I want to introduce you to my Irish parents - Craig and Sylvia - both in their seventies; from rural Northern Ireland - who embarked on this journey into Masters land with me in on June 12th, 2013.
On 05/29/13 I wrote that I felt like I had just volunteered for a Hunger Games like epic adventure. Little did I know that during the last six weeks, I would use my parents and technology in many of my reflections and fieldwork samples or that I would conduct a BlackBoard collaborate session from my hotel room in Niagara Falls (the Canadian side) and switch on the camera for my PLC to hear gasps of "WOW"! (See picture below!)
I have to say, while getting the work done, writing papers in APA, (which for this new American learner has been somewhat of a new adventure in research), it's been stressful at times - but an experience that will REALLY help me in the classroom! I understand now when my students groan about bibliographies - I share their frustration when an envisioned idea does not work out so well in real life. I am excited, however, with the product of this course. I will be sharing my Engaged Learning Project with my new 6th Grade (MYP Year 1) team soon (we start back school on 7th of August!). I am even more excited by the wonderful educators that I have had the opportunity to collaborate with. I teach in a very large, private school "bubble" and am awed by the fantastic educators from vast backgrounds and schools with whom I get to share this experience. This is the kind of experience that K-12 learners need...and as I browsed the NET(S) I see that Critical Thinking, Problem Solving (4) and Communication and Collaboration will be the biggest touchstones for the EL Project that was created. There is a vast environment of digital environments and media for my students to publish with and selection of the correct one to hone their mapping skills will be key - especially in their vertical articulation of skills in the MYP Programme from MYP 1 to 5 in Geography. Their final map will be an original work - shared with our school and wider community - which is a big part of the overall working philosophy or "Global Context" of the MYP! Critical Thinking and Problem Solving lies at the heart of assessment in the Individuals and Societies assessment using the criteria in MYP. To be able to conduct research, manage projects and solve problems is core to all students in Criteria B and C - Investigating and Thinking Critically. Therefore, not only do NET (S) make sense in an Instructional Technology sense - they make sense to my core content and assessment as well!
As an aspiring technology coach, Balance is part of the IB Learner Profile - I am beginning to understand why as a learner! I need to make concise time for my studies, fully engage in the material (as it is not "fluff" - this is useful and will really make a difference in my students learning in the 21st Century!). I am doing a Master's that will not just earn letters or more money - I am doing a Masters that really means something! As a Coach, I will need to make time for my colleagues in terms of fostering their Professional Development. My school will become more an more involved in this when i return to school...so if balance was difficult personally on summer vacation, then I do need to be mindful of this when I return to the classroom in August!
To Craig and Sylvia (who, BTW re-lived the teenage years as when we were traveling together for the first 14 days of this semester - they witnessed me driving in NYC and 1,500 miles on a road-trip while doing assignments in hotels late at night - my mum bringing me cups of tea and my dad telling me not to overwork or worry!)
THANK YOU!
...I think I might just have passed! The tea and the assurance not to worry went a long way to help in that!
On 05/29/13 I wrote that I felt like I had just volunteered for a Hunger Games like epic adventure. Little did I know that during the last six weeks, I would use my parents and technology in many of my reflections and fieldwork samples or that I would conduct a BlackBoard collaborate session from my hotel room in Niagara Falls (the Canadian side) and switch on the camera for my PLC to hear gasps of "WOW"! (See picture below!)
I have to say, while getting the work done, writing papers in APA, (which for this new American learner has been somewhat of a new adventure in research), it's been stressful at times - but an experience that will REALLY help me in the classroom! I understand now when my students groan about bibliographies - I share their frustration when an envisioned idea does not work out so well in real life. I am excited, however, with the product of this course. I will be sharing my Engaged Learning Project with my new 6th Grade (MYP Year 1) team soon (we start back school on 7th of August!). I am even more excited by the wonderful educators that I have had the opportunity to collaborate with. I teach in a very large, private school "bubble" and am awed by the fantastic educators from vast backgrounds and schools with whom I get to share this experience. This is the kind of experience that K-12 learners need...and as I browsed the NET(S) I see that Critical Thinking, Problem Solving (4) and Communication and Collaboration will be the biggest touchstones for the EL Project that was created. There is a vast environment of digital environments and media for my students to publish with and selection of the correct one to hone their mapping skills will be key - especially in their vertical articulation of skills in the MYP Programme from MYP 1 to 5 in Geography. Their final map will be an original work - shared with our school and wider community - which is a big part of the overall working philosophy or "Global Context" of the MYP! Critical Thinking and Problem Solving lies at the heart of assessment in the Individuals and Societies assessment using the criteria in MYP. To be able to conduct research, manage projects and solve problems is core to all students in Criteria B and C - Investigating and Thinking Critically. Therefore, not only do NET (S) make sense in an Instructional Technology sense - they make sense to my core content and assessment as well!
As an aspiring technology coach, Balance is part of the IB Learner Profile - I am beginning to understand why as a learner! I need to make concise time for my studies, fully engage in the material (as it is not "fluff" - this is useful and will really make a difference in my students learning in the 21st Century!). I am doing a Master's that will not just earn letters or more money - I am doing a Masters that really means something! As a Coach, I will need to make time for my colleagues in terms of fostering their Professional Development. My school will become more an more involved in this when i return to school...so if balance was difficult personally on summer vacation, then I do need to be mindful of this when I return to the classroom in August!
To Craig and Sylvia (who, BTW re-lived the teenage years as when we were traveling together for the first 14 days of this semester - they witnessed me driving in NYC and 1,500 miles on a road-trip while doing assignments in hotels late at night - my mum bringing me cups of tea and my dad telling me not to overwork or worry!)
THANK YOU!
...I think I might just have passed! The tea and the assurance not to worry went a long way to help in that!