Sailing School
by Mark Hansen
Three years after graduating from Michigan State University (MSU) I began feeling confident in my ability to navigate the world of education. For the most part, the waters I explored were calm, and although occasionally a storm would rock my teaching schooner, I found that I was able to weather most storms and come out feeling more confident in my abilities than before. Then, upon starting a new teaching post, I was swept into rough and seemingly un-navigable waters. The figurative tempest came in the form of a one-to-one laptop initiative that my new district had adopted. As a relatively young teacher who was confident in his abilities to use technology I sailed directly into the tempest confident that I, of all teachers exploring the technological waters of education, could handle any problem thrown my way and would come through the storm unscathed. I was wrong. The storm I so confidently sailed into swallowed my ship whole and I found myself clinging to a life raft and praying to make my way back to familiar waters.
Eventually, I did make my way back to familiar educational waters. Hesitant to repeat my mistakes I used the technology that was available to me sparingly. In fact, there were times that I didn’t use it at all. However, my need for adventure gnawed at me until I decided that I needed to explore the technological waters once more. This time I wanted to be properly trained to do the exploring and I wanted supports to go into the rough waters with me, so I signed onto the MSU’s Master’s of Educational Technology (MAET) training fleet and began my training to become a captain of the educational technology seas. The training involved taking several exploratory trips into unknown and often times rough waters, but it taught me the skills to be a bold, yet cautious captain in the world of educational technology and instilled within me the confidence I would need in order to truly use technology to enhance education.
The first exploratory trip I took under the MSU MAET fleet was on board the CEP 810 ship. To be truthful, stepping onto this ship and sailing from my familiar waters quite intimidating and brought back memories of my initial failure to conquer the educational technology waters. However, the tools I learned to use while aboard this ship were indispensible and as a result I was able to regain my confidence and face the challenges my time with the fleet would bring me.
My time aboard CEP 810 taught me that technology was not something that should be used just to say that it was used. Instead it should be used intentionally and for the enhancement of teaching and learning. As a result, I learned to use and integrate productivity tools that would not only help my students be more successful in their learning, but also help me enhance and organize my teaching. For example, while exploring this particular area of the technological seas I discovered Asana. This tool allowed me to keep track of my various responsibilities. However, due to the shifts in my thinking that came about as a result of serving on the CEP 810 ship I began to think of ways I could use this tool to enhance my student’s learning in my class. Since I had recently began teaching in a Project-Based learning classroom, I realized that if I could teach my students to use this tool effectively it could serve as a way for students collaboratively work and track the progress that each of their group members were making. In this sense, CEP 810 not only served to teach me ways in which I could use technology to enhance my own productivity it also taught me to look for ways in which I could the technological waters to help my students be more productive and learn some of the 21st century skills that have been identified for students to have in order to be successful in college and career.
My time aboard the CEP 810 ship also allowed me to collaborate with fellow apprentice explorers to venture in the world of web-based educational resources and find new ways in which these resources could be used to enhance learning. My cohort of explorers decided to look into the ways that web-based applications could be used to “Flip” our classrooms and provide instruction as homework while in-class time was spent practicing the skills gained. To this end we created a wiki that explored and explained various online applications that could be used for such a task. Through our collaboration we learned that not all technologies are created equal and that educators should be mindful of how they use such technologies for various purposes. Again, it all came down to the intentionality in which the tool was used as to whether or not it would be successful as a learning resource. When my time aboard the CEP 810 ship came to a close I felt rejuvenated and prepared to take on the next set of challenges I knew I would face as my exploration of the educational technology waters continued.
Eventually, I did make my way back to familiar educational waters. Hesitant to repeat my mistakes I used the technology that was available to me sparingly. In fact, there were times that I didn’t use it at all. However, my need for adventure gnawed at me until I decided that I needed to explore the technological waters once more. This time I wanted to be properly trained to do the exploring and I wanted supports to go into the rough waters with me, so I signed onto the MSU’s Master’s of Educational Technology (MAET) training fleet and began my training to become a captain of the educational technology seas. The training involved taking several exploratory trips into unknown and often times rough waters, but it taught me the skills to be a bold, yet cautious captain in the world of educational technology and instilled within me the confidence I would need in order to truly use technology to enhance education.
The first exploratory trip I took under the MSU MAET fleet was on board the CEP 810 ship. To be truthful, stepping onto this ship and sailing from my familiar waters quite intimidating and brought back memories of my initial failure to conquer the educational technology waters. However, the tools I learned to use while aboard this ship were indispensible and as a result I was able to regain my confidence and face the challenges my time with the fleet would bring me.
