The Pursuit of Knowledge
“Intellectual growth should begin at birth and cease only at death.”
-Albert Einstein
As I near the end of my studies in the MAED Program, I am thinking about future goals. I love learning and am a lifelong learner. I will continue to take classes and expand my knowledge for as long as I am able. I have narrowed in on three specific learning goals that I would like to accomplish in the near future. First, I plan on applying to a PhD program at MSU. I would like to research and expand upon knowledge related to my field of study. Second, I would like to learn more ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. Third, I would like to continue studying diversity and how I can help at-risk populations.
I want to further my education. It’s something that I don’t take for granted. I started college after graduating high school, and was two classes away from an associate’s degree when I made the decision to become a stay at home mom. I lived too far from campus, didn’t have reliable transportation, or the means to afford a babysitter. Fast forward ten years; it took a huge leap of faith, my husband changed careers and we moved closer to the city so I could return to college. I not only finished my associate’s degree, I went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree and began a master degree program. I am doing things that I never thought were possible and I don’t want it to end. I want to apply to the Higher Adult and Lifelong Education PhD Program (HALE) at MSU. I would like to learn more about effective teaching methods and how I can help students to become successful teachers. I want to find ways to implement these changes in schools to improve the school learning culture.
I would like to learn more about incorporating technology into the classroom. I have learned a lot about technology during the MAED Program. It has really taken me out of my comfort zone and forced me to learn new things. I have probably spent as much time on technology issues as I have on coursework. I would like to continue learning and take a course on ways to include technology in the classroom. Click here to view a six week course that I want to take. It teaches educators how to use podcasts, wikis, and blogs in the classroom. I really like how it encompasses all learning styles and can be used in diverse ways. Drexel is also a great resource for teachers. There are free resources that educators can use to learn more strategies for integrating technology into their classroom. I plan on attending one of their workshops to learn more about it.
Diversity is a huge passion of mine. I would like to continue learning about how I can help at-risk youth. MSU requires all students to undergo virtual diversity and inclusion training. I would like to expand upon this and learn even more about how I can identify implicit biases and promote inclusion. There is a series of workshops offered on campus for students to learn more about building an inclusive community, incorporating dialogue into the workplace, and how to have an inclusive classroom. If I am accepted into the HALE program, I would like to focus on some aspect of diversity and inclusion in regard to at-risk students.
I strongly believe in lifelong learning. I will never be finished learning about my field of choice because there is continuous research and there will always be new knowledge to gain. I have many learning goals for the future such as incorporating more technology into the classroom, beginning a Phd program, and participating in workshops on diversity and inclusion. I chose the career path of an educator, there are many components to it, and there is always room for growth. There is work yet to be done.