This blog post is a reflection of my contributions to my learning and my learning community. As I reflect on my contribution to the courses 5313 Creating Significant Learning Environments and 5389 Developing Effective Professional Development, my self-assessment is as follows:
5313 Creating Significant Learning Environments: 89/100
5389 Developing Effective Professional Development: 89/100
My learning community for 5313 and 5389 included myself, Rebecca Chang, Francys Machado, Samara Marin, and 9 other members. Each member within our group supported each other by answering course-related questions and providing feedback, and members collaboratively revised each other's blogs, website content, and assignments.
What Worked?
Collaboration among peers remained strong, despite a slightly smaller cohort this term. I noticed active participation across both courses, 5313 and 5389, with peers consistently providing constructive feedback and revising each other's work as needed. There was a palpable excitement, as many expressed interest in each other's projects and in exploring AI. The online discussions and teamwork kept me motivated, offering new perspectives on the ADL experience while sparking creative insights. The encouragement and support from the group gave me the confidence to build assignments like my PD Outline, Understanding by Design, and Revised Growth Mindset Plan.
This term, I switched to Rebecca Chang's Microsoft Teams group instead of my previous cohort, actively sharing feedback, reviewing peer work, and offering AI tips, which allowed me to take greater responsibility and contribute meaningfully to the group's success.
What worked well for me this term was maintaining a Google Doc with assignment deadlines for 5313 and 5389 to keep myself accountable. I actively contributed to all Blackboard discussion prompts, ensuring that I replied to at least two peers for each post. I also dedicated time to reviewing most of the videos, readings, and links shared within the course, which helped me stay engaged and on track with my learning objectives.
What Could Be Better?
This term, like the last, I struggled to balance work and life with live sessions. Although I don't want to make excuses, I couldn't attend the weekly sessions in Dr. Grogan's or Dr. Reed's courses. My district requires us to work from 7:45 a.m. to 4:25 p.m., and with car duty, I can't leave until 5:00 p.m. I usually arrive home at 5:30, just in time to greet my toddler. Often fussy, she needs my full attention for bathing, feeding, and other care, leaving me unable to focus on attending class at 6:00 p.m.
Another challenge was incorporating feedback from Dr. Grogan and Dr. Reed into my assignments in 5313 and 5389. While I did revise my work with peers, once an assignment was submitted, I rarely revisited it for further improvement on my portfolio.
Contribution to My Learning Community
Due to my scheduling conflict again this term, I made sure to watch the recorded live sessions from both Dr. Grogan's and Dr. Reed's courses on weekends when I had child care. I took notes while rewatching these sessions and created a Google Docs calendar to stay on top of assignment deadlines.
I joined an active cohort where I provided constructive feedback, asking insightful questions about my peers' assignments and offering helpful advice. I actively participated in Microsoft Teams discussions and Blackboard assignment posts. I wrote in APA format, using the resources recommended in the course modules, and read the assigned books on my Kindle. Additionally, I explored Dr. Harapnuik's blog to improve my professional development outline and CSLE assignments.
In conclusion, I believe I've fulfilled most of the key components of contributing to my learning and my learning community. Participating in both courses has made me realize that the more I engage with the ADL program, the more I will grow over time. Moving forward, I will focus on better managing my work-life balance so that I can attend more live sessions. I'll also commit to revisiting my ePortfolio and revising my work after submission. Overall, it has been a valuable and productive learning experience!
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