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Growth Assessment

Hannah Carlisle

Department of Advanced Studies, Azusa Pacific University

EDUC549: Capstone Experience in Learning and Technology

Dr. Jennifer Courduff

October 26, 2021

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Growth Assessment

History of Coursework

Table 1

History of Coursework

Course Term/Yr Professor/Instructor Key Learnings

- Universal Design for Learning and

differentiation of instruction.

- How to successfully co-teach a

TESP 501 – Art class of students to reach each

Fall
of Teaching I: Dr. Watkin child and different set ups for co-
1/20
Foundations teaching

- How important accessibility is for

our students who have different

needs and strengths.

- The science of the brain in order to

TESP 502 – help learning stick in our students.

Science of - How to utilize positive behavior

Fall
Teaching I: Dr. Bartholio support to increase the success of
1/20
How Students all learners.

Learn - Student stages of

neurodevelopment.
EDUC 540 – Fall Dr. Bacer - The importance of using

Essentials in 2/20 technology to strengthen

Learning and pedagogy.

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- Integrating technology cohesively

into curriculum.

- How to utilize social bookmarking

Technology
tabs to gather resources.

- How to successfully cite APA

papers.
- How to utilize the flipped

classroom method when teaching.

- A variety of pedagogical methods

TESP 511 – Art and instructional designs to use in

of Teaching II: Fall the classroom (i.e. Task analysis,

Dr. Watkin
Pedagogical/Inst 2/20 WebQuest, SDAIE, Socratic

ructional Design Seminar, etc.)

- When and how to use/form open-

ended questions to deepen student

learning.
- The levels of literacy development

that students’ progress through.

TEP 521 –
- Project-based learning positives
Methods of
Fall and negatives in the classroom.
Teaching Dr. Bautista
2/20 - The difference between phonemic
Reading/Writin
awareness and phonics.
g K-8
- How to assess students reading

through running records.

EDUC 546 – Spring Dr. Hernandez - Ways to use technology platforms
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for communication home to

parents.

- The importance of twitter chats for

Digital
communication with other
Communication 1/21
professionals.
s
- How to create a blog and

screencast as alternative ways of

communication.
- How to properly assess diverse

learners with the hopes of closing

the achievement gap.

TESP 512 –
- How to utilize assessment data to
Science of Spring
Dr. Schmid inform future learning/instruction
Teaching II: 1/21
for all students.
Assessment
- The importance of representing all

student’s backgrounds in

assessment.
EDUC 547 – Spring Dr. Courduff - Utilized QIAT as a source for

Assistive 2/21 assistive technology questions and

Technology in information between other

the Classroom educators.

- Created a task/tool matrix with

assistive technology that can

readily be used in my classroom.

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- How to properly fill out a SETT

form for a particular student.

TEP 522 – - The five principles of

Methods of Spring extraordinary math teaching.

Dr. Dumas/Dr. Gray
Teaching Math 2/21 - How to use creative and higher

K-8 order thinking in the math class.

- How to use empathy to connect

TESP 503 – with our students.

Soul of - Different philosophers and their

Summe
Teaching: Dr. Watkin different philosophies on various
r 1/21
American sections of education.

Education - Different ways to teach resilience

to all our students.

- How to develop a growth mindset

and the benefit of growth mindsets

on students.

- The importance of partnerships

TESP 504 –
within all parts of the school
Schools & Summe
Dr. Schmid system (i.e. classroom, teacher-
Educational r 1/21
parents, teacher-administrator,
Systems
teacher-community, etc.).

- How to develop a sense of

belonging and collaboration in the

classroom.
EDUC 548 – Fall Dr. Brown - The importance and ways that
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students will use digital

citizenship within their

Emerging
classrooms.
Trends in 1/21
- The effects that screen time has on
Technology
children, their learning, and their

development.
- How to develop and carry out

classroom management in all parts

TEP 551 – of the day.

Clinical Practice - How to build relationships with

Fall
I: Multiple Dr. Brinkley students and foster a community.
1/21
Subject - How to create assessments and

Credential lessons that further student

learning and progress them

towards learning targets.

- How to use the 5 E Lesson plan to

create lessons that align with the

TEP 523 – NGSS Science Standards.

Methods of Fall - How to teach PE and health

Dr. Lynwood
Teaching 1/21 lessons to your students, and

Science K-8 various lesson plan layouts.

