Category: Relationship

ADL Journey, ADL Program, Capstone, Collective, Contributions, Evolution, Goals, Growth, Growth Mindset, It's all about the learning, Learner's Mindset, Learning, Learning Community, Online Learning, Personal, Professional, Professional Learning, Reflecting, Relationship, Teamwork, Why

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

ADL Journey, ADL Program, Advising, ePortfolios, Evolution, Focus on the learning, Goals, Growth, Growth Mindset, Influencer, Innovation Plan, Instructional Design, It's all about the learning, Leadership, Learner's Mindset, Learning Manifesto, Online Learning, Personal, Reflecting, Relationship, Teamwork, Why

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.

ADL Program, Evolution, Goals, Influencer, Leadership, Personal, Professional, Relationship, Why

Love Your Job!

The Advisor That Cares

“When we feel safe. When we feel that our leaders care more about us than a number. They care more about our lives and our confidence, and our joy and our skillset more than some short-term gain… we will respond in kind and we will offer our blood our sweat and our tears and we will make sacrifices of all kinds to see that our leader’s vision is advanced” (REDDOT X, 2018).

“Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress.

Working hard for something we love is called passion“

(REDDOT X, 2018)

References

REDDOT X. (2018, July 13). HOW TO BE a LEADER  – motivational speech by Simon Sinek [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urrYhnaKvy4

Humor, Personal, Professional, Relationship, Teamwork

Such a Nerd

The Advisor That Cares

No offense intended by using the term “nerd” because I am a self-proclaimed goofball, silly goose, and nerd. So, I want to share a little piece of that with you because it is an example of how this program has helped me live authentically and how I am beginning to share myself with my team.

If you are participating in the upcoming event, I ask that you stop reading here and don’t steal my awesomely nerdy idea. Agreed? Okay, let’s continue.

So, I may have mentioned in a previous blog that our institution is celebrating its centennial celebration (woot woot, centennial class!). Leaning into that 100-year achievement, this upcoming weekend, we will participate in a campus preview event. These are typically themed, and this fall’s theme is “A Century of Leaders.” Boy, oh boy, were we stumped.

We’d recently done a decade of leadership and struggled to think of something new. “Cheers to 100 years” and President Taylor for taking a picture with our booth at the Spring event. We showcased the 100 years of university presidents and had university annuals from the 1950s to the 70s for guests to view.

Photographs of the last 100 years of Lamar University presidents is strung between red letters reading Cheers to 100 Years" below them and "LAMAR" clothes pinned above. President Jaime Taylor agreed to be photographed with his photo in the display.

So, one morning, I was mulling over the theme. I kept repeating, “A century of leaders, A century of leaders, leaders, leaders, leaders, leaders, humm liters?!?!”

What if we created liter bottle people to represent a century of leaders liters. So, I pitched the idea to my immediate supervisor. Then, I pitched the idea in a staff meeting. Needless to say, I was met with many stares of “Are you kidding me?” but no one flat out said, “That’s stupid,” and no one offered a better suggestion, so away we went. In my head, I could hear them saying they were crafty and couldn’t possibly create 6people from 2-liter bottles. But I was prepared. I came armed with middle school assignments to create just such a thing. I asked them if they could think of anything else, and I came prepared with lists of distinguished alumni and a more contemporary top 25 most recognizable alumni. We began brainstorming who we could create and showcase as our entry into the prize-winning contest.

I feel so much like Dr. Harapnuik when he says he’s so sneaky in how he helps us learn, collaborate, and grow (COVA). My teams have worked together to create their “bottle buddies.” When I explained in the staff meeting that 5th graders were making these, I found that everyone stopped thinking they couldn’t. We just needed a little dose of Growth Mindset. I will see staff members wandering off with felt, hot glue guns, and any crafting supplies I and others brought to the office.

The culture is shifting. There is teamwork happening. It is so exciting!

I have selected Florene Miller Watson as my most recognizable alumni of LU to honor with a crafty creation since I visited the WASP Museum in Sweetwater, Texas.

Humor, Personal, Professional, Relationship, Teamwork

Researching WASPs

The Advisor That Cares

My institution is celebrating its centennial year. Next weekend’s preview day/campus visit theme is A Century of Leaders. I went through a list of 25 Notable alumni of Lamar University and decided that I would like to research Florene Miller Watson. I felt I had a personal connection after touring the WASP Museum in 2018.

