annotated transcript |
a guide on mastering the master of arts in education
FALL 2012 | EAD 801
Leadership & Organizational Development
Dr. Deborah McFalone
Woven, practiced, and applied throughout the course was the concept of an exemplary leader. Leadership is critical in any role that I have held and it is also what drove me to take this course as an introduction into my program. In their book, The Truth About Leadership (2010), Kouzes and Posner identify five core practices that this type of leader must demonstrate. They are: 1. Model the way, 2. Inspire a shared vision, 3. Challenge the process, 4. Enable others to act and 5. Encourage the heart. The course concluded with an exploration project comprised of interviewing two respected school and organizational leaders and juxtaposing their leadership styles with the theories explored throughout the course. My choices were the Principal of Okemos High School and the Vice President for Auxiliary Enterprises at MSU.
SPRING 2013 | KIN 854
Legal & Administrative Issues for Administrators & Coaches
Rick Atkinson, J.D.
This course emphasized the importance of gaining an understanding of the legal considerations that individuals who work in athletic organizations are faced with daily. Students examined current issues, legal requirements, and court cases to the finest detail. Viewing all angles of an issue gave me a valuable tool of assessing and managing risk while providing me with the foresight to protect my organization. The goal for an athletic organization is to limit both its risk and liability. Shortly after completing this course I shifted careers and began working in the field of occupational safety and health. In this position I have been able to directly apply the principles learned into my job that include emergency management procedures and documentation requirements.
SUMMER 2013 | KIN 856
Physical Bases of Coaching Athletes
Dr. Scott Riewald
The human body is an interesting field of study as it is profoundly extensive and deeply complex. The goal of this course was to provide baseline knowledge for an athletic administrator or coach on evaluating their athletes' physical cues. It was taught by the High Performance Director for the United States Olympic Committee and covered anatomical, physiological, biomechanical, and sports medicine aspects. Students developed various performance related resources intended for immediate application and included: developing a dynamic warm-up, strength and conditioning for injury prevention, and nutritional recovery. Mastering basic physiology is essential to unlocking an athlete’s ultimate performance and thus keys to building sound athletes, teams, and programs.
SUMMER 2013 | KIN 890
Independent Study in Kinesiology
Rick Atkinson, J.D.
When I learned that I had gained acceptance into the MAED program and that a colleague of mine, Rick Atkinson was an instructor, I met with him to discuss my career ambitions and he quickly became my unofficial academic mentor. Atkinson suggested I complete an independent study with him as the project director. My project was to evaluate the course content of KIN 854 - a course I had just completed - through conducting research to assist enhancing the materials and lessons for current & future students. I was able to pull resources from my newly acquired role as a health and safety professional which linked several principles and legality concerns. However, the most meaningful part of my research involved shadowing Atkinson at various meetings which provided me with invaluable field experience needed for my future.
SPRING 2014 | ED 800
Concepts of Educational Inquiry
Dr. Steven Weiland
Sir Ken Robinson said, “Everyone has an interest in education ... It’s education that’s meant to take us into this future that we can’t grasp.” Students in this course explored the assumptions, intentions, and practices behind educational philosophies and ways of inquiry from pioneers such as John Dewey, Michael Oakeshott, E.D. Hirsch, and Vivian Paley. One of the most engaging exercises was an ethnographic inquiry that involved students to become participant observers, examining parts of the ways of living in different societies and then expressing understanding of the larger meanings of what was seen and heard. This course was fundamental in building my knowledge base of educational practices as I had not studied education for my undergraduate degree.
SUMMER 2014 | EAD 867
Case Studies in Educational Leadership
Dr. Eric Jessup-Anger
Throughout this course students examined the varying characteristics, qualities, definitions, and benefits of a leader and a follower. Three main case studies involving various challenges in higher education administration were analyzed and reflected upon. The culmination of course learning was highlighted in the final project of developing an educational leadership philosophy. This project was meaningful to me because it introduced me to a new resource for presentations, Prezi, and provided me with an introspective approach to leadership. I was reminded by Drew Dudley that leadership happens daily and we may not even know it; he called these opportunities to impact someone's life a "lollipop moment." I will always remember a leader was once a follower.
This course was aimed at developing and evaluating sound training and professional development (T&PD) programs. The beginning of the course involved an evaluation of the best and worst T&PD that students had encountered. From there, students evaluated a T&PD context of their choosing focusing on the macro aspects, or organizational context and the micro aspects, the venue, instructional space, and use of technology. Each participant also was charged with evaluating a live T&PD program in order to get a pulse on stand-up presentations and collaborative/experiential learning methods. The final assignment, and the most meaningful, involved creating a T&PD program and provided me with the opportunity to update, evaluate, and rethink current offerings in my department.
Students absorbed a spectrum of topics that included: ethical decision making, confidence, communication, goal-setting, motivation, imagery, self-talk, performance routines, energy management, and attention control. A main feature of the course was completing a reflective journal where at the end of each module a series of questions were posed and the student had to consider how they would apply the materials into their professional or coaching lives. The final assignment had students write about a topic of one's own choosing and I decided to explore and contrast motivation in the workplace versus motivation on the soccer field using the self-determination theory and flow theory. This was impactful as I was able to gain further understanding that motivation, as Daniel Pink reveals, involves autonomy, mastery, and purpose and I have since worked to incorporate goals into my workplace to reflect these discoveries.
FALL 2014 | EAD 863
Training & Professional Development
Dr. William Arnold
FALL 2014 | KIN 855
Psychosocial Bases of Coaching Athletes
Dr. Andrew Driska
SPRING 2015 | EAD 861
Adult Learning
Dr. Ginny Jones
The goal of this course was to emphasize the various theories of how adults learn (andragogy) and what impact a teacher-centered learning environment has versus a learner-centered environment. Students explored historical, developmental influences, varying perspectives, and how informal and formal settings all impact the adult learning process. Again, another first for me was the exposure to a new educational setting through the use of a WordPress blog where a majority of the class interaction was conducted. Other forms of technology that I first became aware of during this course was the use of PechaKucha, 20 slides in 20 seconds and Infographic, a visually pleasing document that uses graphics to present a topic or issue in an engaging way.
SPRING 2015 | ED 870
Capstone Seminar
Dr. Matthew Koehler
This course provided a masterful reflection of the collective coursework in my MAED program. The experience has reignited a passion in me that has justified my initial aspirations of pursuing a post-baccalaureate degree. The goal of the course is to present and reflect upon the MAED journey through the creation of an online professional portfolio. Benefits of the portfolio include the following: it was my first attempt at conceptualizing and building a website, it helped me understand how to transition my personal brand to an online format, and finally, it becomes a living document that can be updated and maintained long after I don my cap and gown and walk across the commencement stage.