- The importance of equity in the

science classroom.
EDUC 549 – Fall Dr. Courduff - The importance of reflection on

Capstone 2/21 our faith and on our

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accomplishments in the LRNT

Experience in program.

Learning and - How to create a website to

Technology showcase my accomplishments

throughout this program.

- How to plan for and implement
TEP 552 –
teaching two solo weeks in 2nd.
Clinical Practice
Fall - The best ways to use classroom
I: Multiple Dr. Brinkley
2/21 management to promote learning.
Subject
- How to analyze assessment data to
Credential
drive instruction.
- How to effectively teach social

TEP 524 – studies using VAPA standards.

Methods of Fall - The importance of integrating the

Dr. Lynwood
Integrating 2/21 arts in instruction.

Humanities K-8 - How to create language objectives

using ELD standards.

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Personal Growth

My time in the Master of Arts in Education: Learning and Technology (LRNT) program

at Azusa Pacific University (APU) has been a time of personal growth through spiritual,

cognitive, and affective means. I have had the opportunity to, not only deepen my faith, but grow

in organizational skills, communication abilities, and confidence in a variety of classroom

settings.

Spiritual Growth

Throughout my time at APU, I have had the opportunity to grow deeper in my

relationship with the Lord. Each of my classes were intentional in including discussions, both

during synchronous sessions and online, that caused me to reflect on my calling to be a teacher,

as well as my current walk with God. One specific class that I took, Assistive Technology in the

Classroom, led me to be challenged to think even deeper about how I can redirect my attention to

scripture (Courduff, 2021). We were instructed to create a plan for how to refocus our lives back

on God during our daily lives. Some of the scriptures that I chose are still daily reminders of my

need to focus on eternity, rather than the here and now. I feel that I have a deeper-rooted

relationship with Jesus due to each discussion and assignment that was so carefully crafted with

our faiths in mind.

Cognitive Growth

I have also seen an increase in my communication and organizational skills. When

entering this LRNT program, I considered myself to be organized. I have since realized the

amount of organization that is required throughout each class, student teaching term, and CalTPA

cycle. I have successfully learned to organize all my tasks, lessons, and communications within

each of the above-mentioned areas. I have seen dramatic progress in my communication skills as
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well, as it is crucial to learn how to communicate respectfully and professionally among peers,

professors, and various school staff within my placements. All this experience has shaped my

communication abilities and style.

Affective Growth

Before beginning the LRNT program, I considered myself to be a shy person within the

online classroom setting. I have been able to grow my confidence in voicing my questions,

interacting with peers through discussion boards, and adding my thoughts to academic

conversations in class. I am becoming more confident in the elementary classroom as well. Since

we have been recording our lessons and creating units to be taught within the classroom setting, I

have grown incredibly confident teaching to a diverse array of student’s assets and needs.

Conclusion

Overall, this LRNT program has impacted my personal life by strengthening spiritual,

cognitive, and affect areas in my life. Without the experiences that this program has brought, I

would not have grown personally in each of these areas, which will significantly impact many

parts of my life.
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Professional Growth

Professional growth has been something that I have had the privilege of taking part in

throughout each course in this LRNT program. I have specifically grown in my ability to teach in

a variety of settings, build relationships, progress my classroom management skills and

pedagogies, and provide diverse students access to learning.

Significant Elements of Growth

I have had the opportunity to teach in a variety of classrooms throughout this program,

from online, to hybrid, to in-person. Due to this program, I have been able to experience a

variety of age groups of students as well. These experiences have affected my career because I

now have a variety of experiences to add to my resume, as well as to base my career goals. I now

know exactly what grade I would like to teach and am equipped with the resources to teach it

well. Another element of growth has been in building my personal network of support and

connections. This program has allowed me opportunities at different school districts, further

expanding my network as I begin to search for jobs. This has been significant to my growth

because I am now able to feel confident that I can build lasting connections and support with

parents, teachers, and administration.

Growth as an Educator

The major areas that I have grown as an educator are in the progression of skills in

classroom management and educational pedagogies. When entering this program, I had a surface

level understanding of how to manage a classroom. I had only a handful of strategies to support

my different learners throughout the day in this area, however I am leaving with numerous

different strategies that I can utilize in my future classroom. Prior to this LRNT program, I had

been briefly introduced to the ideas of pedagogy and the purposes they serve in the classroom. I
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now have a variety of different pedagogy that I can use depending on the topic I am teaching or

what I need my students to complete.

