Introduction:

When I began the process of looking for a graduate school to attend, I was looking for something that dealt with technology and education, but other than that I was open to possibilities.  After doing some research I learned that Penn State University had a well-regarded LDT graduate program.  Did I have a clue what that meant exactly?  To be honest, no.  What I did know was that I was accepted as an undergraduate student, chose not to attend, and now had a chance to earn a solid master’s degree from a well-respected university that I had already passed up on once.  That was the beginning of my LDT journey.  I have since learned how beneficial this degree can and will be in my future endeavors and I did finally figure out what LDT meant (Learning, Design, and Technology).

Truthfully though, what drew me to the LDT program was it was not singularly focused, but instead provided access to a myriad of courses that covered three distinct disciplines.  When those concepts are combined together they can make magic in the field of education.  Saying they can make magic is a bit extreme, but when the concepts and skills learned throughout this program are utilized by a knowledgeable and capable educator, designer, technician, etc., the potential benefits to the field of education are boundless.  I did not come into education via the traditional path.  I did not have an education degree, I most certainly did not have a technology degree (I am an elementary technology teacher), and I had no clue what instructional design even was.  Every course that I tackled added another new tool to my “toolkit” and I am confident that I am now more capable than ever of addressing student engagement issues while also improving student achievement.  The following projects were chosen because not only do they demonstrate some of my best work, but they were projects that in the end I was proud of and enjoyed developing.

ARTIFACT 1 : LDT 505 – Integrating Mobile Technologies into Learning Environments – Gallery Walk

I chose this design project for a few reasons.  The first reason is because of the phrase “keep it simple, stupid”.  Why do I say that?  Well, to put it simply, too often school districts and teachers feel that because they have access to more technology they need to use more.   That is not only an uneducated approach to incorporating technology but it is also irresponsible.  The learning objectives and desired outcomes should be what drive the use of technology.  It is tempting to want to always incorporate technology into lessons, but if and only if a certain technology is going to enhance a lesson or improve the learning outcomes should it be incorporated.  The other reason I say “keep it simple, stupid” is that there are countless studies that show that the human memory only has the ability to handle two or three activities at a time before cognitive function begins to decline.  So, when I say keep it simple, it is to focus on a few key elements or activities so as to ensure that those things are being done to the best of a student’s ability without overloading them.  Another reason I chose this project was its applicability.   Although I never did end up using this particular design project in my own teaching, I believe that it is something that I truly could employ and it would be successful.  There have been many projects that I designed throughout this graduate program that I would never actually be able to use, which was frustrating at times.  This design I felt was so successful because I could envision using this with my classes which made it more enjoyable to work on, revise, and continue to tinker with.  As a teacher, you always are trying to find new and exciting ways to engage your students while meeting or exceeding your learning targets.  I feel strongly this particular design would have done that for my students.  Finally, despite all the work, I really did learn a lot through this particular design that still sticks with me.  In particular, the design principle chart included in this project is something that certainly reminds me of some of the key elements that I valued in this lesson and that I continue to value overall as an educator.

LESSON 9 – FINAL PROJECT – GALLERY WALK

 Artifact 2 : LDT 415 A – Systematic Instructional Development – Family Camping on a Budget

I know from reading the M. Ed. in Learning, Design, and Technology Capstone Portfolio Guidelines, “collaborative projects should only be used if the student completed the vast majority of the learning design work on the project”.  I can say honestly that although I did not do the vast majority of the work myself, I can say that the vast majority of the work was done together by each contributor.  The reason I feel so strongly about including this particular project is not only was it by far the hardest and the most involved of all of my projects, it is the one that almost broke me.  As a teacher, I witness everyday students wanting to give up when things get hard (academically, socially, athletically, etc.) and it frustrates me, but then I think back to this class and this project and remember how despondent I was at times.  There were times when I wanted to drop the class (it was a requirement so I was going to have to tackle it at some point) and just give up, but I didn’t, I fought through it and in the end produced a project that I was very proud of and my professor was very happy with it.  I think that in and of itself might be the single most important thing I learned throughout graduate school.   I understand that it is likely not the type of learning or growth that is expected to be presented in a capstone, but it is a life lesson that I now carry with me, and it is also a lesson that gives me a new perspective as an educator, which makes me better equipped to assist my students when they find themselves in similar circumstances.

