My Race to the Finish Line…Did I Stumble?
By Cindy Osborne
Every course taken in pursuit of my Masters Degree in Education at Michigan State University felt like a race to see how fast I could reach that finish line; to receive the golden ticket; a golden ticket that will better prepare me to excel in the realm of the educational and professional world. Did I stumble along the way? I sure did. Not every course taken in my MAED program proved to be free of obstacles, such as learning new technology I had never been aware existed or integrating group work when I work best alone. Not every course I have taken appears to coalesce with each other, but as you will soon read, they actually do. Now with the finish line in sight my path to this golden ticket is less rocky and I know I will reach that goal if I have to crawl on my hands and knees.
How did it all begin and what was I thinking?
It began on a dark and stormy night the winter of 2010. As I sat at home quietly contemplating how bored I was I recalled the MAED and MAET degree programs in which two of my colleagues in the MSU Office of Financial Aid were currently in pursuit. I had read a great deal of their course essays as they requested since I have written quite a few myself in a prior degree program. Feeling adrift with the swirling snow outside my windows, I accessed the MSU Department of Education online and began to read about these programs and became fascinated with most of the degree material my colleagues were attempting to master. I was particularly interested in MAED, in no small part because it was all online. See, I have a difficult time actually attending class on campus, not only because I work full time with a great deal of work required after 5pm and on weekends, so scheduling this with classroom attendance can be extremely stressful, but also because I get restless sitting in a classroom. I need to be able to stop what I am reading or writing in order to focus my thought processes. Most professors frown on students walking in and out of class at will. What’s up with that?
As I read more on the degree program requirements and the many different courses offered I was intrigued with the idea of applying to MSU and the College of Education MAED program in P-12 School and Post Secondary Leadership. I had been mulling over my role within the Office of Financial Aid, and although I love my work as a financial aid officer, I felt I needed more knowledge and experience working in an academic community. Simply counseling students and parents on financial aid issues, working within the parameters of federal aid regulations and representing the mission of MSU did not give me a full understanding of the complexities involved in the process. I wanted to take a more active role in development of those issues, such as a leadership role within financial aid organizations or presenting new ideas toward enhancing financial aid policy.
At first I was dismayed with descriptions of many of the courses as they appeared to be designed for teachers seeking new enlightenment on educational issues and new technological tools on teaching in the classroom, but as I continued reading and found courses like EAD 801 Leadership and Organizational Development, I believed that this particular class would give me a substantial understanding on the issues and strategies involved in my desire to take a more active leadership role in financial aid and that it has done.
In addition to leadership and development interests I also encounter on a daily basis a group of students that are considered non-traditional. In other words, they are adult learners that have lost their jobs and are returning to school, or have finally come to the realization of the value of a college degree. Counseling non-traditional students on financial aid can be quite different than traditional students as most have already been out in the “real” world and have more financial expectations and obligations than younger students. Most have no parental support system for financial help. Unfortunately, I felt my understanding of the varied motivations of non-traditional students was lacking. But, as I read about the knowledge I could gain from classes like EAD 864 Adult Career Development and EAD 861 Adult Learning, I understood that I had finally found the educational path I had been seeking without realizing I had been looking.
As a world renowned university, MSU is at the top in cultural diversity. I grew up in a very small town and my experience with diversity was minimal. As a representative of MSU it was without question a necessity that I improve my understanding of multi-cultural society and the problems and benefits involved in the blending of cultures, not only with the university community, but with my colleagues in financial aid. I was very pleased to read the description of what I could learn and subsequently utilize in my working career with EAD 850 Issues and Strategies in Multi-Cultural Education and EAD 830 Issues in Urban Education: The Racial Achievement Gap. I believed that both of these courses would give me the tools and insight in understanding our multi-cultural society. I have always felt I have an acceptance and tolerance on the differences between individuals, whether it is religion, culture or sexual orientation. However, simply having tolerance and acceptance of these differences does not guarantee an understanding of those differences. In order to give the best service possible to our students and colleagues and even to myself, I needed an understanding of how these differences affect each individual in our multi-cultural society and that I have found.
