Creating Significant Learning Environments (CSLE) Course
- Fall 2022
- Course Number: EDLD 5313
- Course Title: Creating Significant Learning Environments
Contributions to learning and learning community.
I am giving myself a score of 96 out of 100
Crediting Core Group Members: Kristin Winzer, Patrick Rodriguez
Crediting Collective Members: https://advising.blog/collaborations/
Key Contribution
I met all activity deadlines and requirements throughout the semester by their posted deadline. Each semester I work to review and revise my previous work. As I gain a greater understanding of the task (this learning approach), I can evaluate and determine if my past work is meeting those outcomes and objectives. This course has provided a greater understanding of the importance of the learning environment I am creating. Everything we do should focus on learning, and how we approach subjects can tap into a learner’s thirst for learning or squelch it. I want to help reignite that natural love of learning so that my learners can be both successful and lifelong learners.
What worked
In addition to completing all course readings, videos, and supporting research, I embraced research this semester. I found that the best way to understand the different topics was to give myself as much context and related information as possible. In doing so, I watched/read the provided content, followed all the associated links, researched for related information, watched relevant media, and took many notes. This means of forming context allowed me to better synthesize my understanding of everything. I faced several projects that were entirely new for me. These new concepts and tasks made me work extra hard to teach myself as much as possible. This course was my first of really long study nights and limited sleep. If there is one thing that this program has taught me: I have the power to learn and improve when I feel weak or unfamiliar with something. For example, I believe my academic writing skills could use improvement. Therefore, in addition to my typical YouTube search to learn about “how to write an argumentative paper?,” “How to write a response,” and “What is an annotation?” I attended an online writing workshop to try and help with my ability to paraphrase and improve my overall writing skills.
I am trying to keep up with blogging and tracking some of my thought processes (thinking about my thinking). I am trying to embrace and trust the ADL program (COVA+CSLE). I recognize that reflection is a crucial aspect of learning. I have also hoped that I could further help facilitate learning how to learn by documenting the stages and steps in my learning process. Additionally, those proved very helpful in the compilation because those blogs helped me reflect upon the process and my facets of understanding to see myself in each piece of that learning opportunity.
What could be better
I still struggle quite a bit with the best way to keep up with academic research. I have a variety of folders and drives just full of PDF documents. I have been saving my research related to different assignments or projects. Still, I think having a better system to organize my research would allow me to draw from multiple overlapping resources as relevant and needed. I tried a couple of online research systems. Still, they all seemed very time intensive, with multiple entries required for each resource. I am considering starting a gigantic, annotated bibliography since that was something we have done in a couple of classes thus far. I can see how the summary of why the source is relevant to me could be beneficial.
I am also finding that I lack the confidence I think I need to synthesize information effectively into my own words. I struggle with not just creating a quote-fest and submitting it as an assignment because the source material is all so new to me. I feel that I’m still really finding it a challenge to process and paraphrase (with citations) instead of just direct quoting.
I recognize this semester that I need to work harder to keep the forward progression in the modules. Instead of focusing on a given week’s readings/discussions/projects, the future modules don’t get addressed until the previous one is complete. I recognized that this provides additional context and increases the synthesis of information instead of trying to keep everything so compartmentalized between projects/modules. I can get too focused on the immediate that I can forget to consider/plan for the long term.
I’m unsure if I should actively seek comments on my blogs/EP. I know from our ePortfolio class that likes, reshares, and comments are what drives the audience. Should I ask my classmates to visit my blog and leave comments, or am I just hoping to connect with readers with common interests? I feel like this is an area where I could improve my understanding and ensure that my ePortfolio functions as a learning space, a personal narrative, and a place to help others in their learning journeys.
Supporting Contributions
I think I will address my supporting contributions in reverse order since I am already reflecting on what could have been better. Plus, then I get to wrap everything up on a positive note.
What could be better
I feel terrible admitting this, but I have committed to transparency in my learning journey. I genuinely believe I can learn from this first reflection what I could have done better. I completely dropped the ball on my learning community this semester. I spoke with my group last semester, and we were all set to collaborate again this session. We continued with our chat and google drive. Our last class was the Concepts of Educational Tech course, and I created shared documents for our group discussions. Still, no one interacted with them, as we had in our Applying Digital Tech /ePortfolio course. Last semester, there didn’t seem to be as much focus on the blog posts and group discussions as there was in the ePortfolio course. I thought I would try this session again, so I created a few module reminders/guides/checklists and started group discussion threads.
