Category: Growth Mindset

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Contributions, 5320

The Advisor That Cares

Capstone Course

  • Fall 2023
  • Course Number: EDLD 5320
  • Course Title: Synthesis Digital Learn/Lead

Contributions to Learning and my Learning Community

The back of a yellow van is pictured travelling down a dessert roadway.

Crediting Core Group Members: Kelly Skillingberg, Shannon Bowles, and Rachel Hull.

I am giving myself a score of 99 out of 100

Wow, what a transformation from the first course in the program.

please reconsider and evaluate your work and grade with the same fairness as another student.”

March 11, 2022 paraphrased email from EDLD 5305 instructor

Here I am, emboldenly claiming 99 out of 100 for my contributions to my learning and the learning of my learning community. Who is this person I have become?

I know now what I didn’t know then. I know that my “assessment of/for/as learning” is mine to claim ownership over, too (Harapnuik, 2021). The ADL Program equipped me to take control of my learning journey, and I embraced it!

When I began the program, I didn’t understand how having a group would help me. I had always been a little better off on my own or a type A person who would prefer to do all the work to know it got completed.

This independence was also true of my professional life, now that I think about it. While I enjoyed collaborating with others at work, I would typically take the lead to ensure that none of us “got in trouble” for failing to meet expectations.

However, this program and the soul-searching reflection done throughout leave me knowing that I have given 100 percent effort toward my entire learning experience. I also have given 100 percent effort toward connecting with my learning cohort. I am not giving myself a perfect score because there is always room for improvement and more to learn.

The fantastic people in my collaboration group have shown me how much better my ideas and our experience can be if we work together.

My learning communities overlap so many periods and classes that I cannot limit my experience to a single learning community (though this one was top-notch because we have all evolved so much in our learning journey that we now “get it”) but instead try to approach each semester as my opportunity to support and guide my fellow learners in the learning journey.

I love connecting with new people, and weekly meetings are my jam! But I had to learn that they are not that for everyone. I had to adapt and learn to meet others when and where they were available. We have had so many chats and a few synchronous meetings. Still, the asynchronous ability to connect has significantly impacted my future innovation ideas.

Adding peer support is a transformative component of innovation in advising. I never imagined how learners could support one another in co-navigating a new experience. However, thanks to my experience with choice, ownership, and voice in this authentically significant learning environment (COVA + CSLE), I know firsthand that peer support and a shared experience can revolutionize a learning experience.

Key Contributions

  1. My learning community’s core group members have all done a fantastic job staying in touch throughout the semester. One evening, we were the only members of the course who attended the class call. What worked this semester was our continued commitment to learning as much as possible, improving our innovation ideas as much as possible, and getting as much as possible out of this last course in the ADL program.
  2.  Fortunately, Shannon, Kelly, and I have been in learning communities and have maintained ongoing chats over the last several semesters. Before this session began, we had an EDLD 5320 Capstone Community GroupMe started. We all did a great job sharing links to our works in progress for feedforward and periodically just checked in to see how we felt about our coursework and innovation ideas.
  3.  I completed an overwhelming number of revisions on my ePortfolio as a whole. I continually revised current coursework and previous courses/projects coursework as a part of the entire program synthesis process. It was amazing to see how much we have learned and evolved in such a short time.
  4.  I completed ALL of the course readings, videos, and supporting resources provided and actively sought additional resources to deepen my learning and improve my innovation.
  5.  I met the various course activity deadlines indicated in the calendar.

Supporting Contributions

  1. While our group maintained a well-balanced interaction, I took a leadership role by requesting and creating recurring Zoom meetings to chat about projects and our reflections throughout the course. I contributed to my classmates in class calls and discussions by answering questions and pointing to resources when applicable.
  2.  I contribute to my learning and the learning of my colleagues by participating in ALL activities.
  3.  I actively contributed to discussion posts with engaging and well-thought-out reflections.

Reference

Harapnuik, D. (2021, August 16). Assessment OF/FOR/AS learning. It’s About Learning. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=8900

https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=8900

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Professional Pitch

The Advisor That Cares

Soft pitch, day two.

Once again, I’m letting parts of my heart slip and show with my colleagues, and no one is running away screaming in fear. It seems like everyone is really excited about some of my ideas.

I pitched having brief Monday morning (WIG meetings – though I didn’t call it that) to set our goals and intentions for the week. I suggested Friday afternoon review of the week’s collaborations where teams “check each others work” to help cross each other T’s and dot each other’s “i’s” so to speak.

