Dear Educational Technology Faculty,
My name is Priscilla Chavira and I moved back to the Valley from Georgia in 2009. I was in the health care field for ten years as a diagnostic medical sonographer and I always found myself teaching or assisting others in how to scan patients and in turn allowed me to learn other modalities such as x-ray, mammography, and CT. It was then I decided to TEACH and make a difference.
I had many wonderful teachers but will always recall Mr. Stone (Physics Teacher) stating, “Impossible is not a Scientific Term”. Personally, it is very true and I never gave up on my education and always wanted to excel and accomplish my goals. I hold a Bachelor of Applied Technology in Health Services Technology and an Associate of Science from the University of Texas at Brownsville, as well an Associate in Diagnostic Medical Sonography from Sanford Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia.
As I learned I would be able to teach Health Science I was ecstatic but it wasn’t easy though, I had to go through an Alternative Certification Program and pass the Texas Teacher Certification exam for my content area.
As I started my first year of teaching I also embarked in the journey to obtain a masters degree in education. I have always been interested in technology as a diagnostic medial sonographer; I experienced how growing technology has changed the medical field. My goal was to use my vast experience in both the medical and educational fields to become an effective educator.
My first course in the masters program was EDTC 6320 Instructional Technology. My understanding of the course was to learn new technologies but was I in for a surprise. I not only learned of new Web 2.0 tools but also developed my first wiki course platform. WOW… was I in for a challenge because I only had a mere idea or concept of what instructional technology encompassed.
By my second course EDTC 6321 Instructional Design I was designing and developing multimedia videos utilizing the software Camtasia. I can honestly acknowledge that my first two instructional units were not my best work. I struggled in utilizing web-based platforms because I was learning how to develop an instructional unit and how to utilize the tools at the same time.
But by my third course EDTC 6323 Multimedia/Hypermedia I considered myself a more experienced instructional designer. I developed and designed my very own instructional unit utilizing the web-based platform SoftChalk. I was able to develop instructional videos with Camtasia and providing learners a more engaging environment. Learners were able to go through the instructional unit and have access to a Rubric, Training Guide, Videos and have questions answered in a timely manner. The teachers in my department (CATE) were very impressed and wanted to use the same mediums to present thier instruction.
The courses in the masters program have been vital to me and have allowed me to gain much needed knowledge and perspective of educational technology because I only had a mere idea of what educational technology was. As, I continued to take more courses in the program I become very knowledgeable of the instructional design theory, learning strategies, and web developmental skills. I acquired many of these skills through various projects presented in my e-portfolio.
Throughout the program course work I had many collaborative projects. The collaborative projects have taught me a new set of technical skills, as well as team management skills, that have proved invaluable.
Being part of the masters program has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I have been able to grow professionally and am a more effective educator for I am better prepared to design and develop engaging instructional content for my students or at my staff meetings. My students are learning of Web 2.0 tools and incorporating them into other subject areas as well.
I would like to thank my professors for patiently working with me to develop my professional technology skills and for encouraging, challenging and motivating me to continue to always do my best.
Respectfully,
Priscilla Chavira
Priscilla Chavira's e-Portfolio 