Summary

01:541 Introduction to Educational Administration  Summary: This course was the first course that I took in what was to become my journey on the Master’s program. I recall taking the course in the summer of 2003 and it quickly became one of my most enjoyable activities. Not having taken any University courses for a number of years, it was exciting and enjoyable to get back into the classroom and do some learning in an area that I had some expertise. The course was taught by Dr. Heather Hunter who was instrumental in setting up the Manitoba Education Research Network (MERN). We were all encouraged to join MERN and to participate in the MERN symposiums. It was in that milieu that I was invited to present my paper on priority #3 at a MERN symposium on March 12, 2004 in Dauphin, Manitoba. This was a paper that I had submitted as part of the course work for the course. I certainly enjoyed the opportunity to report at the symposium and it made me realize how little we engage in these types of activities outside of the regular classrooms.  Benefits/Resultant Knowledge  As described above, the knowledge that I have gained and the experience to have presented at a MERN symposium was excellent. This introduced me to the MERN network and I continue to receive their e-mails to this day informing me of activities and events that are taking place in the educational community. The knowledge that modern day Educational Administration had roots in theoretical psychology and that we engage in practices on a daily level that have been described by various theorists was intriguing.  Professional Use  The knowledge that was gained by taking the course reinforced my respect for educational research and made me realize that educators need to spend more time cultivating their knowledge of their profession by taking the time to read what is written about what they do. Also, the students that I met and worked with provided for lasting relationships and many great shared memories. I also began to incorporate professional development information into staff meetings and teacher dialogue in my school as often as possible, recognizing the need for teachers to have the theory and research backing up what they do in the classroom. A very good and memorable course, and a great one to have started my Master’s with. 