Atiya Razi

When I was in middle school, one of our family friends who was palmist visited us. All my family members were excited to know about their future. I was a person who was not eager to know about what I was going to be in the future, so rather I asked him, “Do you know if I am going to get the first position in the whole school this year too?” He replied, “I am not sure about this year's position, but I assure you will that you will go very far in education and achieve your goals.” I took these words in a playful way, but these words are the reality of my life as an educator and lifelong learner. In fact, I was a gritty person who always wished, prayed and worked hard to get first place in academics and in co-curricular activities, too. Angela Lee Duckworth helped me to define myself. In terms of Angela, being a gritty person, I tried to stick to my goals despite numerous issues, problems, setbacks, and failures.

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In my journey in lifelong learning, curiosity and passion were driving forces that took me 
to the University of Karachi to complete my Master’s in Biochemistry. This degree helped me 
receive a teaching position as a Science and Chemistry teacher. While teaching there, I realized 
that I needed proper professional training, and then I did my B. Ed and after, my M.Ed. in 
Educational Psychology. The B.Ed. and M.Ed. were pretty tough for me as I got married during 
my B.Ed., and then both my babies arrived during my studies. At that time, my first position in 
M.Ed. was only because of the prayers of the tiny, cute hands of my babies because I worked 
hard just to pass the exam only not to get a position. 

As a teacher, I always envision students and educators, equipped with a mindset of 
creativity and innovation, growing together and becoming producers of their own learning. 
However, in reality, I lacked the basic understanding of new tools and innovative technologies 
used for education.  This realization took me to Michigan State University to add one more 
destination in my journey i.e. Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET). 
It is often said that online courses are for everyone, for every subject, for every instructor, 
and for a large number of students. Though, this statement did not stand for me before joining 
MSU. My previous experience with online learning was horrible. I learned nothing except 
playing with my laptop in that content area. So I was slightly vulnerable doing the MAET 
program online, even though I liked the program. However, my learning from MSU exceeded 
my expectations. It is because of my extraordinarily exceptional instructors. They delivered each 
course with dedication and in thoughtful ways that enhanced my growth as a student and 
educator. I can see my progress as a lifelong learner, my interaction with students with special 
needs, online educators and technologists who can thoughtfully integrate technology into the 
lesson.   

 My learning experience with MAET so far proved to be challenging and rewarding as an 
educator and a learner in adopting innovative technology to education. It provides me many 
opportunities to create unique and compelling experiences. I am not an expert in the field of 
technology integration, but I have learned a lot, beyond my expectations in this program which is 
difficult to summarize and striving for more. 

When I have started CEP 810- Teaching for Understanding with Technology, I 
assumed/thought or had a misconception that I have a sound knowledge of technology as my 
colleagues call me “Ms. Science Tech” but I found that I am just a toddler who is trying to take 
the first step. This course was excellent as it provided me an opportunity to learn and explore a 
variety of websites, apps, and technologies and then create my own like Popplet, Evernote for 
“Get things done” and blog. Most significantly, I have got a chance to build learning 
communities. Network learning project allowed me to learn on my own, by assessing, modifying 
and then creating the things according to my own need and situation. While creating my 21st
century lesson plan I tried to integrate the technology that encourages students to design, create, 
inquire and use their metacognitive skills in a meaningful way. The important learning from this 
course is TPACK i.e. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. TPACK tries to recognize 
the kind of knowledge necessary for teachers to integrate technology in their teaching while 
keeping the complex, multi-layered and situated nature of teacher knowledge. TPACK helped 
me to understand how to repurpose technology to enhance the students’ learning experience and 
make their learning experience more meaningful. 

I realized the mindset as a teacher and a technology integrator that there is a big 
responsibility on our shoulders to create a learner-centered environment which can balance 
the technology-rich learning environment and literacy-rich environment. I think that the 
main challenge that our generation is facing is not access to the technology or information 
but how to sort out the suitable one and how to incorporate it in a positive way. I also found 
that just bringing the technology in the classrooms cannot make the students learn skills but 
there many other skills crucial for our students to learn like social, critical thinking, 
problem-solving, multi-tasking, communication which I feel our students lack tolerance 
especially. Throughout the course, I was just thinking that how, where and when I am going 
to use these learned technologies in my lesson to enhance my students learning.  

 
As a teacher, I have always tried to find the ways to improve the learning experience of 
my students, especially my special need students in a new, unique and creative way. CEP 811
Adapting Innovative Technology in Education, forced me out of my comfort zone and 
inspired me to be creative and innovative. I was challenged to create and repurpose the existing 
learning technologies, using maker tools and own creativity to take pedagogical practices to the 
next level. This course offers me to view the educational technologies from the new perspective 
and has helped to transform my educational philosophy as a whole. I explored and interacted 
with several new technological devices and programs such as MaKey MaKey inventor’s kit, 
SketchUp, Google Hangouts, Scratch, and Mozilla Popcorn. All these tools and technologies 
provide me the opportunity to rethink traditional classroom space and heightened my personal 
and professional growth intellectually.  

