Contribution to Your Learning and the Learning Community 5313 and 5303

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As the course comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the journey that has unfolded over these past weeks. My engagement with the material, interaction with peers, and the insights gained have shaped my understanding of the subject matter. After carefully reviewing the Self-Assessment Marking Guide, I would assign myself a score of 95 within the 'Key Contributions' category. This score represents my commitment to the learning process and the contributions I have made both to my own development and to the enrichment of the learning community.

Reflection on Learning and Contributions

I consistently engaged with all the course readings, videos, and resources throughout the course. This dedication deepened my understanding of the topics and equipped me to contribute substantially during discussions. I met all deadlines, which allowed me to manage my workload effectively and participate fully in the collaborative learning environment.

My core collaboration group, consisting of Marche, Rose, Maria, and myself, has been a cornerstone of my learning experience. Each member brought unique perspectives, challenging and enriching our collective understanding. My contributions to the group included providing constructive feedback, sharing relevant resources, and initiating discussions that promoted deeper analysis of course concepts. I also sent messages to encourage the group to maintain a growth mindset. Furthermore, I enjoyed viewing my peers ePortfolios and providing them feedback. By helping each other in our courses, we are able to encapsulates our learning in ways that reflect our personality through the use of ePortfolios. I also took on leadership in my base group by working with Marche after hours to offer insight on way she can improve her ePortfolio through collaborative meetings.

One area that I recognize as an opportunity for growth is the timeliness of my feedback. While I provided comprehensive and supportive feedback, I strive to deliver it more promptly to maximize its impact on my peers' learning processes. Another area I can improve on is checking my Lamar University in a timely manner. Dr. Grogan has given me insight in improving is to share more on how the process of using UbD contributed to my ability to design learning environments and how it will help me with my innovation plan.

Revisions and Active Participation

I revised all assignments, when needed, based on feedback from peers and the instructor. My reflections on these revisions were thorough, detailing how the feedback improved the quality of my work and understanding. I documented this process on my ePortfolio, which serves as a testament to my growth as a learner and a contributor to the learning community.

I took on leadership responsibilities within my base group by coordinating our meeting schedules and facilitating discussions to ensure everyone's voice was heard. By actively participating in all course activities, I strived to model the engagement expected of a self-directed learner.

Depth of Thinking and Research

My postings in the course forums were timely, allowing for a dynamic exchange of ideas. They demonstrated both breadth and depth of thinking, and I supported my arguments with research, cited appropriately using APA format. I made additional postings on discussions by consistently responding to my classmates postings in both courses that aimed to encourage further discussion, share insights, or provide encouragement to my peers beyond what was required by research.

Impact of Collaborations and Connecting Ideas

For the Accelerated ADL option, I took two ADL classes simultaneously, which helped me see how ideas and concepts from both classes were related. This method from different fields helped me understand things better and give discussions a more complete view. For example, the theories of leadership we learned about in one class were useful for understanding how groups work in another. This allowed for exchanging ideas that helped me learn and my classmates, too. Creating Significant Learning Environments allowed me to deeply engage with Understanding by Design(UbD) principles and Fink's Three-Column Table. This engagement has been an enlightening experience, informing my approach to designing an outcome-focused professional development that teaches educators how to implement math stations within their classrooms. I also took the feedback provided by Dr. Davis to enhance my portfolio, and she has motivated me to do a better of job of citing my sources in APA format. In my course Applying Educ Tech , I made revisions to my ePortfolio after taking the feedback given by Dr. Osburn ePortfolio Blog Post Checkin assignment. Due to Dr. Osburn's incredible insight, I was able to refine my ePortfolio making it easier to navigate and fixing a few mistakes that I missed. In an educational landscape that is rapidly transforming, the development of a significant learning environment (CSLE) has emerged as a beacon for progressive education. By adopting the COVA approach—Choice, Ownership, Voice, and Authentic learning opportunities—I am reshaping how I understand learning and demonstrate acquired knowledge. At the heart of this evolution is the ePortfolio, a digital repository that sums up my learning journey through Understanding the Power of ePortfolios in Education.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my commitment to my personal learning and the learning of my peers has been a driving force throughout this course. While there are areas for improvement, such as the promptness of feedback, my overall contributions have been significant. I have supported my score of 95 with specific examples of my engagement and leadership within the learning community. This reflection, along with links to my work and the details of my collaboration group members, can be found on my ePortfolio https://kimberelyg33.wixsite.com/kimgoffneyportfolio.

As I continue on my journey as a lifelong learner, I will carry forward the lessons learned and the collaborative spirit fostered in this course, always striving for excellence and the betterment of myself and those around me.

Reference:

Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. Jossey-Bass.

Harapnuik, D. & Thibodeaux, T. (2023). COVA: Inspire Learning Through Choice, Ownership, Voice, and Authentic Experiences. Learner's Mindset Publishing.

Learners Mindset. (2020, May 25). LMD EP30 ePortfolio Why [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx304CW-gKU

Harapnuik, D. (2023, September 5). Who Owns the ePortfolio. It’s About Learning. Retrieved March 26, 2024, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6050