MARIYA      KHAN

Autobiographical Statement

 

Although I have educated and instructed elementary aged students in Maryland for the past four years, I have lived in Maryland for the past twenty-four years of my life. I continued to expand upon my knowledge of the technology world by increasing my awareness of e-learning strategies, educational games, visual design, and effectively utilizing multi-media devices in education.  I also took the initiative to increase my knowledge of one of the most (technology related) dominating languages and skill sets in the professional world: coding. Utilizing incredible e-learning tools and models, I taught myself how to create code in various languages (HTML, HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, etc.). I became very interested in understanding how the user and the technology communicated with one another.

 

I faced many challenges in meeting the instructional needs of all students with the curriculum, materials, and technology that were provided. In collaborating with many teachers and staff throughout the years, we became increasingly frustrated with the lack of materials, facility deficits, and, the shortfalls of the technology that were provided. I began creating various instructional pieces that allowed the incorporation of technology for students to become more involved and invested in their own education. I also began creating PowerPoint presentations, instructional handouts, graphic organizers, and even utilizing social media websites to sustain an engaged and collaborative learning environment. Student's instantly became more accountable and invested in their own learning. This was a turning point in my educational career as a teacher.

 

I decided to apply and enroll in an online Masters of Education program that specializes in the area of Educational Technology at James Madison University. My interests include online learning environments (e-learning), visual design, educational games, and increasing the use of technology in the classroom in order to educationally benefit students of all ages. Since communication and collaboration are essential components in the learning process, I have been inspired to increase the opportunities to constructively interact within a functional community. 

 

In the future, I would like to work in the higher education setting, practicing with adult learners, and concentrating on designing learning environments that allow the individual learner to select the type of learning that will benefit them. With this monumental goal, it is necessary to continue to increase and refine my technical skills (in coding and other design applications) and travel to other parts of the world, in order to gain insight of how educational systems operate in various cultures.

 

Although an arduous task, I am ready to take on that challenge!

 

 

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”

-Steve Jobs