Looking Ahead & Setting New Goals
The learning goals I have in mind for the future are not far removed from the learning that transpired during my time at Michigan State. One goal I hope to tackle in the near future is creating an online presence that influences the colleagues, students, and families that I serve. A second goal on my horizon is to be able to combine my knowledge of content, pedagogy and technology to design, test, and share new lessons and assessments that align with the soon to be adopted 2017 Virginia Standards of Learning. Finally, I look forward to acquiring the pedagogical knowledge required to earn additional certifications in my field.
Taking classes online at Michigan State University was a truly great experience. I was able to connect with people from all over the world who have the same pursuit of knowledge as me. I was exposed to different course management systems, forms of communication, and technology tools that I never knew existed. As a result of these experiences, I have developed an appreciation for the importance of having a professional online presence and understand how having one can advance the experiences of the teachers and students that I work with. Through the use of my professional twitter account I can post ideas in public spaces for my colleagues, students, and other professionals to see. Sharing content and thoughts in this way helps me build and maintain a vibrant professional learning network. I will have to work on making connections with forward thinking people and groups so that both my students and I can harvest feedback from experts, and participate in learning networks while hopefully creating some new ones of our own.
Creating a portfolio website is a huge step in this process. Having such a site will allow me to show contacts my qualifications, let them know a little about myself, and demonstrate my passion for teaching with technology. More importantly, creating an online portfolio will aid in my development of a reputable online presence that can afford me a platform for sharing my work and inspiring students and colleagues to explore, collaborate, and design their own solutions and products. I am looking forward to publishing my portfolio and learning of ways to update it and keep it relevant to the next wave of students that I encounter.
Teaching United States history in Virginia used to mean covering content and getting students prepared to pass their Standards of Learning of Test each Spring. Fortunately, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) decided to eliminate the end of year exam for my course and create 21st century standards that will allow teachers to create learning experiences and assessments that aim to enhance and enrich learning. This Spring, the VDOE will approve amendments to the current standards of learning. These changes will create an opportunity for teachers to see the curriculum in a new way and redesign the learning experiences they've developed. For, me the timing of the new standards could not come at a better time. The school I work at just launched a 1:1 laptop program. This new technology initiative, the arrival of new content standards, and the completion of my MAET program should create conditions for a perfect storm of newly designed learning experiences. It is my goal to capitalize on this opportunity by utilizing the design thinking and leverage my professional online presence to share these experiences with my students and colleagues. In doing so, I will need to continue learning about the latest trends and affordances related to educational technology as well as exploring the newly adopted standards.
Moving forward, a final goal that I have in the field of education is to accumulate additional certifications that are relevant in my field. One certification I would like to work towards obtaining is the National Board Certification. Learning more about the teaching standards and board certification process will help me tailor my instructional practices in a manner accepted throughout the United States. Additionally, I am hoping to add VDOE endorsements in educating English Language Learners and Talent and Gifted students. Students who fall into these two categories are prominent in my current workplace and learning more about how to best meet their educational needs is something that I consider best practice.
Achieving these future goals will come with new challenges. Fortunately, overcoming these challenges will help me to move my classroom forward into the 21st century and ensure that my students are being prepared for the future they choose for themselves.
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