Here, I’ll share a few of my findings to compile some talking points about her.

https://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=24178

Born in San Angelo, Texas**

Born on December 7, 1920**

BA at Lamar Tech University***

After the war, she attended Lamar State College of Technology (now LU), majoring in secretarial science.**

“Florene lived her life cheerfully giving to others and always believing the best in everyone she met” (***).

““Do not undervalue your abilities. You have abilities that you haven’t had a chance to use.  Now, find something you want to use them on and get after it!” (Soundbytes of the WASP***)

  • 1 of 25 women of the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs)*
  • Completed flight training by age 19*
  • Taught servicemen to fly*
  • Army service volunteer – moved aircraft from factories to bases*
  • Obtained a Master’s Degree in Business Administration*
  • Taught college for 30 years*
    • UH**
    • Howard College**
    • Frank Phillips College**
  • Distinguished Flying Corps Member in Krister Aviation and Space Museum, Amarillo, Texas*
  • National Medal of Honor, Daughters of the American Revolution*
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Air Force Association*
  • 1st woman inducted into the Texas Panhandle Veterans Hall of Fame*
  • Galveston Aviation Hall of Fame*
  • International Women in Aviation Hall of Fame*
  • Ninety-Nines International Forest of Friendship***
  • Texas Aviation Hall of Fame***
  • Congressional Gold Medal***

Eagle Profile, Gathering of Eagles Foundation

Florene Miller Watson, Wikipedia

Florene Miller Watson, NASA Headquarters Oral History Project

Florene Miller Watson WAFS, Final Flight

WASP: Women in the WW2 US Army Air Force

Women of Courage, TV documentary

Florene Miller Watson. (2023, August 28). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florene_Miller_Watson

Collective, Contributions, Publication, Reflecting, Relationship

Contributions, 5317

The Advisor That Cares

Publishing Course

  • Fall 2023
  • Course Number: EDLD 5317
  • Course Title: Resources for Digital Environments

Contributions to learning and learning community

A wooden signpost is covered with hand written white wooden arrows to towns on Route 66 with rusty cars in the background of a scenic cloudy desert landscape with mountain range far in the distance.

I am giving myself a score of 95 out of 100

Crediting Core Group Member: Shannon Bowles and Chantilly Sweet

The remaining members of my core discussion group constantly changed based on discussion posting dates. I found it challenging to continue collaborating with the same core members (aside from Shannon) because I followed the course posting guidelines and deadlines.

I would like to give a proper thank you to all of those who regularly engaged with me in the course.

Discussion 1

Digital Tools in Digital Environments

  • Responses to Angela Deschner, Chantilly Sweet, Jane Burnett, Shannon Bowles
  • Responses from Angela Deschner
Discussion 2

Perusing and Sharing Publications

  • Responses to Shannon Bowles, Chantilly Sweet, Argelia Perez Ramirez
  • Responses from Shannon Bowles, Araceli Maria Lopez, Brenda Decuir, Angela Deschner
Discussion 3

Audio and Visual Digital Tools

  • Responses to Shannon Bowles, Angela Deschner, Brenda Decuir, Roostynel Tovar, Chantilly Sweet
  • Responses from Shannon Bowles
Discussion 4

Media that Engages

  • Responses to Shannon Bowles, Roostynel Tovar, Araceli Maria Lopez, Angela Deschner, Chantilly Sweet, Argelia Perez Ramirez
  • Responses from Shannon Bowles
Blue background divided midway by gradient, two thought/conversation bubbles are stacked slightly apart the top one with a row of 5 blue stars and the bottom with a row of four blue stars and one white star.

Peer Review Reflection

Shannon was an outstanding learning community member this session, and I was happy to provide feed-forward on her rough draft as she did for mine. Shannon provided valuable feedforward when concepts I sharing were unclear to the reader. What I found writing was that I had been working with the content and concepts so long that I was skipping details or failing to organize my thoughts in a logical sequence. Additionally, Shannon provided insight from their experiences during orientation, adding another layer to the audience’s perspective.

Feedforward to Shannon on her Rough Draft

Screenshot of Google Doc sharing/comments of Shannon's feed forward, questions, and suggestions to me.

Feedforward from Shannon on my Rough Draft

Screenshot of Google Doc sharing/comments of my feed forward, questions, and suggestions to Shannon.

