Erik Bremer

EDUC 526: Capstone Experience in Digital Teaching and Learning

Professor: att !ixson
"PU #rrieta $egional Center
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61-1*0
Erik Bremer | Educ 526 | Growt h Assessment | APU Murrieta |
Spring 2 | Page 1
4ection 5ne
Introduction:
"fter recei(ing m6 teaching credential 7 recei(ed a 8o) offer to &ork at a f#ll6 online
school' Being a prett6 tech1sa((6 person &ho &as also a ne& teacher9 7 tho#ght this &o#ld )e the
perfect fit to #se m6 skills to teach st#dents in a (irt#al en(ironment' 7 )elie(e the technolog6
a(aila)le to #s9 and the technolog6 a(aila)le to o#r st#dents9 is onl6 going to )ecome more
ad(anced as &ell as more #)i:#ito#s' Technolog6 is e(er6&here9 and 7 fig#red &hat )etter place
to get m6 masters than the same place 7 recei(ed m6 credential9 and also learn a)o#t the tools at
m6 disposal to teach in the classroom #sing technologies' 6 goals &ere to make m6 skills as
&ide and as di(erse as possi)le so that 7 &o#ld )e a)le to meet the needs of the di(erse pop#lation
of st#dents9 &hile at the same time enco#raging them expand their o&n kno&ledge )ases thro#gh
technolog6 and creati(it6'
Personal Growth:
7 ha(e made man6 meaningf#l connections &ith man6 of the colleag#es that 7 &ork &ith at
m6 school' an6 of them also &ent thro#gh the same program and &e tr6 to sta6 tr#e to the
spirit of this program )6 constantl6 colla)orating &ith one another a)o#t ho& to inno(ate in the
ed#cational arena' ;e gro& tired of the same old standardi<ed tests and old &a6s of teaching
st#dents' ;h6 &o#ld 6o# gi(e a st#dent a &orksheet &hen 6o# can gi(e him an iPad. 7 ask that
:#estion some&hat rhetoricall6 )#t it is glaringl6 o)(io#s that the old &a6 of teaching st#dents is
o#tdated and (astl6 inferior to the incredi)le amo#nt of information that is a(aila)le to the
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st#dents thro#gh the internet' 4impl6 disc#ssing these ideas o(er l#nch &ith colleag#es offers
great insight into the potential that remains #ntapped &ith the internet and other technologies'
Completing this degree &ill )e a h#ge achie(ement' 7t signifies the end of t&o decade long
p#rs#it of kno&ledge and higher ed#cation that &ill )e a h#ge relief to p#t )ehind me and look to
the f#t#re'
Professional Growth:
7 ha(e gro&n immensel6 as an ed#cator' 7 ha(e learned that p#tting the st#dents first is
&hat reall6 co#nts' 7 ha(e learned that there is al&a6s more that can )e learned and applied to m6
professional practice and to reali<e that not onl6 do 7 not kno& e(er6thing' 7 &ill ne(er e(en
come close to kno&ing a)o#t all of the a(aila)le reso#rces and tools a(aila)le to me as an
ed#cator' 7 ha(e learned that 7 m#st al&a6s keep searching and al&a6s get )etter' Beca#se of
this program 7 ha(e learned that integrating technolog6 is 8#st one component that makes for
excellent teaching' There are man6 other components that go along &ith that9 and the6 incl#de
getting the st#dents to creati(el6 and inno(ati(e' The ke6 to )eing s#ccessf#l &ith #sing
technolog6 is fig#ring o#t a ne& and interesting &a6 of #sing it' There is not a cookie1c#tter
method that 6o# can teach st#dents and that is all the kno&ledge the6 re:#ire' The same has
al&a6s )een tr#e of ed#cation9 and &h6 standardi<ed tests ha(e )een almost #ni(ersall6 re8ected
)6 teachers as a &a6 of assessing a st#dent=s learning