My time aboard CEP 810 taught me that technology was not something that should be used just to say that it was used. Instead it should be used intentionally and for the enhancement of teaching and learning. As a result, I learned to use and integrate productivity tools that would not only help my students be more successful in their learning, but also help me enhance and organize my teaching. For example, while exploring this particular area of the technological seas I discovered Asana. This tool allowed me to keep track of my various responsibilities. However, due to the shifts in my thinking that came about as a result of serving on the CEP 810 ship I began to think of ways I could use this tool to enhance my student’s learning in my class. Since I had recently began teaching in a Project-Based learning classroom, I realized that if I could teach my students to use this tool effectively it could serve as a way for students collaboratively work and track the progress that each of their group members were making. In this sense, CEP 810 not only served to teach me ways in which I could use technology to enhance my own productivity it also taught me to look for ways in which I could the technological waters to help my students be more productive and learn some of the 21st century skills that have been identified for students to have in order to be successful in college and career.
My time aboard the CEP 810 ship also allowed me to collaborate with fellow apprentice explorers to venture in the world of web-based educational resources and find new ways in which these resources could be used to enhance learning. My cohort of explorers decided to look into the ways that web-based applications could be used to “Flip” our classrooms and provide instruction as homework while in-class time was spent practicing the skills gained. To this end we created a wiki that explored and explained various online applications that could be used for such a task. Through our collaboration we learned that not all technologies are created equal and that educators should be mindful of how they use such technologies for various purposes. Again, it all came down to the intentionality in which the tool was used as to whether or not it would be successful as a learning resource. When my time aboard the CEP 810 ship came to a close I felt rejuvenated and prepared to take on the next set of challenges I knew I would face as my exploration of the educational technology waters continued.
Upon completing my journey with the CEP 810 ship I signed on to explore the educational technology seas further with the CEP 811 ship. Aboard this ship I learned to apply instructional principles to the world of educational technology and use it to address issues within my classroom. The two primary tools I learned to use for this purpose in education were the TPACK framework and the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. These two tools continue to assist me learning ways I can use technology in within my teaching to enhance learning. I tend to think of them as tools that can be used to navigate the technological seas.
The first navigational tool I learned to use while aboard the CEP 811 ship was the TPACK framework. I learned that analyzing how technological knowledge can influence knowledge of content can be helpful in determining which technologies are appropriate for which situations. Along the same lines, I learned that the interplay between pedagogical knowledge and technological knowledge can have impact learning in my classroom and so this area must be analyzed before committing to a certain technology. For instance, if I were to try to use the aforementioned Asana in a classroom where very little collaboration was taking place the technology and pedagogical approach would not mesh well and my hypothetical ship would be sunk. However, since Project-Based learning involves so much collaborative work the technology and pedagogical approach mesh well and therefore I have experienced success in using it. By using the TPACK framework to evaluate and analyze my use of technology in the classroom I have been able to navigate the technological waters and, for the most part, avoid storms that have to potential to capsize my boat before any learning can take place.
Once I was comfortable using the TPACK framework as a navigational tool I learned to use the UDL principles as a secondary tool with which to navigate the rough technological seas. These principles provide a way to effectively and efficiently evaluate my teaching practices with or without technology. The principles focus on various areas of the brain and push educators to consider the ways in which humans learn when planning methods to teach new content. Through the use of the UDL rubrics I found I became much more intentional in presenting to content to my students in various ways so that the content stimulated several parts of the brain. For example, when I created a stand alone instructional resource using PowerPoint I ensured that although I would not be guiding students through the lesson (it was stand alone meaning students would use the resource when I was not around) it would still stimulate the various areas of the brain by making sure that the lesson fell into step with the UDL principles. In this way the instruction was flexible enough to encompass all types of learners and the technology served as the delivering device. I have found that by beginning my lesson planning by evaluating technology using the TPACK and then developing the lesson using the UDL principles I have been able to successfully navigate the technological seas and discover more and more technologies that are not only useful in my teaching but also effective in helping students understand the content better.
The first navigational tool I learned to use while aboard the CEP 811 ship was the TPACK framework. I learned that analyzing how technological knowledge can influence knowledge of content can be helpful in determining which technologies are appropriate for which situations. Along the same lines, I learned that the interplay between pedagogical knowledge and technological knowledge can have impact learning in my classroom and so this area must be analyzed before committing to a certain technology. For instance, if I were to try to use the aforementioned Asana in a classroom where very little collaboration was taking place the technology and pedagogical approach would not mesh well and my hypothetical ship would be sunk. However, since Project-Based learning involves so much collaborative work the technology and pedagogical approach mesh well and therefore I have experienced success in using it. By using the TPACK framework to evaluate and analyze my use of technology in the classroom I have been able to navigate the technological waters and, for the most part, avoid storms that have to potential to capsize my boat before any learning can take place.
