Reflections--Returning to school??
When considering to go back to school I kept asking myself--is this really what I want to do? And at my age? I really loved teaching nursing but it was difficult to keep up that schedule and be available to my three children. Not many schools offer Library Science Degree's so then I looked into University of Kentucky, Wright State and Kent State. Kent State offered a 12-12-12 program and I somehow got hooked up with Dr. Kovalik and she said that I should consider a joint degree program Instructional Technology with a Media Endorsement.
Scheduling--Frustrating!
Each semester I would dread trying to schedule for the next semester's classes. First off you couldn't tell web based class from a face to face class--twice I registered for classes that turned out to be face to face classes--that set me back a semester! Yikes! I noticed this past semester it tells you what kind of class it is--now that I am ready to graduate! :) That is the only frustrating part about distance learning for me!
Reflections--Flexibility
I was scrambling for the last three classes from Kent State--to my dismay they were not offered at Kent State Online. :( So after speaking with Dr. Rasinski about a summer class he suggested perhaps an Independent Study might be a solution! Well I wasn't sure if I was motivated enough to design and carry out an independent study! It turned out to be a great experience! Since it was a reading class that I was substituting an independent study for I decided to focus it on a reading problem I observed at my middle school. Students just do not read the same from digital sources as they do from print sources----WHY? I focused on Digital Reading and Strategies to help teachers and students. My proposal was to review literature, summarize the readings and to come up with some strategies. I decided (since I am an ITEC major to do the entire project in a blog. Check out Digital Literacy! It is great that Kent State was so flexible and it gave me an opportunity to learn the in's and out's of an independent study!
21st Century Learning
I have absolutely loved all of my distance learning classes! It is great coming home from a long day at work and not having to rush out the door to a class. I spent most weekends over the last three years in my "cave". I had just converted my den into a scrapbooking room when I decided to go back to school. I have not scrapbooked in 3 years--I can't wait to start again! I know that K-12 education is probably not too far behind--in having more distance learning classes. I feel that I have a big advantage in experiencing 21st learning first hand. I loved getting to know students all over Ohio through Kent State and all over the U.S. and Canada with my two classes from University of Phoenix ! The next generation of K-12 learners will be on discussion boards all over the world and there will be no walls to their classrooms! I am ready to move along with them!
Who Am I?
I hope that after you review my portfolio you have gotten to know me a little better and what I am capable of. I have a strong sense of what I want to do and where I want to go--which can be found in my philosophy statement. What you may not be able to tell from my portfolio is all the hard work that I have put in for my 58 credit hours--perhaps you can tell that I am a straight A student (alright there are two A minuses) and that I always put in 100% into anything I do. That I have sacrificed a lot things over the last 3 years--mostly time with my awesome husband! I am truly thankful for such a supportive, kind and patient husband. I know that I did all of this because I am passionate about becoming a great Media Specialist!!! I am blessed to have been hired by Wyoming School District as their Middle School Media Specialist---thanks for taking me on before I graduated!
I continue to love literature, research and middle school students! One word describes me as I begin my second career in life--PASSIONATE!
I continue to love literature, research and middle school students! One word describes me as I begin my second career in life--PASSIONATE!
If I knew then what I know now--making of the Portfolio
I think that you should make it a requirement that after each class students need to save or upload to a portfolio, assignments that fit the criteria for this final project. I am fortunate that when I switched computers I backed up to an external hard drive. Finding the right assignments took twice as long as putting the portfolio together. Just my suggestion :) I think this is a great project to pull all course work together and to prepare for the interview process. When I applied for my current job over the summer I attached a Glog and a Animoto to my resume. I think being able to set us apart from others is important.
I am a Kent State Graduate!
All classes complete, transfer credits approved and portfolio complete :)
Life is great!
Life is great!
I am a Wyoming Cowboy!
I am loving my job at Wyoming Middle School as their Media Specialist. I have 630 students from grades 5 to 8! The students, staff and administrators are great to work with. Wyoming Middle School was the number one school in the state of Ohio 2010--way to go Cowboys! I love my job! :)
