I remember as a child in grade 5 or 6 having the neighbour children over to my parent's house and playing​

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"school".  I would be using the blackboard teaching them math and spelling.  One of my friends was in the same

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grade and the ​others were one year younger than we were.  My primitive teaching methods and the tools that

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went with it continued on to my own teaching career in 2008.

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As I embarked on my own future as a part time professor as well as in my Master's program, I began to evolve as

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a learner myself.  I learned by trial and error in the classroom that the didactic, traditional method of teaching

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was not working for my students.  I implemented some active learning strategies on my own and found out that

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these techniques were being successfully used and encouraged in the college and university classrooms

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everywhere.  I was teaching but realistically I was the one learning and adapting to my students. 

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The courses I began to take within my MAED program reinforced the changes I was making in the classroom and​

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made me understand why things were working.  I had more tools in my toolbox and teaching was becoming

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enjoyable for me as well as the class.  I have never been able to get enough knowledge and now that seems even

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more prominent.  My desire for learning is increasing at an incredible rate. 

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I enjoy professional development courses both at work and at the College, as well as anything else I can take to​

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increase my knowledge.  My main area of concentration at work is collision investigation.  I have been around to

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see changes from measuring tapes to transits and from hand drawn diagrams to computer generated three

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dimensional re-enactments.   Technology is everywhere; we have cell phones, lap tops, in car computers and

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tablets to assist us in our work.   We have opportunities to take courses on things outside of our area of expertise

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and here there is even different technology like DNA testing, enhanced photography, blood splatter and bullet

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trajectory experts.  These things complement and corroborate our investigations.  ​ 

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I enjoy both formal and informal education, the fact is, the more knowledge I get the more I crave it!  I am not

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afraid to try new avenues and that is why I pursued this online approach for my Master's degree.  This is not

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the traditional method for a Graduate Program but that was not even a possibility for me because of my

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shiftwork schedule.

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Initially, I looked at some of the "for profit" Universities because I did not realize what the difference was.  I ​​

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investigated thoroughly and wanted to make sure the University that I chose was a quality University that was

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well respected for their academic accreditation.  For me, the introduction of technology and its use in the

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classroom was fairly new.  Since I had chosen Michigan State for my Certificate Program I had come to realize

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that it was by no means easier to take a course online.  In fact, if anything,  it was more difficult because not

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only does one have to be self-disciplined to complete it, if there is a problem it is not as easy to “talk to

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the Professor”.  

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From the vantage point of a Professor or teacher it is very difficult to create a really good online program that​

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​ engages students and keeps them interested.   Although I am by no means an expert I do feel more comfortable

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using technology and having that conversation with my students now that I have experienced this online

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education.  It is inevitable that different technologies will be used in the classroom and I am thankful I have been

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able to adapt.  I believe that this MAED online program is comparable to any other Master’s program on campus or

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hybrid.  I have felt that the student and professor interaction has been incredible through the chat, discussion,

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e- mail and Skype avenues.  I do not feel as though my education has been compromised in any way.  I have

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learned to hyperlink, use Prezi, and make a webpage and an online portfolio!  My technological knowledge has ​

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increased considerably. 

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As I reflect I can't help wondering what is next?  I know that my journey is by no means over, as I look to the future

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I am already thinking about the possibility of doing a PhD or another Master's degree.  If I am still in my current

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profession it will also have to be online or a hybrid program.  I know I want to continue with my teaching so I can​

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keep learning however; I am excited to take some time to implement the many things I have learned and reflect on

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what works best in my classroom prior to the next chapter in my educational journey.  I am also going to

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continue to take as many professional development courses as I can both in my profession as well as at the

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College.  I will try to utilize the many online techniques in my own program planning for future courses.  One

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thing I have already talked to my students about is preparing their own online e-portfolio.  The students have

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an e-portfolio tool on the College records management system.  I will encourage them to complete their own​

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portfolio’s to assist them in their future endeavours.  Finally, I will continue to take courses that integrate

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technology so that I can continue to learn and stay current.  One might say the future is just the beginning.​​