I was challenged to learn something total new only using online resources. Having recently moved to Utah I choose to learn how to rock climb, adding to my increasing list of outdoor hobbies. I was able to put myself in students positions by learning something totally brand new. Like anything, there was success and frustration. The most important thing I learned was to keep trying and attack problems from multiple angles. Enjoy my journey from novice to advanced novice rock climber here.

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As we explored different learning theories in MAET were asked to create something for an audience of our choice to demonstrate which learning theories we align with the most. The theories we discussed included situative, behaviorism, and cognitivism. This was a reflective piece which pushed a clear, concise, and engaging way to demonstrate my understanding and applications of learning theories.

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Here I created a multimedia platform about my beliefs, strengths, and

 how technology and teaching are connected. This was used as an introduction piece for a live blog and the start of a continuing quest of how to best use technology in the classroom. This was my first time really using video editing and full introduction to iterations. I was pushed to create a clear concise theme to flow through my video. Here I share "I believe" statements about my classroom, environment, and goals for my students.

I was required to read an article, produce a three-minute video, with three key takeaways, and three ways to implement them into the classroom. With the encouragement of my classmates and professor, I put together my love for hip-hop and educational technology by explaining my understanding of Inquiry through Adventure Learning via rap. I really enjoyed this project because I truly showed off my creativity in a way that met the requirements but did not feel like a graduate assignment.

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Three others and myself took on the challenge of developing the best solution to the wicked problem of teaching complex thinking. We spent time researching and understanding what complex thinking is, surveyed teachers understanding of complex thinking, and created a thinglink demonstrating our findings. This process is discussed more in depth in the following blog post. This was another assignment which felt near impossible and required an engaging way to share our findings.

 A reflection on an article written by Thomas Friedman in which I demonstrate my passions and curiosity using any media. To do so I created a YouTube video asking my colleagues a simple question "Who is Mr. Gorton?" My thinking was, my passions and curiosities would be the things my colleagues would know most about me. A more personal video, my colleague share my love of lacrosse, history, Michigan State, and relationship building with students.

Eight people had eight days to learn about, advertise, and put on a Maker Faire at the Michigan State Library. My partner, Brynlee, and I were responsible for creating and running our own station at the Maker Faire. This one truly felt like an impossible task but we were able to pull through with light hearts and encouragement from each other. Failure is a key part of the learning process and through this project, I had to face that realization head on. To understand the full trial and error of putting together a Maker Faire is a week use the following link.

Part of the MAET program is completing a research project. My research project was based around online data privacy and student data privacy derived from a class discussion we had with Chris Gilliard. Along with my research paper I give another clear, concise, and engaging five minute MAETalk to students, professors, and community members summarizing my findings. This project helped me refine my research skills and exposed me to new world of technological consequences. Through this project I learned more about the positives and negatives of the growth of technology.