Reflective Essay Collection
One of the Capstone requirements for the Master's in Arts in Educational Technology program at Michigan State University asked students to begin a writing process that included looking back at our original goals and determining whether we had met the goals set forth in our application for the master's program. The second essay asked us to think about where we are going in the future and how we will continue our life-long learning goals. The final essay in the collection reflects upon the lessons learned from the program as a whole.
During my educational pursuit, I had the luxury of hearing Maya Angelou speak at a conference I attended in which she said, "I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Ms. Angelou gave me the inspiration to continue the journey of a lifetime. Each of us has a story to share with the world. It takes a teacher to guide their pupils into the self-less act of reflection and analysis. I present the culmination of documents aligning the path I have taken and where the journey leads next. The educational foundation continues to fuse prior knowledge with continuing interest to further and deepen my understanding with collaborators at all levels in the educational field.
Over my lifetime, I have witnessed the birth of many internet companies and the demise of many others. What I have learned from the MAET program is that the possibilities are endless. That one-step led me in the direction of fulfilling my initial goals from the winter of 2013. As the snow began flying and piling up as Michigan experienced an unusually snowy winter, it left me stranded 150 miles from home, but more importantly, it gave me that quiet time I needed to become a real student again.
Once in Motion, Always in Motion
Future as a Learner Essay
Looking forward demands a new focus upon which a learner uses their knowledge base to determine another goal setting trail. A master of a field understands the importance of the craft just as much as the importance of practice that achieves the mastery. As I am to begin to make another decision on where to go next in my search for knowledge, I am torn between a few different concentration areas; I have found the decision to be daunting and intimidating. I remain to see the connection between Curriculum, Assessment, and Evaluation at the state level and realize that I want to change the way we assess students, so I must continue to search out the educational base that these positions require.
Open Education Resources by opensource.com (Photo by opensourceway under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence)
Opportunities Abound When the Foundation is Solid Synthesis Essay
As a young student, I had a teacher that would tell me that if the educational foundation was in place no one could ever take it away from me. It was my job to continue to build upon that foundation in whatever direction I wanted to pursue.