Biography

     I have been in education for 20 years. I started in education as a high school English teacher at Sisseton. For 7 years I was the junior English teacher. Five years into teaching, the yearbook was looking like it was going to be nonexistent. I decided to go back to school to get my mass communication endorsement and revive the yearbook. A couple years later, the school was consolidating. The incoming teacher wanted to teach the juniors, and I was willing to try something different. I taught basic freshmen and sophomore English for the next two years. The school then downsized and with an English teacher leaving, I moved into the sophomore speech and literature position. Two years later, the school downsized again, and I moved to the freshmen level. I was there for the next eight years. During the eight year in the freshman position, I also took over the computer position. That is where the story of my masters really begins. All along, I loved technology and learning new technology to use in my classroom. I would go to training and come back to school and train the rest of the staff. I was hooked. As our technology director was ready to retire. I decided to get my endorsement in technology. Then I decided that it was time to get the masters I had been thinking about for years. Now, I am a computer, English teacher; the yearbook adviser, the performing arts center technical director, and high school technology facilitator. I help teachers integrate and run their technology and help decide what we purchase and get it up and running. 
     Education is my life, but in different forms. Outside of work, I am a wife and mother of three boys. My family is important to me and education is key. As a family we study the martial art of Tae Kwon Do. I currently teach a class in Sisseton on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I also volunteer on Wednesdays and teach the after school program students Tae Kwon Do fundamentals. This all keeps me busy.

Philosophy and Themes of Education 

 My philosophy of education is that there is always something new to learn. We are never to old to continue learning, and if you cannot say you have learned something new everyday; you are not living life. I take this personally and make sure that I learn new things along with my students and family.
 
Ask my students, and they will tell you that I take their learning personally also. I am committed to the success of my students. I know I will not reach all students, but if they give me an inch, I will push them a mile. I will find a way to make it interesting and meaningful to them. This includes using the technology tools available to us. Taking the courses for my master's degree reinforced what I felt was working for my students. Teacher as facilitator in the learning process is important. Let the students learn and teach each other and use technology to do so.

Moving forward, I will focus three main themes that I have found most meaningful through my studies to continue to advance my teaching and work as technology facilitator.Keeping in mind that the students are the reason we are here; let students learn by any means possible and not hold them back from our fears.
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Themes:
1. Utilize all technology, don't shut down creativity by denying students.
2. Distance learning is and will be an essential part of the education system.
3. Professional development for teachers needs to be continuous and offered in variety to allow for teachers to find a comfort with technology and also learn it is okay to not know everything.
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MSET Goals

"The primary emphasis of the master’s program is to prepare educators so that they can create learning environments that effectively integrate computers into the teaching and learning process."
Graduates of the program will:
  • understand the capabilities of the computer, its impact on education, business, industry and government; and will be able to adapt to, understand, evaluate, and make use of new and emerging innovations in computer and information technology;
  • be proficient in the use and application of computer software;
  • be proficient with a programming language;
  • use systematic problem-solving and research-based human/computer interaction practices in the development of computer-assisted instructional programs;
  • develop the skills needed to maintain computer programs, computer systems and networks;
  • be aware of professional organizations in the field of computer education and technology and their impact on the field of education;
  • be aware of current trends and issues in computer education, distance education, electronic communications, computer hardware and software;
  • use telecommunications-based tools to integrate information into the classroom and the curriculum;
  • be proficient in finding, evaluating, and using current educational research to support continuous improvement in their profession;
  • manage instructional, computer technology systems;
  • apply learning theory and the principles of instructional design in curricular and instructional decision-making;
  • integrate computer software, authoring tools, programming languages, the Internet, and multimedia into curriculum design and instruction;
  • demonstrate proficiency using computers and related technologies in instruction;
  • demonstrate proficiency in teaching and assessing others in the use of computers and related technologies in a variety of educational settings.
- http://catalog.dsu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=17&poid=1202&returnto=940