Master's Degree - Months 1-4 Reflections

Reflections on Months 1-4:

Likes/dislikes:

During this process I have had to face myself many times and think about how my perceptions and desires are often flawed and inconsistent with how I like to think I am.  I could say I disliked many things, but in the end what I would consider dislike is actually when I faced a challenging experience.  What I truly felt was the pressure and challenge of doing something new or having to do something I was uncomfortable with.  Growing up, all I wanted to do was play soccer and I knew in order to play at the highest level I had to challenge myself or find someone to challenge me, and even though I did not always like it I knew it would take me to the goals I placed before myself.  For this reason, I have loved this process.  It has made me do things I would not have done on my own, while providing information and skills I would not have had the time to gather.

How they apply to your thesis:

My thesis is more about providing a service to colleges.  Much of what I have learned has broadened my perspectives and given me knowledge I will use, but it has not directly applied to my thesis.  I did learn many things will apply to my classroom and how I seek to educate my students.  Of the classes that affected my thesis the most it would have to be Emergent Technologies in A Collaborative Culture.  I am seeking to use Web 2.0 tools to provide my service.

How they apply to the content proposal:

Everything I have learned has influenced my proposal in some form or another.  The integration of Social Networking in Retention first came to mind in a few of the classes, and I learned a lot about how connecting individuals is important to success. 

What learning theory applies to your style/belief of teaching and learning:

This being my first education class it was nice to start out learning about Multiple Intelligence Theory, and even though I do not fully agree I am able to see why someone would align with it.  That being said, I have recognized in my students certain abilities that are stronger than others.   I do believe Multiple Intelligence Theory does have some validity and will seek to include ways for each type to be taught in my classroom.

How does this help with your delivery of instruction:

This has allowed me to encourage my students to earn their degrees in areas more aligned with how they learn and what they are passionate about.  In teaching Audio and Video Technology, I find my students are primarily experiential learners.  They like to get their feet wet, get their hands on the products we introduce them to, and practice the techniques that make projects successful, and I seek to provide an atmosphere that encourages this.