CLOSING THE GAP
By Antonio Aguillon
Here I am! It took me a little longer than expected. Nonetheless, I am finally approaching the end… or is it the beginning? After three years of juggling a demanding full time job, one divorce, and the challenges of single parenthood while working on a master’s program, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel! Thanks to my instructors, family members, and other supporters I now see the results of my efforts. When I first applied to the Masters of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program at Michigan State University I had a main goal in mind. I wanted to help narrow the gap between technology and teaching. I wanted to contribute to instructors use of existing and emerging technologies in a meaningful and productive way. Now I feel prepared. I feel I have the necessary tools to move onto the next phase of my life and realize my dreams as an educator.
I realize this is not the end but instead, it is only the beginning. It is now time to start applying the skills learned during my journey through the MAET program. It’s time to build upon skills such as building Stand Alone Instructional Resources (StAIRs), finding and using Open Educational Resources (OERs), and creating engaging lesson plans. It is time to truly begin the learning process. It is time to learn-hands on by producing my own podcasts and vodcasts, creating interactive multimedia enriched lessons, and contributing to MERLOT and other knowledge sharing sites. I am very aware that during my time at MSU I didn’t learn “everything” but instead, I learned how to learn. In my Research Methods class, for instance, I learned to find, evaluate, and select high quality professional journals. I learned to question, I learned to investigate, and I learned to interpret qualitative and quantitative data meaningfully. I will be contributing to instructors efforts to close the gap that exist between unexploited technologies and widely available opportunities to enrich lessons in the 21st century classroom. In my current position I will have the opportunity to assist instructors directly by supporting them. I can suggest hardware tools, traditional software tools and specially web 2.0 tools they can incorporate in their day to day teaching practices. Thus, bringing the technologies available, teachers, and students one step closer to one another. My goals have not changed much from what they were back in the fall of 2010, when I started this journey. However, I have now re-focus and strengthened my vision. I still want to help close the gap that exists between technology and teaching. The MAET program has provided me with tools such as TPACK, PLN, and OERs that will allow me to bring technology, teachers, and students closer together. Thus, minimizing a gap that only seems to diminish the power of instructors by limiting their use of technology. Whether it is due to organizational policies, government regulations, or technical limitations; educators are faced with a number of obstacles that not only hinder their creativity but can prevent them from being better teachers. While some of these hurdles are beyond my control, I can only hope to continue building bridges between technology, teachers, and learners for many years to come. |
Read about my Future as a Learner.