Reflection on my first term in the MET program

My first term in the Master of Educational Technology program at UBC has wrapped up. Looking back on the nearly four months of learning, here I’d like to share my wins and insights.

Key Accomplishments

1. Establishing a daily routine for study | I’ve finally managed to establish a daily routine that has contributed significantly to my physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. I am grateful for the learning opportunities that I encounter each day, for the unwavering support and encouragement from my family, and for my children thriving at school and daycare while I pursue my studies.
2. Realizing the joy of research reading | I never realized I would enjoy reading research papers. (This is crazy.) Initially, the thought of ETEC 500 – Research Methodologies in Education sounded pretty scary to me, but my learning journey in this course was thought-provoking. Though I know there is a long way to go, I found myself more confident in reading research papers and even excited about it. (I know, it’s crazy!) I want to extend my gratitude to Dr. Oksana Bartosh for her presence and support throughout this course.
3. Completed my first research critique | For the final assignment, I proudly completed my first-ever research critique. From selecting the research, to thorough reading, drafting, receiving and providing feedback, and finalizing my critique, it has been a whole new, somewhat anxious, but mostly enjoyable learning experience. I want to give myself a pat on the back not just for receiving a full grade, but because I successfully completed all these learning processes.

Key Insights

• Reading | Through excessive academic reading, I managed to establish an effective reading process. Here are a few tips:
  • First, read with an understanding of the big picture/structure; Then, outline main ideas incorporating keywords after reading.

• • “Speed reading through a progressor’s lens” over “slow reading through a perfectionist’s lens”.
  • Using timer was helpful for reading in the midst of distractions.

    

• Writing | I proactively sought and utilized multiple resources to improve my academic writing. The online feedback I received from Turnitin and the UBC writing consultants was quite useful. I found that integrating AI tools with integrity to seek second opinions was very powerful, significantly contributing to the development of my writing skills.
• Online Learning Experience | As an aspiring online learning specialist, I gained valuable experience and insights into online learning. In an asynchronous setting, a carefully designed learning platform, tasks, and curriculum provided an engaging and inclusive learning experience. I particularly appreciated both the mandatory and optional group discussions, peer review and feedback mechanism, and the hands-on learning opportunities through quizzes and assignments.

Moving Forward

For the second term, I’ll be participating in the practicum with the Canadian Digital Learning Research Association for their qualitative study. This is an exciting opportunity, and I am grateful to have been selected. In the meantime, I’ll continue to search for part-time work that I could create synergy with my study. I’ll also continue to remind myself of the quote that I encountered in the Lululemon fitting room in the next term.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

While I look forward to sharing my learnings again four months later, I’ll be enjoying my short break for now. If you’re interested in checking out my first research critique, attached file is for you. Your constructive feedback and words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated!

Ran Kang_ETEC 500_A2