I consider myself a life-long learner, both formal and informal. I never fully realized this until I began the MAED program and enrolled in EAD 860 Concepts of a Learning Society and CEP 800 Psychology of Learning in School and Other Settings, which by the way is a title that doesn’t clearly reflect what this course is actually about, but more on that later.
What did I learn and was it what I expected?
Although I already have a Master’s degree in English Literature, all of my study in literature focused on adult works. So, when I came across the course offering TE 836 Awards and Classics of Children’s Literature that would apply to my degree, I was ecstatic. I love literature. I fantasized and expected a winter course, although MSU refers to it as spring…we are an optimistic university, sitting in my comfortable chair with a hot cup of tea and a good book slowly perusing the language and style and then casually writing a criticism essay. Nothing to it; I’ve done this before, so this will be a breeze. Not with Dr. Apol! It was a hurricane and I loved it, although at the time I thought I will never be able to read all this in the timeframe allowed. But, I did and it was much more satisfying and enlightening than I had anticipated.
What I learned from Dr. Apol is that children’s literature is as important to our development, and is as reflective of our society, as adult literature. We delved into the novel Little Women as an example on how we view literature over time and that our interpretation of these works mirror what has happened, or is presently happening in our society and that many film versions of children’s literature change based on societal values. For example, we viewed two film versions of Little Women and created an analysis on the actors, writers and directors interpretation of Alcott’s novel in comparison to her writing. What I learned is that much of what is presented on film and how it is presented correlated with moral and economic society of the time. George Cukor’s 1933 film on Little Women reflected the tension, despair and sacrifice of the Great Depression, while Gillian Armstrong’s 1994 adaptation focused on relationships and romance within Alcott’s novel glossing over the economic difficulties as at the time our society was in relative prosperity. Consequently, this reinforced our study of children’s book awards in that a book, such as a Newbery book award winner, may not always stand the test of time as to its quality and value and how we view the scholarship of these books will more than likely change as our society values change.
In addition to novels I was also introduced to picture books as a tool in teaching our children valuable attributes. Not only are these books beautifully illustrated, but the style and language written is also complex enough to allow thought provoking study on love, friendship and death and how children can deal with these issues.
Dr. Apol’s course was not what I expected; it was so much more and taught me that as in literature and society, so education also changes over time as a reflection of the needs and wants of society values at each point in our collective history. The study of children’s literature for me became a reflection on adult learning in how we interpret a book’s theme and how that carries over into our choices and understanding of ourselves and society as we grow into adulthood.
In choosing the courses I wished to explore in my program I tried to choose those that would build upon each other. In other words, I chose courses that complemented and enhanced my overall learning, but also varied enough to give me a broad perspective on leadership and development. When I enrolled in CEP 800 Fall 2011 I did so based on the description and the name of the course, Psychology of Learning in School and other Settings. For many years I have been fascinated with psychology, so my interpretation of CEP 800 was that I would learn about the struggles and behaviors of learners in and out of the classroom that would give me some insight into the students I see daily. Oh, how wrong I was. When I read the syllabus at the start of the semester my thought was oh crap! I can’t do this. I had hit my first boulder on the path to the golden ticket. This course is based on technology and I just consider myself lucky I know how to use some of the tools in my email, but once I start a class it is imperative to me that I finish and my daily instructors, Sandra Sawaya and Zach Mural were taking no excuses.
What I learned in CEP 800 was the complete opposite of what I expected, but as it turns out it was exactly what I needed. We spent a great deal of time in this course creating means and tools for understanding learning. For example, I created a DVD and PowerPoint about loans and loan repayment to present to MSU students upon their graduation. At the same time I was required to submit my analysis of what was learned by the students, the role of technology in their learning and what benefits and constraints became apparent through the technology I chose to utilize. What this lesson enabled me to do was to think critically on how information is presented and absorbed by our students so they can easily comprehend in order to plan their financial future after receiving their golden ticket.
Before taking CEP 800 I had not considered the role of technology in learning and had no confidence that I could acquire this knowledge in a way that would enhance my career in financial aid. I was specifically concerned with the final assignment of creating a lesson plan utilizing technology. I had never created a lesson plan and had no idea how to go about doing so. Once I started I was excited about the lesson plan I created on multi-cultural instruction for financial aid professionals utilizing technology as a learning tool.
