{"id":9,"date":"2025-02-09T08:37:59","date_gmt":"2025-02-09T08:37:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/?page_id=9"},"modified":"2025-04-06T16:52:50","modified_gmt":"2025-04-06T16:52:50","slug":"reflecting","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/?page_id=9","title":{"rendered":"Reflecting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>My Journey in the Master of Arts in Education Program<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1020\" src=\"https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2024Ang-1024x1020.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11\" srcset=\"https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2024Ang-1024x1020.png 1024w, https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2024Ang-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2024Ang-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2024Ang-768x765.png 768w, https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2024Ang.png 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">c. 2025 All rights reserved<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When I first embarked on my <a href=\"https:\/\/education.msu.edu\/maed\/\">Master of Arts in Education,<\/a> I had one clear goal\u2014integrating technology into teaching in a meaningful way. My journey into education wasn\u2019t exactly traditional, but it was one fueled by curiosity and a deep desire to make learning more accessible and engaging for young students.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before stepping into the world of education, my academic background focused on writing and librarianship. I had a natural interest in technology and information management, which led me to internships that introduced me to <a href=\"https:\/\/sis.wayne.edu\/course\/inf7455\">Human-Computer Interaction <\/a>(HCI),<a href=\"https:\/\/sis.wayne.edu\/course\/inf7930\"> User Experience<\/a> (UX), and digital records management. These experiences gave me a front-row seat to the growing influence of digital tools in everyday life. Seeing how AI-driven assistants like Siri and Alexa influenced daily interaction made me wonder: Who was teaching young learners to use these tools effectively? This curiosity led me to explore PhD programs in digital education, but I soon realized that I needed hands-on classroom experience to truly understand how technology could be integrated into teaching. This decision led me to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitk12.org\/\">Detroit Public Schools Community District<\/a> (DPSCD), where I began teaching elementary students just before the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically reshaped education.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As an alternative certification instructor, I had support and mentorship, but when schools shifted to remote learning, it became clear that teachers weren\u2019t given the training needed to effectively deliver digital instruction. Like many educators, I adapted quickly\u2014leaning on colleagues, exploring new platforms, and finding creative ways to engage students in a virtual setting. However, I couldn\u2019t ignore the glaring gap in teacher training when it came to technology. That\u2019s when I knew I needed to take a more structured approach to learning about educational technology.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I pursued a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on <a href=\"https:\/\/education.msu.edu\/maed\/concentrations\/#technology-learning\">technology and learning<\/a> to bridge the gap in teacher training for digital instruction. Google Classroom transformed my teaching by streamlining organization, supporting personalized learning, and enhancing data tracking. I wanted to explore how digital tools could serve as more than entertainment\u2014how they could actively support skill development in young learners. Throughout my studies, I examined research-based strategies to enhance instruction, leveraging gamified assessments and interactive learning applications to encourage student ownership of learning.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most rewarding aspects of my graduate experience has been the opportunity to merge pedagogy with technology in a way that is both accessible and engaging. I\u2019ve deepened my understanding of how students interact with digital learning tools, and I\u2019ve developed strategies for using technology to enhance\u2014not replace\u2014effective teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, as I near the end of my program, I find myself just as passionate about this mission as when I started. My goal has never changed\u2014it has only evolved. I remain committed to using technology to create dynamic learning environments that support student growth. This degree isn\u2019t the end of my learning journey\u2014it\u2019s a stepping stone. Education is constantly evolving, and I plan to keep growing right alongside it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My Journey in the Master of Arts in Education Program When I first embarked on my Master of Arts in Education, I had one clear goal\u2014integrating technology into teaching in a meaningful way. My journey into education wasn\u2019t exactly traditional, but it was one fueled by curiosity and a deep desire to make learning more [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-9","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":232,"href":"https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9\/revisions\/232"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/k3teacher.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}