THE FIRST STEP ON MY JOURNEY TO TOMORROW
By: Katie Krcmarik
Four years ago, I found myself at a crossroads. My ten-year relationship with my husband was over. I was left feeling adrift trying to determine what came next for my life. No longer bound to someone else’s life, I needed to decide what I wanted next. What did I want do? Where might I want to live? Did I want to continue teaching? Would I go back to working as a graphic designer? What would make me happy? What would tomorrow hold for me?
After much soul searching and reflection, I decided I wanted to work in instructional design. At the time, I was a little burned out on teaching after several negative experiences in the for profit sector of higher education. The thought of a full time job in graphic design also did not seem like the right option. I wanted to find a way to combine my teaching experience and graphic design skills to more forward in a new direction. Instructional design clearly offered just this opportunity. It would keep me in education, something I enjoy and feel very passionate about, but in role that I would find challenging and that would allow me to utilize my teaching and design skills.
As an action oriented person who works to make things happen, I then began applying for jobs in the field. While I was able to get interviews, the interviews did not pan out to a job. While I had some strong design and teaching skills, it was clear that I needed to spend more time studying educational pedagogy. It became clear that a degree in the field would help cement my credentials and improve my chances to get a job in the field. I was interested in an online program that would offer me the flexibility to keep working while taking classes. After researching for months, I settled on Michigan State’s Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program. It was clear from my first reading of the program offerings that this was the program for me. The program allowed me the flexibility to choose the courses that best aligned with my interests. It also offered faculty who were leaders in their fields and studying subject matter that directly appealed to me. The program also seemed to have a focus on design. It was clear that the MAET program could help me realize my goal of working in instructional design.
As I complete my time in the MAET program, I am even more certain that instructional design is the right field for me. I am most interested in working in higher education, specifically in supporting faculty when creating their online courses and providing professional development session to help faculty improve their skills in these areas. Over the course of the program, I have had a number of opportunities to complete projects that directly relate to my goals of working in instructional design. These projects offered me the opportunity to finally combine pedagogy with design. I was also able to delve further into utilizing technology for effective instruction both in the traditional classroom setting and in online teaching. Specifically, my final projects in CEP 820: Teaching Students Online and CEP 817: Learning Technology through Design allowed me to create educational experiences that can serve as examples of my skills in instructional design. I look forward to the opportunity to work in this exciting field in the coming years.
As I reflect back on just over a year ago, I realize that applying to MAET program truly was my first step to my tomorrow. I may still not know exactly where life will take me, but I know starting the MAET program started me on the path to obtain my goals. Each class I have completed makes me more certain that this is the right step for me. The program has also given me the confidence in my ideas that allowed me to present them at conferences and in professional development sessions. While my goal has not changed over the past year, my belief in my skills and abilities had grown making more confident that I can achieve my goal.
After much soul searching and reflection, I decided I wanted to work in instructional design. At the time, I was a little burned out on teaching after several negative experiences in the for profit sector of higher education. The thought of a full time job in graphic design also did not seem like the right option. I wanted to find a way to combine my teaching experience and graphic design skills to more forward in a new direction. Instructional design clearly offered just this opportunity. It would keep me in education, something I enjoy and feel very passionate about, but in role that I would find challenging and that would allow me to utilize my teaching and design skills.
As an action oriented person who works to make things happen, I then began applying for jobs in the field. While I was able to get interviews, the interviews did not pan out to a job. While I had some strong design and teaching skills, it was clear that I needed to spend more time studying educational pedagogy. It became clear that a degree in the field would help cement my credentials and improve my chances to get a job in the field. I was interested in an online program that would offer me the flexibility to keep working while taking classes. After researching for months, I settled on Michigan State’s Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program. It was clear from my first reading of the program offerings that this was the program for me. The program allowed me the flexibility to choose the courses that best aligned with my interests. It also offered faculty who were leaders in their fields and studying subject matter that directly appealed to me. The program also seemed to have a focus on design. It was clear that the MAET program could help me realize my goal of working in instructional design.
As I complete my time in the MAET program, I am even more certain that instructional design is the right field for me. I am most interested in working in higher education, specifically in supporting faculty when creating their online courses and providing professional development session to help faculty improve their skills in these areas. Over the course of the program, I have had a number of opportunities to complete projects that directly relate to my goals of working in instructional design. These projects offered me the opportunity to finally combine pedagogy with design. I was also able to delve further into utilizing technology for effective instruction both in the traditional classroom setting and in online teaching. Specifically, my final projects in CEP 820: Teaching Students Online and CEP 817: Learning Technology through Design allowed me to create educational experiences that can serve as examples of my skills in instructional design. I look forward to the opportunity to work in this exciting field in the coming years.
As I reflect back on just over a year ago, I realize that applying to MAET program truly was my first step to my tomorrow. I may still not know exactly where life will take me, but I know starting the MAET program started me on the path to obtain my goals. Each class I have completed makes me more certain that this is the right step for me. The program has also given me the confidence in my ideas that allowed me to present them at conferences and in professional development sessions. While my goal has not changed over the past year, my belief in my skills and abilities had grown making more confident that I can achieve my goal.