In this course I also learned how to create an audio interview with students using Audacity. Before fall 2011 I never believed I was capable of this level of creativity. I created my very first blog with no prior knowledge of what constituted a blog. I was also required to create a video storyboard of student learning. Although it was not as creative as most of my fellow students, the level I attained in using technology tools increased significantly. In the end, the technology I learned in CEP 800 has contributed to my ability to succeed in courses I have taken since, such as the use of Piazza in my Capstone and my ability to create this portfolio on Weebly. Without CEP 800 I would have been lost and the knowledge I have gained on student learning and also learning and teaching within financial aid has been invaluable. Without the guidance of Sandra Sawaya and Zach Mural I truly believe I would not have been able to accomplish all of the above and more. I am truly grateful for all they have taught me on learning and technology as well as the patience they exhibited with my endless questions.
The finish line, was it worth it?
As I approach that finish line in the MAED program, and in writing this essay, I have reflected on all the courses I have taken toward that golden ticket. I do not regret a single course and what I have learned I have and will continue to implement and explore as a Financial Aid Officer and Ombudsman for Michigan State University. I have written about the two courses that were specifically challenging; TE 836 as it completely changed my pre-conceived ideas on literature and CEP 800 for giving me the knowledge and ability to use technology as a learning tool. But, each course I have taken has given me a new outlook on education, society and life in general.
I believe that I was very lucky to have studied three separate courses with Dr. Weiland whose office was always open for discussion on all the individuals I met through literature I was studying. Our discussion on Steve Jobs, Lowell Bergman and Jeffrey Wigand, three very complex and fascinating people, was exactly what I needed to gain insight into their characters and formulate an essay I can look back on and know I was able to capture a portion of that complexity.
As I see that finish line ahead there is a sense of regret that it is coming to an end. Was it all worth it? Every course, every essay, every moment of my free time was worth the stress and late hours. I have learned so much from all my instructors on issues in education, issues in the classroom, technology, adult learners, leadership and literature. I have learned to use internet tools extensively and how to integrate all of this in my career. As I prepare to say good-bye and contemplate my future goals, one thing I know for certain is that I intend to use that golden ticket and make the MSU community proud to call me one of their own. Go Spartans!
By Cindy Osborne
Every course taken in pursuit of my Masters Degree in Education at Michigan State University felt like a race to see how fast I could reach that finish line; to receive the golden ticket; a golden ticket that will better prepare me to excel in the realm of the educational and professional world. Did I stumble along the way? I sure did. Not every course taken in my MAED program proved to be free of obstacles, such as learning new technology I had never been aware existed or integrating group work when I work best alone. Not every course I have taken appears to coalesce with each other, but as you will soon read, they actually do. Now with the finish line in sight my path to this golden ticket is less rocky and I know I will reach that goal if I have to crawl on my hands and knees.
How did it all begin and what was I thinking?
It began on a dark and stormy night the winter of 2010. As I sat at home quietly contemplating how bored I was I recalled the MAED and MAET degree programs in which two of my colleagues in the MSU Office of Financial Aid were currently in pursuit. I had read a great deal of their course essays as they requested since I have written quite a few myself in a prior degree program. Feeling adrift with the swirling snow outside my windows, I accessed the MSU Department of Education online and began to read about these programs and became fascinated with most of the degree material my colleagues were attempting to master. I was particularly interested in MAED, in no small part because it was all online. See, I have a difficult time actually attending class on campus, not only because I work full time with a great deal of work required after 5pm and on weekends, so scheduling this with classroom attendance can be extremely stressful, but also because I get restless sitting in a classroom. I need to be able to stop what I am reading or writing in order to focus my thought processes. Most professors frown on students walking in and out of class at will. What’s up with that?
As I read more on the degree program requirements and the many different courses offered I was intrigued with the idea of applying to MSU and the College of Education MAED program in P-12 School and Post Secondary Leadership. I had been mulling over my role within the Office of Financial Aid, and although I love my work as a financial aid officer, I felt I needed more knowledge and experience working in an academic community. Simply counseling students and parents on financial aid issues, working within the parameters of federal aid regulations and representing the mission of MSU did not give me a full understanding of the complexities involved in the process. I wanted to take a more active role in development of those issues, such as a leadership role within financial aid organizations or presenting new ideas toward enhancing financial aid policy.
