It is Finished... My DLL Journey
As the sun sets on my time at Lamar University and work on my masters degree in Digital Learning and Leading, I look back on how far I have come with anticipation of what my future will hold.
What an Edventure!
EDLD 5302 - Concepts of Educational Technology
Course Goal: Learners will take ownership and agency over the learning process and incorporate learner choice and voice in designing authentic projects that use technology innovations as a catalyst for change in their organizational setting.
This class was the first time I learned of the Growth Mindset and COVA + CSLE. These two beliefs would impact my outlook on education and professional development. I developed my Learning Manifesto, and shared my digital past, present, and future. I was still using Google Sites for my e-portfolio at this time and learning to think positively about my chances in this program. Check out my class reflection and the webpage I developed on Growth Mindset and my Growth Mindset plan.
EDLD 5303 - Applying Educational Technology: ePortfolio
Course Goal: The learner will prepare and submit an e-portfolio that demonstrates their mastery of the learning outcomes for previously completed professional development work (Apple Distinguished Education, Microsoft Certified Educator, Google Certified Educator, EDLD 5302, etc.).
A gift of time. This class was an opportunity to develop my e-portfolio. I considered switching from Google Sites and Blogger to WordPress but I did not like the feel of the site editor. It was a challenge to continue to use Sites/Blogger, but I continued. I added my tribe (Professional Learning Network/PLN) and started to organize my navigation menu by topic instead of assignment. Check out my original e-portfolio and class reflection here.
EDLD 5305 - Disruptive Innovation in Education
Course Goal: Learners will identify technology innovations and embrace them as opportunities rather than challenges and proactively use those changes as catalysts to enhance their institution or district’s learning environments.
Talk about baptism by fire! It was time to develop our Innovation Projects by creating a call to action, proposal, and outline for implementation. I had my first experience writing a literature review in this course. I was so scared to write a ten page paper! However, after reading all the articles and organizing my thoughts into an outline, the paper just flowed out of me. I was so surprised to see my grade, I wasn’t sure the professor actually read it. I figured, if I could do that well on a literature review then the rest of the program should be a breeze. Boy was I wrong!
EDLD 5313 - Creating Significant Learning Environments
Course Goal: Learners will identify and incorporate constructivist theories to create and implement significant digital learning environments.
I enjoyed learning the different theories of learning such as Constructivism, Behaviorism, and Connectivism and how to use them to create a significant learning environment for my learners (CSLE). This was the first time I can remember studying them since it’s been 20 years since I was last in college and now, I was asked to develop my own learning philosophy. I really enjoyed this class because I was able to observe these concepts at educational conferences. Before all was said and done, we even used backward planning and universal design to create plans for implementing my innovation project. All those links are included here in my reflections on 5313.
EDLD 5304 - Leading Organization Change
Course Goal: Learners will be equipped with the tools to be a self-differentiated leader who can address the inevitable resistance to change that will occur when launching innovative digital learning initiatives.
This class was one of my more challenging classes due to the large amount of reading and the fact that I was taking this one during the summer. I did much of the reading while floating in my boat on the lake and even completed an assignment between swimming and sunning! We started by identifying our “Why” for what we are doing with our innovation projects. It was very interesting to learn about the six sources of influence, the science behind it, and how to use them to help out projects. I developed a 4DX Plan and pleasantly surprised Dr. Harapnuik with my method of delivery. Read the full course reflection here.
EDLD 5388 - Effective Professional Learning.
Course Goal: Learners will effectively apply an innovative teaching practice by collaborating with colleagues to evaluate their impact on learners and design and model authentic professional learning (PL) activities that are active, have a significant duration, and are specific to their discipline.
“You’re doing it wrong” is what this course taught me! I now have proof that the traditional set-and-get professional development does not work and my method of continuous professional learning does. After this class, I was able to go to my principals and revamp the way I facilitate technology professional learning within my schools. I began to tweak my innovation plan based on this class. The innovation project page reflects the updates to my project and check out my professional learning plan for more detail on the types of professional learning I offer.
EDLD 5314 - Digital Learning in Local and Global Contexts
Course Goal: Students will analyze and assess global educational technology innovation projects to determine what worked and what could be done better and apply those lessons learned to local innovation projects.
I really enjoyed learning the different ways professional learning is delivered around the world and how I can apply these lessons to my innovation plan. I researched articles for my second literature review and created my updated call to action video while updating my innovation plan. I even learned a new word, Jifunzeni (Swahili word inviting all to learn). This time the literature review was not so scary!
EDLD 5315 - Assessing Digital Learning and Instruction
Course Goal: Learners will be able to assess the instructional impact the implementation of their innovation plans have on creating effective digital learning environments.
Action Research, not my favorite class, but very informative. I wrote my third and final literature review on technology coaches and their influence on teachers while developing my own action research plan for my innovation project. This class was very informative on the different types of studies that are conductive, making it easier to understand the articles I have had to read. Check out my short and sweet reflection on the course.
EDLD 5318 - Instructional Design in Online Learning
Course Goal: Students will apply constructivist learning theories and instructional design principles in the development and delivery of an online course utilizing significant learning environments through selected course management tools.
Talk about a challenging and time intensive course! I created a 10 week course that used my Understanding by Design plan for professional learning. There was a huge learning curve while working through this course since I had never used Schoology before. You can see my process with part one, part two, part three and final reflective blog posts.
EDLD 5316 - Digital Citizenship
Course Goal: Learners who work in the area of educational policy and practice will be able to navigate the emerging educational and legal challenges of a knowledge society where most K-12 students are deeply immersed in online communication, having grown up as “digital natives.”
I hate to say it, but this class had the least amount of COVA out of all of the courses! I hated writing the case studies, but the content of the course was the second most relevant to my position and people everywhere. I may not have enjoyed the weekly quizzes and long assignments that had to be typed in the word document or we lost points… but I was thankful for the learning and the resources we compiled. From copyright laws to cyberbullying, this course covers all aspects of Digital Citizenship.
EDLD 5317 - Resources for Digital Environments
Course Goal: Learners will examine a variety of digital environments and other digital resources to effectively communicate with others the practical implementation and the pedagogical value for educational use.
Don’t let the name of the course deceive you, while we curated technology resources for our edventures, we also had to write for publication. I am grateful that a podcast is considered a publication! After creating my media pitch, I began recording episodes. I enjoyed using Anchor.fm as my platform for publication since they took all the hard work out of my hands! Once the podcast was created and uploaded, they contacted multiple hosting sites and had my podcast published for me! Imagine my surprise when I opened the email telling my I was now located on Apple Podcasts! WOW!
EDLD 5320 - Synthesis of Digital Learning and Leadership/Capstone
Course Goal: Learners will synthesize their knowledge, skills, beliefs, and values gained through their digital learning and leadership experiences and present a comprehensive plan on how they developed into digital learners and leaders that can identify and promote innovation, create significant digital learning environments, and lead organizational change.
And then there was one! I enjoyed the exhale I was able to take throughout this class. With multiple opportunities for reflection, you can’t help but look back over all the hard work you have done and feel a great sense of accomplishment and pride in the fact that you never gave up! The first reflection was on COVA+CSLE and how it has made an impact on us, followed by an update of the innovation project, then the last and largest reflection on the whole journey that you see before you now.
Look how far you have come and it is only the beginning of a new edventure!