Introduction>MET Program
The University of British Columbia (UBC) Master of Educational Technology (MET) is an international, e-learning program offered through the education department. Ten courses are required for completion; four core courses and six electives. Those choosing to take the capstone project course (ETEC590) are eligible for a British Columbia, category-six teaching certificate upgrade. The program focuses on aspects of educational technology such as design, theory, research, planning and management for e-learning, focusing on both K-12 and higher education.
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Core Courses
ETEC500 Research Methodology in EducationOverview:
In ETEC500 I was introduced to various methods of educational research. We were taken through a variety of scaffolded activities such as writing critiques of educational research articles, preparing a literature review, and conducting interviews before being assigned a major research proposal on a topic of our choice. I chose to focus on English language learners, writing, and word processors in the grade 3 classroom, an issue pertinent to my teaching practice. The final project was an opportunity for me to use the critiquing and writing skills I had learned during the course. A major focus of this course was collaboration in a community-of-practice. We were encouraged to post our work in progress to receive feedback in order to improve.
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ETEC510 Design of Technology Supported EnvironmentsOverview:
In ETEC510 I was introduced to the concept of e-learning design. After considering the theory of design and learning how design affects e-learning, we were able to practice our learning in collaboration with others. Two major assignments included contributing to a course wiki and collaboratively designing and creating an e-learning course in a space of our choosing. We were required to rigorously defend our design from a theoretical point of view. A major component of this course was understanding the affordances of various Web 2.0 tools and their pedagogical significance in the classroom.
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ETEC511 Foundations of Educational TechnologyOverview
ETEC511 was the first course I took in the program. As a core course, it challenged my understanding of the concept of technology, allowing me to expand my thinking though a variety of readings, discussions, activities, and assignments. I found this course quite theoretical and challenging as I re-entered the world of academia after a number of years spent in the classroom. It was important for me to see what I was learning in theory fleshed out into practical application. I was able to do this with at least two of the assignments as I applied theory to situations that I would encounter as a teacher. |
ETEC512 Applications of Learning Theories to InstructionOverview
In ETEC512, we were asked to consider our own teaching and learning theory before launching into an investigation of a number of major theories. We were required to create a concept map of our understanding of the various theories, and then asked to revisit our own learning theory again at the end of the course. We were put into small groups, assigned a week/theory, and tasked with leading the discussion and activities in order to increase our class understanding. |
Electives
ETEC520 Planning and Managing Learning Technologies in Higher EducationOverview
In ETEC520 we explored issues pertaining to e-learning faced by higher-educational institutions. These key issues included leadership, planning, management, funding, institutional cultures and structure. The key outcome for this course was to provide tools for us to function as e-learning leaders in our place of employment. |
ETEC530 Constructivist Strategies for E-LearningOverview
This course focused on the theory of constructivsm as a teaching and learning theory, eventually exploring its practical use in e-learning. Most of our work was done in small groups as we rotated through various virtual stations; however, we were given two individual assignments. The first assignment was a paper where we were mandated to explore constructivism in an area of interest in our own practice. The second required us to create a lesson plan for e-learning, utilizing constructivist tenets. |
ETEC540 Text Technologies: The Changing Spaces of Reading and WritingOverview
In this course, we traced the history of technological tools from ancient times to the present and their influence on reading and writing. Two key ideas emerged through the readings: the idea that with all technology comes loss and gain, and that new technologies modify or remediate previous ones. |
ETEC565A Learning Technologies: Selection, Design and ApplicationOverview
This course was a challenging hands-on design course. We explored a number of e-learning tools, considering their affordances for educational technology. Emphasis was laid on collaborative learning to provide needed scaffolding |
ETEC565G Culture and Communication in Virtual Learning EnvironmentsOverview
A major focus of ETEC565G was the deconstruction of the definitions and theories of culture. We then focused on the effects of culture in an e-learning context. We participated in scaffolded assignments which led to our final project, a research proposal to investigate an aspect of culture within the e-learning environment. |
ETEC590 Graduating ProjectOverview
In this course, I was introduced to the significance of an e-Portfolio. We spend time analyzing completed e-Portofolios exemplars in a bid to determine what constituted a deeply reflective work. Working on my own e-Portfolio has allowed me the much needed time and space to reflect on my last two years of learning. As I reflect, I am able to stand back and see the big picture. |