At first I was dismayed with descriptions of many of the courses as they appeared to be designed for teachers seeking new enlightenment on educational issues and new technological tools on teaching in the classroom, but as I continued reading and found courses like EAD 801 Leadership and Organizational Development, I believed that this particular class would give me a substantial understanding on the issues and strategies involved in my desire to take a more active leadership role in financial aid and that it has done.
In addition to leadership and development interests I also encounter on a daily basis a group of students that are considered non-traditional. In other words, they are adult learners that have lost their jobs and are returning to school, or have finally come to the realization of the value of a college degree. Counseling non-traditional students on financial aid can be quite different than traditional students as most have already been out in the “real” world and have more financial expectations and obligations than younger students. Most have no parental support system for financial help. Unfortunately, I felt my understanding of the varied motivations of non-traditional students was lacking. But, as I read about the knowledge I could gain from classes like EAD 864 Adult Career Development and EAD 861 Adult Learning, I understood that I had finally found the educational path I had been seeking without realizing I had been looking.
As a world renowned university, MSU is at the top in cultural diversity. I grew up in a very small town and my experience with diversity was minimal. As a representative of MSU it was without question a necessity that I improve my understanding of multi-cultural society and the problems and benefits involved in the blending of cultures, not only with the university community, but with my colleagues in financial aid. I was very pleased to read the description of what I could learn and subsequently utilize in my working career with EAD 850 Issues and Strategies in Multi-Cultural Education and EAD 830 Issues in Urban Education: The Racial Achievement Gap. I believed that both of these courses would give me the tools and insight in understanding our multi-cultural society. I have always felt I have an acceptance and tolerance on the differences between individuals, whether it is religion, culture or sexual orientation. However, simply having tolerance and acceptance of these differences does not guarantee an understanding of those differences. In order to give the best service possible to our students and colleagues and even to myself, I needed an understanding of how these differences affect each individual in our multi-cultural society and that I have found.
I consider myself a life-long learner, both formal and informal. I never fully realized this until I began the MAED program and enrolled in EAD 860 Concepts of a Learning Society and CEP 800 Psychology of Learning in School and Other Settings, which by the way is a title that doesn’t clearly reflect what this course is actually about, but more on that later.
What did I learn and was it what I expected?
Although I already have a Master’s degree in English Literature, all of my study in literature focused on adult works. So, when I came across the course offering TE 836 Awards and Classics of Children’s Literature that would apply to my degree, I was ecstatic. I love literature. I fantasized and expected a winter course, although MSU refers to it as spring…we are an optimistic university, sitting in my comfortable chair with a hot cup of tea and a good book slowly perusing the language and style and then casually writing a criticism essay. Nothing to it; I’ve done this before, so this will be a breeze. Not with Dr. Apol! It was a hurricane and I loved it, although at the time I thought I will never be able to read all this in the timeframe allowed. But, I did and it was much more satisfying and enlightening than I had anticipated.
What I learned from Dr. Apol is that children’s literature is as important to our development, and is as reflective of our society, as adult literature. We delved into the novel Little Women as an example on how we view literature over time and that our interpretation of these works mirror what has happened, or is presently happening in our society and that many film versions of children’s literature change based on societal values. For example, we viewed two film versions of Little Women and created an analysis on the actors, writers and directors interpretation of Alcott’s novel in comparison to her writing. What I learned is that much of what is presented on film and how it is presented correlated with moral and economic society of the time. George Cukor’s 1933 film on Little Women reflected the tension, despair and sacrifice of the Great Depression, while Gillian Armstrong’s 1994 adaptation focused on relationships and romance within Alcott’s novel glossing over the economic difficulties as at the time our society was in relative prosperity. Consequently, this reinforced our study of children’s book awards in that a book, such as a Newbery book award winner, may not always stand the test of time as to its quality and value and how we view the scholarship of these books will more than likely change as our society values change.
In addition to novels I was also introduced to picture books as a tool in teaching our children valuable attributes. Not only are these books beautifully illustrated, but the style and language written is also complex enough to allow thought provoking study on love, friendship and death and how children can deal with these issues.
