Master of Arts in Educational Technology:
Transcript of Courses
General Courses
Teaching for Understanding with Technology
Instructors: Chris Sloan, Liz Owens Boltz Summer 2016 This was one of my first experiences as a Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) student. I explored some of the foundational theories of learning and technology integration in a K-12 setting. I became acquainted with the TPACK framework, and how valuable it is for framing my thinking when using a tool to facilitate and encourage learning. I developed an ability to evaluate the effectiveness of various digital learning tools, considering their affordances and constraints, and how to integrate them into learning experiences. |
Adapting Innovative Technologies in Education Instructors: Chris Sloan, Liz Owens Boltz
Summer 2016 Centering on the Maker Movement in Education, this course provided a way to encourage hands-on, creative, and experimental attitudes in teaching and learning. We were asked to create a learning experience that draws on the themes and goals of the maker spirit. I created a project using Soundtrap, a browser-based Digital Audio Workstation that allows users to manipulate music and other audio in incredibly creative ways. This course also developed my ability and willingness to search for, acquire, and repurpose tools to create meaningful learning experiences for students. |
Applying Ed Tech to Problems of Practice
Instructors: Chris Sloan, Liz Owens Boltz Summer 2016 This course prepared me to think of Educational Technology as a way to address large, persistent, and often intractable problems in learning and teaching. Centering around a "Wicked Problem" of our choosing, we discussed and proposed solutions that made use of modern tools. It encouraged me to think about digital tools as more than simple methods of content delivery. Many tools that have enormous potential for learning and collaboration are sometimes poorly utilized or underutilized, creating problems of their own. |
Teaching Student Online
Instructors: Dr. Anne Heintz, Carmen Richardsen Spring, 2017 Teaching Student Online is exactly what it sounds like - this course introduces theories and pedagogies of distance learning, and ways to provide learning for students when you are not physically present. I have learned methods and best practices for digitizing both discreet learning experiences or entire courses for both school-age and adult learners. I was able to explore multiple Learning Management Systems (LMS), their affordances and constraints, and how to match an LMS to a learner. I believe that digital, on-demand learning will become more pervasive and credible over the next decade, and that my proficiency in this area will allow me to more effectively deliver content and learning to the students of the future. |
Theory and Research
Approaches to Educational Research
Instructors: Dr. Andy Saltarelli, Patrick Beymer Fall, 2017 This course dealt with the nuts and bolts of the research methods and practices that drive (or should drive) educational policies and practices. Culminating in a large-scale research paper or proposal that made use of the methods learned in class, this course explored how to consume, evaluate, and apply educational research at both the classroom level and the policy level. I was particularly grateful for this course's focus on critical evaluation of research claims, and the confidence it gave me to navigate the somewhat dry world of academic papers and research results. |
Learning in School and Other Settings
Instructor: Dr. Andy Saltarelli Spring, 2017 Exploring philosophies and theories of different methods of learning, CEP 800 gave me a mental model for understanding the process of learning at all levels. This model informs how I design instruction, curriculum, and experiences for my learners. This course covered many works of prominent psychologists and the methods for learning and teaching they generated. It helped me examine the relationship between learning practices and the theoretical framework (if any) that guides it. |
Educational and Serious Game Design
Foundations of Serious Games
Instructor: Dr. Carrie Heeter Fall, 2017 While I had been informally designing games as part of learning experiences before, this course introduced me to some of the theories and philosophies of serious game design and helped to formalize my knowledge. This course required many varied designs, proposals, and prototypes for games that covered a wide range of styles, applications, and motivations. It also covered how to pitch games proposals and touched on some of the more "business" oriented aspects of the serious game world. |
Theories of Games and Interaction for Design
Instructor: Patrick Shaw Fall, 2017 MI 831 dealt with the many theories of human behavior that inform and drive the design of most games. Developing a strong understanding of what motivates people to engage in certain behaviors is critical to creating engaging experiences for players that seek to modify an aspect of their behavior or teach them a skill. This course required many research papers and research-driven game proposals. |
Understanding Users Instructor: Dr. Carrie Heeter Fall, 2017 Understanding Users dealt primarily with the world of User Interface and User Experience, known as UI and UX. This course covered the many ways to improve a product design by monitoring the experience of the user through observation, data collection, interviews, focus groups, etc. MI 841 takes students through what is often a messy design process and helps them develop an understanding of how to create and refine an experience that is "delightful" for the user or player. |
Conclusion
Proseminar in Educational Technology
Instructors: Dr. Matthew Koehler, Aric Gaunt, Spencer Greenhalgh
Spring, 2017
The "Capstone" course in the MAET program provides a pragmatic and useful wrapping up of my learning. This course has two major purposes. First, it asks the student to reflect on their recent learning from a very high-level and wide perspective, as well as consider and set goals for future learning and growth. Second, it culminates in the creation of a digital portfolio of the work completed as an MAET student. I am particularly glad for this last step, as it provides a centralized place to store, evaluate, and display the products that I have worked hard to create over the past year and a half.
Instructors: Dr. Matthew Koehler, Aric Gaunt, Spencer Greenhalgh
Spring, 2017
The "Capstone" course in the MAET program provides a pragmatic and useful wrapping up of my learning. This course has two major purposes. First, it asks the student to reflect on their recent learning from a very high-level and wide perspective, as well as consider and set goals for future learning and growth. Second, it culminates in the creation of a digital portfolio of the work completed as an MAET student. I am particularly glad for this last step, as it provides a centralized place to store, evaluate, and display the products that I have worked hard to create over the past year and a half.
