My learning experience in the MIST program
As a teacherand a translator I havealways been about improving my teaching and tooling myself for the future. It goes without saying that education is changing rapidly and many new technologies are coming up on a daily basis. Honestly, no one knows how things are going to be in few years and what advances will be made. I always dreamt about creating my own curriculum for teaching both Arabic and English whether to native or non-native speakers of the two languages. One day I get an email with a flyer about an orientation of the MIST program at CSUMB.After reading the flyer I knew that The MIST program was the way to realize my goals.
There are many things that make this program a success. First, it is a 16-month program over the course of four terms which makes it very reasonable, time wise. It is online which is convenient for my work since I don’t have to go to a traditional classroom but do most of it online. Although I appreciate the distance learning program, I really enjoy the face to face meetings in MIST because they bring the students closer to the instructors and make MIST a unique hybrid program.
The MIST program is structured with a team environment for a real world experience. I was so lucky to meet my group without whom I could not overcome the difficulties and the sleepless nights while doing my homework. MIST creates and promotes group work and collaboration whether in person or online. In spite of some difficulties of group work one might face, our group could collaborate and succeed at many different challenges.
Another reason why MIST is successful and suitable for my needs is that it is an interdisciplinary program that integrates all of the following: learning theories, instructional design, instructional technology,interactive multimedia, and assessment and research methods. I am a teacher and a translator with twenty four years of experience and I incorporate all of these fields of knowledge in my everyday classroom experience. I found in the MIST program the right combination of theory and practice in the learning/teaching process.
To a great extent I would say that my expectations, before starting the program, were met. However, there were some things that I was hoping to find that I did not. Anyhow, there are things that I did not expect but did find, and they were very useful.
This journey with the MIST program was enjoyable but tiresome so far. Coming close to the end of the program I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I feel that the program has impacted my life in a positive way and will help me to be a better teacher to my students. CSUMB has a dedicated, hardworking and very understanding group of instructors who have supported me along the way. Without that support my experience with MIST would have been a disaster. Like any other student in this program I owe them much gratitude.