Disclaimer: The views expressed on this page belong to me as the creator and are not meant to express or imply any views of my organization, its affiliates, or employees.
This week, we are revisiting some of our previous Growth Mindset content and reflections. As I re-watch the Learners Mindset Discussions, Episode 20, I am almost overcome with confirmation of so many things going through my mind these days.
When I was struggling with the thought of enrolling in the ADL Program, I watched so many LMD and ADL content, just trying to get a sense of the program. Dr. Thibodeaux‘s vulnerability spoke directly to my fixed mindset, to my wall of fear, to my heart. This discussion topic was the subject that sealed the deal for me.
Now I review the discussion and have a whole new perspective on the conversation. I understand what the instructors mean when they say that the environment we can create for our learners is the key to transformation, transference, and triumph (I wanted to say success but couldn’t resist the 3T’s). I understand it because they provided that very environment to learn for me.
We now get to create the environment through our essential questions/understandings. It is overwhelming. It is exceptionally challenging. But aren’t we “smashing through the walls of fear?” Aren’t we “setting our course by the light of the stars?” Aren’t we here “to change the world?” That is big and overwhelming, but our instructors believe in us. We believe in each other. And just because I know I need to hear it and you might too, I believe in you!
In one of our final course meetings, a classmate expressed some serious reservations about their final major assignment. Another fantastic community member messaged me, heartbroken about how we could help a classmate through their struggle. I created a zoom call and rallied the troops so that we could be supportive sounding boards to provide as much feed-forward as possible. This meeting took place after an hour-long class call and lasted another 40-45 minutes. I believe we all left the session with a better understanding of the assignment.
I wanted to share our discussion because I think it illuminates the purpose of our learning community component. As we discuss our ideas with others, we obtain clarity on our plans. As we support others in finding clarity for their ideas, we fortify our own.
Before beginning the ADL Program, I cannot say for certain I ever heard of EDUCAUSE, but here I am excited because I just received an email with the subject: “Now Available: 2022 Students and Technology Report”
How exciting is it that “rebalancing the student experience” is part of the title for this year’s report. Of particular interest to me is the section on student success. As I reflect upon my 3 Column Table and prepare for my UbD Template, I see several of the topics we have discussed throughout our program courses and research. It is justifying to see academic advisors and coaches listed as a success resource as reported by students. This provides support and validation to the opportunity posed through the course planning of these two activities. Students share several of the frustrations advisors feel when trying to help students navigate the terrain of higher ed and federal regulations with referral to overwhelmed resources across campus. There just have to be more innovative ways to connect students. The nonacademic circumstances outlined by the report are inline with my heart and my passions for helping students succeed. “Work/life balance” appeared on my 3 Column Table Assignment this past Saturday (10/01/2022) when I submitted my first attempt at outcomes planning with regard to advising. To see that very factor listed on the report issued today (10/03/2022) is just amazing.
We are catalysts for change.
We are changing lives.
I’m excited.
What did you read that made you want to push forward and fight the good fight?
I want to inspire my students to seek digital learning opportunities by modeling that behavior and showing the value of seeking multiple sources and applications of different aspects of learning. I know I better understand content and material when I can view it through different lenses and processes until it makes sense.
For example, here is my process for beginning the UbD Assignment. I first go to YouTube and search for each individual author and UbD. Then I search on the associated channels for the ADL program discussions. Here are some of the sources that I first used to frame the project.
After taking pages and pages of notes, I think reviewed the assigned chapters (Intro, 1 and 3) but I did not stop there. As I began trying to work my way through the assignment, I quickly found myself reading and taking notes on almost the entire book. This thirst to understand and to try to do right by my learners pushes me to consider more from the innovation to innovate advising.
