Sarah Higgs-James
An Online Portfolio
MAET Cohort
Master's of Arts in Educational Technology
Selecting the right Master's program is challenging for anyone. I found it especially challenging because, unlike many of my colleagues, I did not want to pursue TESOL for my graduate studies.
I searched the internet high and low, universities and programs. When I stumbled upon Instructional Technology as a program option for graduate studies, I had an epiphany and narrowed my search. That is how I found the Master's of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) at Michigan State University (MSU).
Choosing the MAET program at MSU has been an amazing experience. I know I made the right choice.
MSU offers more than a Master's of Arts in Educational Technology. You can choose from programs ranging from 9 credit hour certificates, NP Endorsements, fully online MA or hybrid MA. The program also has an international program in Galway, Ireland, and a PhD program.
Not only is MSU a global leader in the Educational Technology field, it is designed for adult learners and working educational professionals. It is not the cheapest program in EdTech, however it is expertly designed to ensure that you get the most for your money.
MAET @ MSU
What is Educational Technology?
The shocking thing about Educational Technology is that there is no such thing. The amount of technologies designed specifically for educational purposes are actually quite small. The key to EdTech is repurposing existing technologies for educational purposes.
It is also important to remember that technology is shaping education in many different ways, not just using tablets in class. It is a huge subfield in education that is increasing in importance in the modern educational environment.
Blogging is not the point of the MAET @ MSU. However it was an unexpected surprise. I did not expect to create and maintain a blog space to host my coursework for my graduate studies. I expected to have more of a correspondence experience.
I have tried out blogging in the past, but gave up on it. It has been challenging and rewarding maintaining this blog. While every course I took at MSU did not utilize my blogspace, it has been a unique and engaging way to submit assignments and get a sense of what is possible for education online.
I do not plan to continue updating this blog after completing my MAET, however this experience has shown me that blogging is a fun and versatile online tool.