MEGAN SPARKS' ANNOTATED TRANSCRIPT
Below are course descriptions for the classes that I completed for my Master of Arts in Education.
Spring 2013
ED 800: CONCEPTS OF EDUCATIONAL INQUIRY
Instructor: Steven Weiland
This class started by taking me through a discussion of traditional and modern types of education such as memorization versus exploration. I was also asked to look at different types of inquiry methods to help improve teaching such as self-reflection. I then used this information to reflect on the practices of educational cultures both in the past and in the Maori culture through watching the movie Whale Rider. As a finale I was able to use this information to reflect on how to apply many of these methods to formal education settings that I might teach in.
KIN 854: LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES OF COACHING
Instructor: Rick Atkinson
The goal of this class was to look at many of the legal and administrative issues of coaching and athletic facilities such as risk and liability, negligence, and hazing. First, I was asked to make lists of risks and liability in a variety of examples such as at a summer sports camp and a track facility. I then used this information to identify potential problems in sports that would need to be addressed. The semester continued as I looked at issues that can occur with athletes and athletic teams such as injuring other players through negligence or intentional tortes as well as some ideas on how to address the at large problems with hazing. The course used a wide array of ongoing suits and conflicts to allow me to apply the information to real life scenarios. All of these concepts can be used in school and other athletic settings to help coaches, athletic directors, and facility managers avoid injuries and conflicts.
Instructor: Steven Weiland
This class started by taking me through a discussion of traditional and modern types of education such as memorization versus exploration. I was also asked to look at different types of inquiry methods to help improve teaching such as self-reflection. I then used this information to reflect on the practices of educational cultures both in the past and in the Maori culture through watching the movie Whale Rider. As a finale I was able to use this information to reflect on how to apply many of these methods to formal education settings that I might teach in.
KIN 854: LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES OF COACHING
Instructor: Rick Atkinson
The goal of this class was to look at many of the legal and administrative issues of coaching and athletic facilities such as risk and liability, negligence, and hazing. First, I was asked to make lists of risks and liability in a variety of examples such as at a summer sports camp and a track facility. I then used this information to identify potential problems in sports that would need to be addressed. The semester continued as I looked at issues that can occur with athletes and athletic teams such as injuring other players through negligence or intentional tortes as well as some ideas on how to address the at large problems with hazing. The course used a wide array of ongoing suits and conflicts to allow me to apply the information to real life scenarios. All of these concepts can be used in school and other athletic settings to help coaches, athletic directors, and facility managers avoid injuries and conflicts.
Summer 2013
CEP 883: PSYCHOLOGY OF CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE
Instructor: Alicia Fedewa
This class assisted me in putting together a well thought out and thorough plan to handle most classroom management issues. As the class progressed, I was able to learn how to build a positive classroom environment to avoid many problematic issues. This included discussing teacher presentation and teaching methods as well as learning styles. Then the class discussed the issues that could still arise even with a good foundation. I was able to see a variety of methods of handling problems that arise in class. As a finale for the class, I developed an all inclusive classroom management plan that included beginning of the year check lists, classroom rules and expectations, intervention sheets, consequences, and more.
KIN 856: PHYSICAL BASES OF COACHING
Instructor: Scott Riewald
The physical bases of coaching presented a variety of factors that can help improve athlete's skills and body composition to help make them successful athletes. The class started discussing the physical growth and development of athletes as well as muscle groups and motions. From here much of the focus of this class was on appropriate age and skill level expectations and routines. Many common issue areas such as overtraining and periodization were discussed to help coaches develop practice plans. I also made many handouts that can be used directly for my athletes to show them appropriate eating habits, supplements, dynamic warm ups, and injury prevention exercises.
Instructor: Alicia Fedewa
This class assisted me in putting together a well thought out and thorough plan to handle most classroom management issues. As the class progressed, I was able to learn how to build a positive classroom environment to avoid many problematic issues. This included discussing teacher presentation and teaching methods as well as learning styles. Then the class discussed the issues that could still arise even with a good foundation. I was able to see a variety of methods of handling problems that arise in class. As a finale for the class, I developed an all inclusive classroom management plan that included beginning of the year check lists, classroom rules and expectations, intervention sheets, consequences, and more.
