Wilson College in partnership with Eduspire would like to feature some of its recent graduates from the Master of Educational Technology degree program as they share about their unique experiences.

Meet Alison Bieber, a first grade teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia. 

Q: Alison, what have you enjoyed most about the MET program?

A: "I really enjoy the flexibility that the MET program provides. With this program, I like being able to look through the different courses and find what I am most interested in and what I find would be most applicable for my development as a teacher as well as what works for the students I work with. I have enjoyed being able to schedule courses that run at different times throughout the semesters, and find the six weeks courses to be manageable and relevant during teaching and in the summer months."

Q: How has the MET impacted your classroom instruction?

A: "The courses I have taken have included content and assignments that are directly related to my teaching, and the projects and assignments we complete are things that I can use in my classroom right away. The discussions we have and readings/videos we use in the class address issues that we deal with each day, and I often find my mindset on certain issues to be impacted based on the new knowledge I have from taking the classes. I have used most of the lesson/unit plans from the classes in my classroom with my students, and they have helped me to grow as an educator."

Q: Has there been an instructor in the MET program who you found particularly outstanding (and why)?

A: "I had Jolene Erlacher for Understanding Today's Students who was a great instructor, and I like how she facilitated the class to provide for discussions where we learned a lot, and assignments/readings that made us think and open our minds to new perspectives. I also took Tech-Infused Classroom with Carol Roth and was a big fan of how she created a course that adapted so well to all subject areas and ages, and really cared about helping us as students to create relevant resources and was always there to help."

Q: How has the MET program helped you to achieve your career goals?

A: "Using technology in education is an area where I really wanted to learn more and grow, and I think this program provides me with ways to learn and try new things in education that I would not have done before. I also think this program is setting me up for a possible career as an instructional technology coach or school technology specialist which I something that I might be interested in pursuing."

Q: Would you recommend the MET program to a colleague, and why?

A: "I would definitely recommend this to colleagues who are interested in technology, because it is a great opportunity for professional learning and growing as an educator. The program can easily be adjusted to meet your interests and logistical/schedule needs, and is manageable to do while teaching."

Q: What influenced you most to enroll in this MET program specifically?

A: "I mostly heard about the program through my mom who works in technology at Central York High School (in Pennsylvania), so I was able to talk with her and some of her colleagues who are instructors for Eduspire and were able to tell me more about the program and the courses."

Q: How do Eduspire courses compare with other PD courses you have taken?

A: "I have taken many courses that are a lot more about underlying concepts or overarching themes in education, but I find that the Eduspire courses are less about just the framework, and more about the application of learning and how you can directly use that in your classroom."

Q: In a few words, how would you describe the MET program?

A: "A 21st century grad program — choice, personalized, flexible, and immediate application of learning."