 
To support and teach life skills to my non-verbal Autistic, developmental delayed 
student, I re-purposed Aluminum foil with MakeyMakey. In my MakeyMakey, I have used 
the same picture symbol, sign language and voice command which I utilized in the class 
every day. I used the same lesson plan at his regular snack and lunch schedule without 
disturbing his fixed routine. The experience of using MakeyMakey for my student with 
special need was amazing. The development of customizable and flexible applications 
tailored specially to accommodate his needs provided many benefits. I am looking forward 
to using this application for other students with special needs to modify the learning process 
to different cognitive, sensorial or mobility impairments.  

Now I am looking forward to finding more ideas for group projects in all subject areas 
including science, with SketchUp. Fortunately, in my teaching field of Science, there are 
plenty of opportunities to recognize creative methods and strategies. I would like to include 
an activity where students have to be designers and create maker activity of a given topic. 
The Maker Movement is ideal for assessing student learning because it encompasses some 
learning dispositions, such as creativity, curiosity, collaboration, inquiry and risk-taking.  
While learning the importance of Instructional Design Model in CEP 811, I created 
Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCS), Autism-ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) in 
Action. It was a massive experience to create an educational and interactive MOOC for the 
learning community. This MOOC helped me to integrate technology into my previous 
experience of using ABA for students with special need. To take my MOOC to the next 
level, I have translated this course in three different languages to broaden its accessibility for 
the people with special needs in the various areas of the world. CEP 811 helped me to 
redefine my goal of addressing the needs of all learners in my class. Now I can see the 
improved version of my lesson plans with the personalized activities which are flexible to 
adapt to the characteristics of each student, to their interest, learning needs, by integrating 
personal data from their own inner world and respect their own work rate. The lesson plan 
for the special need students requires very flexible approaches and methodologies that can 
be modified during the learning session whenever needed.  

The propagation of online teaching is swiftly shifting the landscape of education. In CEP 
820 –Teaching students online, I learned that a systematic and thoughtful approach to online 
course design is essential. This course helped me to explore the affordance of online learning 
environment that better meet the educational needs of students across the lifespan. In this course, 
I analyzed the types of online learning settings and course management systems. I create my 
online course by using a Content Management System (CMS) of my choice. I learned to 
integrate digital tools, discussion forums, collaborative tasks, and applets into my virtual 
classroom. I explored the ways to provide a learning environment that can enhance my students 
learning beyond the content and classroom through technology. Learning from this course 
provided me a new professional growth opportunity as an online course designer and instructor. 
One of the principals contacted me to design an online course for chemistry as he saw my 
Chemistry hybrid course I developed in CEP 820. I got an opportunity to create online courses 
for chemistry (grades 11 and 12) and math (data management and calculus) in line with the 
curriculum guidelines.  The inspection and subsequent approval of my online courses from the 
board was a great learning experience for me. Furthermore, I ensured that the teaching and 
learning that takes place online is empowering and comprehensive for my students by making it 
accessible. 

CEP 807- Capstone portfolio allowed me to revisit my experiences throughout MAET 
in an innovative way. I was very excited to create my online portfolio. Each step of this course 
way engaging and fun; reflecting on my own learning experience through a showcase of my 
work with the MAET program was powerful. The support of my dedicated instructors helped me 
improve my learning experience through this course. The assessment strategies and feedback 
from my peers and instructors helped me create a stroke of genius. This portfolio reflects me as 
an educator, learner, and innovator. My goal reflection essay made me look back at my previous 
goals and my future goals.  I reflect on whether my educational goals have changed thus far. The 
future as a learner essay helped me to reflect on myself as a lifelong learner. This portfolio 
helped me reassess, redesign, and redefine my goals for the future.  

While reflecting on my learning in the MAET program at MSU, I found my major 
mistake. Just like most of the educators, I was recreating digital versions of traditional (and often 
ineffective) pedagogical practices. Now I am thinking of incorporating technology thoughtfully, 
appropriately and creatively.  Here I learned that as educators, we need to deepen our focus by 
providing opportunities for authentic problem solving and conceptual understanding by 
implementing essential practices. Now I can provide customized support to my students by 
knowing their needs and requirements and meet them where they are. I have the skills to foster, 
in our students, creativity, curiosity, and a willingness to take risks in learning. Through 
technology, I can empower my students to see themselves as creators instead of consumers. This 
program has groomed me as a leader as well as a strategic team player who works hard to find 
the solutions to education related problems in a thoughtful way. I can help nurture creativity and 
innovation, foster a mindset of growth, collaboration, and continuous trial and error, where 
imagination and ideation flow without restraints. Finally, this MA in Educational Technology 
from Michigan State University is not the end of my journey. It is just a start of my expedition as 
an educator, innovator,  lifelong learner and a gritty person.