Running

Head PASSIONS COLLIDE

Passions Collide: Education and Technology lead to a successful start of a career

Andrew C. Rahm
Azusa Pacific University

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History of Coursework

Masters of Educational Technology: Andrew Rahm

Fall 2014
EDTC 511-Foundations of education technology
Dr. Kathleen Bacer
In this course i learned...
-what exactly education technology is
-how education technology plays a key role in classrooms today
-began to get comfortable with Adobe Acrobat

EDTC 517 Digital communications

Joe Bruzzese
In this course i learned...
-What an PLN is and how to create my own -How to gather valuable information
and resources from Twitter
-How to simply create a website and implement it

EDTC 571 Curriculum Foundations

Valarie Suffern
In this course i learned...
-What ISTE is and how important it is to my career growth
-Rediscovered what my learning styles are and how they can impact my
classrooms

EDTC 527 Special topics in education

Barry Bettger
In this course i learned...
-How key google and google apps for education is for collaboration in e
classroom
-What my inital Top 10 technology resources are (and how they are ever
changing)

Spring 2015
EDTC 518 Global learning/cross cultural classroom
Barbara McMillan
In this course i learned...
-all about Global Learning Projects
(GLP) and how valuable they are in the classroom

EDTC 521 Digital imagery and learning environment

Doyle Potter
In this course i learned...
-How to successfully create and use Photoshop
-Key features of video shooting and editing
-How important scripts are for video creation

EDTC 523 Ed App: Info design and hypermedia

Laura Silva
In this course i learned...
-More about GLP's and how to implement them into the classroom
-Finding, using and correctly citing digital resources

EDTC 524 Instructional design and development

Kathyrn Price
In this course i learned...
What Backwards planning is and am currently helping lead discussions on BWD
planning at my school

Summer 2015
EDTC 515 Emerging trends in technology
Dr. James Brown
In this course i learned...
-what it means to be "future ready" -how to create video tutorials and
communication pieces (documents/information flyers)

EDTC 520 Managing technology support curriculum

Elisabeth Silver
In this course i learned...
-How to identify, write and implement a technology plan

Fall 2015
EDTC 526 Practicum in education application of technology
Dr. Kathleen Bacer

EDTC 572 Advanced educational technology

Dr. James Brown

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3
Introduction

When I began the Azusa Pacific University Master of Arts in Educational

Technology (EDTC) program in September 2014, I was not sure what to expect. I knew
it had two passions of mine, education and technology, but I wasnt sure exactly how it
would advance my career. My career was in flux and I needed something to differentiate
myself from other teachers who had not completed their credential. This program was
truly a Godsend and I am eager to share my growth during these last 15 months in my
personal, professional and technical areas of life.
Personal Growth
Prior to beginning this program, personal growth would have been an area in
which I would have expected the least amount of growth. I was set in my ways
professionally and very comfortable in the career I was working in. But 15 months later I
feel that I have grown the most in this section, specifically in these 3 areas: confidence,
passions and a desire to continue to grow.
In the first month of my 2015-2016 school year, I have lead 2 professional
development trainings and will be a part of a parent workshop on technology with digital
citizenship being my area of focus to discuss. Before this program, I would not have felt
confident in both my personal ability and my professional knowledge of the education
technology to lead these important events and trainings. I believe the 1:1
implementation plan I wrote EDTC 520 was an impactful piece of work that set the stage
for my personal growth (Silver, 2015). I was able to research and observe the
educational technology history of my current school as well as learn about the vision they
have for the next stage of technological growth. From this knowledge gained, I was able
to confidently develop an implementation plan of technology devices for every student.

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In EDTC 520, we read an article from the National Center for Technology Planning
(NCTP) and a comment made by Anderson and Perry really stuck with me, Just as a
cookbook has recipes that, if followed generally, will lead to delicious cuisine, a
technology plan has the potential for providing directions to success. (1994). I believe
through the writing and implementation of key aspects of my implementation plan, my
school is heading towards a successful 1:1 program launch this fall.
I believe another strong aspect from this program that developed my personal
growth was the interaction and relationship building from our Cadre. I gained confidence
and passion in education technology during each course and a large part of that was
because of the other 9 members in cadre 25. We challenged each other to become better
educators and technology leaders, while at the same time developing great professional
networks. Our Global Learning Project (GLP) reviews in EDTC 523 were a prime
example of this and I learned more about using feedback well, and trusting professional
peers from this then any other project or assignment in this program (Silva, 2015).
The confidence growth I gained through this program is something that can
impact other areas of my life, but the passion I gained for education technology and the
desire to use technology in the classroom is something that I see and feel every day I go
to work. Through this program, I have been able to share new and exciting ways of
presenting content with teachers, and I discovered how passionate I was about education
technology when I take such pride and enjoyment in seeing the teacher reaction on what
they could do in the classroom or the passion a student gains from the content they are
learning.

