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Growth Assessment
Marty G. Scarberry II

APU Spring 2017

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S GROWTH ASSESSMENT

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title Page pg. 1

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Table of Contents pg. 2

History of Coursework pg. 3

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Personal Growth pg. 3

Professional Growth pg. 5

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Technical Growth pg. 6

Lifelong Learning Plan pg. 7

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Conclusion pg. 8

References pg. 9

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e Personal Growth

My life has been blessed and I am very happy with who I am. I joined Azusa Pacific

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because I needed to grow spiritually. Azusa Pacific University has helped me more than I could

have dreamed. I also wanted to also improve myself mentally and grow cognitively. One thing

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I did not expect to do was grow so much affectively. There were so many instances where I

expanded my confidence, shared camaraderie, developed my passion for technology,

education, and God.

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My father-in-law is a preacher and so was his father. I took my children to church most

of their childhood, but APU and this program allowed me to grow spiritually more than I have

in my entire life. By participating in and completing Our Foundation assignments and forums,

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weekly discussions, and end of course growth assessments, I was able to share and discuss God

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in new ways. This program has helped me see God in my life and the need for me to do his

work every day! It also gave me the ability to see the big picture and the ability to understand

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that I could share my beliefs and change the world globally!

APU saved me cognitively too! After moving to the desert I realized I needed to work

on my religious social connections to help my transition here. According to Professor of

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Psychology, John Cacioppo, health consequences of feeling lonely can trigger psychological and

cognitive decline (Bergland, 2014). I have many friends in the desert, but not as many God

fearing, moral, good people that I was used to up north. APU filled that need with great models for

r instructors and an amazing Cadre to share my experiences with! Cacioppo also found that feeling

isolated from others can: disrupt sleep, elevate blood pressure, increase morning rises in the stress

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hormone Cortisol, alter gene expression in immune cells, increase depression, and lower overall

subjective well-being...all of these factors conspire to disrupt optimal brain function, connectivity,

reduce cognitive function and most of it was happening to me (Bergland, 2014). After completing

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this program my health and ability to

help others has improved when everything else failed.

Through all my education, credentials, etc. none have been benefited my growth as much as

r APUs Master of Educational Technology program. By creating some amazing global projects,

profession development videos, team plans and projects are also things that I never imagined could

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be so good! We helped each other through team projects, personal tragedies and triumphs! Being

with like-minded people has given me the opportunity to develop and share my passion for

technology, education, and God.

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Personally, I would have never dreamed that there were such good people, out in the

world, as the Professors and Cadre members at APU. The professionalism and deep spirituality

of all has been so influential on me spiritually, cognitively, and affectively. I will never forget

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 GROWTH ASSESSMENT 5

the camaraderie, the passion for learning, education, and God in all of our assignments, lessons,

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meetings, forums, and in everything we did. My personal growth has made me healthier and

happier. All of these experiences will give me confidence for life to continue to put God first and

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continue to do Gods work every day!

Professional Growth

Professional growth was also very important to me. My wife and I found that no matter how

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good ones test scores, parent satisfaction, or student success there is always a lot of pressure as a

teacher! We watched very poor quality teachers in every way get promoted or position because of

friendships, fired up, etc. One of the things admin would use to justify their actions would be a

r Masters degree. So, this degree has great importance to my professional growth and pride. Not

only will this growth help in the classroom, it will also advance my teaching career. It will also

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open doors to other opportunities and employment possibilities. I am a small town boy but now,

through this program, I have a global view and plan on using it!

Through sharing many projects, websites, etc. with my Cadre mates and instructors I

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received more feedback than I ever have. My ability to use that feedback has grown and will

allow me to better modify work that provides a learning environment and lesson plans that

better meet the learning needs of every student. These changes will help the students develop a

r deeper understanding of concepts the will help the students retain the information and transfer it

to new situations and future math or science classes. Improving my ability to modify lessons will

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also allow me to meet the individual needs of each class which has its own needs.

Through many collaborations, I was able to receive and provide more support and greater

background detail which has led to my greater understanding and retention. These changes have

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provided me with the necessary foundation to be successful in not only my classroom but also in

my career. According to the National Education Association principles, Linked to Quality

Professional Development: A professional growth salary schedule must be linked to a

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professional development system that has been locally developed with teachers and tied to quality

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professional development standards such as those of the National Staff Development Council

(NSDC) (York, 2015). As teachers we all have different views but I think the standard is, and we

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all agree, more education equals more money!