The first one or two discussions passed without interaction, and I assumed the group was meeting and collaborating in another fashion. Since everyone else was a K-12 teacher with similar innovation plans, they took two classes instead of one. In past semesters, they explained that they often met about the class I wasn’t in and covered questions/material for both courses. I am embarrassed to admit that I just assumed the worst and leaned into the ADL 2021-2023 group chat to share my assignments, seek collaboration/support, and feed-forward. During my breakdown crisis of self over the UbD template assignment, one of my previous groupmates said, “I know you haven’t been sharing your assignments as we have, but ours are there if you think more examples will help you.” I didn’t even realize they were uploading assignments to our shared drive. After a couple of weeks of no interaction in the early part of the semester, I stopped checking. I felt like such a jerk; I had no idea. My groupmate was utterly kind and supportive, which was so amazing in my moment of dismay. I am fortunate to be in this program with wonderful people who extend grace and understanding. I learned a valuable lesson on the importance of communication and transparency. I should have just asked, are we still collaborating? Is there another group chat somewhere? Am I missing something?
What could be better? I recognize that I need to speak up instead of just retreating into my feelings and making assumptions.
However, I did find a few different things that worked this semester.
What worked
I continued leadership responsibilities within the online ADL 2021-2023 group chat, which helped me connect with the ADL cohort. I wanted to stay connected with my cohort as I have seen previous cohorts remain connected and supportive throughout every program stage. Additionally, selfishly my learning cohort will change every two semesters or so. So I needed to find a way to foster new relationships, develop opportunities to mentor and for mentorship, and maintain connections with the incredible network I am making. I also wanted to provide that level of community connection for others who might be returning to the program. I recognize that in groups, there can be any number of personalities, schedules, and other dynamics of the human dimension. It is important to me that there is a place open to everyone so that no one goes without that collective component that seems so integral and valuable to the learning process. I appreciate that we have students from all levels in the chat, allowing students further along in the program to give guidance and context for questions that arise.
The group has become an incredible collective and support system for many of us. At almost any hour (day or night), we can reach out and get feed-forward, ideas, and input from one another. Additionally, we can provide the same for those progressing further behind us. It has been nice to see our cohort share professional challenges and opportunities.
I enjoy the role of learning facilitator and resource. Throughout the semester, I would post reminders to the group chat about discussion posts, due dates, comment deadlines, and upcoming assignments. I would individually reach out to people who had not yet posted or commented by those deadlines for the first week or two. I enjoy being that helpful friend who understands how busy life can make us. I believe this allowed most of us to successfully keep up with the timely postings and active contributions for myself and the group. Seeing the group take ownership of that chat and step up to support and mentor one another has been gratifying. I think that ongoing collaboration helps in the bond our cohort shares.
Through our class meetings and the group chats, I identified Kristin, another non-classroom educator. I reached out her via course mail a few times and expressed a sincere interest in working together. We bonded and built a learning community over our connection and struggles of translating what we teach and our learning environments from application in K-12 education settings. Kristin said that she was collaborating with Patrick and that it would be great for us to all see how we could support one another. I was in a group chat with Patrick, started by Jasmin, so I was excited to share my assignments and struggles with each of them. I finally tried to do a better job of not just providing support but also asking for support. I recognized this as something that could be better in my last contributions to learning reflection, so I pushed myself to share more vulnerability in this area. The payoff was so rewarding. I watched my learning community members grow and expand their portfolios and confidence with each passing conversation and assignment.
I feel a special place in my heart for this course and this learning experience. I felt the connection in this course, maybe because of the vulnerability and openness we shared, or perhaps it was just all the communication and collaboration. I also tried to stay tuned to the student/faculty discussion thread and keep conversations active in class meetings, chats, and course mail. I am excited to continue learning, applying, and revising my work and understanding as we progress through the program.
I guess the advice I want to leave here for myself and others is to Embrace the process, accept the change, and in the wise words of our fearless facilitator, “Say yes!” (Grogan, 2022).
The Advisor That Cares 