My MAET Program
CEP 810: Teaching Understanding with Technology
Spring 2015
Emily Stone & Kim Powell
msu.edu description: As the first course in both the Educational Technology Certificate (ETC) and Master’s in Educational Technology (MAET) programs, CEP 810 introduces five foundational topics that are essential for advanced study: theories of learning and understanding, essential mindsets for teaching with technology, professional learning networks, Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), and creative uses of technologies for learning.
My notes: This is a wonderful class to kick off the MAET program. Even at the end of my program I think the Network Learning Project (NLP) is one of the most fun projects I have done to earn my masters. For my project I learned how to play Dungeons and Dragons, but other classmates picked other topics to learn about using only online materials. I haave also taken the ideas behind the NLP and combined the with Genius Hour principals to use in my own classroom.
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CEP 811: Adapting Innovative Technology for Education
Summer 2015
Amy Pietrowski & Melissa White
msu.edu description: In CEP 811 you will be immersed in repurposing the world around you to create experiences that are Novel, Effective, and Whole (NEW.) You will be building upon the work you did in CEP 810, digging deeper into the TPACK theory (Technology, Pedagogy and Content Knowledge), applying and playing with theories of learning, and continuing to grow your professional networks and professional presence. In CEP 811 we will experiment with what some have dubbed “maker culture”. We be repurpose the world around us and explore new (and old) ways of designing learning experiences that are rooted in creativity and purposeful design practices.
My notes: My biggest regret from this class was that I picked the wrong maker kit from the list suggested. If you are going to take this class do yourself a favor and get the Makey Makey kit and thank me later. I enjoyed how this class let me explore technology I otherwise would only get the chance to view from afar. The Maker movement in education is a great way for students to show their knowledge and empower them to take control of their education.
CEP 812: Apply Educational Technology to Practice
Summer 2015
William Masland & Andrew Steinman
msu.edu description: CEP 812 is the third and final course in the Educational Technology Certificate Program sequence. Broadly conceived, this course focuses on the ways that we can use a range of technologies to address a range of teaching and education-related problems. Students explore properties of well-structured, ill-structured, and wicked problems before reading about human social and cognitive dispositions that limit our ability to solve big problems smartly. In addition to working with a think tank of peers to examine a wicked, high-priority educational problem, students critically examine their “info diet,” collect data that will inform a deeper understanding of the culture of technology integration that surrounds them, explore ways to use technologies to support special learning needs, and reflect on the ways they leverage technologies with passion and curiosity to support student learning.
My notes: This course is where the rubber meets the road as far as the MAET program is considered. During this course you take the principles learned in the first two courses and apply them to what you are currently doing in education an research other ways to apply what you have learned as well. The Info Diet assignment really makes students think about not only the what they are reading about, but also where they are getting their information from. That is a skill that many students and adults need to practice and master in twenty first century education. Also, once this was completed you have completed the Educational Technology Certificate.
CEP 815: Technology and Leadership
Fall 2015
Aman Yadav & Missy Cosby
msu.edu description: New technologies not only have the potential of changing what and how students learn, but they can also alter the task of teaching in significant ways. In this course, we will examine the complex charge of being responsible for managing relationships between technology, teaching and learning. We will look at technology from multiple perspectives to assess its potential benefits and challenges to different audiences. Professional development strategies, project management, planning, evaluation, relationship building, along with the ethical and social implications of technology integration will be examined.
My notes: I credit this class and the creation of the Vision Statement to the left with helping me stand out amongst the other candidates for the current position as my school's digital learning specialist. This class helped me to see myself as a leader with my professional community and not just a teacher that liked using tech. I was also able to develop my professional development strategies, prioritize and evaluate technology and how to implement it with other educators. For those reasons and the continued help and support from Aman and Missy I think this was the course at Michigan State University that has had the most profound affect on my professional career.
CEP 805: Learning Math with Technology
Spring 2016
Ralph Putnam & Diana Campbell
msu.edu description: The course explores the interaction of school mathematics content, technology that supports mathematics teaching and learning, and the cognitive and social processes of learning. It is designed to serve practicing teachers at all levels (elementary, middle school, and high school) in their thinking about the interaction of technology and school content, particularly those who teach mathematics for at least part of their school day. No particular strength in mathematics or knowledge of specific technologies is required, only a willingness to explore and rethink standard assumptions about elementary mathematics and learning. The course is structured into eight units, five of which explore a specific content area within school mathematics and a specific technology that hold promise for learning in that particular content area. One end product will be a personalized online library of resources indexed to particular mathematics content and issues in teaching and learning.
My notes: With this class I was able to explore a plethora of math resources online. Normally I would only look for resources for elementary classes, but this class lets you explore and find resources you might not have otherwise find. We looked at a range of resources pre-selected by our professors, ranging from Kindergarten to 12th grade from addition to applied mathematics. Students are eventually asked to find their own resources to bring to the class for evaluation. In this class you will learn to evaluate resources but also you will learn what you prioritize when it comes to resources and what is more beneficial.
