Using research based pedagogy to inform lessons and instruction was the main focus of this course. Using my student teaching placement as an authentic learning setting I was able to create lessons that were engaging and centered around the learning goals. My lessons were well documented with an engaging intro, accommodation and differentiation strategies throughout, and ending with a meaningful assessment. Using the state standards to drive all of my lessons and curriculum was another large component of the course, completed with the practice of implementing them in my 5th grade student teaching placement was imperative to my success in my current position.  

Using my student teaching experience as a tool to experience the student, family, and community relationship component of being an educator. Student learning begins in a space where students feel supported and safe. Through this course I was able to make connections with my students' families with letters home, weekly news letters, hosting parent teacher conferences. This course allowed for authentic experience, it was engaging and ultimately prepared me the most for my career in education. 

Gauging student understanding and teacher effectiveness can be done through assessment. Creating formative and summative assessment is an essential portion of every good lesson. TE 804 taught the importance of assessment but also focused on using assessment to influence teaching practices. I was taught how to use student data to influence my teaching in my student teaching placement as my authentic learning setting.  This course set me up for success by showing how to use formative assessment to gauge student understanding throughout the lesson and the unit to support my student every step of the way. 

This course revolved revolved around teaching the Design Thinking. We dove deep into what Design Thinking is, how it should be used in the classroom, and how it is enhanced using technology. I went through the entire Design Thinking Process solving the problem of a lack of empathy at my school. The Design Thinking process includes empathize, define your problem, ideate, prototype  test, and implement. I saw first hand the deep and authentic learning that can be achieved when being taught using the Design Thinking method. 

The beginning of this course focused on the affordances and constraints of using online courses and specifics LMS (Learning Management Systems). I discovered the benefit of online courses for students of all ages and the appropriate way to conduct yourself as an online course instructor. I created my own asynchronous online course created for middle school students that focuses on coding. Every lesson in the course includes guiding questions, lesson objectives, lesson content , interactive activities and formative and summative assessments to gauge student understanding. 

This course was guided by the question, "what is learning? " To a teacher learning is almost always associated with school, but in reality learning is done almost every second of everyday. Through this course I developed a Personal Theory of Learning that focused on the idea that learning can be passive or active, in formal or informal settings and is done with any new experience that a human participates in. This course brought fourth the idea of learning on all levels and stages and highlighted less conventional ideas of learning like habits and conditioning in contrast to formal academic learning. 

Assessment is something that all teachers are very aware of but often lose sight of their main purpose. This course focused on designing and implementing formative and summative assessments that were engaging and unbiased while incorporating digital tools. Before this course I took for granted the tools I had at my disposal to create engaging and authentic assessment that provided insight on my students understanding. During the semester I used what I learned to create an Assessment Design Checklist, a checklist I use in my classroom when creating assessment to ensure they are assessing the intended  learning goals while being engaging and limiting bias. 

Deciding between K-12 Administration and Educational Technology for my Master's Degree I was really looking forward to taking this course. In this course we studied leadership philosophies and strategies that are enhanced and centered around technology. One of the largest takeaways from this course was the creation of a professional development presentation  this gave me the opportunity to try something new in a safe authentic space. This course directly aligns with my goal of taking on a technology leadership position at the district or state level. 

Study educational research and alternative research methods was something new to me. I was very apprehensive at first but learned how approachable and useful research in the education sector can be. Using the studied methods I was able to dive into topics in my teaching context that could be improved through research. One of my future career goals include getting my P.h.D. in Educational Technology and research is a large component of continuing in higher education. 

Using digital tools to create a capstone portfolio that showcases my time in Michigan State University's Master of Arts in Educational Technology Program. This course encouraged me to reflect on the growth and skills developed through the variety of courses I engaged in. The design portion of this course encouraged my attention to detail and to provide information with intention. Culminating the program in one place also gave me a chance to prepare for career advancements in the near future with an updated resume and current portfolio.