Topic 18: My Journey in Education

This week I have been thinking a lot about the journey that I have taken in my career toward becoming a Master Technology Teacher. I wanted to share some of my thoughts on that journey with you.

My undergraduate studies were pursued at the University of Texas at Dallas. My work ethic and dedication to learning continued to expand as I was given a buffet of classes to sample. After two years, I found myself sitting in an organizational behavior business course realizing that I had no passion for any of the concepts being taught by the professor. I began searching for that spark in learning that motivated me for all those years. I soon experienced it in an educational psychology course and found myself striving to learn more. As I continued to enroll in education courses, I realized this is where my heart thrived. From the cognitive developments to the intervention methods that improve struggling students, everything in education inspired me to learn more. I graduated with a major in interdisciplinary studies, a certification to teach elementary education, and a dedication to make a difference in the lives of children.

Attending the Texas Computer Education Agency Conference in February of this year opened my eyes to the growing industry of educational technology. I arrived at the conference with a basic understanding of technology use in schools and left thriving on my newly obtained skills, yearning to share everything with my co-workers, and eager to learn more. I have observed first hand how technology related lessons can not only motivate but inspire students to become active, engaged learners who problem solve and use higher order thinking. Students in my class have used applications like PowerPoint, Photo Story, and Study Island to construct tangible representations of their knowledge. Because of their passion to create technology based projects, my students have become known as the ‘tech-ie class’ according to Debra Chisholm, the principal of my school.