Done!

Well, it is official... I am a Master of Arts in Education.  I can hardly believe that when I started at the Academy of Art University for a second bachelors degree in Photography that I would find myself in 2012 finishing my Masters degree in Adult Education and Training. So, what brought me all the way from Photography to Education in just under four years?  Am I fickle?  Yes.  Am I someone who wants to get the most out of the education I seek?  Yes.  Am I someone who loves learning new things?  Yes.

Still, it was quite a meandering path I took to finish this degree.  I loved photography school, although I would have liked taking classes in a brick and mortar location to fully interact with my peers.  When they encouraged me to move from the BFA2 course to the MFA I was flattered and when I was excepted I really felt that I had "something" to make myself a photographer.  However, after 2 years and a huge amount of school loans, I discovered that I didn't want to be the photographer making a living with my art.  That is when I decided to jump ship.  That meant I didn't have a second bachelors degree and no Master's degree.  So, I needed to find another program to get some sort of degree to have something to "show" for my mountain of student debt.  I found the University of the Rockies, Organizational Leadership program.  That seemed like a great match for me; a Master's degree based on the psychology of business behavior.  This seemed like a great fit.  Unfortunately, the courses turned out to be much more about clinical psychology than Organizational Leadership.  I met with the school and they new they had many improvements to go, I just couldn't wait it out, or be a guine pig, for the program growing pains.  One of my professors notated on one of my presentations that I had a natural affinity toward teaching. I am working as a trainer and curriculum designer, so, I thought... hmmm, perhaps I should look into an education Master's degree.  The University of Phoenix offers several corporate centered education degrees.  I was torn between Curriculum design and Adult Education and Training.  I chose Adult Education and Training because I wanted to focus on the differences and how best to encourage and teach adult learners.  

With all its faults, I am grateful I was able to get into a program that at least attempted to help encourage critical thinking and opening our minds to different ideas toward learning even when they stuck to the traditional educational format.  I hope to apply what I learned to encourage all my learners to question and find their own answers.  

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