Once I was comfortable using the TPACK framework as a navigational tool I learned to use the UDL principles as a secondary tool with which to navigate the rough technological seas. These principles provide a way to effectively and efficiently evaluate my teaching practices with or without technology. The principles focus on various areas of the brain and push educators to consider the ways in which humans learn when planning methods to teach new content. Through the use of the UDL rubrics I found I became much more intentional in presenting to content to my students in various ways so that the content stimulated several parts of the brain. For example, when I created a stand alone instructional resource using PowerPoint I ensured that although I would not be guiding students through the lesson (it was stand alone meaning students would use the resource when I was not around) it would still stimulate the various areas of the brain by making sure that the lesson fell into step with the UDL principles. In this way the instruction was flexible enough to encompass all types of learners and the technology served as the delivering device. I have found that by beginning my lesson planning by evaluating technology using the TPACK and then developing the lesson using the UDL principles I have been able to successfully navigate the technological seas and discover more and more technologies that are not only useful in my teaching but also effective in helping students understand the content better.
Confident in my ability to navigate the seas of educational technology, I returned to the MSU MAET fleet and immediately took to the seas again aboard the CEP 820 ship. Aboard this ship I was given more freedom to explore unknown waters than I had on the previous ships I had sailed with. In fact, I was encouraged to use the navigational tools I had already learned to use in order to explore waters of teaching students in an online environment. The prospect of such exploration was daunting, but as I learned to use the tools I already had in conjunction with other bits of seafaring knowledge it became clear that sailing these rough, unknown waters was well within my ability.
I first learned that although communication in any educational setting important it becomes a key to successful learning in an online environment. I learned that in order to ensure that my students were learning I had to make sure I was communicating my expectations clearly and efficiently with them. I also learned, through role-playing emails, various ways in which communicating ineffectively with student in an online environment could be detrimental to their learning. Finally, we learned ways to deal with miscommunication so that students would not get discouraged from learning in our online class. This emphasis on communication came in the form of role-playing several scenarios where things went wrong and was extremely important to me because it helped me understand where some of my lessons had went wrong in the past and helped me anticipate similar problems and stop them before they occurred.
In addition to learning about the importance of communication when exploring the waters of teaching online I also learned the importance of allowing students to interact with each other. Learning online can begin to feel very lonely and without some sort of interaction with fellow learners students may begin to feel anxious about their learning. After all, learning is done best when socially constructed and this is why it is important to allow students to interact with one another and share their learning in an open and safe environment. One way to facilitate such interaction is to encourage students to reflect on their learning in online discussion boards. In this manner students can synthesize their learning and learn new ideas from their cohorts. I found this insight to be extremely helpful when exploring these waters because it made it more clear to me how an online class should be formatted.
After learning many of the secrets of exploring the teaching online waters I was ready to set sail on my own and create my own online learning module. I chose to learn to use Coursesites to create my module and focused on teaching the novel To Kill a Mockingbird to my freshmen students who were working a project in which they were trying to fight social injustice (and therefore learn about Social Injustice throughout the history of the United States). By actually taking the helm of the ship and designing the online learning module I began to see just how important my navigational tools (the TPACK framework and UDL principles) were to online learning. I had to use these every step of the way to ensure that my use of the technology was meshing with the content I wanted to students to learn as well as the pedagogical approach I was using to teach it. I also learned the importance of organizing the module so that it was easy to follow. This included giving students “checklists” of what needed to be accomplished for each section of the module and making clear what my expectations were for each assignment. Additionally, it became clear to me that in order to keep students engaged in the reading and the module I had to take advantage of the interactive and multimedia technologies available. This included displaying relevant videos and getting students to interact with each other via the aforementioned discussion boards. This solo trip into the technological waters was important in my learning because it revealed to me just how much I had learned thus far, gave me confidence in my abilities to use technology to enhance learning, and reinforced my growing belief that the waters of educational technology hold great potential to create engaging and powerful learning experiences.
