SELF-
ASSESSMENT
RESEARCH
My first-year experience in the program has been a time of growth for me, especially in finding my identity as a researcher. Coming from a Master's program where it was more focused on practitioner works than academic research, the first semester in LDT was a struggle to quickly switch the mode and looking at things in a researcher's perspective, instead of a practitioner's perspective. I also had to struggle with the constant feeling of pressure to decide on my focused research area. I realized I came to the department with a too broad question "How can learning be fun and effective?" but I had no idea how to make that into research questions or where to start focusing on. I had to go through a constant process of elimination - writing down all the topics and theories in the field and then crossing them out one-by-one as I learned more about what each item was about. Luckily, all the courses I took, the project I've been working on, reading, and listening to other scholars (including the faculties) all came together by the end of the first year to help me figure out my research area and move forward with the program as a passionate beginner-researcher.
As a result, I decided that my research interest leans towards educational game design, game-based research, design-based research, and technology integration in K12 classrooms. I am grateful for the opportunity to have my own research project with Dr. Kopcha and to have a solid design to work with as I continue my research. Even though our plan of collecting data with the game had to be halted due to the outbreak of COVID-19, I realized that I would need to use this opportunity to look more into literature, and build my project on a firm theoretical foundation.
TEACHING
For my first year, I was given an opportunity to serve as an intern for EDIT 2000 and EDIT 4100 classes. Through observing how both classes were taught, I was able to have a better understanding about undergraduate students - how they learn, what kind of questions they ask, and how they react to certain instructions. Also, through observing how Gretchen communicated with her students, I learned an exemplar attitude that an instructor should have towards undergrad students. One of the basic but most important reminders but could be easily neglected was to treat all students with respect and understand that they are taking many more classes than the one I am teaching.
With what I have learned in my first year, I have begun teaching an EDIT 2000 class in my second year. The nervousness as a new instructor added with the anxiety from the risk of COVID-19 and figuring out how to make a hybrid class format work was definitely a huge challenge for me as I prepared for my class. Additionally, since I was new to the course materials, it required a long time for me to fully absorb the content beforehand to plan out the course. However, as challenging as it was, I could feel myself grow as an education researcher and a future-tenured-professor. I also enjoyed designing and preparing for each class and seeing my students become more engaged in the learning process as the semester went on.
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
In terms of my study, I think I was being too focused on my own project and was passive about having conversations with other faculty members in LDT. I had a hard time finding the rationale to meet with other faculties unless I took their courses. I would need to be more active in contacting and communicating with other faculties so that I can receive some valuable insights from different perspectives.
As I started teaching, I realized that I would need to be better at managing my time. Teaching for the first time and wanting to do well in the job, I had to allocate a lot of time and energy in preparing, responding to students, and grading students' work. This took away a big portion of my time and energy that I wanted to devote to my own research. I would need to learn how to balance the two responsibilities well and succeed in both areas.