Professional Accomplishments

I have been able to successfully accomplish many different professional tasks throughout

this program. One of my favorite accomplishments is building relationships with my host

teachers and students. Being able to bond with and create lasting relationships with these people

are something that I am especially proud of. As a future educator, the ability to get to know your

students is crucial because students need a connection and relationships for them to stay in

school (Korbey, 2017). Another professional accomplishment that I have completed is the ability

to provide my students access to each lesson that I have taught. I have been able to successfully

allow each child the ability to learn from each of my lessons, even if it was only a small step

towards the learning goal.

Conclusion

This LRNT program has been the driving force in my professional development

throughout the last year and half. I have seen immense growth in myself professionally that

would not have been possible without the help of my courses and fieldwork experiences.
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Technical Growth

Technical growth is something that I expected to achieve with my Master’s in technology,

however I was unaware of how many incredible resources and tools I would be introduced to. I

was able to learn various ways to communicate in the online learning setting as a digital

citizenship and be introduced to specific technologies that would impact my classroom

management and ability to reach all diverse learners.

Growth in Technical Expertise

Due to this LRNT program, I have grown in my ability to have an online presence in the

virtual classroom. I have learned how to create presentations in an online setting, pre-record

instructional materials (podcasts, vlogs, etc.), as well as participate through class discussions. I

have also learned how to create an online presence through using various social medias and blog

platforms, integrated into the classroom. Before this program, I had never been introduced to

digital citizenship and what it means for our students. According to McGuire, it is important that

students learn about “online safety, protecting privacy, addressing cyberbullying, respecting

copyright law, managing their digital footprint” (McGuire, 2019, para.#2). I now have the

understanding needed to create curriculum to teach my students all about each of the aspects of

becoming a digital citizen in this online world.

Specific Technology Resources Impacting my Teaching

I have been introduced to a variety of technology resources in this program. First, I have

learned about specific technology to aid in classroom management. One specific resource I have

learned about and used is called Class Dojo. This online platform is a way to reward your

students for good behavior, as well as take points away when they are partaking in undesirable

behavior. Another classroom management tool that I learned is called Bloomz. This tool is
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similar to Class Dojo in that students can be rewarded for their positive behavior. This tool was

introduced to me during my student teaching experience in upper-elementary grades.

Another type of technology that I have been introduced to is assistive technology (AT).

AT is a educational technology that provides all students access to learning. I learned that there

are many extensions on Google Chrome that are geared towards helping students access learning.

One such extension is Speech to Text. Speech to Text is important for students who may not have

the writing skills needed to get their point across. Another tool I learned about is called AT Bar.

This tool has many ways for students to manipulate their screens in order to have access to

materials in a customizable manner. AT was not something that I was familiar with prior to this

LRNT program, however it is something that I will never be able to go without.

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Life Long Learning Plan

This is my plan for my lifelong learning. These are just a few of the things that I hope to

accomplish in my career.

 Get my BCLAD

 Earn another Master’s Degree (Administration)

 Attend professional development to gain more units

 Attend teacher conferences about classroom management

 Complete Early Childhood Development Training/units

Conclusion

This program has helped me to reach growth in the areas of personal, professional, and

technical throughout the past year and a half. Overall, I have learned so many valuable things

about myself and my future career and now have the skills to succeed at both. I hope to be able

to utilize these skills, as well as my life long learning plan to continue to grow in my love for

teaching.
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References

Courduff, J. (2021). EDUC 547: Assistive Technology in the Classroom. Master of Arts in

Educational Technology. School of Education, Azusa Pacific University.

http://canvas.apu.edu.

Korbey, H. (2017, October 27). The power of being seen. Edutopia. Retrieved November 8,

2021, from https://www.edutopia.org/article/power-being-seen.

McGuire, B. (2019). Digital Citizenship: What it means, how to teach it, and the resources you

need. Ace.edu. Retrieved November 16, 2021, from

https://www.ace.edu/blog/post/2019/01/08/digital-citizenship-what-it-means-how-to-teach-

it-and-the-resources-you-need.