I am working toward the learner’s mindset. I do everything possible to learn and absorb as many sources of information as possible on each topic with which we are presented. I seek outside resources, follow links from links, and reference farm for additional sources to provide more context for greater understanding. However, a part of this is my personality type. I am still learning and seeking ways to instill this mindset in my learners and learning environment. I hope to take my learners to the authentic space we experience here in the ADL Program. I want to create that inquisitive place where they actively seek to understand and make sense of their learning journey/experience.
While I consider myself an independent learner, I believe my learners are dependent. Unfortunately, I think that I am to blame for creating some of this dependency. I am highly responsive and helpful as a person. Therefore, my learners can sometimes become lazy in seeking information because they know I will respond and provide information. I believe a portion of this comes from a customer service mentality of “keeping the students happy.” Still, it may also stem from working with incoming first-year students when I initially became an advisor. I have worked to provide guidance and direction more than just giving the answer since I began in the ADL Program, knowing that if I equip them with the knowledge of how to find information, there is a chance of them becoming independent learners. I can say from my experience that struggling through the process is how we learn the most. Upon reflection, in another sense of the word, I can say that I was a very independent learner when I began the program. Still, the learning community component has taught me how helpful the collective can be in thinking about our thinking. I struggle with finding the level of collaboration and communication that would make my experience even more meaningful. I am a bit of an outsider since I don’t work in the K-12 system, but I feel like this is an aspect that could be significantly improved by collaborating with others. I struggle with how to incorporate peer learning opportunities due to FERPA regulations. I love the idea of the collective and our learning communities. Unfortunately, I cannot disclose students’ names, majors, etc., needed to form collaborative peer groups. Still, I have been brainstorming other ways to make this happen through my ePortfolio. If the student opts into an organization or group on their own accord, then I wouldn’t be disclosing any personal information or if there were a means of creating a message board or some system without student names. I also have concerns that students might share personal/private information like student ID numbers, grades, GPAs, and negative comments about professors or the institution. I guess that is where moderation would be a factor. I realize students are entitled to all of those interactions. Still, as an institution representative, I’m not sure I can facilitate collaboration if those issues arise. I am still struggling to determine how students could collaborate and support one another.
A factor I am trying to pay close attention to is the one about expert biases. In higher education, there is a whole culture that utilizes terms and jargon that everyone knows, but that is unfair to everyone who isn’t in the know. Even as I try to translate policy and procedure into laypeople’s terms, many internal phrases remain out of touch with our learners. I can completely understand how those “blind spots” or biases would be something to be very aware of and that I will need feedback from students/users throughout the development process.
Additionally, I have been considering how to align outcomes, activities, and assessments, but I am still trying to wrap my head around my learning outcomes. What do I teach? How do I make that engaging and active? So much of what I have to share with students is currently information dumping. “Here is a massive amount of information; read it thoroughly, and let me know if you have any questions,” but many do not read the information provided. I have spent a year working with graduate students, being stunned by the lack of ownership some of my students accept in their learning journey. I have students who miss deadlines and delay their degree programs. I am the outlet for frustration and confusion about the program requirements and departmental expectations, which are entirely out of my control or my area. While I inform my students of their program’s requirements, I am not the content provider or developer of the necessary resources and information. I translate where and what the students need to know, but that doesn’t always lend itself to a clear set of learning outcomes. Speaking with Dr. Grogan has helped me conceptualize how I could create benchmarks and modules for different stages of the student’s journey. I don’t know if this means creating multiple courses and having key points where those courses are deployed or if creating one giant course that students progress through as needed where the modules can be selected as needed along the program path. The benefit of the second option is some learners may want to familiarize themselves with the whole process at the start. In contrast, the benefit of the first option is that students might not feel so overwhelmed by the amount of information with which the students need to become familiar.
My goal is to embrace the opportunity to create a significant learning environment, so my innovation can be successful and hopefully improve the student experience, alleviate stress, and make room for other, more meaningful opportunities. By keeping the learners focused on the overall goal of the course(s), I can help them maintain clarity for why they will be participating in the learning activities outlined. Through these BHAG’s, learners can draw connections to experiences and information they already know and look ahead to what they will gain throughout our course or program. As I work through the worksheet and documents on creating significant learning environments, I am learning how important it is to focus on learning outcomes first and foremost. By working backward with outcomes in mind, I am learning that I can plan learning objectives and activities that align with those learning goals/outcomes.
Just in the few classes I have completed here in the ADL program, I believe there has been plenty of proof that the collect the dots method does not lead to long-term learning or understanding. Therefore, the only reasonable explanation is data points/quantifiable proof of “learning,” which we all now know is not what those test results show. Surveillance is, in my opinion, exactly why collecting dots is still the focus. Education has to have a quantifiable method to show parents, taxpayers, state agencies, and the federal department of education that they are meeting learning objectives. We have become so focused on the output that we have lost sight of the point or learning outcomes.
The Advisor That Cares 
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