ANNOTATED TRANSCRIPT

MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION

Below, you will find a complete list of the coursework I completed while enrolled at Michigan State University. Each course includes the instructor(s) and a brief description of what the course entailed.

Spring 2013

ED 800 - Educational Inquiry

Steven Weiland

ED 800 was an experience in thinking about everything that makes up education. The history, purpose, strategies, and problems in education were just some of the topics that were breached in this course. The main goal of this course was to gain and form an understanding of the nature of teaching and learning. One element of this course that helped me start my journey as a graduate student was the self-paced format. This format forced me to set my own deadlines and work out a schedule that worked best for me. This was extremely important moving forward because it helped me do something similar with all of the courses I have enrolled in, essentially paving the way for the success I have enjoyed in each of my classes.

TE 831 - Teaching School Subject Matter with Technology

Jeff Bale

TE 831 focused on learning to incorporate technology in a classroom. To do this, we examined and evaluated different resources and discussed how to get the most out of technology use in the classroom. Being such an important ideal in my current school district, this course was my first attempt at beginning to use technology in a constructive manner for the benefit of my students. The most meaningful part of this course for me was gaining an understanding of how to use technology to enhance instruction rather than as a substitute for instruction. This distinction has really made a difference in student motivation and engagement when using technology in my classroom.

Summer 2013

EAD 877 - Program Planning and Evaluation in Postsecondary Contexts

William Arnold

EAD 877 provided my first view into the planning and evaluation processes that go into a developing a program or environment. This course was my first experience with learning about different lesson plan strategies and learners themselves. Another important aspect of planning I had not previously considered in depth before this course was the internal and external influences on a program. What I found to be most meaningful was having a chance to examine and explore ways to improve a program that had failed at my school. By getting an opportunity to view the program through different lenses, I was able to get a feel for how to properly address certain problems in education.

Fall 2013

TE 855 - Teaching School Mathematics

Michael Weiss

TE 855 examined the importance of process over product in a mathematics classroom. This class helped to reinforce my beliefs on teaching mathematics and also encouraged me to explore different teaching strategies. The readings really opened my eyes to the benefits of discussion-rich, discovery-based learning. From this point on, I have incorporated more of these strategies in my classroom, to the benefit of my students. I thoroughly enjoyed conducting a research action plan to alter the instructional design of my classroom by introducing my students to learning through a WebQuest. This research study had a large impact on my students and their learning, as a majority of them improved on assessments and homework completion in the following months.

EAD 861 - Adult Learning

William Arnold

EAD 861 discussed how adults learn and the differences between lifelong learners of all ages. The case studies and discussions were a valuable piece of this course. Oftentimes, we were asked to comment on and examine our views on how adults learn and the differences between learning and knowing. Learning about different developmental theories and models was very beneficial to understanding how different adults learn and the importance of knowing your students. What was most beneficial to me was the final project; a research paper that allowed me an opportunity to examine non-traditional adult learners in a teacher education program. Not only did this provide me with a deeper understanding of the differences between traditional and non-traditional learners, but it also gave me a chance to connect with some of my teaching colleagues and start a discussion on educational concepts.

Spring 2014

CEP 805 - Learning Mathematics with Technology

Ralph Putnam and Eryn Stehr

CEP 805 centered around compiling a vast pool of resources for use in a mathematics classroom. Each week, we examined different aspects of the Common Core Standards and the principles of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. As a class, we modified an existing evaluation form in order to best meet our needs as educators. These forms were then used to evaluate technological tools and resources shared with the class. The most meaningful part of this course was the final project; an online resource library of mathematical tools. I have used this many times in my classroom and have shared it with colleagues at my school. Parents and students also enjoy using it while at home for fun or for extra practice.

EAD 866 - Teaching in Postsecondary Education

John Dirkx

EAD 866 was an exercise in developing different teaching strategies and styles for postsecondary education. While examining assessment strategies, I found several alternate methods and have adapted these to my own classroom. In addition, this course helped to improve my views on formative assessments and their uses in the classroom. The most meaningful part of this course for me was being introduced to the concept of Understanding by Design. This approach to lesson planning has really made a difference on my own teaching and has allowed me to prepare better and more motivational lessons. Another highlight of this course for me was getting the opportunity to design a syllabus for a postsecondary course. This was a great experience and gave me a chance to plan out and get feedback on planning a course for postsecondary education.

Summer 2014

TE 861C - Action Research in K-12 Science and Mathematics Classrooms

Sarah Stapleton

TE 861C focused on action research in the classroom and the procedures used to conduct this form of research. The main goal of the course was to prepare educators to conduct a very powerful form of reserach. Through action reserach, teachers are able to have a direct influence on their classroom and/or district. The final project was to complete an action research project. My research paper, Comparing Testing Outcomes and Student Perceptions of Computer- and Paper-Based Assessments, looked into how students perceive alternate assessment forms and the differences in test scores between the two types of assessment. This course helped rekindle my passion for research and provided me with an avenue to improve educational practices in my school.

CEP 820 - Teaching Students Online

Anne Heintz, Sandra Sawaya, and Rohit Mehta

CEP 820 was centered around the creation of an online course. The course was eye-opening as to how much work and effort goes into creating an online instructional environment. Each week was designed as a checkpoint on the way to the final project, which was developing an online course. One of the most meaningful pieces of this course was keeping my "student notebook" for each module. In this notebook, I reflected on my thoughts and readings for the module. It was a great resource to refer to at later times in the course and really got me thinking about the how, what, and why of my course design.

Fall 2014

ED 870 - Capstone Portfolio Course

Matthew Koehler, Spencer Greenhalgh, Brittany Dillman, and Sarah Keenan

ED 870 focused on creating a professional e-portfolio and reflecting on my graduate experiences. In this course, I was able to compile and showcase all of the articles I created or designed while enrolled at Michigan State University. The final product, my e-portfolio, was designed with future employers in mind. The most meaningful aspect of this course was the opportunity to reflect upon my experiences. This has allowed me to reevaluate my career path and educational philosophies.

If you would like to view some of the work I have completed while enrolled in these courses, please visit my 'Showcase' page.

SHOWCASE