Running head: MY GROWTH THROUGH MY MASTERS DEGREE 1

My Growth Through My Masters Degree

Daisy Angel

Azusa Pacific University

EDUC 526
MY GROWTH THROUGH MY MASTERS DEGREE 2

Abstract

This paper will explore the various areas of growth through my journey at Azusa Pacific

University(APU). Through my journey in the Master of Arts in Education: Learning and

Technology (LRNT) program, I have growth personally, spiritually, and technically. This paper

will address the different areas in which I have grown.

Keywords: coursework, personal growth, professional, spiritual, and technical growth

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My Growth Through My Masters Degree

Table 1

History of Coursework

Course Term Professor Reflection

EDUC 511- Spring Elisabeth This course taught me more about technology

Essentials in 2017 Silver such as how to create a live binder and word

Learning & clouds.

Technology

EDTC 515 Fall1 James Brown This course taught me about Massive Open Online

Emerging 2017 Courses and also about Major Applied Research

Trend in Projects. This class also taught me about emerging

Technology trends in technology and about the dark web.

EDTC 517 Fall 1 Joe Bruzzese I loved this course because it taught me how to

Digital 2017 create my own website and about different ways to

Communications collaborate online.

EDTC 527 Fall 2 Jennifer This class will teach me about different types of

Special 2017 Courduff assistive technology and how to utilize them to

Topics in meet the needs of my students.

Ed Tech

EDUC 526 Fall 2 Jennifer Through this course, I will develop and ePorfolio

Capstone 2017 Courduff that will have a collection of all the work I have

Exp./Learn completed through my Masters Degree.

& Tech
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Personal Growth

Becoming a graduate student was not something I ever envisioned I would do. My goal

after high school was to get a job where I could help others. After completing my Bachelors

Degree in Liberal Studies at Cal State San Bernardino, I really wasnt sure what the next step in

my life would be. My undergraduate work prepared me to become a teacher, however, through

the process of working for my bachelors degree, I never quite figured out what type of teacher I

wanted to become. In 2013, I ended up graduating with my bachelors degree in liberal studies

and I decided to apply at different jobs until I could figure out what I wanted to teach. After

many attempts, I was finally hired as a special circumstance paraeducator for the Perris Union

High School District. I have to say, I was very nervous and also very excited to be working with

special needs students. I loved everything about my job and realized that working with special

education students was my calling in life. Long story short, I applied at Azusa Pacific University

for the Mild/Moderate Education Specialist teaching credential with a Masters Degree in Digital

Teaching and Technology. After a few months, my masters program was changed to Master of

Arts in Learning and Technology(LRNT). Although the journey has not been easy, I have grown

and learned so much. One of the most significant changes for me has been my growth in faith.

When I started my journey at APU, I had been through many challenges in my personal

life. One in particular, made me question everything in my life, including my faith. I know, that

everything happens for a reason and that God always has a plan, however, when our state of

mind is in a dark place, it can be a little difficult to process. Attending APU was the best decision

I ever made. From the moment I stepped foot in the door, I felt a sense of belonging and

absolutely loved that my professor started class with a prayer. From that moment on, I knew that

I was at the right place, at the right time. God had put me on this journey not only to grow
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professionally but also spiritually. Every class, every devotion, impacted my life in such a way,

that it is a little hard to explain because it is an indescribable feeling of joy and happiness. I

began reading the bible more, and realized that no matter what we go through in life, God always

gives us the strength to get through it because He has already carefully planned every step we

take. One bible verse that made a huge impact in my life is Philippians 4:13. The bible verse says

I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me (New International Readers Version).

That bible verse reminds me that I can do anything in life because God will always give me the

strength to get through it.

Moreover, another thing that I have learned through my LRNT program is that there are

so many technological tools to learn from. Through this program, I have learned to develop my

own website, I have published multiple YouTube videos and I have also learned to navigate

through so many great tools like Google Hangouts, Google Docs, Slides, and even through

Twitter. This program has prepared me with the necessary tools to be able to teach students in

the 21st Century. Everything that I have learned will be taken into my classroom and will make

my teaching so much better. One of the things that I plan to take into my classroom is the flipped

classroom model. I learned about the flipped classroom model in one of my classes and it is a

type of blended learning where the teacher delivers instruction a little different that the

traditional teaching method. Through this model, the teacher records videos and uses other

technology tools to deliver instruction outside the classroom, the students then watch the videos

at home and class time is spent on more hands on activities. I believe this time of instruction

would be very beneficial to my students and I would implement it in addition to the traditional

teaching method. Overall, my growth in this program has been in the spiritual and technology

area.
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Professional Growth

Attending APU, has helped me become the teacher I am today. This program has helped

me develop professionally. When I first started this program, I knew that I wanted to become a

special education teacher and that I wanted to earn a Masters degree with an emphasis in

technology. This program has not only prepared me to teach in the 21st Century but has also

helped me develop my pedagogy. In the beginning, I can honestly say that I had no idea what

pedagogy even meant. I was constantly asked what my teaching pedagogy was, and I always

answered that I didnt know. Now, I can proudly say that through this program I have found and

developed my teaching pedagogy. I have learned so many teaching strategies and different ways

of implementing them.

Furthermore, this program has equipped me with all the necessary tools to be able to

work with a diverse population of students. I have learned about emerging trends in technology,

which has enabled me to be able to work with my students. In addition, I have also learned

various technological collaboration tools such as Google Docs, which I am currently using in my

classroom. As an educator, I believe it is essential that I create a teaching environment that

empowers diverse learners, where they collaborate and work in a technologically enriched

environment. Who dares to teach, must never cease to learn (Binchy,1989, pg. 55).

Additionally, through this program I have developed into the teacher I am today. Not

only did I develop my pedagogy, but I continue to learn so that I can better assist my students. I

am an educator who never ceases to learn and who is always willing to go above and beyond for

my students.
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Technical Growth

Moreover, through this program I have learned a great deal about technology. When I

first started this program, I was very nervous because I had never enrolled in an online class

before. In the beginning, I had to learn how to navigate Sakai and all the components under

Sakai. As I started taking more classes, I began learning about different resources that could be

incorporated into my classroom, such as how to create a word cloud and my own live binder.

Additionally, I also learned how to create my own professional website, which was a huge

accomplishment for me since I never thought I would be able to do that. I also learned to how to

record and edit my own YouTube videos, which will be beneficial when I incorporate the flipped

classroom model in my classroom.

Overall, my growth in the technology area has been immense. Not only have I gained

many useful resources but I have prepared to teach my students in the 21st Century. Technology

will never replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers is

transformational (Couros, 2015, para.2).

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References

Bacer, K., Brown, J., Bruzzese, J., Courduff, J. (2017). Online Master of Arts in Educational

Technology. School of Education, Azusa Pacific University. Azusa, CA. Retrieved from

http://sakai.apu.edu.

Binchy, M. (1989). Respectfully quoted: a dictionary of quotations requested from the

congressional research service. Place of publication not identified: U S Govt. Printing

Office.

Couros, G. (2015, June 16). 5 Thoughts to Push Learning [Web log post]. Retrieved

November 19, 2017, from https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/5343