Technical Growth:
Erik Bremer | Educ 526 | Growt h Assessment | APU Murrieta |
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6 technical pro&ess at the start of the program &as alread6 prett6 s#)stantial )#t 7 ha(e
learned more a)o#t feat#res in io(ie as &ell as the #sage of man6 different apps' 7 learned
a)o#t indmeister9 C#eprompter9 E(ernote9 as &ell as a&esome soft&are programs like >arage
Band' The EDUC 522 class &as partic#larl6 helpf#l )eca#se it helped to integrate all the
kno&ledge 7 had gained in pre(io#s co#rses and s6nthesi<e them into a #nit that made the
st#dents )ecome acti(el6 engaged in their o&n learning' The fact that the6 are all digital nati(es
made this pro8ect so effecti(e )eca#se the st#dents can relate to the technolog6 )eing #tili<ed in
the classroom' 7t helped )reak #p the monoton6 that st#dents normall6 experience in the linear
model of lect#re9 lect#re9 re(ie&9 test' 4t#dents like to )e engaged and this enco#rages learning
)6 #sing technolog6'
Lifelong Learning Plan:
"ltho#gh this aster=s Degree is the c#lmination of m6 ed#cational experience9 7 had
al&a6s fig#red that it &o#ld end there' ?o& that 7 am in the classroom 7 see ho& man6
opport#nities there are for the expansion of online teaching' 7 &o#ld one da6 like to teach histor6
classes at the college le(el9 and 7 )elie(e m6 online teaching experience9 com)ined &ith the
aster=s Degree9 &ill make me an extremel6 desira)le candidate for teaching at the college le(el9
or doing d#al enrollment at the high school le(el' Beca#se of that9 7 think 7 &ill e(ent#all6 o)tain
a aster=s in either histor69 or go(ernment )efore m6 teaching career is o(er' @or no& tho#gh9 7
think 7 &ill take a &ell1deser(ed )reak' 7 &o#ld like to contin#e to de(elop in the field of
(ideo%film editing' 7 think that is going to )e a ke6 area for st#dent engagement' 7f 7 do not teach
it as an act#al class9 7 &o#ld lo(e to 8#st ha(e the skills so 7 can incorporate into the classroom
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and enco#rage st#dents to a)o#t these programs9 and possi)l6 gi(e them a fe& more tools so that
the6 can )etter decide &hat path the6 &ant to take in life' 7 &ant to ha(e the schools necessar6 to
)e a)le to teach the next generation9 and 7 &ill onl6 )e a)le to do that if 7 am a lifelong learner
m6self'
7n fi(e 6ears 7 see m6self teaching in a traditional school' The online school is great9 and is
great experience9 )#t it 8#st is not for me' There is almost no interaction &ith st#dents9 and )eing
the social )#tterfl6 that 7 am9 makes for a 8o) that is not (er6 f#lfilling to me' 7f 7 co#ld someho&
&ork half time at a reg#lar school and half time at the online school9 that &o#ld )e ama<ing and 7
&o#ld a)sol#tel6 lo(e it' 7n the f#t#re9 7 see o#r school district mo(ing in that direction )#t the
school is onl6 fo#r 6ears old9 and that (ision &ill take some time' The ma8or pro)lem is training
teachers on the soft&are' 4ince 7 am alread6 familiar &ith the soft&are9 7 hope 7 can transition to
the traditional classroom and contin#e teaching high school online classes' 7 ten 6ears 7 hope to
)e doing the same thing9 onl6 7 &ant to also )e teaching college classes at night to go along &ith
m6 high school classes' !opef#ll6 7 &ill also ha(e a &ife and some kids )6 thenA
4ection 2
!istor6 of co#rse&ork
