When I applied to Michigan State University's Master of Arts in Educational Technology program, my primary goal was to advance my education to better help my students. I was drawn to this program because of the need for the integration of technology within the classroom. I believed that deepening my knowledge in this area would benefit my students, given the constantly evolving world we live in. Additionally, I wanted to experience the world so participating in the Overseas Summer Cohort in Galway, Ireland would allow me to build new experiences that I could also bring back to my everyday teaching.

I want to be the best educator I can be. Expanding my knowledge and focusing on improving my teaching practices, to help my students is something that will never change. I go into my classroom each day because I want to make a difference. As I have gone through these educational technology courses, my ideas and goals, have changed and have become more focused. While my overarching aim of becoming a better teacher still guides me, specific objectives have emerged during these past two years. I wish to engage all my students by allowing them to create and participate in meaningful learning.

Engaging learners can be a struggle, and it is something that has arisen within my own teaching. The pressure of following a curriculum and covering all the lessons and standards within a year has proven to be at most times, a hindrance to the learning process for both students and teachers. What is the point of all those lessons if it isn’t sinking in? If students are not actively engaged, they are less likely to learn and their experiences within the classroom can become bland and meaningless. Within my teaching experience, I have seen a lack of engagement which has ultimately led to the loss of learning. So far in my teaching, I have begun to make changes to remedy this, but there is always more that can be done. My graduate coursework has provided me with valuable insights. Moving forward, my objective for this course and my future in teaching is to effectively apply this knowledge.

I want to engage my students in meaningful learning. Therefore, it is my goal now to foster meaningful learning experiences that will engage my students. I aim to move away from traditional teaching methods and embrace hands-on, project-based learning. Using the practices and knowledge I have acquired in my master’s program, I hope to facilitate more effective and engaging learning while also making the school experience enjoyable for all my students.