ANNOTATED TRANSCRIPT
This is a chronological glimpse into my experience and course work during my time in the Masters of Education Program at Michigan State University. Each class has uniquely enriched my depth of knowledge and understanding of educational theories, practices, and policies.
COURSE CODES
CEP - Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education
ED - Education
TE - Teacher Education
COURSE INFORMATION
ED 800
Fall 2020
Educational Inquiry
Steven Weiland, Ph.D.
MSU Course Description: Concepts of inquiry in education addressing problems of theory and practice in teaching and learning, administration, and leadership. Philosophical, psychological, biological, historical, biographical, ethnographic concepts of educational inquiry considered methodologically. Roles of information and communications technologies in inquiry. Applications of inquiry to educational practices.
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My Experience: ED 800 is one of the first two courses I experiences in my first semester as a Spartan. We began with John Dewey and explored the essential question, "What is education?" We think as teachers that we have a pretty good handle on that concept, but this course truly pushed my thinking on how we as individuals and as a society interact with the institutions of education in place in our communities and world. The final reflection I was able to write opened my perspectives on the concept of lifelong learning and how the ways in which we approach both teaching and learning necessarily change over the course of our lives.
CEP 813
Fall 2020
Electronic Assessment for Teaching and Learning
Bret Staudt Willet, Ph.D.
MSU Course Description: Foundational theories of assessment. Critical examination of methods (e.g., portfolios, rubrics, surveys, tests, self-evaluations), and digital tools that allow educators to gather information, analyze it, and make informed pedagogical choices. Design of assessments for learning, as learning and of learning, especially in digital contexts.
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My Experience: CEP 813 is the second class I enrolled in in my first semester at MSU. What I truly loved about this course was Dr. Willet's enthusiasm for the content. That coupled with a comprehensive immersion into instructional design and critical analysis of assessment design, pushed me to consider myriad aspects of teaching I hadn't previously considered. During this course I was also able to add a Blog to my teacher website which not only allowed me to iterate the new concepts to which I was introduced, but also gain the ability to potentially share with a broader audience. One of my favorite posts looked at the Five Paragraph Essay and it's use in writing instruction.
TE 846 Spring 2021
Accommodating Differences in Literacy Learners
Erin Jurand, Ph.D.
MSU Course Description: Developmental processes, instructional practices, and assessment principles that contribute to effective learning of reading and writing. Teaching methods for accommodating the different needs of individual literacy learners.
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My Experience: TE 846 was perhaps the most challenging course I took throughout the program. The final summative assignment I created was a case study surrounding the literacy challenges facing one of my 6th grade students. The student seemed to have inconsistent assessment results when asked to summarize readings, recall details, and analyze word meanings in context. She had an issue with short term memory function, a concern that was raised by all of her teachers. I was able to use my case study as a tool in addition to district resources to determine that she would benefit from special education services in ELA.
TE 848
Spring 2021
Writing Assessment and Instruction
Darreth Rice, Ph.D.
MSU Course Description: Writing theory, research, and pedagogy. Writing processes, strategies, assessments, and environments that address diverse writers (K-adult). Expository, narrative, and poetic genres. Prewriting, composing, revising, editing, and publishing.
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My Experience: TE 848 was one of the most useful courses taken in regard to my writing instruction. This course allowed me to consider writing instruction not as a strict sequence of guidelines and checklists, but rather an opportunity to allow student voices and individual writing styles to supersede rubrics and formal structures. I was also introduced to Ray Bradbury's book, Zen in the Art of Writing. I was also able to reflect on the writing created initiatives in my own classroom. I was able to due a full critique of the student newspaper, The Viking Voice we created with middle school students which added purpose and a rationale to the work students were doing, even though it began and continued as a fun, expressive, activity for students. My analysis of the project is linked HERE.
CEP 802
Fall 2021
Developing Positive Attitudes Toward Learning
David Wong, Ph.D.
