It was such an exciting journey with courses 5318 and 5320. It was a challenge to balance two different assignments every 3 weeks. But it was worth getting that feeling of accomplishment.
It may seem like a no-brainer, but actual brainstorming is impossible without collaboration. Collaboration provides a safety net; it helps you catapult your thinking and develop ideas that may seem crazy initially. I am grateful for the constant support from my classmates on Groupme chat. It has become a wonderful learning community for me. Being a member of this learning community means engaging in joint learning activities, soaking in innovative ideas, and sharing perspectives and experiences to understand the information. Learning happens through discussion, reflection, collaborative teamwork, and, most importantly, taking the initiative and responsibility to listen, question, and think critically within the community of my classmates.
My small group collaboration was the same: Kelven Wilson, Chastity Crissman, Andréa Harrell, Danielle Lopez, and Pedro Carrizales. I felt we bonded more this semester; we encouraged each other and were there to answer general questions and give feedback. It was beneficial to have their support: we brainstormed ideas about assignments, peer-reviewed our work, shared some advice on organizing our ePortfolio better, reminded each other about deadlines, etc. Building a few supportive relationships with my classmates is critical because, as an online student, it would be easy to miss the camaraderie that often exists in a traditional classroom. That same camaraderie online motivates and keeps me engaged in classes. Using the feedforward feedback from my teammates and Dr. Sue or Dr. Bellard, I could take a fresh look at my material and adjust when needed. Sometimes it was as simple as moving a link on my Canva assignment task or changing the order in which I presented things.
5318 had me pulling all of my pieces that were created in other classes together to begin forming one cohesive Instructional Design with Blended Learning. This gave me time and the opportunity to organize my thoughts and the learning process I wanted to follow. We were tasked with creating our own course using our preferred LMS (Learning Management System). The usability testing allowed me to receive very effective feedback from other teachers on my team and from my administrators. From their feedback and participation input, I was able to make changes and adjust the course.
The 5320 course was Synthesis of Digital Learning. This class was the reflecting course for the whole program. We were supposed to reflect on what COVA & CSLE meant and how our way of being learners and teaching learners has changed since fully adjusting these concepts. I created a reflection on COVA. Besides that, I have done the innovating plan update for my innovating project -where I shared my thoughts about my current innovating plan status and my future prognoses. And at the end of the course, I presented my ADL Journey Visual Representation, where I connected all the essential pieces for me from the whole program.
Every week I actively participated in discussions on Blockboards for 5318 and 5320, posting and replying to my classmates. It was fascinating to observe how people react differently to some discussion topics. I found it helpful to get support from your classmates on these sometimes-complex topics.
As an adult professional raising a family, you have already had to learn the importance of scheduling. Adding academics to your schedule makes it that much more critical. All adult students must be masters of the work-life balance. While this can be a complicated routine to get into, you'll find your way with a bit of time. That is why I actively used Reminders and Google Calendar. It helped me stay current with my homework, readings, and discussions.
As I began this educational journey, I did not know what to expect. I was anxious because I had been out of a learning environment for so long that I didn’t know if I could measure up. I found an educational concept that would give me the freedom to explore and create in my own way. Each course in the program builds on the next, taking you on a journey of personal and professional discovery. The course pieces fit together to form a body of digital learning that prepares you for the technological and learning advances of the 21 st Century. As a result of my participation in the ADL program, I feel confident that I have the tools to assert myself as a leader, and life-long learner, in the educational community.
I understand the importance of using the COVA approach and blended learning models. We have the power to create winning learning environments where learners have the freedom to create and imagine in ways that we have not seen before. I feel great about what is to come; the best is just around the corner.
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