I occasionally read through the responsibilities and required skills section to preview the remaining skills I need to gain outside of my program at MSU. Within the last week, I’ve come across an Education Technology Consultant (New York)/Instructional Technology Coach position posted on Indeed.com with Educate LLC. As I review the required skills, I realized one skill set I lack is extensive experience managing or coaching teachers or school leaders. To overcome that inexperience, I plan to take advantage of opportunities to position myself to coach my colleagues. Currently, there is a select few of my peers who reach out for assistance. However I need to become more proactive in providing assistance with implementing technology in the classroom effectively. This may consist of leading professional development, providing peer observation and giving feedback, or creating tutorials using screencast. Whatever path I take to gain experience in coaching my colleagues, I know I have to provide evidence of my learning experience outside of the traditional learning realm.
As I continue to pursue knowledge, I understand learning can happen through a variety of mediums. Whether I choose to attend conferences, gain on the job training or attend meetups, I will acquire additional skill sets to help me achieve my future goals.