In this section I have given brief descriptions of of the projects that defined my experiences over my three years in the Michigan State University Master of Arts in Education (MAED) program. They illustrate some of the creativity, philosophy, and technological aspects I have engaged in during my studies. The projects are broken into three separate themes that best encompass my educational experiences.
Technology With Young Learners Education
Finding a Classroom in a Pandemic
This project was special to me. The year was 2020 and the world was in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak across the world. I was living (sheltering really) with my family in Northern Thailand. I had secured a new position at a private school focusing on academic excellence through the pursuit of music, but until schools were able to open I was resigned to staying in my room at the house we were renting at the time. Summer approached and I began a technology course at Michigan State University. There was an upcoming project which presented a dilemma. I needed to construct a re-purposed lesson plan with the aide of an available technology. The problem was, I needed willing students to participate and draw data from, and that was sure to present a challenge with most people locked in their homes, while social contacting was enforcedly prohibited by law. Duolingo Project - For this project I utilized a popular phone application to aide Non-native English speakers to improve their access to language learning skills. This was an opportunity for the learners to better their understanding of English while also exposing them to easily available technologies. As an educator I was exploring the extent to how well I could utilize technology to teach in a rural informal setting. As luck would have it the government had just lifted the restrictions on cross province travel. My family and I were planning a visit to see her parents in a very rural part of the country. It's amazingly beautiful out in this part of the world. The other benefit for my situation was I was able to procure the assistance of some of our cousins in the local village. They gathered some of the other children nearby, all of whom were unable to go to school at this time due to the pandemic. Children out in this area don't have access to much technology, but cell phones have become so ubiquitous I was sure I would be able to manage so long as we had a decent wi-fi connection. I was able to gather a rotating group of children and a few curious young adults. The project went swimmingly and I truly felt like I had crossed another bridge in my journey as an ESL educator.
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The Polar Express - From Book to Film
During my first year at Michigan State University I took a charming elective course called Children's Literature in Film. In a short summer I came to reimagine and became more appreciative of the various ways film can be utilized in the classroom. This project also helped me develop a sense of the appropriateness of learning materials for young learners and how I should emphasize various filming techniques to express focus both technologically and aesthetically. “A filmmaker is an independent artist, not a translator for an established author, but a new author in his own right.” —George Bluestone This was one of my favorite projects from the course Children's Literature in Film. I approached an academic lens perspective comparing and contrasting the 2004 film and the original children's novel. My mother used to read the book for the family every Christmas. I can recall seeing the film with her at the Henry Ford Theater at Greenfield Village the winter it was released. Brilliant memories... This project was important to my development because it clarified how film can be appropriately unitized in the classroom. It is not enough to simply begin playing a film for young learners. Proper synthesis and a sense of purpose must be established. This essay illustrates the benefits of doing so.
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Philosophy of Education
Hamlet's Blackberry - Reviews in Digital Philosophy
I encountered this book twice during my studies. It shaped my philosophy both about education and how we utilize technology in our daily lives. Beyond being a great read, the book influenced my personal philosophy moving forward, both in the classroom and in life in general. “Imagine you're in a gigantic room, a room so spacious it can comfortably hold more than a billion people. In fact, that's how many people are there with you right now.” -William Powers I encountered this artifact twice during my studies at Michigan State University. Once in the course The Concept of the Learning Society and again in Education in the Digital Age. Interestingly enough, the courses led me to consider that while learning and technology are inextricably connected for the unforeseeable future, it is often our ability to disconnect and focus that is becoming harder to manage. This novel has become a vital roadmap for the way I will approach education and technology moving forward in my career. The philosophy contained herein has proven most useful. Besides my own take on Mr. Powers' work, which you can view below, I have also included a link to a most entertaining interview with the author on NPR's Morning Addition. Additionally, Laurie Winer penned a fine review for the New York Times.
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Occupational Learning Project
Another reflection I chose from The Concept of the Learning Society. This project showcases a book from the famed surgeon and author Atul Gawande. For all the focus throughout the book on working in hospitals, Better serves as a philosophical lodestone on how we can all improve in our lives and professions. It's another instance where a project I completed for my Master of Arts in Education served more than the purpose of reviewing a piece off literature. It quite literally changed and shaped my philosophies on life, learning and sharing knowledge with others. For an additional introspective on the author, please enjoy some of the readings he recorded for npr.org. |
Deep Reading Project
It's no mistake three of my favorite projects resulted from The Concept of the Learning Society. I can't be certain if it was the time and place I was in my own life, or if the course itself was just a masterpiece unto itself. For whatever reason I found myself deeply influenced by the readings and accompanying analyses I encountered about the individual authors. As much as we must focus on technology moving forward, it is also imperative that we value other more traditional skillsets. Ken Bain's What the Best College Students Do reflects on how we interpret and seek meaning from new data. It's a key example of how I've developed my teaching philosophy to value not only technological aspects, but deeper aspects of wisdom and the transfer of knowlege. For an additional introspective on the author, please enjoy this interview from npr.org. |
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Technology and Postsecondary Education
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Multicultural Medium.com Project
This was one of my first projects I completed for my master's program at Michigan State University. It introduced me to a new form of media and how to present material outside of the standard repot paper style of showcasing one's work. The project focuses on cultural appropriation by white actors. The interesting dynamic is the subjects are not only from the United States. In America we often remain concerned with our own affairs at at time do not realize how stereotypes exist and are presented in other countries and cultures. Warning: Please keep in mind this material is intended for a postsecondary audience who can objectively comprehend and appreciate cultural nuance. Some of the material may be unsuitable for young learners. |
Observation, Interview, and Analysis of a Teacher
This was a delightful project I submitted for the course Teaching in Postsecondary Education. Although I work primarily with secondary learners. I have upon occasion worked in colleges and universities for various project and seminars. The project involved observing and interviewing a young professor from the Philippines who was gracious enough to allow me into her classroom. I was able to compare and contrast my own teaching methods with hers and I learned a great deal about educational perspectives as well as certain cultural variations in the way teaching and learning can be approached. An interesting dynamic to this observation was the limited amount of technology used and the professors capabilities at maintaining a coherent and organized structure throughout the lesson. |
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Adult Learning Medium.com Project
This was another project I enjoyed. It allowed me to develop more with a technology I had encountered earlier in my Master's of Arts in Education (MAED) program at Michigan State University. This project was useful for two reasons. First, I was able to apply vital transformational learning theories in an environment that seemed more engaging than traditional term paper writing. We explored some of the psychological effects adult learners may encounter. Second, I was able to find and use vital academic sources comparing Eastern vs Western learning styles. As I've been living and working abroad for over a decade now. This project became useful for my development in a multi-faceted way. Academic pursuits and further understanding foreign cultures are important for me both intrinsically and extrinsically. |