This learning community aspect is something that I will miss moving out of the ADL courses and into professional life. This must be why the ADL program encourages us to get involved in our professional learning organizations to continue this community-based learning beyond our time together. What a fantastic project to culminate the program by submitting our work for publication. Carefully crafting the ADL program, we can now continue the conversation with those in our professions.

Contributions

Key Contributions

From the very start of the session, I did my best to contribute to building a learning community and provided a positive and collaborative contribution. Throughout the course, I worked to meet all activity deadlines outlined by Dr. Still and kept up with the content in each module. I have posted by keeping up with the course schedule so that other learning community members have ample time to respond. I have also found that having time for feedback allowed me to improve assignments by their due dates. I complete and reflect upon all assigned course readings, videos, and resources and share additional sources discovered throughout my learning exploration and reflections on learning connections. I post when I will be available for support on long-term project days and before deadlines. I take feedback, ideas, and suggestions from the comments on shared documents and discussion board posts to improve my work and clarify my thoughts. I provide thoughtful feedback and support to my classmates and community members.

Supporting Contributions

I did my very best to take on leadership responsibility and always asked clarifying questions during class calls in hopes of helping myself and others. I participated in all activities and rewatched the class call recordings to reinforce learning opportunities discussed with classmates. I routinely check the discussion board for posts and updates to keep collaborations active and timely with posted deadlines and due dates. I actively seek additional sources and resources. This course specifically had some links that were no longer active, but I searched and reposted updated links for future reflection. I included citations of source materials and reflected on the lessons laid out for us throughout the course.

What Could Be Better

Several semesters ago, I began sharing a GroupMe for a collective of ADL learners. I had high hopes that the group would continue to intake new ADL students, thereby creating a long-term mentorship group with veteran and graduate ADL students continuing to learn while giving guidance and perspective to future cohorts. The hope was that learners who struggled to connect with a community in their coursework would find additional opportunities to connect with others with similar innovations or interests.

In the past, this has been such an active and collaborative group. Unfortunately, a large part of our collaborative membership graduated, and many left the group. Watching members leave the group was crushing, as I thought we would be lifelong learners together. Buying into the idea of the learning collective.

I tried to keep casting conversation starters and offered ongoing support to other learners, but the group was inactive this session. It seemed like no one reached out for help from different classes, and no one posted assignments for feedforward. I cannot help but wonder if it was due to the discussion board requirement for posts and comments.

What Worked

For me, especially in the absence of the collective, collaborative learning experience I had become accustomed to, blogging helped fill some of the reflection and exploration I would have been doing in learning community meetings. I have tried to take every lesson that the program designed for us to heart, and I believe Dr. Harapnuik wanted us to continue blogging throughout the program. Many do not maintain the practice, but it is a key component of higher-order thinking and metacognition. I firmly believe that this authentic learning environment provides us with a frame of reference for our learning opportunities.

Pub Crawl

That is a bit misleading… because when I say “pub crawl,” I mean crawling through the publication process. In my typical form, in the ADL Program, the first thing I…

Tell Others

Moving through the module 1-2 content in this my second to last ADL Program’s publishing course, I am encouraged to share my success stories. To consider what digital technology I…

Fire

Let me tell you. It is not exactly easy to focus on much of anything when there is a 3,000-acre wildfire burning a dozen miles away. I’m really trying to…

Find your Element

In the On Point interview, Sir Ken Robinson (2013) shares that as a young person, he found himself in special education classes and recognized people around him. “Finding what lies…

Digital Tools in Digital Environments

5317 Discussion 1 (1 of 2) Technology can certainly enhance learning, as we have discovered throughout our ADL learning journey. The fact that I can connect with learners from various…

Technology and College

Saving these EDUCAUSE Review sources for later reflection and review. Students: 9 Ways to Help Students Use Technology to Get the Most Out of College Microlearning: The “OG” or Hot…

Perusing and sharing Publications

5317 Discussion 1 (2 of 2) The ADL program has opened my eyes to exactly how much the landscape of learning has changed and how little the landscape of education has changed.…

Schank you very much

Well darn. How in the world am I just now learning about Roger Schank! A link was thrown into the publication assignment, and I was off exploring another rabbit trail.…

What to Write

Going through Dr. Harapnuik’s content and nearing the end of the ADL program makes many connections between the strategies and learning accomplished throughout this authentic learning environment. I cannot help…

Always timely, EDUCAUSE

While written with IT Leaders in mind, innovative educators and support staff can benefit from these 10 Calls to Action for the Future of Technology in Higher Ed. Reference Gonick,…

Digital Tools

5317 Discussion 2 The concept of data-driven analytics and decision-making appeals to me very much. As advisors, we often run from one fire/crisis to another. Stepping into a leadership role…

Preparing Pitch?

