At the beginning of this year, I became a technology coach (Instructional Technology Teacher is the official title). I've not finished the Masters and both myself and my school took a massive leap of faith and I transitioned from full time classroom Geographer to the Instructional Technology Teacher. As I delved into Educational Research at the same time as starting a very new position for a classroom teacher (no scheduled classes working with a faculty that have never had access to this kind of curriculum support), I realized that research is my new BFF! When I was facing situations, problems - issues and all sorts of things to figure out, I would find myself asking the question "Has anyone else experienced this before and how was it handled then?" - and then find myself spending hours in the Library archives of JSTOR and International Teacher Databases trawling for research that might ring fence some sensible approaches to learning - to capture ideas that might manifest solutions to the consistent problems that were arising in my very new world.
This course has not only helped in my own professional development as a reflective learner, but the process of my becoming a "consumer of research" and a "creator" has also helped me hone skills in things like techniques and writing personally. In my school context, it has been an amazing experience as I am a supervisor for and International Baccalaureate (IB) Extended Essay Programme. Students in their Junior and Senior years in the Diploma Programme must write a 4,000 word research essay on a subject specific topic of their choosing. As an examiner and supervisor in Geography, this course has enabled me to better guid the students' research and writing skills. While I am now proficient in citation using APA (and, alas, our school uses MLA so there is a little transition that I have to practice), it has really been a good advantage for my students as I am able to better enhance their research into peer reviewed materials and to really write clear and concise research components to the IB rubric set and truly understand how to write an abstract in a scholarly piece of work.
The latter may not lend to service as an instructional technology coach or a school-level technology leader, but it is unlikely that in any school setting (especially in an international context) that an instructional technology coach will only wear one hat. It is often combined with many and the components of this course have readily helped across a number of engagement areas for my success. The most critical, I suppose, was the ability to revisit and revamp and really research at a deeper level the final semester capstone project for the Master's programme. I am excited by this piece of research and now have a clearer vision as to how to go about the process and work with the outcome. As this project is directly related to our school and my current service, this will only serve to enhance my skills that have been founded in this course.
So the roller coaster continues...but rather than screaming in terror, I find myself rather enjoying the ride!