EAD 860: The Concept of the Learning Society
Instructor: Dr. Stephen Weiland Teaching Assistant: Graham McTeague |
The Concept of the Learning Society focused on the changing nature of learning due to the access to technology and a globalized world. The course required reading was incredible; the books read in the course will influence my thinking throughout my life. I appreciated the nature of the asynchronous course and the requirement of primarily writing. I emerged more aware of the learning process for adults, as well as a deep appreciation for and better understanding of life-long learning.
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At the heart of Writing Assessment and Instruction was the goal that we write. This course demanded an understand of writing and why we write, as well as the ability to attempt to write. With an emphasis on how the digital age influences writing, we were able to create lessons that incorporated digital writing and publishing, In addition, writing assessment was investigated and I developed a project that analyzed students writing samples and the strengths and weaknesses of different assessment methods.
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EAD 801: Leadership and Organizational Development
Instructor: Dr. BetsAnn Smith Teaching Assistant: Ian Kinckley |
Leadership and Organizational Development was an interactive class, synchronous, and involved. We met as a class weekly and interacted with our classmates and instructors. As we learned about adaptive leadership and the ability to tackle problems without obvious solutions, I was challenged to analyze case studies and present a report on a current adaptive challenge I face in my school.
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ED 800: Concepts of Educational Inquiry
Instructor: Dr. Stephen Weiland Teaching Assistant: Nathan Clason |
Educational inquiry was an incredible course that ranges from broad educational philosophies to more discrete measure of inquiries such as the individual classroom. It was a deeply challenging course because it required an ability to look not only at small scale inquiries, such as how we consider classroom instruction and our students, but also large scale inquiries, such as how culture influences learning and inquiry.
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As part of the curriculum team on my school campus, this course was informative regarding how curriculum has been influenced by history, culture, philosophy, and society over the years. Investigating everything from textbooks to classroom setup allowed for a critical analysis and greater understanding of how curriculum and power structures are intertwined. One of the most powerful modules was when we studied school design, and how classroom and school design influences student learning. Also intriguing in my role was how text choices speak loudly about the power that certain groups have in both society and schools.
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Teaching School Mathematics was an eye-opening course that stimulated my interest through article studies, lesson design, and group discussion. My initial interest in the course stemmed from the changes in math instruction and teaching over the last twenty years. In this course we focused on designing math instruction that was engaging and interactive. I wrote lessons, re-designed lessons, and wrote articles for math journal in the course. In many ways, the content in this course went beyond math to apply to all subjects. This course equipped me, as a school administrator to better understand and support math teachers, as well as advocate for quality math instruction for all students.
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Adult Learning centers on adult learners and their motivations. Understanding adult learners through the lens of societal factors, as well as the implications of power relations provides insight into the varied nature of adult learners. The course allowed for me to investigate adult learning through case studies, narrative studies, movie analysis, and group discussions. The coursework helped me to better understand the nature of adults and how they learn and apply that in a school and professional development setting.
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ED 870: Capstone Portfolio Course
Instructor: Dr. Matthew Kohler Teaching Assistants: Spencer Greenlaugh, Sarah Keenan-Lechel, and Brittany Dillman |
The Capstone Portfolio course allowed for the creation of a digital portfolio that showcased my master's work, as well as my professional goals, skills, and experiences. The course required organization, creativity, and the synthesis of the learning throughout the MAED program. The course method emphasized both giving and receiving feedback, and required the ability to be teachable and responsive to feedback through our usage of flipgrid feedback conferences, as well as the art of providing others with thoughtful and helpful feedback on Flipgrid as well.
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