Conclusion

This concludes my portfolio, but not my learning. The VIEWs I created, I believe, clearly show that my areas of interest over my two years of study have been mLearning, curriculum design, and international issues, and that through those interests I displayed the required competencies for the MDE program. But Mezirow's Transformation Theory tells us that learning is as much a matter of reflection as it is of study and competencies. And by reflecting while creating this portfolio I have come to several realizations about myself.

First, I learned that I am as interested in teaching and designing through technology as I am in managing teachers or technology. This is sure to be of importance for me in my career, which at the age of 34, is still largely ahead of me. I've also realized that I am a good team player, which is at odds with how I previously felt about collaboration. As a result I reconsidered my old feelings about teamwork. Lastly, I learned that, when required to find a balance between work, study, and family, my past preference had been to lean towards work and study. I have changed this and spend considerably more time focused on my family. I have this option because of sound financial decisions I've made over the years and the support of my friends and family, as well as my past employer, who was very flexible (and understanding) with regards to my workload and allowing me to work from home.

And so it is obvious to me that the two years I spent completing my M.Ed. were about growth, both intellectual and psychological. This trend towards personal development is one that I do not foresee ending in the future. I hope to continue on to doctoral studies in a few years, and will even take a course now and then to stay current. But first and foremost, I think I'll enjoy watching my son and daughter grow up alongside my wife. After this often demanding program, I suspect they'll all enjoy the increased attention.