Dr. Apol’s course was not what I expected; it was so much more and taught me that as in literature and society, so education also changes over time as a reflection of the needs and wants of society values at each point in our collective history. The study of children’s literature for me became a reflection on adult learning in how we interpret a book’s theme and how that carries over into our choices and understanding of ourselves and society as we grow into adulthood.
In choosing the courses I wished to explore in my program I tried to choose those that would build upon each other. In other words, I chose courses that complemented and enhanced my overall learning, but also varied enough to give me a broad perspective on leadership and development. When I enrolled in CEP 800 Fall 2011 I did so based on the description and the name of the course, Psychology of Learning in School and other Settings. For many years I have been fascinated with psychology, so my interpretation of CEP 800 was that I would learn about the struggles and behaviors of learners in and out of the classroom that would give me some insight into the students I see daily. Oh, how wrong I was. When I read the syllabus at the start of the semester my thought was oh crap! I can’t do this. I had hit my first boulder on the path to the golden ticket. This course is based on technology and I just consider myself lucky I know how to use some of the tools in my email, but once I start a class it is imperative to me that I finish and my daily instructors, Sandra Sawaya and Zach Mural were taking no excuses.
What I learned in CEP 800 was the complete opposite of what I expected, but as it turns out it was exactly what I needed. We spent a great deal of time in this course creating means and tools for understanding learning. For example, I created a DVD and PowerPoint about loans and loan repayment to present to MSU students upon their graduation. At the same time I was required to submit my analysis of what was learned by the students, the role of technology in their learning and what benefits and constraints became apparent through the technology I chose to utilize. What this lesson enabled me to do was to think critically on how information is presented and absorbed by our students so they can easily comprehend in order to plan their financial future after receiving their golden ticket.
Before taking CEP 800 I had not considered the role of technology in learning and had no confidence that I could acquire this knowledge in a way that would enhance my career in financial aid. I was specifically concerned with the final assignment of creating a lesson plan utilizing technology. I had never created a lesson plan and had no idea how to go about doing so. Once I started I was excited about the lesson plan I created on multi-cultural instruction for financial aid professionals utilizing technology as a learning tool.
In this course I also learned how to create an audio interview with students using Audacity. Before fall 2011 I never believed I was capable of this level of creativity. I created my very first blog with no prior knowledge of what constituted a blog. I was also required to create a video storyboard of student learning. Although it was not as creative as most of my fellow students, the level I attained in using technology tools increased significantly. In the end, the technology I learned in CEP 800 has contributed to my ability to succeed in courses I have taken since, such as the use of Piazza in my Capstone and my ability to create this portfolio on Weebly. Without CEP 800 I would have been lost and the knowledge I have gained on student learning and also learning and teaching within financial aid has been invaluable. Without the guidance of Sandra Sawaya and Zach Mural I truly believe I would not have been able to accomplish all of the above and more. I am truly grateful for all they have taught me on learning and technology as well as the patience they exhibited with my endless questions.
The finish line, was it worth it?
As I approach that finish line in the MAED program, and in writing this essay, I have reflected on all the courses I have taken toward that golden ticket. I do not regret a single course and what I have learned I have and will continue to implement and explore as a Financial Aid Officer and Ombudsman for Michigan State University. I have written about the two courses that were specifically challenging; TE 836 as it completely changed my pre-conceived ideas on literature and CEP 800 for giving me the knowledge and ability to use technology as a learning tool. But, each course I have taken has given me a new outlook on education, society and life in general.
I believe that I was very lucky to have studied three separate courses with Dr. Weiland whose office was always open for discussion on all the individuals I met through literature I was studying. Our discussion on Steve Jobs, Lowell Bergman and Jeffrey Wigand, three very complex and fascinating people, was exactly what I needed to gain insight into their characters and formulate an essay I can look back on and know I was able to capture a portion of that complexity.
As I see that finish line ahead there is a sense of regret that it is coming to an end. Was it all worth it? Every course, every essay, every moment of my free time was worth the stress and late hours. I have learned so much from all my instructors on issues in education, issues in the classroom, technology, adult learners, leadership and literature. I have learned to use internet tools extensively and how to integrate all of this in my career. As I prepare to say good-bye and contemplate my future goals, one thing I know for certain is that I intend to use that golden ticket and make the MSU community proud to call me one of their own. Go Spartans!