PERSONAL GROWTH PLAN/GOAL ASSESSMENT
ONE LESS DINOSAUR
By: Lial Miller
18 February 2011
I did not perform a “Goal Statement” paper when I started
the MAET program. My attendance was purely an accident. My initial intention of
attending Michigan State University was to obtain a Masters of Education in
Teaching and Curriculum. It was the first summer of my pursuit that cracked
open a door to where we are today. I signed up for CEP 810, 811 and 812 as
electives toward my MATC degree. The classes were held in Birmingham,
Michigan’s, Seaholm High School computer lab and I thought it sounded like a
fun way to learn about computers and kill off some coursework at the same time.
Looking back, to say I was “raw” is an understatement.
I wrote a “Personal Growth Plan” for CEP 810, on 16 May 2011. As I read this 1.5 page mini-essay, I see how little I knew about computers. My CEP 810 professor, Carlton Mateo, introduced us to a term, “Electronic Immigrant,” that gave me too much credit. I was more of a “Technological Dinosaur.” As I read the paper, I see that I barely knew how to operate simple programs like WORD, or PowerPoint. Excel Spreadsheets were unheard of and almost all photo-processing programs were a pipe dream. You can see all of this at the following link: /uploads/6/2/9/8/6298896/cep810_personal_growth_plan.doc
Because of CEP 810, 811 and 812, I learned how to actually use the basic programs on a computer. I had no clue how to format a paper, just how to write it in 1970 style typewriter appearance. Now, I can make nice looking flyers, with photos and borders. I have made advertisements for events and even sold a car using WORD as an information tool. PowerPoint presentations used to be a real challenge, but now they are semi-common place. I do not get to use them in my art room very often, but I know how to make them if the need arises. There is not much call for Excel Spreadsheets in the art realm, so most of that information is on a back burner and one thing I have learned through my fire fighting service is that, if you do not use certain skills, you will lose them. I kind of expect Excel would be pretty hard for me if I were to try to use it again.
One thing I did not expect from the CEP courses was learning how to use, and upload pages to, the Internet. Having to make my first web portfolio was a serious pain in the butt. I have a friend that earns a living making web pages and he tutored me in some of the details, but the Dreamweaver program we were using left me slack-jawed. I still have no idea how we did some of the things he had me do. Now, I use Google Sites and just this semester, I was introduced to weebly.com, a web page building site that makes it easy enough for this T-Rex to design his web portfolio without asking too many questions.
To say I have learned a few things now is a fun thing to do. I find myself chuckling on the inside when people come to me with technology questions. If they only knew how fresh all of the information I have gained is, they would not be asking such a novice.
Downloadable Version: /uploads/6/2/9/8/6298896/cep_807_-_one_less_dinosaur_-_18_february_2011.doc
I wrote a “Personal Growth Plan” for CEP 810, on 16 May 2011. As I read this 1.5 page mini-essay, I see how little I knew about computers. My CEP 810 professor, Carlton Mateo, introduced us to a term, “Electronic Immigrant,” that gave me too much credit. I was more of a “Technological Dinosaur.” As I read the paper, I see that I barely knew how to operate simple programs like WORD, or PowerPoint. Excel Spreadsheets were unheard of and almost all photo-processing programs were a pipe dream. You can see all of this at the following link: /uploads/6/2/9/8/6298896/cep810_personal_growth_plan.doc
Because of CEP 810, 811 and 812, I learned how to actually use the basic programs on a computer. I had no clue how to format a paper, just how to write it in 1970 style typewriter appearance. Now, I can make nice looking flyers, with photos and borders. I have made advertisements for events and even sold a car using WORD as an information tool. PowerPoint presentations used to be a real challenge, but now they are semi-common place. I do not get to use them in my art room very often, but I know how to make them if the need arises. There is not much call for Excel Spreadsheets in the art realm, so most of that information is on a back burner and one thing I have learned through my fire fighting service is that, if you do not use certain skills, you will lose them. I kind of expect Excel would be pretty hard for me if I were to try to use it again.
One thing I did not expect from the CEP courses was learning how to use, and upload pages to, the Internet. Having to make my first web portfolio was a serious pain in the butt. I have a friend that earns a living making web pages and he tutored me in some of the details, but the Dreamweaver program we were using left me slack-jawed. I still have no idea how we did some of the things he had me do. Now, I use Google Sites and just this semester, I was introduced to weebly.com, a web page building site that makes it easy enough for this T-Rex to design his web portfolio without asking too many questions.
To say I have learned a few things now is a fun thing to do. I find myself chuckling on the inside when people come to me with technology questions. If they only knew how fresh all of the information I have gained is, they would not be asking such a novice.
Downloadable Version: /uploads/6/2/9/8/6298896/cep_807_-_one_less_dinosaur_-_18_february_2011.doc