My Future as a Learner
I love learning. I love the satisfied feeling I get from mastering something. I also love the feeling of excitement that spreads through the classroom through our many learning experiences. Now that I have finished the MAET program, here are some goals I carry with me:
Personal Learning Network
I already have an overpowering personal learning network...there is no way to possibly read all of the posts from all of the people that I follow, but I make a good attempt. I do think it is amazing to have these connections. With all the mobile devices I have, I have my learning at my fingertips at all times. I used to get excited when I went to a conference...you go, you learn new things, you get recharged, and then you go back to reality and struggle to maintain that excitement. However, my PLN maintains that excited feeling year-round. I learn valuable information as it is spread, on topics that interest me. I can then retweet or share things that are interesting to me! While I am considered the "tech queen" of my district, my PLN gives me access to those that are doing even more than I, challenging my ideas and pushing me to do more. I intend to maintain this network and keep it growing to maintain those connections.
preK-12 Technology Coordinator
While this is an important job, this is my "extra" position with my district and I am unable to devote myself full-time to it. I intend to continue to provide quality professional development for staff in my district and ISD. Over the next year, I will be offering a week-long tech retreat, open to anyone in our ISD, and it will cover a lot of the topics we learned about in the MAET program. I also plan to have several "open lab" times to help teachers with any projects they would like. I have found that there is a great disconnect in our district (as with many) between the techies and the teachers. I speak teacher-ese and tech-ese, so I would like to help teachers in the district achieve their goals and navigate their way with the tech department.
Classroom of NOW
The main reason I wanted to pursue this degree is that I am always looking to improve my classroom instruction. I know that technology interests students and provides great avenues for exploring concepts together. What I really appreciated about the MAET program, however, is how much it challenged my thinking about all aspects of teaching. Our in-depth exploration of theories of learning and creativity affect my lesson plans daily. I am always looking for the big picture, helping students be more metacognitive, and recognizing when great moments are happening. I used blogs with my 1st graders this year, and they were amazing. What did they all think was the most fun on the blog? They were the most invested in the communication with their friends. I hope to branch the blog out with families and with another classroom next year. I will continue to look for ways to involve creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking in our classroom.
Technology Organizations
I was excited to present at MACUL in 2011 for the first time. I also recently became involved with SIG-EE to help the organization support elementary teachers. I hope to help maintain and build the organization over the next several years. I would also like to become involved with ISTE. I have a lot of respect for the leaders of both of these organizations and am honored to participate with them as they carry out their missions.
Bonus Goal
If life circumstances allow, I would really like the chance to pursue my PhD in Educational Technology as well. I don't really know what the next few years hold for me as my husband and I begin a family, but if I ever get the chance and could afford it, I would! If not, however, I have the comfort of knowing that my learning is supported through my PLN.
(c) Jessica Steffel (2011)
As a result of my work in the MAET program, and the connections I have made, I will continue to be a lifelong learner. The difference is now that I have more focus, more targeted learning, and more people to work with. My network doesn't just exist in my elementary school anymore -- it is worldwide. My love of learning is shared with many, and their love of learning and sharing affects me and my classroom of students every day.