Title+Intro+and+Goals


 * Please refer to below file attachment for APA formatted document**

**My Technology Journey** I did not begin my post baccalaureate employment as an educator. I graduated from Lamar Cum Laude with a Social Work degree and was working as an administrator for a nationwide corporation that owned funeral homes and cemeteries. I must admit that education had always been my desired profession. After having my first child, I decided to pursue my dream of being an educator and returned to Lamar to acquire my teaching certification in science. Although the subject of science has always been an interest of mine, technology has been an infatuation. I remember the excitement I was filled with the first day I used my first home computer, the Commodore 64. I have seen the technology I love transform and evolve from simple word processing and dot matrix printers to instant communication, collaboration and world wide access. As much as I love being an educator, I knew it was time for me to become a student again. I came to the decision sixteen months ago, which is thirteen years after receiving my first degree, that it was time to act upon my obsession and obtain a degree that would allow me to inspire others to become as infatuated with technology as I am. Acquiring a master’s degree has long been a goal of mine since I graduated with my bachelors. The Lamar University Academic Partnerships online program flexibility has allowed me to attain this goal. Having two children and working full time, it would not have been possible for me to return to school any other way. The following document will serve as a personal and professional reflection of my journey to obtain my degree. Contained within will be my position goals; leadership goals; educational technology vision; what I have learned about myself, technology, and attitudes; the six courses that helped me the most, and my overall reflection of the program.

**Career Goal** I am currently employed in the Port Neches-Groves Independent School District as a 7th and 8th grade Science teacher. I choose to pursue a Masters in Educational Technology Leadership because it is important to me to be able to reach my students where they are and 21st century learners are connected to technology from the time they wake up until the time they go to sleep. Prensky (2008) stated that students feel like they have to power down when going to school (p.40). As an educator, I do not want my students to feel this way. I wanted to expand my knowledge of technology use in education and keep abreast of new and emerging technologies that can be used with students in the classroom. At the present time our campus Technology Specialist’s position consists mostly of technology troubleshooting because of differing visions of previous administrations. My goal is to acquire this position when the current holder retires and bring this position back to the classroom in support of our teachers to assist them in teaching our technology savvy students.

**Leadership Goal** Having a positive, supportive and informed leadership team on a campus is critical to campus culture and positive success for the students. Before completing this program, I never envisioned myself as a leader other than the leader of my students in the classroom. Throughout this program however, I have become a technology leader on my campus. Williamson and Redish (2009) state that technology leaders have vision, good communication skills and motivate and inspire others (p.19). I feel that during this program I have improved these skills and been able to have a positive effect on other educators on campus. I have a vision of where I want my classroom as well as my campus to be in the near future in regards to technology use and I have communicated this vision to others as well as motivated colleagues to use more technology in the classroom. One of my innate characteristics is the need to help others accomplish their goals; whether it is my students or fellow colleagues. I feel that having a formal technology leadership position on campus will allow me to act upon this desire in a manner that will take our campus further in the current technology revolution.