Desperation: Man! I cannot tell you how much I am missing my tribe. I have been posting and engaging with my classmates, but I’m failing and failing to find my…

Mind Blown!

My goodness gracious, my two main collaborators this semester just blew my mind with their statements about how helpful they find Google Slides. I always found them overwhelmingly blank because…

Ott, to check this out!

I cannot believe that I have not yet posted about the amazing commentary on significant learning opportunities outlined by Jim Ott.

Leftovers

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…

Searching vs. Trying

Thanks to the ADL Program, I love that I am constantly observing my learning behaviors.  I recently rearranged and connected multiple monitors. I still laugh at how much of this…

Engaging Media

5317 Discussion 3 In the ADL Program, we learn the importance of always focusing on learning. Technology, just for the sake of it, does not revolutionize education. We must be…

Purpose…

I am once again pulled to evaluate the purpose of my innovation. These final reflection stages of the ADL Program coursework really ask us to go back and evaluate our…

A New Culture of Learning, ADL Program, Advising, ePortfolios, Focus on the learning, Goals, Influencer, Innovation Plan, It's all about the learning, Leadership, Learner's Mindset, Learning, Outcomes, Personal, Professional, Publication, Reflecting, Relationship

Engaging Media

The Advisor That Cares

5317 Discussion 3

EKG - pulse rate display

In the ADL Program, we learn the importance of always focusing on learning. Technology, just for the sake of it, does not revolutionize education. We must be ready to engage in crucial conversations about our innovation ideas to be effective agents of change. To do this effectively, we must work to enact organizational change as we influence others. Acknowledging that our learners come to education from a new learning culture, we must find ways to adapt and reach our learners by creating significant learning environments. With intentional planning, we can present learners with choice, ownership, and voice within an authentic learning environment (COVA).

One of the critical components of becoming a catalyst for change is drawing others into collaborative relationships so that ideas and innovations can continue to grow and evolve with the input and perspective that others bring. Engaging media is one thing that we can employ to ensure that our message reaches those who can contribute. Speakers Mathew Luhn and Nancy Duarte discuss how effectively using media through storytelling can draw the audience into your message (Marwick Marketing, 2017; TEDx Talks, 2010). In my media project, I describe the misery that summer orientation season can bring to the advising profession. I will be the first to admit that in its current format (a long, hot day of walking all over campus and hearing people present to you), it is not an engaging experience. I cannot describe how many students and parents sleep through presentations and content. Hoping to resonate with potential readers of my article, following the advice of Nancy Duarte I paint this picture of the status quo sets the stage for my description of an alternative solution (TEDx Talks, 2010). I hope to draw readers into my article by describing “the new bliss” of what learners and advisors can experience by adding technology to expand the relationship (TEDx Talks, 2010). 

  • Set up:
    • Beginning: Problem. Explain the problem that you set out to solve.
  • Build:
    • Middle: Solution. Describe how you solved it.
  • Payoff:
    • End: Success. Get excited about the success this produced.

(Marwick Marketing, 2017)

  • What is:
    • Beginning: Establish what is, the status quo
    • Compare a drastically different vision of what could be
    • Compare and contrast the status quo and the new idea
  • What Could Be – A Compelling Solution
    • Middle: What is vs. What could be
    • What is vs. What could be
    • What is vs. What could be
  • The New Bliss
    • End: Call to Action

(TEDx Talks, 2010)

References

Marwick Marketing. (2017, May 30). Story telling in business – Pixar story teller Mathew Luhn at CIMC [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYQOW34b-0g

TEDx Talks. (2010, December 10). TEDxEast – Nancy Duarte uncovers common structure of greatest communicators 11/11/2010 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nYFpuc2Umk

Behind the Scenes

Splunking?

Swing Batter, Batter

Discussion Videos

Participate in a class discussion in which you begin by addressing the following issues/questions:

  1. Discuss ways that media can engage the audience to influence their thinking?
  2. What have others done to engage you?
  3. How will you incorporate these ideas into your media project?
  4. How would you influence reviewers to read your publication?

