Reflection Letter
Dear Faculty of UTRGV and visitors,
My name is Melissa Bradley and I am currently in my last module of my Master’s Degree in Educational Technology and a certificate for Technology Leadership. I am a 4th grade math and science teacher. My goal has been to integrate technology in ways that enhance the learning for every student. With this degree I can attain my career goal of encouraging young learners to use technology in my classroom while encouraging other teachers to use technology in a way to enhance their teaching, as well. Keeping instructional design at the forefront of the teacher’s mind is not simply crafting materials for the students, but rather thinking of effective activities to help students put into long term memory what they have learned.
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Experience Before the Program
Prior to embarking on my Educational Technology degree at UTRGV, I was inspired by educators and compelled by the impact of COVID-19 in 2020 to integrate technology into my classroom. Recognizing that current students are entering a workforce with ever evolving technological advances and immersion, I sought to equip them with relevant skills and knowledge of how to use their devices to become a part of a community of learners I now know as connected learners. (Nussbaum-Beach & Ritter Hall, 2012) The students craved knowledge of how to create presentations on Google Slides and Canva to present to their peers what they learned, they utilized gamification to improve their math skills, and learned they too leave behind a digital footprint. Each individual student improved upon skills they would use in the future in the classroom and further into the future in office conference rooms. The ultimate goal I had for my students was for them to build confidence in their abilities not only in academics of math and reading but also in technology. Coworkers came to me for advice about how to integrate more into their classroom. This ultimately led me to UTRGV and this particular degree plan. I wanted to sharpen and expand upon my knowledge, so I could help others within my area of expertise.
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Experience Throughout the Program
The Educational Technology department at UTRGV has shown me what I can do as an educator to push me to grow my skill set. While progressing through the coursework there were times to work within a cooperative group and individually. Each afforded me opportunities to build upon skills I already knew.
The first two courses are ones which have stuck with me. One course I created an instructional unit to teach students how to put together a Google Slides presentation with a few ways to manipulate the slides to present to peers. It followed the ADDIE Approach. It was magical to see the students learning in one setting so many things that would normally take several times repeating myself. If they did not remember how to “share” their presentation with me they would rewatch the video or reread the directions on the slide. It was exciting to watch them take ownership of their own learning. This has been used in six classes since its creation with additions noted to be made.
Another course was a cooperative learning assignment in which we were given a “client” being an Educational Technology department. They wanted the website to be geared for incoming freshman students to the college. It would answer common questions they received, such as: What does an Educational Technologist do? Quickly followed by: What can I do with the degree? and How much will I earn? It answers these questions among other facts. It had a multimedia presentation which I was awestruck by how much my classmates knew and I was learning from them! It was exciting to be a part of a group which wanted us to succeed as individuals. Plus, seeing what they had taken in after a few modules was exciting for my future in the program.
After these courses I took a class with an assignment to make a 5-6 minute multimedia presentation over a topic to teach someone a skill. The topic I chose was two-digit by two-digit multiplication. The students were given a Google Form with the multimedia video linked in the directions. Once they finished the video they were to answer some questions in the Google Form. I took this course during the summer and wish it had been in the fall when we taught this skill. I wasn’t able to reflect the way I had hoped. Though, I was able to use my son who was going into 4th grade and he got a 100 without any help. He was proud and I imagine this is how my students would feel, too.
The one which stands out the most is an individual project utilizing Canvas as the LMS. I remember thinking how it is similar to Google Classroom. I adjusted to where to find new buttons and figured out varying activities that could be added into the coursework. The project was an excellent use of time to put together lessons within a LMS and a quiz. There were varying types of ways to ask questions. (i.e.: fill in the blank, matching, answer choices, etc.)
The last project is a practicum project where I created an instructional solution to meet a need. This one I decided the intended audience is for adults instead of elementary aged students. I looked inwardly at my current coworkers and thought about what needs we have since we are a brand new campus who are looking to do things in a way that is professional yet fresh. Each comes with varying levels of expertise in technology and is eager to learn more.
