Running Head: GROWTH ASSESSMENT: A TEACHERS TRANSFORMATION

Growth Assessment: A Teachers Transformation Theresa Smith Azusa Pacific University

GROWTH ASSESSMENT: A TEACHERS TRANSFORMATION

Growth Assessment: A Teachers Transformation Personal Growth Transformation can occur in many ways. It can be a good experience, like an unforeseen job promotion. It can also be a bad experience, like the sudden loss of a loved one. Conversely, we may strive to achieve transformation in our lives by searching out ways to change and grow, such as reading a self-help book or joining a gym. However, a transformation is truly special when it is a combination of both of these scenarioswhen it is both expected and surprising. My time in Azusa Pacific Universitys Online Education Technology Program has resulted in exactly that kind of personal transformation. Although I did I expect to grow cognitively in this program, my brain actually experienced more of a reawakening. I had not taken college courses for over ten years. When I let go of my fear and delved into this learning opportunity, I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was I challenged to think critically, I was challenged to work cooperatively with my cadremates. When I reflect upon my cognitive growth, I feel I got a lot of bang for my buck. Growing affectively came as a pleasant surprise to me. Over the past few years, the challenges of life have chipped away at me, and I have been far less confident. Since I joined the Online Educational Technology program, I have had moments when my confidence was bottomed out, but those moments were balanced out by times when my confidence soared. A perfect score on a project or a kind comment about my writing slowly raised my confidence level, and now I feel so much more certain of my abilities.

GROWTH ASSESSMENT: A TEACHERS TRANSFORMATION

for me. I did not expect to be so impacted by the spiritual components of my lessons, but I found myself looking forward to the spiritual element of each new module. As the great Dr. Seuss (1957) might say, my heart grew three size (p. 48) in this program. In conclusion, I experienced significant personal growth in Azusa Pacific Universitys Online Educational Technology program. While I expected to grow cognitively, I was astonished to find that I also grew affectively and spiritually. In all, the journey of this program led me on a journey of personal transformation. Professional Growth Educators are expected to continue to grow professionally throughout their careers. It is imperative that we learn new skills and change with the times so that we are teaching our students current, relevant skills. I experienced significant professional growth in the Online Educational Technology program. I was introduced to a lesson planning model that was entirely new to me. Though I initially struggled with Backwards Design, I eventually grew to appreciate this planning process. According to the article What is Understanding by Design? by Authentic Education (2012), Emphasizing the teacher's critical role as a designer of student learning, Understanding by Design works within the standards-driven curriculum to help teachers clarify learning goals, devise revealing assessments of student understanding, and craft effective and engaging learning activities (para. 1). Now that I incorporate Backwards Design into my lesson planning, my lessons are much more effective. I am able to set clear goals and then design a lesson that allows my students to reach those goals.

GROWTH ASSESSMENT: A TEACHERS TRANSFORMATION

Next, I now feel that I am eligible for positions and duties that I might not have previously been considered qualified for. Since starting this program, I interviewed for a technology position that would have been a promotion for me, and though I wasnt hired, I feel that being enrolled in this program resulted in my being chosen to go on to the second round of the interview process. This year, I am site coordinator for our two online learning programs, and I believe I was chosen for this extra duty because of my enrollment in this program. I have complete faith that this masters degree in Educational Technology will continue to open doors for me in the future. Finally, this program opened my eyes to the importance of continuing my professional development. Initially, my motivation for earning a masters degree was a raise in pay. But now, as I reflect on my journey, I have a renewed appreciation for the value of learning and realize how important it is for me to continue to seek out knowledge and to constantly seek out ways to improve my teaching practicefor my own sake and for the sake of my students. In conclusion, while I expected to grow professionally in the program and hoped it would lead me to new employment opportunities and a raise in pay, I did not expect to leave with an exciting, new way of looking at lesson planning, a newfound self-confidence, and a reignited love for learning. The professional benefits of this program far exceeded my expectations. Technical Growth When I began considering enrolling in a masters program and started to explore my options, I put a lot of thought into what subject area would most benefit me. I asked myself, What is going to give me an edge in todays classroom? What is going to help me stand out from my peers? What will give me lasting benefits and help me adapt to the many changes we