KIN 856: PHYSICAL BASES OF COACHING
Instructor: Scott Riewald
The physical bases of coaching presented a variety of factors that can help improve athlete's skills and body composition to help make them successful athletes. The class started discussing the physical growth and development of athletes as well as muscle groups and motions. From here much of the focus of this class was on appropriate age and skill level expectations and routines. Many common issue areas such as overtraining and periodization were discussed to help coaches develop practice plans. I also made many handouts that can be used directly for my athletes to show them appropriate eating habits, supplements, dynamic warm ups, and injury prevention exercises.
Fall 2013
CEP 818: CREATIVITY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING
Instructor: Jon Good and Punya Mishra
The creativity in teaching and learning was focused around the book, Sparks of Genius: The 13 Thinking Tools of the World's Most Creative People. These thirteen steps were grouped into seven steps that built on each other: perceiving, patterning, abstracting, embodied thinking, modeling, playing, and synthesizing. For each of these steps we were asked to put together a creative piece to show what we learned and post them on our weebly blog. Many of these items included digital pictures, graphic organizers, and more. The final step, synthesizing, allowed me to put all of the steps into practice while wrapping up what I learned in the class. These seven steps can be used to help engage students in the classroom as well as teaching students the steps so they can learn the creative process as well.
KIN 855: PSYCHOSOCIAL BASES OF COACHING
Instructor: Daniel Gould and Andrew Driska
While coaches can train athletes to build muscle and perfect skills, another large part of athletic performance is creating positive mental environments for athletes. This class addressed many of the common issues for everyday youth athletes as well as high performance athletes. Over training and early sport specialization were addressed as well as mental preparation for higher stakes games such as the Olympics. I was able to look at how coaches morals, values, and athlete relationships can effect athletic performance as well as how to build confidence and self-motivation within athletes. The final project allowed me to use these concepts and look at what psychological issues I might consider when setting up a new sports program such as coach training, practice times, and ways to motivate. I was also exposed to Jing, Etherpad, and Google Docs to help create more of an interactive classroom environment.
Instructor: Jon Good and Punya Mishra
The creativity in teaching and learning was focused around the book, Sparks of Genius: The 13 Thinking Tools of the World's Most Creative People. These thirteen steps were grouped into seven steps that built on each other: perceiving, patterning, abstracting, embodied thinking, modeling, playing, and synthesizing. For each of these steps we were asked to put together a creative piece to show what we learned and post them on our weebly blog. Many of these items included digital pictures, graphic organizers, and more. The final step, synthesizing, allowed me to put all of the steps into practice while wrapping up what I learned in the class. These seven steps can be used to help engage students in the classroom as well as teaching students the steps so they can learn the creative process as well.
KIN 855: PSYCHOSOCIAL BASES OF COACHING
Instructor: Daniel Gould and Andrew Driska
While coaches can train athletes to build muscle and perfect skills, another large part of athletic performance is creating positive mental environments for athletes. This class addressed many of the common issues for everyday youth athletes as well as high performance athletes. Over training and early sport specialization were addressed as well as mental preparation for higher stakes games such as the Olympics. I was able to look at how coaches morals, values, and athlete relationships can effect athletic performance as well as how to build confidence and self-motivation within athletes. The final project allowed me to use these concepts and look at what psychological issues I might consider when setting up a new sports program such as coach training, practice times, and ways to motivate. I was also exposed to Jing, Etherpad, and Google Docs to help create more of an interactive classroom environment.
Spring 2014
EAD 850: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
Instructor: Riyad Shahjahan
The initial lectures and readings in class discussed the definition and many aspects of oppression. The discussion of oppression was furthered by looking at the different representations and classifications of oppressed groups that have been formed from historical and political contexts. As the semester continued, the focus became on multiculturalism in education both in educating all students in multiculturalism and making sure oppressed groups are able to learn in school. This included watching the movie, Prom Night in Mississippi. The final project in this class was a group powerpoint presentation analyzing a foreign education policy to recommend revisions based on the concepts taught during the semester.