Ed#c 5** B' >il)reath@all 7 22*,
Ce6 Learning: Li(e Binders9 ;ordle9 Po&erPoint "nimation
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Commentar6: 7 act#all6 took the classes o#t of order a little )it9 as this &as the third class 7 took
after the soft&are class and (ideo class' 7 fo#nd no pro)lem &ith it not )eing the first class9
)eca#se the Li(e Binders helped me to p#t all of m6 information in one spot'
7t &as a nice relief that it &as all online and the &orkload &as not too hea(6'
EDUC 5*2 7nstr#ctional "pplications of Prod#cti(it6 4oft&are B' 4#lli(an @all 7 22*2
Ce6 Learning: ;ord Processing9 Can(as9 Excel9 "do)e "cro)at9 ;e)D#est9 "pple "ir9 "pple TE9
hard&are and soft&are FComp#ters and iPadG
Commentar6: 7 en8o6ed this class (er6 m#ch as &ell' 7t &as a good refresher on man6 ne&
technologies as &ell as ho& comp#ters act#all6 &ork9 and &hat t6pes of hard&are%soft&are are
a(ai)le to teachers
EDUC 5*0Digital Eideo in the Classroom
T' !older@all 7 22*2
Ce6 Learning: Pinnacle 4t#dio9 io(ie9 Ho#T#)e9 r#le of thirds9 r#les of composition9 D#icktime9
stor6)oarding9 lightening9 so#nd effects9 google dri(e
Commentar6: "&esome class9 7 reall6 liked Tim and his kno&ledge )ase &as :#ite extensi(e' This
&as pro)a)l6 m6 fa(orite class at "PU )eca#se e(er6thing &e did &as f#nctional and rele(ant'
?one of the assignments &ere )#s6&ork or repetiti(e' 7t &as all hands1on and all rele(ant to o#r
Erik Bremer | Educ 526 | Growt h Assessment | APU Murrieta |
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teaching in the classroom' E(er6thing &e learned co#ld )e integrated into o#r teaching practice9
and 7 don=t recall &riting an6 papers that felt like 7 &as &riting the paper 8#st to get the
assignment in9 7 gen#inel6 learned a lot from it'
EDUC 5*5 E(ol(ing Ed#cational Technologies B' Lee 4pring 7 22*,
Ce6 Learning: Blogs9 "#dio PodCast9 @lipped Classroom9 Bing9 "#dacit69 io(ie9 c online
s#r(e6s9 online test forms
Commentar6: 7 liked the class9 and the professor' 4ome assignments seemed r#dimentar6 and
repetiti(e9 especiall6 the )log Foh ho& 7 hated the )logAAG' 7 remem)er creating a )log in m6
credential classes and disliking that one as &ell' " )log &as 8#st a )it too )asic and time1
cons#ming for m6 tastes and 7 tho#ght &as a total &aste of o#r time9 especiall6 )eca#se almost
e(er6one had alread6 done a )log for their credential classes alread6' ?ot that that &as Dr' Lee=s
fa#lt9 and 7 don=t mean to )e o(erl6 negati(e' 7 liked the online platform that classes &ere
deli(ered thro#gh )eca#se it &as different than the one 7 #se at m6 school and &as 8#st another
platform that 7 can no& sa6 7 ha(e experience &ith sho#ld 7 e(er decide to teach higher ed#cation'
EDUC 522 Learning in the 2*
st
Cent#r6B' Co#rd#ff4pring 7 22*,
Ce6 Learning: Bloom taxonom69 m#ltiple intelligences9 and Lesson plans all foc#s on
technolog6'
Commentar6: 7 en8o6ed the class9 and Dr' Co#rd#ff a lot' ;hen in class9 7 learned a ton a)o#t so
man6 different apps' 7 felt the &orkload &as extreme' The #nit plan felt reall6 repetiti(e and
m#ch more complicated than it needed to )e' ?o& that 7 am a teacher 7 am al&a6s tr6ing to
Erik Bremer | Educ 526 | Growt h Assessment | APU Murrieta |
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fig#re o#t &hat &orks and &hat doesn=t from a teacher=s perspecti(e' 7 tho#ght the #nit plan tried
