This page details the courses I took while pursuing a master's degree in Educational Technology at Michigan State University. It also includes the names of my professors and links to their own portfolio websites. I would highly recommend browsing through their web pages as well!
Instructors: Professor Powell and Professor Stone
Description: This foundational course prepared me for success throughout my entire graduate program. This course acts as an introduction to the tools and technologies commonly utilized in MAET courses. For the first time I utilized a blog to share my accomplishments each week. Important course concepts included video learning, Professional Learning Networks, and the TPAK framework.
Instructors: Professor Schuh and Professor White
Description: CEP 811 introduced me to some of the latest teaching movements in education as well as reviewed learning theories I've seen in my undergraduate work. The Maker Movement got me thinking about hands on activities for my classroom. We also discussed how the learning theory of constructivism supports the Maker Movement.
Instructors: Professor Galang and Professor Keller
Description: In CEP 812 we questioned how questioning functions in education and challenged wicked problems teachers face everyday. Think tanks were formed in order to research problems and solutions to chosen wicked problem. My think tank was tasked with reinventing teaching. In the course of the semester we were also challenged to improve our info-diets.
Instructor: Dr. Carrie Heeter
Description: MI 830 defined what a serious game is and introduced the variety of functions such games can serve. By building a functional knowledge game theories we were able to quickly get hands on with game development. Dr. Heeter expertly scaffolded each step of game development to help first time developers (like me) succeed. The course crescendoed into an epic quest challenging me to apply everything I'd learned.
Instructors: Dr. Roseth and Dr. Cheng
Description: This class explored theories of learning including how the knowledge learners already posses effects the construction of new knowledge, and the difference between a novice and expert learning. The course culminated in the creation of a lesson which applied these theories. For the final project I developed a blended learning lesson scaffolded to support a gradual release of knowledge and responsibilities from teacher to student.
Instructors: Professor Heintz and Professor Mehta
Description: Teaching Online covered topics relevant to the developing landscape of teaching online. These topics included digital citizenship, learning management systems, and a universal design for learning. I developed an online class module and blended the online component into my classroom. The success of this module in my classroom inspired me to continue to develop online content for my students.
Instructor: Dr. Wong, Dr. Cheng, Professor Lei, and Professor Westdal
Description: Teachers always benefit from understanding the latest studies of best practices. In CEP 822 I was challenged to isolate one research able topic in pedagogy, seek and annotate scholarly resources, and develop a research proposal. I chose to research blended learning in its various forms and its influence on students engagement and academic outcomes.
Instructor: Dr. Lapensee
Description: MI 831 dug deeply into the different areas and applications of serious games. Examples of acclaimed games in each category were examined and discussed. Game types examined include educational games, health games, games for awareness, and transformative games. To cover such a wide range of topics we used a multitude of resources including scholarly articles, case studies, and developer interviews.
Instructor: Dr. Carrie Heeter
Description: This course centered on the many facets of user experience. I was challenged to develop a profile of my intended user and complete research on their expectations. We also studied user experience theories and applied them in the development of a serious game. Finally, I generated a competitive analysis looking at other games on the market that my game would compete with.
Instructors: Dr. Koehler, Dr. Dillman, Professor Greenhalgh, and Professor Keenan-Lechel
Description: The finale of the Master in Educational Technology program, this course acts as a review and consolidation of all completed work from previous classes. A professional portfolio showcasing completed projects was developed over the duration of the course. Each step of the design process is supported by peer feedback and personalization of the portfolio is highly recommended.