PORTFOLIO
M.S. Learning Design & Technology
Introduction
Before starting this program, I would not have described myself as particularly “tech savvy,” and in fact would have been better described as a bit of a “technophobe.” It’s not that I didn’t value digital technologies, or that I thought they were somehow scary or evil, but I believed that the most important thing in education is the humans in the room and that digital technologies can often become a distraction from that. I still believe that to some extent, and I empathize with the teachers who ask “how will this really work in my classroom?”
After completing U.S.F.’s M.S. Learning Design & Technology program, however, I have a much better understanding of how educational technologies can be incorporated into learning in ways that foster human connection, rather than diminish it. Digital technologies have the power to bring people together from all around the world and create a platform where people can share knowledge and pursue shared interests together. I think it is important that we in the educational community strive to incorporate technology into learning in ways that enhance human connection and expression, promote equity, diversity, and inclusion, and narrow, rather than widen, the digital divide.
In this portfolio you can see examples of my from throughout this program and how I have evolved in both my attitudes and beliefs about educational technology, as well as my ability to create educational tools using the technologies available. Click the "View Artifacts" button below to see examples of my work, or click the "AECT Standards" button to learn more about the Association for Educational and Communication Technology's (AECT) standards for graduate students in this field.
Reflection
As I go back through my work from previous semesters I am struck by a few things that I would definitely do differently next time. For one thing, after working very hard to complete any of these final projects, my general tendency is to press "Submit," breath a huge sigh of relief, and finally get some much-deserved rest. As is typical with the academic schedule, after a tough semester comes a short break, and then another tough semester, with new theories to learn and skills to build. As such, I rarely revisited previous projects and made revisions that could have yielded an even stronger final product. Looking back at my previous work, I am generally quite proud of what I have accomplished, but there are a few pesky details that stand out to me as things that could have been improved with more time and attention. I think this is a big difference between the student workflow and what is expected of a professional instructional designer. While a student may turn in something that is "pretty good," receive a grade, and move on, professionals in the field are likely expected to continue working on a project until it is really "perfect" and ready to launch.
Another key difference is that during the whole time I have been a student I have also been working as a teacher, and so my course work is often something that I get to at the end of a full day of teaching, planning, preparing, and reflecting. I would be interested to see how the quality of my work would be different if I were to have the ability to focus on it full-time.
Finally, something that I would definitely do differently next time is to make sure to get a copy of the source code for all group projects posted to the web. The Internet is an ever-changing place and files are often moved, removed, or web-hosting subscriptions expire. I was quite disappointed to see that some of the web-based projects I was involved with and most proud of are no longer available on the Internet. Luckily, in most cases I had enough supporting documentation to still give a sense of what the project was and the process of getting there. I hope you will enjoy viewing my Course Artifacts and I look forward to creating more and better work in the future!