I pitched the concept of new year, new us. Beginning with the day after the last day to register, we are going to come up with a departmental New Years Resolution (WIG – didn’t call it that) but it really is happening.

A wonderful addition of review plus board games, team-building at the rec, adult coloring pages, board games, or whatever sounds fun to the team. I am so excited for the new year.

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Leftovers

The Advisor That Cares

Media Project leftovers

Mannn, there’s so much to share. I definitely wanted to include a million quotes and clips in my media project. I will put them all here for now so I can revise and improve my thoughts, my article, and my innovation when I feel less limited by deadlines and time limits.

Quotes with YouTube clips:

This relationship has the potential to guide students through the unfamiliar landscape, and the language of higher education can also equip them with the skills needed to make informed decisions and choices in life. Jim Ott (2016) passionately echos this opportunity by saying that “significant learning comes through relationship” (TEDx Talks, 2016, 12:18-12:20). These connections allow the navigation of experiences, emotions, and the many questions that arise.

Sir Ken Robinson (2010) explains that the 21st-century educational landscape has “an unprecedented demand for innovation, for fresh thinking, fresh social systems, fresh ways of getting people to connect with themselves and have lives with purpose and meaning” (RSA, 2010, 32:37-32:40).

Jon Stolk (2015) says, “choice, trust, acceptance, encouragement, dialogue, care; when students feel these things, there are extremely strong positive correlations to a bunch of the stuff we we say we care about. So things like peer learning and active help seeking this is engaging with others in the learning process. Learners finding more value in what they do. Self-efficacy, the sense that you can be successful. Intrinsic motivation. Creativity. Very high level cognitive engagement, metacognition, thinking about your own thinking process” (TEDx Talks, 2015, 15:17-15:50).

Jim Ott (2016) passionately explains, “so if we are truly interested in the future of our children we must give them significant learning. We must give them a sense that they matter. We must invest in the emotions of now because everything about what we care about, their future, depends on them developing a foundation of believing in themselves. That they have value that they have purpose. That they matter. That is significant learning” (TEDx Talks, 2016, 14:56-15:27)

Craig Mertler (2019) challenges us all “to think about some aspect of your life, that you would like to change. No matter how big or how small. It doesn’t matter if it is personal, professional, academic. It doesn’t matter because you own it. It’s about you and your life. Find a different way of doing this thing and try it out. Gather some evidence of how well it worked for you and then make a plan for where you go next. Is this the solution or do I need to keep looking. Do I need to keep finding better ways to improve?” (TEDx Talks, 2019, 9:43-10:17)

Sir Ken Robinson (2010) “people do their best when they do the thing they love. When they are in their Element” (RSA, 2010, 26:45-26:51).

Sir Ken Robinson (2010) “evidence is persuasive when people get to connect to this powerful sense of talent in themselves, discover what it is they can do, they become somebody else. And that […] me is the premise of building a new education system” (RSA, 2010, 27:03-27:15).

Through discussions and reflections, advisors guide learners through encouraging questions. Working with students to help them understand their why (TEDx Talks, 2019), connect with their goals, and reignite the inquisitive mind. Sugata Mitra (2013) poses that “encouragement seems to be the key […] simply saying wow, saluting learning” (TED, 2013, 13:58-14:10).

Harapnuik, D. (n.d.). CSLE. It’s About Learning. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=849

Horn, M. B., & Staker, H. (2017). Blended: Using disruptive innovation to improve schools. John Wiley & Sons.

Khan, S. (2011, March). Let’s use video to reinvent education [Video]. TED Talks. https://www.ted.com/talks/salman_khan_let_s_use_video_to_reinvent_education?language=en#t-149503

RSA. (2010, February 4). Sir Ken Robinson – changing paradigms [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCbdS4hSa0s

Steele, G. E. (2016). Creating a flipped advising approach. NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. Retrieved from https://nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Creating-a-Flipped-Advising-Approach.aspx

TEDx Talks. (2009, September 29). Start with why — how great leaders inspire action | Simon Sinek | TEDxPugetSound [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA

TEDx Talks. (2016, March 14). Significant learning | Jim Ott | TEDxBellevueHighSchool [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zos6lhaehfo

TEDx Talks. (2019, March 20). Personal empowerment through reflection and learning | Dr. Craig Mertler | TEDxLakelandUniversity [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzDsT-25w14

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Contributions, 5318

The Advisor That Cares

Instructional Design Course

  • Summer 2023
  • Course Number: EDLD 5318
  • Course Title: Instructional Design in Online Learning

Contributions to learning and learning community

I am giving myself a score of 96 out of 100

Crediting Core Group Members: Kelly Skillingberg, Shay McDonald, and Valary Patterson

Collective Members: https://advising.blog/collaborations/ 

Contributions

Key

The key working component of my ADL Program learning journey is the authentic learning opportunity. There were so many points throughout the instructional design process that the realistic aspect of my innovation provided the framework to structure my course around.