Free writing and brainstorming for discussion response

One of the critical components of becoming a catalyst for change is drawing others into collaborative relationships so that ideas and innovations can continue to grow and evolve with the input and perspective that others bring. This Resources for Digital Environments course asks us to create a media project to advertise our publication article. Media allows the viewer to increase or decrease the speed of content. As a learner who still takes old-fashioned pen-and-paper notes, I appreciate the ability to back up and replay. The addition of closed captioning has been instrumental in my full understanding and is especially helpful when recording quotations.

Speakers Mathew Luhn and Nancy Duarte discuss how effectively using media through storytelling can draw the audience into your message (Marwick Marketing, 2017; TEDx Talks, 2010). Dr. Harapnuik does an exceptional job of placing questions of inquiry throughout his introduction videos. I always search for Learners Mindset Discussion podcasts on the topics we cover throughout the ADL Program. He has continually taught us about the power of storytelling and drawing your audience into your ideas through active, engaging, personalized learning. In my article, published in sources read by advisors, I reflect on the misery that summer orientation season can be for our profession. I cannot describe how many students and parents sleep through presentations and content. Improving these events through engaging media presents an opportunity to draw them into the event’s purpose, preparing their learner for the upcoming college experience. Mathew Luhn explains that you need to draw people in by creating something unusual, unexpected, or has some sort of action or conflict in the very beginning in [the] first eight seconds” (Marwick Marketing, 2017, 22:30). Nancy Duarte (2010) creates this hook by comparing “the commonplace of the status quo, [… contrasted …] with the loftiness of your idea” (TEDx Talks, 2010, 6:57-7:02). I hope to draw readers into my article by describing “the new bliss” of what learners and advisors can experience by adding technology to expand the relationship (TEDx Talks, 2010).

ADL Program, Advising, ePortfolios, Focus on the learning, Goals, Innovation Plan, It's all about the learning, Leadership, Learner's Mindset, Learning, Personal, Professional, Publication, Reflecting, Relationship, Why

Searching vs. Trying

The Advisor That Cares
Cartoon male detective wearing a green jacket and hat, holding a magnifying glass, scratching his head while examining a red question mark.

Thanks to the ADL Program, I love that I am constantly observing my learning behaviors. 

I recently rearranged and connected multiple monitors. I still laugh at how much of this program I completed working on my laptop monitor alone. In my household, there are three adult technology users. My husband and adult daughter are gamers of every variety (board, tabletop, console, PC), and I have dabbled in all of the above, frequently poorly. We have accumulated several longer-used devices.

This morning, my taskbar is not showing on the additional monitors. I am constantly rearranging the monitors due to recording requirements vs. writing requirements. I create homemade teleprompters for digital media presentations, though I still need to find a way to scroll the text while recording. I discovered how to scroll text, but since I’m clicking between windows to advance presentations during recordings, it stops and annoys me! The display setting changes likely resulted in an unintended change or a misfired keyboard shortcut. 

Image of web browser open to web address https://www.google.come with the colorful logo.
Image of red background with white text "You Tube" logo.

Into my handy dandy search engine, I type, “can I extend the menu bar across monitors,” and while executing the search, I decide to go digging through system settings to see if I can find it myself. What do you know? Right there in Personalization > Taskbar is a toggle to do precisely that. I click back over to my results and mentally applaud my learner’s mindset that knows there is a resource I can utilize when needed. Still, I am also a solution-seeking, inquisitive learner who will go tinkering about and seek support as required.

THIS! The learners’ mindset is what I want to help learners discover: their authentic learning opportunities. I want to work with a team of advisors to channel the passions that feed their strengths and abilities. I want to help humanize the relationship of advisors and of students. 

The advisors feel like robots and that what they say isn’t heard and doesn’t seem to matter to many students. TAsked to justify the behavior and decisions of students who did not follow the advising they received or failed to follow the outlined procedures. They are placed into cycles with no finish line or celebration, leading to impending dread as the subsequent avalanche falls to them to manage. 

When stressed out, people are not usually the best version of themselves. Insecurity can express themselves in hurtful and accusatory ways. Learners and their parents often need clarification on rules and regulations. Because learners have yet to learn the terminology used at the university, they will talk to multiple offices and people before getting the necessary information to make timely decisions. Understaffed and overworked humans can make mistakes, which damages relationship building. If we can help learners learn how to learn, they will also seek, verify, and understand well-planned and executed learning outcomes.