Reflection Letter

Hello! My name is Matthew Filo, I am an Algebra 1 teacher. As a teacher, I have many responsibilities working with students in and out of the classroom. Outside of regular teaching, I run virtual tutoring and credit recovery. With everything going increasingly online, we must ensure that we reach all students' needs. I was student teaching when the shutdown and covid first hit. While it was a difficult time, it showed me how we must be prepared. Covid showed that when teachers choose not to use technology in their classroom, they are hindering the students learning. During COVID, I completed my Google Certified Educator Level 2 and attended other online professional development secessions from Texas Instruments, Kahoot and others. Through each training, I gained more skills and resources to implement in real-time in my classroom, both virtual and face-to-face. Even though I thought I was knowledgeable about technology, I knew I had more to learn. My goal always is never to stop learning and to improve my teaching. As I was looking to continue my education, I wanted a master's program in that I could implement what I was learning in real-time into my classroom, which is only the beginning.

Looking back at all the courses I have taken in the master's program, a few stick out. Starting in EDTC 6321, I created a guide using EquatIO for Steubenville City Schools, my previous school district. Through the class, I created an instructional unit; this was the first time I had created such a large project. I thought I would struggle; however, learning about the ADDIE model showed me that if you follow the steps, it is easy to structure a plan. I compared and integrated what I was doing in my regular job as a math teacher. I enjoy solving problems by problem-solving, but as I worked on the project, I realized that you could quickly solve problems in instructional design with a structured plan. During my next class in EDTC 6323, I built upon the instructional unit I created in EDTC 6321 to create a reusable multimedia lesson. I created a short lesson using Google Sites with three steps: lesson, assessment, and feedback. This was the first time I used something I created with my fellow teachers. I shared this training with my fellow math teachers and was shocked by the response. They enjoyed that the videos were straight to the point. The final thing I learned from this class and others was that too much information is actually a bad thing; to manage cognitive load, design and function must be balanced.

As I progressed through more courses, my range of knowledge grew as I got to EDTC 6325. I was transitioning to a new job in a new district during this time. It took me a while to acclimate to the different systems and procedures. During my training, our tech coordinator mentioned Clever and said it was a new thing the district had purchased. They did not provide any more details at the time, nor did they state we would not be receiving any training on this going forward, at least at the high school level. While I think they wanted to focus the training for the elementary school, I was still surprised we received nothing. With that in mind, I created my e-learning module on the new program, Clever. This was the first time I ever created an e-learning module, and it really encompassed everything I have learned thus far. Developing this project on Canvas was exhausting, but it taught me about instructional design and how to teach something completely online. Using this was a good foundation for EDTC 6332. For my practicum project using Google Sites, I created an e-learning module for our student information system, ProgressBook. I continue to enjoy what I am doing by creating materials that can help other teachers. I realize that not everyone is familiar with technology, but we must provide them with the skills necessary to succeed. My final project is a showcase of that. Before this, my school district had not received training on ProgressBook in years, it is important that training keeps up with the rapidly advancing world of technology.

In all my classes, the biggest lesson I learned was time management. Having a full-time job and trying to complete all the assignments and projects, along with other personal and family responsibilities, can be overwhelming. When I started at UTRGV, I made it a goal to be more organized which helps with the time management. I created separate folders for each class as I took it both on Google Drive and my Desktop. While this can be considered a small step, it helped me organize what I was doing. I then added them to my ePortfolio right away so that I would be able to save time later. Going along with that, while I was pursuing an ed-tech degree, I still opted to go old school. I kept a handwritten planner of all the weekly assignments and would track my progress throughout the week. While I could have used a program on the computer, it helped me stay organized and not fall behind. Time management and organization are big lessons I learned, but it did not stop there. I hope to continue to use these skills in my career and all other aspects in the future. I am glad I pushed through and did not give up and I would encourage anyone, including myself, to push through it and not give up. While at times it might seem hard it will be worth it. In each class, I created meaningful artifacts that are relevant, most of which I can use in the future. While some of these projects were something I was comfortable with, some pushed me out of my comfort zone.

Throughout the various projects, I gained more confidence in recording myself and presenting content before. Even though I am not that old, I completed my undergraduate degree before COVID and was teaching when the shutdown and everything happened. I do not think anyone was prepared when everything first happened, and unfortunately, I still think some people are not prepared. However, with the knowledge and skills I have not, I feel confident presenting material in whatever format is needed. If there is any advice I would give is to step outside your comfort zone. Do not be afraid to try new things. Even when thinking of project ideas, I would try to keep my focus too narrow, not realizing for the longest time how broad ed-tech is. Technology is the future; thousands of different tools and programs are out there that we just need to take advantage of. One that quickly comes to mind is iorad, which is a free tutorial builder. I utilized this program in my practicum project after my professor mentioned it. After exploring the product, I found it was perfect for what I was looking for. It is a prime example of why we need to keep our minds open in any situation. Before this class I have never heard of it; however, it worked perfectly. It is safe to say that no one likes change but if we never tried something different, we would not be where we are today.

In the future, I want to continue teaching, using the skills I have learned to prepare my students for a better future. In general, my goal in life is never to stop learning. I am constantly expanding my knowledge and trying new things. Through various professional developments, training, and certifications, I learn new skills and things to try in my classroom. It is important to note that none of this would be possible if I did not try, some things will work, and some will not. Along with that the degree and certifications I am getting from UTRGV are huge, but they are not the end. I am currently working on obtaining my intervention specialist license and am also considering more options to expand my license. I think of everything I do as something to add to my tool kit; it is there if I need it.

Over the next few years, I continue to see ed-tech fully integrated into every classroom and embraced by all teachers. We have come so far in the last few years since COVID that I think it is almost impossible to tell where we will be in the future. It is unfortunate that such a large-scale event, a pandemic, is what finally convinced people to embrace technology. However, a lot of progress still needs to be made, but I think we are in the right direction. By exposing students to technology in elementary school, we can ensure they have the basic technology skills by the time they reach high school. That way, we will not have to spend time on that aspect. This will help us prepare students, so they are future ready!