Looking back through history, there are hundreds of impressive men and women who immediately spring to mind who have left their imprint on world culture: Sir Issac Newton, Leonardo DeVinci, Cleopatra, Mother Teresa, Abū al-QāsimMuḥammadibnʿAbdAllāh, and Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) to name only a few. Each of these admirable people had one thing in common: they had a teacher or teachers who educated them and inspired them to greatness. My goal is to become a teacher of this caliber.
I was born in Saudi Arabia in a family that understood the importance of education. My five siblings all hold graduate degrees and I learned from an early age that scholastic achievement was not only encouraged, it was mandatory, and I graduated from high school with an average of 98%. I majored in Computer Science and graduated from Princess Nora University in 2012. Female students are rare in technological fields in my home country and I am proud of my accomplishments to date.
In my senior year of college I began assistant teaching. I started first at a high school, and went further as a teaching assistant at King Saud University where I helped instruct a required Computer Skills class for all enrolled students. It was in these positions that I found myself using the techniques I had acquired in my own education to assist the undergraduates I was instructing. These experiences were highly rewarding and convinced me to pursue a Masters Degree in Educational Technology. Based on my academic standing, I was granted a full scholarship by the Saudi government to apply for a graduate degree abroad and I opted to do so in the United States.
Obtaining a graduate degree in computer technology and learning to teach is a natural extension of the passion I have for both areas. I took numerous educational courses such as Introduction to Curriculum and Teaching Methods, Evaluation of Educational Achievement, and others in an effort to improve my skills as an instructor. The opportunity to come to the United States was very exciting, although it meant leaving my home and my family. I recently completed the Indiana University Intensive English Program in hopes of gaining admission to the graduate program in Educational Technology at Indiana University.
I am particularly interested in the interdisciplinary options at Indiana University that will allow me to learn in a variety of settings in supervised field work. I want to work in the capacity of improvement designing training courses when I return to my country, and the creativity at the core of the curriculum drew me to the school; the theoretical courses in particular appeal to me. It is a goal during my time at Indiana University to work with the research group for Self-Directed Open Learning Environments. In addition, I am looking forward to becoming involved in a culturally diverse student body as I continue my education. The University’s reputation and standard of student excellence make it my first choice for application.
After finishing my Masters education, I plan to expand my abilities as an instructor to a new generation of students. I will eventually return to Saudi Arabia where I want to help improve the system of education through the use of technology. This is a new field in the country, and I feel I can make a significant difference in this area. The opportunities for a person with my education are broad and numerous with no limitations in domain and atmosphere, especially when I return with training in technology integration.
Perhaps I will never teach a student with the destiny of becoming an Einstein or an Indira Gandi or a Pablo Picasso. But I know I can apply myself to teaching each and every person who comes under my influence to the best of my ability, guiding him toward making good personal choices and forming a base of knowledge that will allow him to become all he can become.