MSU Course Description: Behavioral, individual-difference, and cognitive perspectives on student motivation to learn.
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My Experience: First, I must say that Dr. Wong is one of the kindest and most thoughtful individuals I have met. His approach to teaching is student centered, empathetic, and despite being fully online, his class allowed for human connection beyond what I had experienced in most other remote classes. The most valuable assignment had me take a closer look at a student in the form of a case study. The final project had me create a video in which I presented the case overview. Implementing the strategies learned with Dr. Wong did allow me to connect and change the student's trajectory of avoidance and learned helplessness.
CEP 816
Fall 2021
Technology, Teaching & Learning Across the Curriculum
Brittany Dillman, Ph.D.
MSU Course Description: Uses of technologies in teaching subject matter. Disciplinary perspectives on teaching and learning with technology.
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My Experience: CEP 816 is another course that offers so many aspects of digital literacy. As technologies evolve it is our task as teachers to stay current. One aspect of the class I enjoyed was creating the NMTT Dream Project. This is a mini unit of study I plan to use in my classroom in the future.
CEP 817
Spring 2022
Learning Technology through Design
Anne Heintz, Ph.D. & Liz Boltz, Ph.D.
MSU Course Description: Design of educational tools and software. Designing for learners. Human computer interaction. Art and aesthetics of design. Iterative design. Collaboration in design.
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My Experience: From my perspective CEP 817 is really a course in design. Though the design process it presented through the lens of educational application. My greatest take away fro this class is that seeking to learn or create is based in problem solving. I used the methods and process of design to a great extent with a sixth grade classroom during the course. I had a problematic class of twelve students with multiple behavioral issues. We worked as a team, I and the students, implementing the design process to become a healthier and better functioning classroom through design. I even created an infographic to present our efforts to my administrator. We were able to put supports in place to serve the students and allow them to express themselves in more productive ways, a true game changer for those students.
TE 836 Spring 2022
Awards and Classics of Children's Literature
Alecia Beymer Ph.D.
MSU Course Description: Critical examination of literary classics and award books for children, including children's responses to this literature.
My Experience: TE 836 was such a wonderful course. My favorite assignment is the examination of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan. I admit that I had not read the book until this course, even though, with the help of Walt Disney, depictions of it's characters and themes have been present in my life since childhood. Most of us know who Captain Hook is, but have we ever been questioned to believe that he may actually be the real hero in Peter Pan? A deep analysis left me feeling that this could be true and that Peter Pan is no more than a murderous kidnapper. I share this conversion with my students from time to time with the intention of teaching the value of literary analysis. TE 836 was a wonderful course.
CEP 820
Fall 2022
Teaching Students Online
Anne Heintz Ph.D.
MSU Course Description: Strategies, frameworks, models, and theories related to online teaching and learning applied to design and implementation of online learning experiences.
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My Experience: CEP 820 has proven to be one of the more difficult courses I have experienced in the program. The volume of student synthesis is substantial. Though I have been able to begin the design of an actual unit of study my senior students need to graduate. It is my hope that what I create in CEP 820 translates well into my classroom.
ED 870
Fall 2022
Capstone Seminar
Matthew Koehler Ph.D.
MSU Course Description: Reflection and synthesis of learning experiences in online master's program. Creation and exhibition of electronic portfolio on the Web. Participation in online discussion groups.
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My Experience: ED 870 allowed me to truly reflect on my experiences throughout the MAED program at Michigan State University. One of the aspects I enjoyed by taking this course at that particular time in my career, was my instruction of high school seniors on a very similar student portfolio meant to kick off their personal and professional journeys post graduation. I was able to adopt and adapt many of the same formulas used in this course to aid in my own practice for this specific purpose.
ED 870 is the culmination of two and a half years of dedication to becoming a better teacher. It was a meaningful collaborative experience and a much celebrated conclusion to this journey at MSU.