Where am I heading now?

When I earned my bachelor’s degree, I felt I was ready to keep up with the challenges that educational world brings up. But what I was not aware that knowledge is not an end product., rather it tends to be malleable by diverse circumstances. Education keeps moving forward as other disciplines like science and technology do. Thus, this implies that educators have to immerse themselves in constant professional development which can be achieved through diverse methods. The Master of art in Education at Michigan State University has helped me understand the importance of being a long-life learner, reflect on my teaching and learning practices, and to make the right decisions in my work-field. I have recently raised interests in three significant ideas: Firstly, I want to improve my leadership skills and use them in education, especially in minorities in plight. Secondly, I am eager to take part in research that addresses the impact of social network sites in language English acquisition. Finally, I am interested in gaining expertise in the use of high technology in English language teaching.

Goal #1 

Educator, teacher, or trainer, no matter the role, it is essential to develop and use leadership skills at different levels. I come from a minority community which has been hit by the havoc of the national armed conflict. Many youngsters do not see education as a way to overcome violence and poverty, and most of the time they don’t have anybody to guide them. When I was a kid, my grandfather told me that education was the only way to change my destiny in spite of the fact that he was not educated. I was lucky somehow. Many of my schoolmates and friends did not have the chance to continue education after primary or high school. As a result, they followed their parents and grandparents' path. At this point,  I wonder why many people from my community are and have been denied the right to improve their life conditions economically and cognitively. I strongly believe what Black and any vulnerable town needs is mindful leaders that really aim for change.  My goal as a leader is to work with my community and develop educational projects assisted by technology that helps people develop skills in English as foreign language. To get success in this goal, I have considered pursuing an degree in project management at two universities here in Colombia;  Uniminuto university, and Universidad Nacional y Abierta y a Distancia (UNAD)

Goal #2

My second goal makes me think about the way language is acquired nowadays. This is evidence that language acquisition methods have evolved. New generations have different forms to learn, and these forms have been shaped by technology and its countless digital tools. Due to the peak of mobile devices and streaming platforms, language has become more accessible. This lets users open doors toward other cultures. As an English teacher, I have focused my attention on investigating how social media like TikTok for example, impacts the acquisition of English skills–speaking, listening, and writing in a sociocultural exchange–in and out of the classroom in my educational context. In order to achieve this goal, I have been in touch with former instructors and mates from the Master of Arts in Education program. We have already touched ground about the topic. There are few resources we can leverage like TikTok as media of learning English, and Having good speaking English through Tik Tok application. Among other resources. Doing this type of research is paramount to me because it boosters my professional development and helps other educators understand how to take advantage of tools available at our fingerprint.

Goal #3

A third goal relates to the fact that high technology is gaining space in different disciplines in education, thus foreign language teaching and learning is not the exception. As I stated in the previous goal, the way English is acquired has changed. One the recent advances are related to Artificial Intelligence and Virtual reality. These high digital tools offer learners the chance to immerse themselves in authentic learning experiences at different levels. To achieve this goal, I plan on applying for a scholarship at Michigan State University to pursuit a second Master's degree in Foreign Language Teaching (MAFLT). Additionally, I will have to engage more with the type of tec beforementioned. I can achieve it through news, research articles like for example Using artificial intelligence for language learning and exploring some of them while teaching.