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CEP 800: Learning in Schools and Other Settings
Summer 2016
Diana Campbell
msu.edu description: This course will acquaint students with several major psychological perspectives for appreciating learning that goes on in school and other settings. Students will also connect theories of learning to their own experiences as learners – inside this course, in other courses, on the job, and in other settings. By constantly examining the relationship between the ideas about learning introduced in this course and the learning situations in the students’ world outside of this course, students will find greater meaning and significance in both. We consider implications of these perspectives for practice, particularly the practice in your field.
My notes: During this course we develop our own theory of learning. "Learning is the most addictive thing we do. From the moment we are born our brains are hardwired to process the stimuli around us, discern patterns and try to make sense of our world. When we finally understand something and correctly apply our new understanding of our world, our brain craves to do that same thing again. As teachers it is in our best interest to tap into the need of our students’ brains to make sense of our world. This process of taking in stimuli, discerning patterns, applying them, and observing the results is learning, and it is a cycle that constantly repeats itself. However, learning is also a skill; something that can be practiced and improved upon While this theory is all encompassing, it is also ever changing and needing to be adapted based on our own personal growth."This class not only asks you to form a coherent theory of learning, but also put it into practice by creating lessons based on your theory of learning For my final project I did a GoFundMe Page for a 3D printer and explained how a 3D printer can be used to help students show what they have learned.
CEP 822: Approaches to Educational Research
Summer 2016
Yining Zhang
msu.edu description: Alternative methods of educational research. Identifying researchable problems in education and developing a research proposal. Applications of descriptive and inferential statistics for analyzing and critiquing published studies.
My notes: This class is exactly what is sounds like. It is a class for you to practice researching different educational topics. The project for this class was a research paper. For my research paper I did a research review on the benefits of extracurricular activities. The course work is scaffold so you are gradually creating you research review as the course progresses.
CEP 820: Teaching Students Online
Fall 2016
Anne Heintz
msu.edu description: Examining ways in which educators can bring the world into their classrooms with technology to better meet the educational needs of students across the lifespan. The course focuses on ways in which teachers and students can broadcast their ideas and information to the outside world for purposes of collaboration and communication. The course includes discussions of various online learning management systems including their functions, strengths, and weaknesses along with the exploration of various teaching methodologies and how they should be used in the online environment to ensure teaching and learning success.
My notes: For this class we were asked to step out of our norm and look at how to engage learners in an online format. Teaching Students online is becoming less of a luxury and more of a necessity in today's educational landscape. With the availability of some many LMS this class allowed students to explore many and experience their pro's and con's. We looked at a wide variety of synchronous and asynchronous learning models. The visuals of these mades have been a great help to me in helping teachers understand and use different online learning resources. For this class I created an online course using Google Classroom, which was used as a book club for students to discuss the Maud Hart-Lovelace award Nominees. Instead of a tour of the class (which some of my students are still using) I am showing the presentation used to introduce the books to the students. Not only did this class help me to understand learning online for my students, but also for myself through my time in the MAET program.
CEP 817: Learning Technology Through Design
Spring 2017
Carmen Richardson
msu.edu description: Learning Technology through Design is a course that investigates the process of design particularly as it applies to educational technology. The course is structured around multiple design activities and one (or two) large design projects. Topics covered include learning by design, human computer interaction, art and aesthetics of design, iterative design, design evaluation, and collaboration in design.
My notes: For this class we were asked to find a professional problem of practice and design a solution to address the problem. The focus being the Stanford Design Thinking process (Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test). The best part of this class was seeing the different problems my classmates encountered and then how they used the design process to solve them. I chose to focus on reluctant readers and how to engage them to read more. The site to the right is my Reading Pensive: a one stop shop for students at my school to find what they want to read next. We worked on one project the whole way through the class, but had some smaller side projects to focus on each one of the small steps in the process. Side note: the 55 word fiction stories we used at the beginning and end of the course has now been added to the 4th grade writing enrichment classes in my district.
CEP 807: Proseminar in Educational Technology
Summer 2017
Matthew Koehler, Aric Gaunt, Sarah Keenan, & Brittany Dillman
msu.edu description: For the program’s required final evaluation, students prepare an online portfolio summarizing their work in the MAET program and present this work in a group setting. Portfolios and presentations will be evaluated by at least 2 MAET course instructors, including at least one MAET faculty. Work presented must demonstrate the student’s competence in using technology to support teaching and learning and for presenting work clearly and professionally.
My notes: The best way to describe this class is thorough. The professors will help you in any way you can to best display and represent your learning in the MAET program at MSU. The class as a whole is a great way to reflect on the journey a student goes through in the MAET program. The Synthesis Paper (left) and this Capstone Website are the culmination of that journey. One of the best parts of this class was seeing the different paths people took to achieve their master's degree. Also getting to use the flipgrid software of the first time for discussions was quite interesting and I am looking at different ways to use it in my professional career.
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