I first learned that although communication in any educational setting important it becomes a key to successful learning in an online environment. I learned that in order to ensure that my students were learning I had to make sure I was communicating my expectations clearly and efficiently with them. I also learned, through role-playing emails, various ways in which communicating ineffectively with student in an online environment could be detrimental to their learning. Finally, we learned ways to deal with miscommunication so that students would not get discouraged from learning in our online class. This emphasis on communication came in the form of role-playing several scenarios where things went wrong and was extremely important to me because it helped me understand where some of my lessons had went wrong in the past and helped me anticipate similar problems and stop them before they occurred.
In addition to learning about the importance of communication when exploring the waters of teaching online I also learned the importance of allowing students to interact with each other. Learning online can begin to feel very lonely and without some sort of interaction with fellow learners students may begin to feel anxious about their learning. After all, learning is done best when socially constructed and this is why it is important to allow students to interact with one another and share their learning in an open and safe environment. One way to facilitate such interaction is to encourage students to reflect on their learning in online discussion boards. In this manner students can synthesize their learning and learn new ideas from their cohorts. I found this insight to be extremely helpful when exploring these waters because it made it more clear to me how an online class should be formatted.
After learning many of the secrets of exploring the teaching online waters I was ready to set sail on my own and create my own online learning module. I chose to learn to use Coursesites to create my module and focused on teaching the novel To Kill a Mockingbird to my freshmen students who were working a project in which they were trying to fight social injustice (and therefore learn about Social Injustice throughout the history of the United States). By actually taking the helm of the ship and designing the online learning module I began to see just how important my navigational tools (the TPACK framework and UDL principles) were to online learning. I had to use these every step of the way to ensure that my use of the technology was meshing with the content I wanted to students to learn as well as the pedagogical approach I was using to teach it. I also learned the importance of organizing the module so that it was easy to follow. This included giving students “checklists” of what needed to be accomplished for each section of the module and making clear what my expectations were for each assignment. Additionally, it became clear to me that in order to keep students engaged in the reading and the module I had to take advantage of the interactive and multimedia technologies available. This included displaying relevant videos and getting students to interact with each other via the aforementioned discussion boards. This solo trip into the technological waters was important in my learning because it revealed to me just how much I had learned thus far, gave me confidence in my abilities to use technology to enhance learning, and reinforced my growing belief that the waters of educational technology hold great potential to create engaging and powerful learning experiences.
Returning to the MAET fleet after exploring the waters of online learning I decided my next step would be to learn to lead others in the world of educational technology. Therefore, I once again set sail, this time on board the CEP 815 ship, with the hope of learning to become a captain of my own ship and lead others down the path I was exploring. In order to learn to lead others I soon learned that I first had to understand the different approaches to leadership. As a result, I learned that there are several leadership action logics that affect the ways in which leaders think about and respond to situations in which their leadership is needed. For example, I learned that my action logic is that of the achiever. I tend to be goal oriented and recognize that conflict often arises because of differences of interpretations. As a result, when leading a group I will tend to try and keep all focused on the goals and if conflict arises I will have the conflicting parties discuss their interpretations so that we can come to a common understanding of our goals. Learning about these action logics and about becoming a leader in general was important to me because I began to understand why I lead the way I do and how I can use my leadership abilities to get others to explore the world of educational technology.
I realized after exploring the leadership waters on the CEP 815 ship that I was ready to take to the seas on board my own ship and lead others in exploring educational technology. As a result, I knew that my journey with the MSU MAET fleet was nearly complete. As I prepare to finish my exploration with the fleet I realize that I must begin to take on leadership positions within my school so that I can take the helm of my own ship and lead others in the exploration of the educational technology waters. With that in mind I have begun running educational technology workshops for my peers so that they can also feel the excitement of sailing these exciting waters and discover all that technology has to offer. At the same time my exploration of these waters continue and although I am sure I will find myself in stormy waters I now know that I have the wherewithal to keep my ship afloat because of the tools I have learned to use while sailing with MSU’s MAET training fleet.
I realized after exploring the leadership waters on the CEP 815 ship that I was ready to take to the seas on board my own ship and lead others in exploring educational technology. As a result, I knew that my journey with the MSU MAET fleet was nearly complete. As I prepare to finish my exploration with the fleet I realize that I must begin to take on leadership positions within my school so that I can take the helm of my own ship and lead others in the exploration of the educational technology waters. With that in mind I have begun running educational technology workshops for my peers so that they can also feel the excitement of sailing these exciting waters and discover all that technology has to offer. At the same time my exploration of these waters continue and although I am sure I will find myself in stormy waters I now know that I have the wherewithal to keep my ship afloat because of the tools I have learned to use while sailing with MSU’s MAET training fleet.