I am a student in the 21st century, just like my fourth graders are. It is as essential for me to learn how to learn as it is for them. Earning my Master’s degree online has helped me come a long way towards that goal. Over the past three years, I have become more of an independent learner than I ever was throughout high school or my undergraduate education. My time management skills have vastly improved, but even more importantly, I have learned how to teach myself new technology. I no longer need to read a how-to manual or follow step-by-step directions in order to navigate a site such as Glogster or Weebly successfully. I can learn by playing. As I discover new technologies in the future, I will learn about them by experimenting. If I have a question I just can’t figure out, I will visit the website’s support forum to help me find the answer. Support forums are essentially dynamic how-to manuals, and they will be invaluable to me as I teach myself about new technologies. Learning by playing is an important part of self-teaching. I do not need anyone to show me how to master a new technology; I am able to figure it out myself. This skill of teaching myself is one that will serve me well in all of my future endeavors, whether learning new technologies or mastering pedagogical techniques.

     Learning by playing is also a skill my students will need to gain. Many of them already possess this skill. My fourth graders have been blessed with 1:1 laptops in our classroom. Every day, I am amazed at how much they are able to figure out on their own. They have changed options that I didn't even know could be changed. They have learned how to use a website before I even have an opportunity to demonstrate it. Then they immediately and naturally teach each other their newfound skills.

     This is a lesson I can learn from my students. Because of my tendency to learn solely by reading, I have been a very solitary learner through much of my life. That can no longer be the case in today’s world. Collaborating with my colleagues, both those in my school building and those I find online, will be an important part of being a lifelong learner. I will gain much from creating and maintaining a Personal Learning Network. This network will allow me to connect with teachers around the world to contribute ideas and share new websites, apps, or technologies. I already follow the website Free Tech 4 Teachers, which offers two or three new websites to check out each day. I have their RSS feed on my homepage. I hope to find similar websites from which I can glean new ideas to try in my classroom. In addition, I plan to grow my PLN through websites such as Edmodo. Cultivating a PLN will expand my horizons as a teacher and provide me with a constant source of new techniques and technologies.

     Earning this Master’s degree will be the end of my formal schooling, although I do not know with certainty what the future holds for me. However, I am always eager to continue my professional development through conferences and webinars. I typically have the opportunity to attend a conference once a year. All too often, however, I only put one or two ideas I gained from these conferences into practice in my classroom. I have made it a goal of mine to increase that number substantially. Applying what I have learned in professional development opportunities will help me progress in my goal of being the best teacher I can be.

     There is nothing wrong with learning by reading. The problem lies in stopping there. Today’s technological world provides countless opportunities for broadening horizons and connecting with colleagues. These connections and opportunities will help me grow as a teacher. They will also allow me to practice my skill of teaching myself. Throughout my time in the MAED program, I have learned how to teach myself a variety of technologies and techniques. With the skills I have gained, I can move forward as a teacher and a learner into my future.