Reflection and Projection

First, building an ePorfolio to showcase some of what I have learned during my Master of Educational Technology (MET) journey was challenging.  As far as my learning growth went, just deciding what I was going to showcase and how I would link theory/research to practice in just a few pages seemed unmanageable at first.  Later, after having worked a great deal on what I was going to present and how I would do it, and after looking at all the courses I have done and at all I have learned, I came to the realization that I have captured just a small part of what I have learned in the MET program; it goes much further than what can be found in my eP.

Here are some of the things I have learned or developed during the MET program:

• I have learned about educational concepts, such as the foundations of educational technology, and about learning theories.
• I have learned how different types of research were developed and how to write my own research proposal.
• I have learned how to choose and use new technologies and learning management systems (LMS) such as Moodle and Desire2Learn (D2L) to improve the skills and learning of my students.
• I have developed my skills in sharing and collaborating using online interfaces with colleagues from all over the world.
• I have authored multiple written papers/pages and created various types of artifacts that were later networked in a WordPress ePorfolio, a hypertext that is open to more exchange of ideas by using the comments features I have activated at the end of each of my web pages.
• I have learned how to plan and manage learning technologies in my online teaching context.
• I have learned how to use my pedagogic skills in a different manner.
• I have innovated and will continue to do so.

In order to reflect on my ePortfolio, I decided to discuss the questions I asked myself at the very beginning of its development.  You can look at these questions on my Home Page under Objectives and Questions.

Second, the artifacts I have selected to present and reflect on, I believe, are linked to my learning growth which I could see was increasing from course to course.  I have used many of these artifacts already in my own teaching context and there are many more that I have discovered during my courses and through sharing with MET colleagues.  Indeed, I know better now how I can use new technologies in the educational context I am in, which is online teaching.  As I said previously in my Guided Tour, prior to being in this program I had not used any of these new technologies.  Using them was like entering a new world.  I was able to recognize that I possessed much experience as a teacher but I was missing the technology part of it and I did not want that to become a handicap in my career.   I feel that I have learned a great deal in this area and am confident to pursue my journey as an educator who can use educational technology efficiently to improve my teaching environment.  I have completed the Master of Educational Technology (MET), I believe, just at the right moment in my career.

Third, the artifacts I have chosen to represent my learning journey are well connected to my teaching reality.  Since I am teaching online, I can adapt much of the experience I have gained in the program to my teaching context.  I am thinking, for instance, about how the sharing of knowledge and collaboration happened in each of the MET courses and it is inspiring me to create a similar environment for my students where they can get the most out of their online experience.  I found that collaboration in a Community of Practice (CofP) was an important aspect of the MET program and I learned a lot from the experience.  I think this is one of the most valuable aspects of the MET that I am taking with me.

Fourth, looking back at what I have done during the MET program, there is not much I would have changed although I wished from time to time that I would have had more time to go deeper into the readings.  However, I believe the program has prepared me for what is to come and I am planning to continue this journey by more research and reading and by putting into practice what I have learned.  I feel that I am a stronger educator than when I started the program, my biggest strength being the skills and confidence I gained at developing artifacts using new technology.

Finally, it is with mixed feelings that I am leaving the program: feelings of accomplishment at meeting my goals and at the same time feelings of new beginnings.  The biggest challenge I think I am going to face as a graduate is not having my MET colleagues to consult with on an ongoing basis.  It is clear to me that I have to build a new community of practice where I and others will have opportunities to develop our competencies in the best interests of our students.

In conclusion, having reviewed my learning journey during the MET program while building my eP, I realize how much my learning has grown but also how much more I have to learn.  I consider the end of this journey to be the beginning of a new one.