In this article, I talk about my goals of undertaking a Master’s degree in Educational Technology, and how these goals evolved upon my graduation.
/* Key terms */
//Vision: is a goal without specific clear tools or methods
//Mission: is the tool or method that will make the vision a reality
//Goal: achieving a milestone of the vision My journey of entering the world of Education was a gradual one. I am a computer scientist by profession, who always had a passion for teaching. The spark that led me to my career path as of today was I took the role of tech lead of an Educational games project. Now after seven years of serving in the education sector while playing multiple roles, I am reflecting on this journey and how it was largely influenced by the Master of Arts in Educational Technology at Michigan State University. It is interesting to compare my goals as I started the master’s degree in 2016, and how they are shaped now in 2021.
Before the master’s program, I knew I wanted to formally learn about teaching and learning. My goal was to obtain a level of understanding that equips me with the knowledge and tools that can enhance the learner experience, specifically when using technology. I was so eager to use the problem-solving skills that I had developed from my background in computer science. However, I was flexible to tune my sub-goals and keep my main vision focused on enhancing our schooling.
To be transparent, by “enhancing the learner’s experience” I thought I can change things rather quickly. What changed now is the size of impact I understand would be realistic. I learned that changing policies and processes take a very long time. I understood the deeper meaning of Education and how psychology, sociology, culture, and economy all play a role in the speed of change. Understanding these basics had slightly changed my goals. My vision of enhancing learner experience is still the heart of my inner motivation. However, I no longer think of Technology as the first go-to quick solution to problems.
The experience I had during the master’s program was so rich, especially that it took me five years. This long period helped me absorb theory better, apply my learning, and practice different roles within Education. I worked as a full-time teacher, an educational researcher, a teacher coach, and an administrator. With my current experience, I still have my mission re-written frequently, while my vision is still the same. I am so curious to try more approaches in teaching, even if that will involve me going back to teaching again. Interacting with students will always be part of my career. I believe that the proof of a school’s success is measured by the students’ excitement to go there.
From a researcher’s point of view, my goal at the moment is to improve my skills in analyzing the success stories of schools. While other factors play a role other than a school system, such as teachers’ self-efficacy, how can we recycle those experiences in a way that minimizes random variables?
That ever-changing nature of education is what makes it so unique and keeps us motivated and alert to always wanting to cope with the best available, and sometimes, create the impossible.
Hanan Alshikh 