The design project itself was a semester-long project that covered every aspect of instructional design, soup to nuts.  Having no knowledge of the instructional design process I found myself lost and confused at times and struggling.  The steps which an instructional designer follows to develop a unit, lesson, etc are so different from how a typical teacher does it (whether right or wrong) and I continuously found myself frustrated thinking to myself, well this is never how any teacher I know would approach this.  This was one of those instances where I had to accept that as much as I thought I was right, and I did think I was right, it didn’t matter, I was here to learn and meet certain requirements.  I also had to accept that I am not going to get along with every professor, but I sure as well needed to respect them and for better or worse accept and follow their feedback.  In the end, my partner and I put together what would be an online “course” regarding family camping.  I had different visions for this at the beginning when it was in its beginning stages, but given the expectations, I believe my partner and I not only met them but exceeded them.  Did I learn how an instructional designer would approach a unit, lay it out, and subsequently design it?  Absolutely, but the learning that I am trying to express with this project can’t be measured, as what I learned was a change of philosophy and my approach to life and what it can throw at you.

Ravan Magrath and Erin Creuz Final Package

Artifact 3: LDT 440 – Educational Technology Integration – Raz-Kids Blueprint

This final project selection is a bit different than the previous two.  I chose this project because this course focused on how to effectively incorporate new technology into educational settings.  Too often districts (it has happened in mine) will jump on the latest, greatest, new technology, throw it at the teachers with little or no professional development, and then get frustrated when said technology fails.  LDT 440 covers the process which should be used to assess whether a particular technology is appropriate for integration and if it is, what are all of the issues and steps that need to be considered first before implementation to ensure a successful rollout.  I really enjoyed this class for a few reasons.  First of all, I was happy to get to work with Dr. Kirby before he left for another position.  He was very thorough when reviewing our work and gave constructive feedback.  I did not do as well as I would have liked on the initial blueprint for this class, but I think I was just not clear on the expectations.  Dr. Kirby provided great feedback, allowed me to correct my work, and then reviewed my work again for a better grade.  I took that feedback seriously and applied it to the project that I am presenting here which was significantly better thanks to his input.  The other reason this course was important to me was that it gave me a small glimpse of what I would need to consider when implementing any type of technology if I ever decided to become a technology director for a school district.  I have no idea if I will ever leave teaching, but if I did it would be for a role similar to tech director.  I have plenty to learn, but this did give me a framework to build from if I ever find myself in that position.

This particular blueprint dealt with a piece of software that my teachers were in fact piloting in my building.  Since it was already being piloted I was able to see the inner workings of the software, how it was being utilized, as well as where things could have been done better to improve the piloting process.  There are so many facets to be considered before implementing new technology: cognitive and technology affordances, appropriateness of the technology across several areas, rollout approach, barriers that might be encountered, and so on.  As a classroom teacher, I had never looked at the technology that we were using or implementing from the bigger picture, and as a classroom teacher maybe that wasn’t my job.  After developing blueprints like the one I am presenting here, even if it isn’t my job, I now do a quick assessment of anything that is being newly implemented just to see if there is anything on my end I can do to ensure success if only for me and the teachers around me.  These newly learned skills have allowed me to since speak up in district-wide technology meetings and voice my concerns and in some cases, my concerns were taken seriously and actually assisted in a smoother implementation.  These newly acquired skills and processes are already serving me well and will continue to in the future.

Ravan Magrath -Blueprint 2 – RAZ-KIDS

I have genuinely enjoyed my time in the LDT program at Penn State University and I will carry with me what I have learned to become a better educator in hopes of improving education for each and every one of my students.  With that said though, all good things must come to an end.  Thank you to all the staff and my fellow classmates for challenging me to do and be better while also providing unwavering support over the course of the last four years.