On this page you will find a Showcase of the work I’ve completed throughout my coursework for the Master of Arts in Education (MAED) program. While I’ve learned about various different topics throughout my time in this program, it was upon reflection that I was able to see that much of what I’ve learned has centered around three main themes: Multiculturalism and Diversity, Technology, and Leadership. In this Showcase you will see that the synthesis and understanding of these ideas and concepts are most commonly displayed in an essay format, as the classes called for. My hope is that by reading my work you--the reader--will be better able to understand who I am as a learner and an individual and, in turn, how it all translates to my professional life.
Multiculturalism and Diversity
SHOWCASE
Multiculturalism is an all-encompassing word, one which considers ethnicity, disability, religion, and culture, among other aspects. For this essay I decided to take a closer look at what it means to have a disability and I did so by reading Tanya Titchkosky's (2003) book Disability, Self, and Society. I connected what I learned from her to the research and concepts of Stuart Hall, a man well known for his cultural studies. The insight gained from this assignment helped me see disability in a new light, allowing for me to be a better (and more understanding) professional in an educational setting.
Throughout my coursework I’ve been asked to watch films and then connect their themes and ideas to the concept at hand. In this instance I watched 12 Years a Slave and did a thematic analysis. With the support of scholarly articles and Sensory and DiAngelo’s (2012) book Is Everyone Really Equal? An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice Education, I take a closer look at the concepts of internalized oppression and cultural imperialism and how it relates to the film. In the end, this assignment helped me synthesis complex ideas and concepts, which has proven useful in the professional context.
Unlike the previous examples, this artifact is a Storify website I created. In it, I take a close look at a gay high school athlete as portrayed by the media, more specifically, through the second season of the TV show American Crime and the character of Eric Tanner. With the support of articles and social media (Twitter, Instagram, blogs, Tumblr) I make two claims about what it means to be a male student athlete who also happens to be gay. While learning much about how media portrays certain individuals, this assignment also gave me a change to gain experience working with and creating a website, proving useful in both professional and educational settings.
This paper allows the reader to hear my personal voice and opinions in regards to multicultural literature and its place in education and in life. I discuss the value of multicultural education, the importance of authenticity and accuracy in texts/books, and the detriment of stereotypes, among other ideas. Using my personal experience along with the support of scholarly material, I connect these various ideas, giving me a deeper understanding and appreciation for the knowledge gained.
Technology
Technology plays a critical role in our everyday lives. This paper gives insight into my own technological story, so to speak. By reading this, one can get to know me better: where I came from and where I’m going, in relation to technology.
This paper takes a closer look at the dangers of being too connected. While the advancement of technology seems like a positive thing, it’s wise to be leery of all it has to offer. Using William Powers book Hamlet’s Blackberry: Building a Good life in the Digital Age (2010) and his philosophy of Digital Maximalism as a basis, I explore the strengths and weaknesses of his ideas in relation to technology in our everyday lives. Having experience working with a wide variety of students with varying degrees of expertise with technology, this assignment gave me a new level of understanding and perspective.
Leadership
This assignment challenged me to budget as if I were a leader of an educational institution. Using my experience in a high school setting, I imagined what it would be like to budget for teacher learning for a full year. In it I include the item, its company, which group would benefit from said item, the rationale behind the purchase, as well as the cost. This assignment gave me the chance to experiment with a facet of Leadership I hadn’t otherwise: budgeting. This will prove useful in my professional life, as most higher level positions require experience managing a budget.
This artifact shows the growth and knowledge gained about leadership in education. In this chart I discuss key messages and big ideas, shifts in my thinking, the area in which I would most like to grow, as well as questions to ponder for the future. In the end, I provide a summary of my learning, which further displays my goals and aspirations in an educational setting.