My conclusion on Professional Growth is that I am proud and now more marketable. I am

excitingly fast at my job and I am able to master anything that involves technology. My students

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are also far ahead of their peers with regards to technology in every way! Once I receive my

degree, I will be at the highest pay step for my years of service and that increases 10 years

further than without! I am also so confident, with my B.S. in Instructional Technology and this

r Masters degree program that I am considering applying for an Instructional Technology position

with APU and would go for a higher degree.

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Technical Growth

With a degree in Instructional Technology and an expansive amount experience I am

surprised to say that my Technical Growth was the strongest. I didnt realize how much

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collaboration would help me with making better websites, videos, graphics, professional

development, site plans, and more. I was also able to incorporate my beliefs and value systems in

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a global effort. Another thing I did not expect was how much I would involve my students with

my Masters and their learning. Being able to create amazing Digital Citizens with advanced

technological skills was a bonus.

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I have grown so much technologically it now takes me a quarter of the time or less to

create things like Adobe Acrobat DC PDFs through a collaborative assignment, surveys and

assessments, websites and web tools, presentations like the Technology, Education and Copyright

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Harmonization Act (T.E.A.C.H. Act) video and Google slides, eNotebooks and Global Learning

Plans, by creating a photo composite and presenting it for broadcasting on YouTube, a Major

Applied Research Project (MARP); CK12.org instructional video, completing a Massive Open

Online Course (MOOC) from John's Hopkins University, Implementation Plan, professional
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development video on scientific information, all the while
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including God and doing his work!

S My favorite part of my technological growth was the inclusion of my students. My

students now turn in Google docs, videos, Google slides, Word docs, research projects, and

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A small group has even created a team to start an online 3D design company that they are

funding through GoFundMe. The fact is, from an article last year in Education Week,

Technology is everywhere in education: Public schools in the United States now provide at

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least one computer for every five students. They spend more than $3 billion per year on digital

content (Herold, 2016). With my technology background I wasnt using technology with my

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students enough until now!

APU has not only helped me to grow in every area in todays modern technological world

but all of my students as well. It has also given me the spiritual courage to use those technology

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skills and do Gods work worldwide. My job, students learning and their success has improved

dramatically! I have the happiest and most engaged students in the school. I was so proud of how

much time and effort they put into their state testing online. The Education Week article also stated,

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in 2015-16, for the first time, more state standardized tests for the elementary and middle grades

will be administered via technology than by paper and pencil (Herold, 2016). It is one of the

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biggest transitions in education history and because of Azusa Pacifics Masters Degree in

Educational Technology I am well prepared to be on that cutting edge!

Lifelong Learning Plan

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My life has been lived around education for almost 40 years! I think I am going to get out in

the world and share my knowledge as much as I can and learn some too! I am at the point where I

want to create and do something more for the world! I will continue to devour new technology and

y new innovations, so I may keep up with students, and stay on the cutting edge! God has pushed and

carried me through to this point and I trust his fingertips will guide me through my continued

learning and career. I may seek an admin credential, a PhD, a single subject, or some other amazing

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new thing down the road. I will also continue to attend every professional development offered by

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my site, district, state, and nation!

Conclusion

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There are not enough words to express how much APU, and all involved, has helped me to

grow! Sharing the experience with such wonderful students and staff was an added bonus! I am

able to communicate with much more empathy, compassion, and strength in my personal and

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professional life! My career and my students is much more successful because of this amazing

program. Being able to bring God into my life personally and professionally has created such a

wonderful world for myself and all those around me.

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Gods fingertips are now in everything I do. This Educational Technology program has

given me the ability to join God and technology into my teaching. More rewarding it the positive

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effect it has had on my students and their success. It is more satisfying than I could have ever

imagined! I am grateful for all of the lessons from the bottom of my heart and hope to share that

with others so they may find something that I have searched for my whole life. Peace.

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References

S Bergland, C. (2014). Eight Habits that Improve Cognitive Function

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201403/eight-habits-improve-

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York, C. (2015). Education Association. Principles for a Professional Growth Salary Schedule.

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Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/home/52140.htm

Herold, B. (2016). Editorial Projects in Education Research Center. Issues A-Z:

Technology in Education: An Overview. Education Week. Retrieved from

r http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/technology-in-education/

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