TE 846: ACCOMODATING DIFFERENCES IN LITERACY LEARNERS
Instructor: Patricia Edwards
This class walked me through the history of literacy efforts as well as implementing literacy intervention in every classroom. I first learned how to utilize two types of assessments, both formal and informal, to assess literacy needs. Then I studied formal interventions as well as ways to implement literacy into every day learning. This class opened my eyes to the possibility of assisting literacy learning even in the math or physical education classroom. At the end of this class I was able to apply my new literacy knowledge through a case study of one student. This allowed me to utilize assessments and lesson ideas taught in this class.
Instructor: Riyad Shahjahan
The initial lectures and readings in class discussed the definition and many aspects of oppression. The discussion of oppression was furthered by looking at the different representations and classifications of oppressed groups that have been formed from historical and political contexts. As the semester continued, the focus became on multiculturalism in education both in educating all students in multiculturalism and making sure oppressed groups are able to learn in school. This included watching the movie, Prom Night in Mississippi. The final project in this class was a group powerpoint presentation analyzing a foreign education policy to recommend revisions based on the concepts taught during the semester.
TE 846: ACCOMODATING DIFFERENCES IN LITERACY LEARNERS
Instructor: Patricia Edwards
This class walked me through the history of literacy efforts as well as implementing literacy intervention in every classroom. I first learned how to utilize two types of assessments, both formal and informal, to assess literacy needs. Then I studied formal interventions as well as ways to implement literacy into every day learning. This class opened my eyes to the possibility of assisting literacy learning even in the math or physical education classroom. At the end of this class I was able to apply my new literacy knowledge through a case study of one student. This allowed me to utilize assessments and lesson ideas taught in this class.
Summer 2014
ED 870: CAPSTONE SEMINAR
Instructors: Matthew Koehler, Joshua Rosenberg, Spencer Greenhalgh, and Brittany Dillman
The capstone seminar allowed me to reflect on and compile all of the learning from my Master of Arts in Education degree. As part of the program, I went through documents and lessons from all of my master's courses. I then utilized weebly to create an online portfolio to be used as a reference to myself and other teachers as well as a professional showcase. This course effectively allowed me to see how much I have grown as an educator throughout the program and review teaching tricks and information.
Instructors: Matthew Koehler, Joshua Rosenberg, Spencer Greenhalgh, and Brittany Dillman
The capstone seminar allowed me to reflect on and compile all of the learning from my Master of Arts in Education degree. As part of the program, I went through documents and lessons from all of my master's courses. I then utilized weebly to create an online portfolio to be used as a reference to myself and other teachers as well as a professional showcase. This course effectively allowed me to see how much I have grown as an educator throughout the program and review teaching tricks and information.
Fall 2014
KIN 857: PROMOTING POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SPORT
Instructor: Daniel Gould
This class helped guide me through evaluating a program for positive youth development goals. In reading Inside Out Coaching, I learned the difference between transactional and transformational coaching. During this class, my eyes were opened to the enormous lengths and pressures that competitive sports can place on kids at a very young age. Instead of focusing my coaching on winning at all cost, I was able to see how to implement focus on life skills and positive development while letting winning come as a effect. At the end of the course I used all my new knowledge and ways of thinking to develop a model of a swim team using positive youth development methods.
Instructor: Daniel Gould
This class helped guide me through evaluating a program for positive youth development goals. In reading Inside Out Coaching, I learned the difference between transactional and transformational coaching. During this class, my eyes were opened to the enormous lengths and pressures that competitive sports can place on kids at a very young age. Instead of focusing my coaching on winning at all cost, I was able to see how to implement focus on life skills and positive development while letting winning come as a effect. At the end of the course I used all my new knowledge and ways of thinking to develop a model of a swim team using positive youth development methods.