The cognitive dissonance experience while trying something new is always uncomfortable. Nonetheless, the determination of a learner’s mindset embraces every new learning opportunity. This required that I complete all of the provided reading materials and do a lot of additional research to understand instructional design principles and techniques.

An aspect in which I could do better would involve confidence in the design of the three-column table. Many times I had to redirect my attention back to that original plan. I kept hearing Dr. Harapnuik’s advice to peel more away instead of adding more content to drill down to the desired learning outcome without overwhelming information.

Through the ADL Collective GroupMe, I have maintained a solid contribution to the learning community I helped build. Our group is a fantastic support and primarily where my core collaboration group provides feedback to one another and anyone else seeking support.

I appreciated how each module’s discussion in this course provided an opportunity for review and feedforward from our classmates. This learning opportunity really allowed me to see how others interacted with the material, what other types of innovations were being implemented, and helped me clarify confusion at different stages of the instructional design process. This might be one of two course where the discussion component of learning did not feel forced or like an item to mark off the checklist. The discussions were very helpful to my learning process.

Throughout the course, I completed ALL of the course readings, videos, and supporting resources while meeting all activity deadlines as outlined.

Supporting

I took leadership responsibility in your base group and the course by contacting my classmates to check on progress in assignments. I helped organize and host collaborative sessions to resolve confusion and discuss plans for course requirements and impacts to innovation ideas.

I contributed to the learning of my colleagues and myself by being active and engaged in every learning opportunity. I attended all class meetings and participated in chat threads to review assignments, clarify questions, and provide support. I always cite source material in blogs and discussion postings while ensuring timely posting to allow time for feedback and to provide contributions to my classmates.

Through class discussion posts and continued ePortfolio blogging, I made additional postings that were not required but contributed to my learning and understanding. I utilized APA citations while reflecting on my learning process.

I have continued to actively participate in my and my classmates’ learning by participating in every opportunity to learn. I constantly reflect on my learning process and embrace the learners’ mindset.

What could be better?

I allowed myself to get overwhelmed by a classmate this semester. During the early parts of the course, I was chatting and sending program examples to a confused classmate. I was basically attacked for my optimism and positivity. I was accused of being condescending for attempting to explain the COVA Framework and constructivist learning theory. I allowed this to make me withdraw from the ADL Collective chat as actively as I typically would based on these negative interactions. I know that I must embrace the learners mindset with learners in the heat of frustration over this uncomfortable approach to learning. This is something I am actively trying to improve as I move into the last two classes of the ADL program (after this one).

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Ready, Set, Usability Test

The Advisor That Cares

Well, here I go again. Preparing to do something I have never dreamed of doing before. I am about to embark upon my first experience with usability testing. Finding tasks that would give me a user experience in interacting with my course has been challenging. The hardest part has been avoiding biased language and providing too many instructions.

Usability Test Script

Usability Test Resource

My Usability Testing Notes and Observations Log is the last step in my prep work development process.

Ready, set, it is usability testing time!

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Usability Testing Research

The Advisor That Cares

How to Build Rapport and Welcome Participants

How to conduct Usability Testing

Remote Usability Testing

Usability Testing Questions

https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/ux-design/how-to-write-usability-testing-questions/: Usability Testing Research

Usability Report

Usability.gov – Templates, Resources, and How-Tos

https://www.usability.gov/index.html: Usability Testing Research https://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-tools/resources/templates.html: Usability Testing Research
https://www.hotjar.com/usability-testing/template-checklist/: Usability Testing Research
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Outcomes and Action

The Advisor That Cares

Reflecting upon this first course, I know there is too much content to cover.

Would a longer duration or a multi-course approach work best?

What I envision is a 15-week course that is broken up into three five-week classes. I hope shorter courses will be less overwhelming to learners. This approach would allow me to narrow in on each course’s focus.

