Category: Online Learning

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).