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5
Professional Growth:

The APU EDTC Master program has had the greatest impact on my professional
career. That is a rather bold statement, but let me explain why with a story that starts
when I graduated with my undergrad degree to today. In December of 2006, I graduated
from Biola University with a Business management degree and had plans to grow my
career in the business world and specifically at the time the retail environment. I spent
the next 2 years of my life working as an Executive for Target and enjoyed it greatly, the
salary was nice and the people were awesome to work with. But as my workweek grew
to 70-80 hours and I began to question what impact I was having for the Kingdom, I
began to look at my passion of coaching volleyball.
I have coached volleyball since 2001 and enjoy it greatly. I reached out to the
administration at the school I coached at, and in November of 2008, I resigned from
Target and begin working part-time at a high school doing office related work and
substitute teaching. Over the next 4 years I grew to be a full time employee at this
school, teaching and working in the offices and then I was not offered a contract back in
2012. I wasnt sure what to do and spent all of 2013 looking for an job in education, and
by the time summer came around I began to question if God wanted me in education.
Many jobs required a credential, which I was having difficulty completing because of my
potential work schedule. I was blessed to get a part-time teaching job at my current
school and that is where this program took off. We knew 3 years ago we would be going
1:1 soon and I took that as a key sign that I needed to complete this program. The timing
was unbelievable, (God-sent if you ask me) I would begin this program the same time we
would begin planning the 1:1 program and I was able to turn my passion for education
and technology and completion of this program into a job I absolutely love: Digital

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Learning Coach. I am able to take such elements of this program I have learned as
Backwards Design, Video creation and editing, Professional Learning Networks and so
much more into a career that I am both passionate and confident in. Without this
program, I am not so sure I would still be working in education and being able to have a
Kingdom impact of the lives of students. I am grateful and appreciative that I am able to
complete this program and turn the knowledge I have gained into valuable career-driven
growth.
Technical Growth:
Technology has always been something I was interested in. Even as a young
child, I remember my Dad having the latest and greatest computer at his office and thus
bringing these technologies home. A strong draw of this masters program was the
blending of two passions and interests I have: technology and education. My technical
growth over the past 15 months are like a toolbox in which I have added tool after tool to
be prepared for the educational technology work I
faced. I believe I grew in my technical skills
through learning three key programs and skills:
Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Photoshop and general
video editing.
From the first class in EDTC 511, Adobe
Acrobat has been an integral program I have
learned to use both from the masters program and
for my career. One of the most valuable software programs we will utilize throughout
the program. The time you spend becoming proficient with Acrobat will be time well
spent! (Bacer, K 2014). No better example of the importance of this program was

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during august 2015 when my school sent out a key parent communication piece formally
announcing our 1:1 program to parents. I created this communication piece along with
many others, in Adobe Acrobat from the skills and knowledge I gained about Acrobat
through our program
While Acrobat is an almost daily program I am using, Photoshop is one that I
learned many skills from EDTC 521 on how to clean up images and make them look
much more professional (Potter, D 2015). In the parent communication piece discussed
above, those photos were edited and improved upon in Photoshop. The great thing about
Photoshop is I feel I have just scratched the surface on its ability and I am eager to
continually learn about the strengths and techniques it has to offer.
Lastly, the various assignments that needed video creation or editing has had the
most immediate impact on my technical growth because of what I have been able to
learn, create and thus offer to my school. Many of the classes in the program had an
option for some type of video creation and I took full advantage of honing my skills in
iMovie and learning the details about quality video creation, weather it be interviewing,
multiple actor videos or tutorials. I have been able to take this knowledge and create
videos at my work that do anything from highlight the 1:1 program, create countless
tutorials for parents and students about the new Learning Management System (LMS) we
are using and the various apps we will use, and just recently been able to create a
highlight video of a year long service project we are taking part in that will help a school
in Gulu, Uganda. That last video was even sent to Gulu!
The technical growth I have achieved during this masters program might be the
most visible growth because of how much of what I learned is being put to practice each

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and every day. I believe my technical growth is something that is just getting started and
I am excited to see where I am in another 15 months.
Life Long Plan:
This plan is simple: I am never done learning. My degree might be completed, but I am
continually learning and with technology always advancing, I would be failing at my
career and my Masters degree if I were not continually learning.
My life long learning plan will consist of:

Bi-yearly conferences (with support of my current administration being very

strong right now)

Tri-Daily Twitter research

Journals and papers from ISTE and other key Educational Technology leaders
Conclusion
This program has been an incredible blessing to my life because, not only did I

learn more in these 15 months then I might have ever learned in any other educational
setting, but it has instilled in me a powerful passion and strong confidence in my career.
I am confident from knowledge and ability gained to be an educational technology leader
at my school and in my personal learning network. I am excited to see whats next after
the completion of this program, because if there is one thing I have learned, it is that my
growth does not stop when I submit the final paper and accept my degree, it has only
begun.

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References
Anderson, L., & Perry Jr, J. (1994). National Center for Technology Planning. Retrieved
from http://www.nctp.com/html/tp_recipe.cfm
Bacer, K (2014). EDTC511: Foundations in Educational Technology. Azusa Pacific
University, Azusa, California. Retrieved from http://sakai.apu.edu
Potter, D (2015). EDTC523: Creating Digital Imagery for Learning Environments.
Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California. Retrieved from http://sakai.apu.edu
Silva, L (2015). EDTC523: Information Design and Hypermedia. Azusa Pacific
University, Azusa, California. Retrieved from http://sakai.apu.edu
Silver, E (2015). EDTC520: Managing Tech-Supported Curriculum. Azusa Pacific
University, Azusa, California. Retrieved from http://sakai.apu.edu