Upon completion of the Master of Education Technology (MET) program in May, 2023, I will have explored new forms and usages of technology that will increase student engagement among adult learners in a college classroom and provide opportunities for reflection and creation of knowledge. Specifically, I will explore tools that encourage constructivist goals of learning, such as reflection, connecting prior knowledge to learning, and which utilize creativity. The tools will include assessment tools, such as Socrative, Mentimeter and Polls Everywhere, discussion tools such as Padlet, and interactive presentation software such as CANVA and Genial.ly, which can be used for both presenting information and for facilitating student presentations.The goal is to have developed a greater understanding of the relationship between technology and learning so as to make my teaching more interactive and engaging for students. By expanding my knowledge of new technological tools (and learning new ways to use already familiar tools), I will be better able to assess their usefulness for teaching and learning (as outlined in SMART Goal 1).  

Upon completion of the Master of Education Technology (MET) program in May, 2023, I will have developed andragogically-informed strategies that align with constructionist approaches to learning (i.e, experiential learning, reflective self-assessment, and making) that will be used as a framework for using and choosing educational teaching technologies.  This will be accomplished by using the Bates SECTIONS model for assessing technologies. This is accomplished through the process: "Define, Assess, Implement, Refine". The criteria for assessment of technological tools will be measured by how well they encourage student engagement, interactive learning, and opportunities for reflection, communication and collaboration. Assessment of the tool both before and after implementation is necessary so that refinement can take place. 

By May, 2023, I will have explored new forms and usages of technology that will increase student engagement among adult learners in a college classroom and provide opportunities for reflection and creation of knowledge. Specifically, I will explore tools that encourage constructivist goals of learning, such as reflection, connecting prior knowledge to learning, and which utilize creativity. The tools will include assessment tools, such as Socrative, Mentimeter and Polls Everywhere, discussion tools such as Padlet, and interactive presentation software such as CANVA and Genial.ly, which can be used for both presenting information and for facilitating student presentations.The goal is to have developed a greater understanding of the relationship between technology and learning so as to make my teaching more interactive and engaging for students. By expanding my knowledge of new technological tools (and learning new ways to use already familiar tools), I will be better able to assess their usefulness for teaching and learning (as outlined in SMART Goal 1).  

Upon completion of the Master of Education Technology (MET) program in May, 2023, I will have developed strategies for ensuring that my choices of educational technology are accessible and equitable.  By learning about and adopting a UDL framework, I will be prepared to develop sociology courses that focus on equality, diversity, inclusion, decolonization and anti-racism (EDIDA), to ensure that students' cultures, identities, voices, and roles in society are honoured and heard.  This will happen through the inclusion of culturally relevant, appropriate, and sensitive content inclusion, the design of inclusive and welcoming physical and virtual spaces for all students, and the opportunity for students to showcase their learning in differentiated and authentic ways that speak to their affinities, identities and cultures. 

Technology affords us with opportunities to connect with diverse populations, increases our reach and can make learning more accessible for students who are marginalized because of their geographical location or mobility limitations. By exploring alternative frameworks such as First Peoples Principles of Learning for my courses, I can celebrate diverse approaches to learning. In order to ensure that EDIDA principles are effective, formal and informal ongoing assessments will take place.  Formal assessments of students' reflective work can be useful for making these assessments, as can informal feedback from students through  the use of surveys throughout the term.