Reflection about the Experience in the Program
When I reflect on my time in the aforementioned courses, I think about strengths and weaknesses. Though, my first thoughts were the artifact reports. If I had understood how important our artifact reports were I would have started on them within the timeframe I was working on each corresponding project. To be honest, I forgot the artifact reports. It was time consuming to go back and rethink each project and how it aligned with the corresponding performance indicators. I wish I could have looked at the assignment to align my thinking. Also, what would have been ideal is if I could have taken a course that had an artifact report and one that did not each module that would have been even better!
There were some courses that were better suited for teachers to have during the summer versus during the school year. The two classes I am thinking of are outside of the Educational Technology department that would have been a great fit for the summer module one or two time frame. Also, this would be a benefit for the other courses to fit in and people could work on the ones that could be tested and evaluated within the school year.
One of my favorite things I learned within the courses were storyboards. Segmenting has never been more fun! I do like the storyboards on Canva better than a true storyboard, but I could do either. If utilizing Canva and recording, you can see the words to the side while reading aloud. Excellent way to save time and not memorize each word while recording. Bonus, it is easy to add the words to your closed captions on YouTube!
If I could talk to my past self, I would tell myself that there will always be ways to make things better. I would not have stayed up all hours of the night only to see the following days more things I could do to make my work just right. All work is a work in progress and it is okay to go back and make revisions. In fact, going back and making revisions is better than staying up too late and not allowing your body to sleep.
On that note regarding sleep, I would have taken some of the modules just one course at a time. I felt I needed to take two courses at a time and maybe that is the best way to do the program. My life has been quite full in the last 8 months or so. The big items in my life that could have stopped me from continuing this degree were I helped open a new school, I recently had a student resident added to my class, we have two children in elementary school with activities after school hours, and we added two puppies to our family. Though, this is life. I would always think to myself that I would get my master’s degree later and I have been too busy. There is always something to hold me back, but I made it through.
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Future Aspirations
In the future I see myself working with teachers or students in an educational technology setting. I can help teachers add technology to their lesson plans, become an instructional coach, or work in the technology department in a school district. I see myself helping teachers add in technology and showing them how they too can add it into their planning. I recently heard the state of Texas is adding Technology Applications to the TEKS. I think this might be something I can help teachers be at ease with. Show them ways to easily add in what is needed and where it would be valuable to the students. All of these positions excite me as I know I will enjoy and grow professionally in any of the mentioned positions.
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Recently a student resident (teacher) was added to my classroom for the next two semesters. This is exciting to me, because it gives me the opportunity to see what I can do to help a new teacher and understand what they might need to become successful in this profession. I am able to listen since we work side by side on a daily basis, take in what is needed, and watch the student resident grow in a way that I have not seen since acquiring the skills I have earned in this program. I plan to take what I have learned and share with the student resident to help acquire skills they can use in their future classroom. With the student resident in my classroom, I do not see it as I am only thinking about him, yet I am helping mold him to teach students in his future classes. This is exciting to me. There is a way I can do this and it will be a part of what I have learned in my journey through the Education Technology degree.
When I eventually retire from teaching in my school district, I do not see myself sitting at home. I am the type of person that will continue working in some sort of position outside of the school districts. I think this degree would allow me to continue working after school retirement. Maybe I could create lesson plans for a company needing training for their employees either in person or online. I do realize that the job I could have is possibly not been created yet because of the way our world is moving forward at a rapid pace. As a first generation college graduate I saw myself stopping at my bachelor's degree and I see now I can do more. Just maybe I can inspire others to do more, too.
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Thank you to my professors for helping me through my journey of learning about myself and the world of Educational Technology. It is an exciting one that I am so glad I got to be a part of your class.
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Kind regards,
Melissa Bradley
References
Nussbaum-Beach, S. & Ritter Hall, J. (2012), The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age. Solution Tree Press.