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are experiencing in education? In the end, I decided that a masters degree in technology would be most beneficial to me personally and professionally. I learned many new technical skills in this program. One of the most powerful tools I learned to use is Adobe Acrobat Pro. Creating documents in portable document format (PDF) is now part of my daily routine. I learned about many Web 2.0 tools and how to use them, such as Weebly, Animoto, Glogster, Blogger, Podomatic, wikis, and many more. According to the article Safe Web 2.0 in the Classroom, Teachers First (n.d.) states, Many of these tools were not originally intended for classroom use, but they can be powerful learning tools for today's techno-savvy students and their more adventurous teachers (para. 1). I agree that I must take risks in order to find new and unique ways to engage my techno-savvy students. I also learned how to effectively integrate hardware into my classroom practices. The most profound technical growth I experienced is that I see technology in a whole new light. For example, I have students create podcasts or I can create a podcast of an important lesson for students who missed an essential lesson. I used to use Skype or Google Hangouts to stay connected to friends and family, but now I realize I can bring in guest speakers to my classroom from anywhere in the world, or have a parent attend a parent conference from the comfort of his own home. I am now more innovative with the ways I utilize technology. In conclusion, my technical skills grew exponentially while in this program. Not only did I learn new technical skills, I was required to apply them and put them into practice. I was encouraged to think about technology in new and exciting ways. As I exit this program, I am looking forward to using all that I learned to challenge my students and myself.

GROWTH ASSESSMENT: A TEACHERS TRANSFORMATION

Life Long Learning Plan Life-long learning is a must for all professionals, but I think it is especially important for teachers to have a specific plan to continue their professional development. We are preparing our future generations for higher education or the modern workplace, so we need to be current so our students will have current knowledge and skills. I plan to be a life-long learner by maintaining an active personal learning network (PLN), attending conferences and other professional development opportunities, and by pursuing my administrative credential and other certifications. First, I am going to grow and follow my personal learning network (PLN). I currently use Twitter and Tweetdeck as the platforms for my PLN. I follow several education and technology Twitter accounts, including Technology and Learning, International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), and eSchool News, along with several individuals who are educators on the cutting edge. Twitter allows me to learn, share, and communicate in one place. My PLN introduces me to new people and concepts on a daily basis and helps me use technology more effectively in the classroom. Next, I will attend conferences and other professional development opportunities. A cadremate recently introduced me to the unconference phenomenon, which includes events such as edcamp. I plan to attend nearby edcamps in the future. I also plan to take advantage of my districts summer professional development opportunities, which recently included courses on flipping your classroom. Finally, one thing I have always wanted to do is earn my administrative credential. Now that I will have a masters degree, it is the perfect time to reach for this goal. I would also like to

GROWTH ASSESSMENT: A TEACHERS TRANSFORMATION pursue some technology certifications, such as Apple and National Education Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) certifications. I think that these goals will enhance my technology skills while making me more marketable as an educational technology professional. In conclusion, I will focus on three main areas for my life-long learning: My personal learning network (PLN), conferences and other professional development opportunities, and earning my administrative credential and various technology certifications. These three strategies will work together to help me continue to grow as a professional educator and make me a better candidate for any educational technology-related jobs that open up in my district. Conclusion As I reflect upon the last few months that I have spent in the Online Educational Technology program, I am in awe when I fully realize what a transformation I have made. Though I expected to learn some new technology skills, I never imagined that this program would have such a positive impact on me personally and professionally. And I never envisioned building such a strong connection with some of my cadremates, who have become my life-long friends. I fell beyond blessed that I found my way into this particular program, and I believe it is part of Gods plan for me. Moving forward, I know that in spite of the many struggles I faced I will look back on my time in this program with overflowing happiness and gratitude for all that it gave me.

GROWTH ASSESSMENT: A TEACHERS TRANSFORMATION

References Authentic Education. (2012). What is understanding by design? Retrieved from http://www.authenticeducation.org/ubd/ubd.lasso Seuss, Dr. (1957). How the grinch stole christmas. New York: Random House. Teachers First. (n.d.). Safe web 2.0 in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.teachersfirst.com/content/edge.cfm