  • The first course would introduce the learner to what an advisor is, does, and when to contact their advisor. This introduction to advising includes a ton of information about policies, procedures, impacts, and considerations which serve as an onboard to the university.
  • The second five-week course would hit right around the time learners face their first big exams, questions about the fit of their major selection, and whether this college experience is going how they imagined it would. This five-week course could focus on resources available and referral procedures, reinforcing the advising relationship as a central hub for connecting across campus. This course could also utilize growth and learner’s mindset information to empower learners to actively drive their educational experience instead of accepting the role of a passive participant. This five-week course also includes social and academic connections throughout campus life, from student government association, leadership conferences, greek life, intermural sports, and so much more. These three focus areas could drive home the learning outcome for a healthy and holistic student support system and experience.
  • The final five-week course would revisit the learning outcomes covered in the first two five-week courses and add the technology that learners will use to monitor their degree progress, explore other majors of interest, and ensure they are taking the classes they need at the pace and timeframe recommended by their department for timely graduation. This course will empower the learners to prepare a four-year plan of study and a one-year registration plan and allow them to verify that every class they register to take moves them closer to 100% completion.

Completing a cumulative final exam with a minimum score and advisor review may serve as a mandatory advising pass for the following semester by demonstrating their learning through formative and summative assessments for the entire 15-week term.

  • Measurement would require learners to prepare a registration plan with course reference numbers for the next academic year, a narrative statement about their major and career interests, an itemization of the services and social opportunities utilized and explored, if not used, a narrative account about the other ways students found support.
  • Multiple choice/short answer assessments of university policy, procedures, and implications (financial aid, time to degree, etc.) allow the measurement of information transfer topics important to students throughout their college experience.

Students with questions or advisors with concerns would allow for more meaningful and enriching advisor-advisee interactions.

Developing Learning Outcomes

  • What are the essential things students must know to be able to succeed in the course?
  • What are the essential things students must be able to do to succeed in the course?
  • What knowledge or skills do students bring to the course that the course will build on?
  • What knowledge or skills will be new to students in the course?
  • What other areas of knowledge are connected to the work of the course?

Active Verbs for Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

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Where it all began

The Advisor That Cares

My innovation plan was born out of a desperate desire to increase student motivation to seek the information they need to be successful in their academic pursuits. When I began the ADL Program, I was advising for a few online graduate Master of Education programs (including this one). I kept having students miss critical deadlines and requirements due to their lack of information. It was not that they did not have access to the information that was provided, published, and available; instead, it was a lack of inquisitivism that prevented them from even beginning the search for understanding.

Revisiting the process and learning I undertook with the facilitation of Dr. Kelly Grogan while creating significant learning environments, I keep looking for ways to align outcomes. What are my desired outcomes? I want learners to be autonomously motivated.

In my typical form and fashion, I begin my studies by reviewing, reading, and note-taking through the resources provided in my program coursework. Inevitably, I search for Learner’s Mindset discussions on the topic and/or YouTube videos on key concepts, terms, or goals.

This source resonates with me and can serve as a reminder to all of us as we endeavor to create significant learning environments.

Jon Stolk recommends that we remember to utilize the following:

  • Real Tools (physical need)
  • Real Choice (thinking, reasoning, decision-making)
  • Real Trust (emotions/feelings)

He continues by stating that “when students feel these things (choice, trust, acceptance, encouragement, care, dialogue), there are extremely strong positive correlations to a bunch of the stuff we say we care about (self-efficacy, metacognition, active help-seeking, creativity, task value, peer learning, and intrinsic motivation)” (TEDx Talks, 2015).

Therefore, I intend to keep these in mind as I prepare to outline my plans for an online learning course’s instructional design. I keep hearing Dr. Harapnuik telling me to focus on the learning.

Reference

TEDx Talks. (2015, November 5). Creating autonomy-supportive learning environments | Jon Stolk | TEDxSMU [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxlFzrfdqa4

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Naval-Gazing

The Advisor That Cares

While reviewing this weeks content for discussion in the ADL Program‘s EDLD 5318, Instructional Design Online Learning course, I heard the term “naval-gazing.” I had to back up the video, replay it, die laughing, and then search for the meaning and origin of the term.

How have I made it this far in life without ever knowing about this Ancient Greek term (principle of Omphaloskepsis)?!?!

Now here are a few interesting observations.

I have watched this video several times, taken detailed notes, and connected thoughts several times before, never noticing the phrase.

I had to exercise and embrace the Learner’s Mindset to even seek additional information.

I could not help but draw parallels to my learning process throughout the ADL program. Without even realizing or recognizing it at the time, I was detailing the same fundamentals addressed by this discussion in the recent interview I was honored to participate in about the Learner’s Mindset.

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Picturing the Finish Line

The Advisor That Cares

Somebody pinch me. I must be dreaming!

I have spent hours and hours watching Learner’s Mindset Discussions. Never would I ever have dreamed I would be in one! What a dream come true to sit and visit with two inspirational educators.

LMD EP47