Roadmap: Continued Growth and Development Post Graduate School

Part of what drove me to apply for the Master of Arts in Learning Experience Design program at Michigan State University was my intrinsic motivation and drive to keep learning. These traits are part of what motivates me to continue my education and development beyond the conclusion of my master’s degree. To focus my future learning, I have created three goals centered around the concepts of leadership and technology. I want to continue developing my skills as a leader and utilize technology to bring professional development opportunities to life and continue providing quality learning experiences for my students. 

Exit One: Leadership Lane

Prior to starting my Graduate Certificate in Learning Design Leadership, I did not think of myself as a leader within my organization. It was not until I encountered Debra Meyerson’s (2008), Rocking the boat: How to Effect Change Without Making Trouble in one of my graduate classes I realized I could still be a leader without holding a traditional leadership role in my organization. I read an excerpt of Meyerson’s book for the class I was in at the time, and enjoyed the solutions Meyerson gave to bring about organizational change. Meyerson’s ideas appeal to me because she advocates for meaningful change through one’s available means. In essence, one can start organizational change on a small or even individual scale. Therefore, to continue developing as a leader, I want to read the rest of Meyerson’s work and integrate more of it into my role as a teacher. I can start by being more vocal about sticking to my values. I value inclusion and acceptance in my classroom, and do what I can to combat stereotypes and teach empathy. However, I am not very vocal about this in department meetings or professional develepment. By starting small, as Meyerson recommends, I can start asserting my beliefs in department meetings. In conjunction with Meyerson’s work, I will read Harris et al.’s (2018) Teachers Leading Educational ReformThe Power of Professional Learning Communities which describes how to make Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) spaces for meaningful change. Harris et al. (2018) in combination with Meyerson (2008) should equip me with ways to show how I am holding to my beliefs, inspire other staff members to do the same, and begin creating a more inclusive culture through my PLC.

Exit Two: Technology Tune-Up

As a high school English teacher, I often feel like I am walking a tightrope with technology. Falling to one side means a full return to paper and pencil, while falling on the other signifies a significant break from analogue or traditional ways of teaching. My time in the MALXD program taught me that technology and learning do not have to be two ends of a spectrum, but rather a full breadth of application and innovation. Technology is a tool, and should not be used as a gimmick or afterthought to learning; it should be thoughtfully implemented to enhance the learning experience. While simple in theory, it is a concept I still struggle with. I want to keep working with technology to develop learning experiences for both students and colleagues. 

I have begun working with programs like Genially and Adobe Captivate to build online courses and professional development opportunities. As part of my future goals, I want to keep working with these programs so I can confidently add these to my resume. In addition, I would like to learn how to use Articulate 360 so I can choose the best program for my learners when creating a digital learning experience. Each year my school runs credit recovery classes where students click their way through premade programs not designed for them as learners. With Adobe Captive and Articulate 360, I can design courses made for these learners to help them retain skills for the next level of classes. The more I work with these programs, the more interactive and effective these modules can become. Ideally, I will be able to create a library of resources tailored for my school’s students that I and my colleagues can pull from to support student learning. It is time I stopped avoiding technology and instead embraced it as a tool to further learning opportunities.

Exit Three: Video Editing Expressway

I have upgraded my presentation skills through learning accessibility features such as WCAG standards and elevated transitions such as merge and morph, but I feel my video editing skills are still developing. Through my time in MALXD, I have grown more comfortable with video recording features on Canva and editing in Camtasia, but I know I can improve. For example, I record my videos in one take. This is an extremely time consuming process and often requires multiple retakes to ensure low background noise and proper speaking volume and pace. To continue designing effective digital learning experiences. I want to grow more comfortable with video editing software such as Camtasia and Canva’s video editing studio. I want to learn how to use transitions, add closed captioning, and record presentations and videos in more than one take. To learn how to use these features on Camtasia, I will go through their tutorial library and YouTube channel which have differentiated tutorials as well as videos on how to add features and create specific content such as employee training videos. Canva likewise has tutorials on their YouTube channel dedicated to the areas I want to grow in. As with my second goal, I want to add video editing and design to my resume.