Graduate Showcase
On this page, you will find a selection of the work I have completed throughout my Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program. The work showcased below has had a significant impact on how I structure and design my classroom and teaching style. I chose pieces that highlight three important categories that I believe to be important aspects of this program.
These categories include: Maker Culture; Technology in the Classroom; and Lifelong Learning.
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Please visit the work below for links and explanations as to why each piece has been so important to me.
Maker Culture
People are makers by transforming different materials into useful objects or tools as well as collaborating with others to create improved ideas. As a teacher, I am constantly creating different activities for my students. Everyday, I encourage my students, as well as myself, to be a maker. The three pieces below further describe what the maker culture is and how I utilize it in my classroom.
What is a Maker?
Qualities of a Maker
Project-Based Learning
Technology in the Classroom
The MAET program allowed us to explore different ways of incorporating technology into our own classroom to better reach the needs of all of our students. Our culture is constantly integrating new technology into our everyday lives and our students need to adapt to these changes. Below are three examples of how I have incorporated technology in order to make learning fun and engaging.
I repurposed household items with a Makey Makey kit to provide a timer for my students to use. This was a great opportunity to show my students how we can think differently about how we use everyday items to accomplish different goals.
Makey Makey
Technology Lesson Plan
This video highlights my use of Raz-Kids in the classroom. It allows me to differentiate and track my students' progress. I use this program to help my students become excited about reading.
English Language Learner Support
Lifelong Learning
As a teacher, I have always encouraged my students to fuel their love of learning and never stop. I try to lead by example and be a lifelong learner myself. The MAET program has helped me do just this by providing me with new resources and skills to further explore topics that I am passionate about. Below are three examples showing how I have used these new skills to continuously learn.
Wicked problems are issues that do not have a clear solution. Thinking about my classroom, I chose to learn more about the achievement gap and its effect on education. This infographic includes data and reasonings as to why this is a wicked problem and highlights my thought process on how to tackle this problem.
Wicked Problems
In order to become a better teacher, I completed a research project based on the strategies of organizing a classroom library. This included researching whether students should choose their own books based on their interests or their assigned reading level. This research project focused on a data-driven analysis.
Action Research Project
I used SketchUp to help design my ideal classroom floor plan. This design highlights my skills in the design of learning environments that are tailored to students needs and my preferred teaching style. I paid particular attention to providing ample seating in order for my 2nd graders to move around.
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Classroom Design
*All photographs were taken by me