Online learning is not the next big thing, it is the now big thing.”
Roosty Tovar
Contribution to Your Learning and The Learning Community
Every time I have the opportunity to reflect and evaluate eight weeks of another term, I analyze each level acquired and the great collective experience. These two classes were trying to find new freedoms through new approaches. Both courses weaved across a diversity of standards and strategies, in EDLD5313: Creating Meaningful Learning Environments and EDLD5389: Developing Effective Professional Learning are the construction and communication of structural ideas that allow choice, ownership, voice, and authentic learning (COVA) to occur.
As I progressed through each of these courses, it became more apparent how 5313 informs and supports 5389 and I wished I had made those connections sooner to use my 3-column table development and UbD template to strengthen my final 5389 product, rather than design professional learning for a different but related purpose. However, the two courses have strong potential to synthesize work and discussions.
These courses came at a challenging time for me, having summer classes, moving house and thinking about where to leave my children every day because I am on school vacation. I went from being a kindergarten teacher to a multifaceted extra person in 8 weeks. The demands of this time were considerably greater than my first two stints in the ADL program, as I learned how to transition responsibilities while still feeling like I was on a 2-month permanent daily interview. The learning function continues to evolve into a digital blended learning function. Over the past two months, I have been able to actively and immediately transfer learning from these two courses.
At 5313 we used Thomas and Brown's "A New Culture of Learning"as a starting point that gave me the start to connect with what I wanted with my Innovation Plan. I was able to create a new context around my approaches towards blended learning in corporate settings. In the "NEW CULTURE OF LEARNING “, my construction analogy in regards to blended learning is advanced by looking at the environment and culture where they are created and available in their development. This new synthesis of information added to my ideas naturally flowed into the Philosophy of Learning task. This assignment was unique and challenging in its own way. As a corporate learning guy, I've never had the opportunity to put my ideas and ideals on paper like this before. One of the most important pieces of my LEARNING PHILOSOPHY is my ability to finally put words behind the meaning and value of compelling content in a digital corporate learning environment. My perspective continued to grow as we moved on to our study of ALIGNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT AND ACTIVITIES - RT Aligning Results, Assessments, and Activities ( Thinking Behind The 3 column Table RT: ) and Ubd DESING . Initially, I was concerned about how I was going to connect with my audience. Well, sure enough, throughout each task, one good idea after another would fire up. Not only did it connect but it was the way of the connection that I needed digital and mixed. I was already able to transfer this learning to all my jobs and presented the ideas and needs assessments and statements for the different internal learning design requests.
In 5389, we began to break down the parts of effective professional learning, beginning with a Call to Action CALL TO ACTION- RT. I had to be clear about my audience. I chose to focus on how I would improve and develop traditional learning into digital blended learning as a means to support the implementation and success of my Innovation Plan. As I mentioned earlier, in hindsight, I would have moved my work from 5313 to 5389 and not have focused on two separate audiences (the kindergarten teacher at 5313 and the mom in learning at 5389). However, I have created my Professional Learning Framework which will inform and shape the first session of a six part series. Each session will map towards the design of meaningful learning experiences. My professional learning plan will demonstrate how to "teach while using it." From the first session, you will start learning.
ASSESSMENT AS LEARNING
EDLD5313 and EDLD5389 are courses that work together in a support/support type of relationship. As I said earlier, EDLD5313 was about "frameworks and perspectives" and EDLD5389 was about how we can potentially apply those concepts to support effective professional development. Because of this connection, I decided it was best to create a single learning contribution assessment. The benefit of this setup is that each class's readings, frameworks, and assignments fed into the other. Looking back, I feel like the work I was achieving in one course was only improving and progressing my work in the other.
I am recommending the following ratings based on self-assessment and the self-determined criteria that follow. I approached the eight week total as a connected effort, rather than two separate experiences. For that reason, I set each grade to be the same.
EDLD 5313: 98/100 (98%)
EDLD 5389: 100/100 (100%)
My association and friendship with Rossmary Vera and Argelia Perez Ramirez developed and prospered in the third term. This term was different for all three, in a variety of ways. The foundation of our collaboration and partnership in the first two terms allowed us to work through the good days and the hard days. After six classes with these smart, resourceful, and creative women, I can honestly say that I couldn't imagine doing this show or achieving this degree without their constant support, jokes, and ideas. We also participated more these 8 weeks with another collaboration group Groupme and Facebook that were created to support us and clarify many ideas, especially when making the videos and promoting our construction ideas and communication of ideas, thanks to Shannon, Angela, Valeria, Adonais Briceno, Paola Rodriguez, Lourdes Zarraga, Jeanette Gatica, Taylor Kratz, Veruschka Calvo. This group was historically attentive to every assignment development. It was great to see and hear from more of my classmates and to be able to participate in their journey.