too hard to )e thoro#gh and instead 8#st )ecame reall6 repetiti(e &here 7 &as sa6ing the same
thing for the goals9 and for &hat the st#dents &ill do' 7 often felt 7 co#ld ha(e ans&ered )oth
:#estions in a fe& sentences )#t &e &ere re:#ired to &rite a t&o paragraphs9 one on the goals9
and one on &hat the st#dents &o#ld do' 7 think assignments like this sho#ld )e more open1ended'
7 can #nderstand that rigid str#ct#re for high school st#dents )#t not grad#ate st#dents' >i(e #s
F5r 7 g#ess 7 sho#ld sa6 the next generation of st#dentsG more freedom &hen completing
assignments'
EDUC 526 Capstone Experience in Ed#cational Technolog6 and Learning ' !ixson 4pring 7
Commentar6: att !ixson &as an a&esome professor' !e treated the class like ad#lts and let #s
&ork at o#r o&n pace9 rather than like high school kids &ho need to )e kept on task and closel6
monitored' The end of the 6ear for me &as totall6 cra<6 )et&een inter(ie&ing for other 8o)s9
&rapping #p m6 BT4"9 and grading a sea of final pro8ects9 so that flexi)ilit6 helped more than
6o# &ill e(er kno& and it &as (er6 m#ch appreciated' 7n general for the &hole program 7 )elie(e
the &orkload &as a )it m#ch' 7 think in the program &e made at least fo#r (ideos9' 7 think a)o#t
other s#)8ects or acti(ities' 7f 7 spend *2 &eeks coaching )asket)all9 7 don=t ask the st#dents to
&rite me a paper' 7 8#st tr#st that the6 learned it )eca#se it &as their passion and the6 &ant to
kno& the information' ;h6 "cademia is so o)sessed &ith &riting papers and pro(ing their
kno&ledge9 7 don=t think 7 &ill e(er #nderstand' 7 think #s teachers sho#ld )e gi(en more credit
that &e &ant to )e here and &ant to learn the information &itho#t ha(ing to pro(e it thro#gh a
paper o(er and o(er and o(er again' That said9 7 do #nderstand a large &orkload for the
Erik Bremer | Educ 526 | Growt h Assessment | APU Murrieta |
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capstone9 it is the final class and represents the completion of o#r degree9 )#t e(en if someone
&as a total neoph6te to (ideo editing9 7 think the6 &o#ld fig#re it o#t after t&o or three (ideos'
E(al#ation of the 7mpact of the Digital Teaching and Learning Program:
This program &as immensel6 (al#a)le9 )#t if 7 had to choose one thing that &as the most
(al#a)le to me that 7 plan on #sing constantl6 in teaching career &o#ld )e #sing (ideo editing
soft&are' 5ften9 teaching a class there are little snippets that 7 &ant to #se from a (ariet6 of
(ideos a(aila)le on the internet' 7t &ill )e so nice to )e a)le to take onl6 the parts of the (ideo 7
&ant and com)ine them into a single (ideo for m6 st#dents' 7t &ill also )e excellent that 7 can
no& help m6 st#dents &ith these t6pes of tasks' ?o& that 7 kno& the soft&are m6self9 7 can
assign pro8ects for the st#dents to do that are )oth meaningf#l9 interesting9 and engaging'
Program E(al#ation:
The program &as excellent' "ll of m6 professors &ere (er6 kind and helpf#l' 7 tr#l6
)elie(e that this program is going to )e creating the next generation of inno(ati(e teachers &ho
are going to )e doing great things' 7 &ork &ith se(eral people &ho ha(e )een thro#gh the
program' "ll en8o6ed it9 and &e are constantl6 )rainstorming ne& and creati(e ideas that &e
co#ld #se to )etter ser(e children9 and 7 think that desire has )een sp#rred )6 o#r participation in
this program'
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