"Tech support, this is Lauren. How may I help you?"

Goal: Become a Certified Coach

When I first applied to the Masters of Education Technology (MAET) program, I knew my end goal was to become a technology coach. I believed I had a servant’s heart and wanted to serve my fellow educators to better my community through what I was passionate about, which is technology. Now that my time in the program is coming to an end, my next step is to prepare myself to become a coach. Even though I know I am skilled at teaching children concepts, teaching and working side-by-side with adults is a whole other ballgame. This is where my first training comes into play. Google for Education offers training to become a technology-certified coach, which is an expansion of the level 1 and level 2 training that was already available. By becoming certified through Google, I am required to stay up to date with the most recent Google technology, which is what is used in my current school district, as well as submit 100 hours annually of 1:1 coaching time with educators. Through this accountability, I know I will be able to flourish in a coaching position that will not only better educators but also their students.

Goal: Attend Regular Technology Conferences

Part of being an educator is taking on the mindset of a lifelong learner; it is just part of the package deal. However, when I step away from the classroom, this mindset needs to travel with me. The wonderful, sometimes aggravating part of technology is that it never stops evolving. This means I need to constantly research new media tools and technology in order to keep up with best practices. One of the ways that I can do this is by attending conferences regularly that specialize in technology in the classroom. Two organizations that host these conferences are The Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) and The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Luckily, both these organizations host regular conferences in order for educators to gather, expand their personal learning network (PLN), and stay up to date on best practices. Also, MACUL hosts a program on becoming an instructional coach, and this learning will allow me to truly better myself to become the best advocate for my colleagues possible.

Goal: Stay Current with Education Technology Applications

One aspect that I look forward to is all of the problem-solving moments that I am going to have with my colleagues surrounding technology issues. While technically my degree isn’t in information technology (or IT), part of my job description is playing around with the different applications available to meet individual educators’ unique needs. This means that I need to be current with what types of education technology products are available and what problems can they solve in the classroom. After ending my time in the MAET program, I plan to research new education technology programs once a month through several sources. One source that would be most convenient is the Clever product releases page. My school, like many others within the United States, uses Clever as a course management system. By staying current with the applications readily available to the educators in my district, I can be more prepared to assist them with their specific needs. Another source that I can use in this endeavor is the EdTech Teacher app and tool guide. This source summarizes the purpose of all applications that could be used within any aspect of education, allowing me to research products to fit the needs of any educator, even the ones in the content areas outside of my expertise. By staying current with the products that can assist teachers, I can directly coach educators on how to best use the products to meet the needs of their students.