I want to inspire the learners I have influence over to become digital learners too. Through combined formalized education and informal learning opportunities, I believe our learners have a more significant chance for understanding and skill transfer. As our learners experience authentic learning and connect informal learning, they will be more likely to carry those skills to the next challenge or task to be addressed. By giving our learners real-world learning opportunities, they will become the “self-evolving learners” that Grant Lichtman identifies (TEDx Talks, 2013). I am striving to increase curiosity and questioning by using questions. I hope that by prompting learners with questions instead of just providing information, they will begin to tap into their inquisitive mindsets and seek additional information and ask more questions. Through reigniting that curious mindset, I hope learners will be inspired to think outside the box and actively seek further information, verification, and clarification sources.
I felt it so necessary to share this recent Hot One‘s interview. The guest’s mindset, David Blaine, is an inspiring living example. I can’t say I’ve followed any of his work, though I’m sure I’ve seen bits and pieces here and there throughout his career. Nonetheless, he shares beautiful nuggets of wisdom. His thoughts on failure. Maybe it is because I’m going through Carol Dweck’s Mindsets again. Still, I felt it necessary to share this learner’s mindset example with anyone who might have read the book and the ADL goals but struggles with living the learner’s mindset. Does everyone feel like it’s one step forward, two steps back, at times? I just keep adding, yet!
Disclaimer:
This is a blog about my learning journey and my role in education. I am torn about sharing a personal reflection because of the language used. I am battling over whether that is professionally appropriate considering the multi-use purpose of my ePortfolio. I hope that you, the reader, will accept my humble apology if you find the content inappropriate. I also hope you will take this disclaimer and go no further in viewing the content should you be sensitive to cursing.
The findings of visiting 60 schools video proves that we need to get better at preparing our learners for unknown futures. As Grant Lichtman describes, by forming both “self-evolving learners and self-evolving organizations,” we can grow and change as learning, education, technology, and society continue to change will prepare us all simultaneously for the future as well as the present (TEDx Talks, 2013). I want to inspire my students to seek digital learning opportunities by modeling that behavior and showing the value of seeking multiple sources and applications of different aspects of learning. I know I better understand content and material when I can view it through different lenses and processes until it makes sense. By providing those sources and opportunities to my learners, I hope to inspire them to become digital learners too. Through this type of combined formalized education and informal learning opportunities, I believe our students have a more significant chance for information and skill transfer. As our learners experience authentic learning and connect informal learning, they will be more likely to carry those skills to the next challenge or task to be addressed. By giving our students real-world learning opportunities, they will become the “self-evolving learners” that Grant Lichtman identifies (TEDx Talks, 2013). I am striving to increase curiosity and questioning by using questions. I hope that by prompting students with questions instead of just providing information, they will begin to tap into their inquisitive mindsets and seek additional information and ask more questions. Through reigniting that curious mindset, I hope students will be inspired to think outside the box and actively seek further information, verification, and clarification sources.
This afternoon I had the pleasure of attending the following Coffee Chat with my professional organization. I found the resources shared so valuable and timely that I wanted to post some of the links and ideas to reflect upon as I address learning outcomes in my upcoming assignment.
Tutorial on the application of Dee Fink’s Taxonomy to “Design courses that promote significant learning”
Just sharing a beautiful resource I discovered while doing additional research on learning outcomes and significant learning environments. This is a beautiful resource for those who may feel overwhelmed by the process of working through L. Dee Fink’s Self-Directed Guide to. Designing Courses for Significant Learning since the information is broken into smaller pieces with activities embedded to assist in the development phases.
Click the image below and we can work through the process together.
Next up in my adventure to learn how I can create a significant learning environment through my innovation of advising, is Aligning Outcomes, Activities, and Assessments.
We are considering outcome based education/learning through the creation of these environments. My process for learning is to seek and search for all the possible inputs for a topic. I have completed several LinkedIN Learning trainings and am watching a number of YouTube sources on the topic.
Creating Effective BHAG & Outcomes (7 minutes)
Outcome-based Education vs Competency-based Education (18 minutes)
Learners Mindset “Change in Focus” (4 minutes)
Dee Fink discusses Active Learning and Learner Centered Design (1 hour 8 minutes)
In the bigger picture of things, we are ultimately rethinking the rubrics and how we go about learning!
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 