Starting the day with a peaceful, centering, spiritual experience.
Tag: #5303
Well this is really inconvenient
As I was reading this weeks assigned reading Moving from Time Management to Engagement Management, I was struck with a really inconvenient fact… My husband, is doing things right!
My husband has a work-life balance approach to projects at home. He believes in working a little, playing a little, working a little more, etc. Whereas I tend to pride myself as a multi-tasking fool.
My husband prefers to work in productivity bursts. He will play a video game while doing laundry so that he pairs something he doesn’t want to do with someone he does.
Whereas I prefer to work endlessly until a job is complete. As I evaluated my engagement management, I realized that I was in fact not managing my time or productivity well.
Permit me to use use house cleaning as an example. I will set out to clean the house and may go to the kitchen cabinet to get a cleaning product, then I may notice that the dishwasher needs to be loaded, so I set the cleaning product down on the counter and proceed to load the dishwasher. After washing my hands I may decide that the hand towel needs to be washed so I’ll go start a load of laundry in the washing machine, finally returning to the cleaning product I retrieved from the kitchen cabinet to go wipe down the bathroom counter, and on and on.
I admittedly get frustrated at his play breaks because in my mind just getting it all done in one fell swoop must be more productive. But now I realize that “finding a balance in these types of energy use and replenishment is the key to […] productivity and performance” (Harapnuik, 2021).
Harapnuik, D. (2021, January 4). Moving from Time Management to Engagement Management. Harapnuik.org. Retrieved April 11, 2022, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=8494
Better late than never…
In December 2021, I attended a virtual professional development drive-in hosted by my professional organization, TEXAAN, titled Advising a life long profession: Proactively planning and investing in career growth and development. One of the sessions hosted during the webinar was titled Building your personalized advising portfolio by Sarah B. Sanche. Little did I realize, but less than a month later, I would finally take the leap of faith to embark upon my project-based learning graduate program and would be building my own ePortfolio.
I am finding her suggestions very valuable and inline with our goals here in the ADL program. She suggests the following (some paraphrased):
- Find a notebook and pen of your choosing (or in our case create a wordpress blog)
- Write down thoughts 3-4 times per week
- Write about the day
- After a month, go back and review previous writings
- Continue with the routine for 6 months and evaluate the content of your writing
- Connect with others
- Stay dedicated to the reflection process…
In her presentation, Sarah Sanchez also sites a checklist from a NACADA article titled Advisor portfolio examples by Catherine Buyarski. In her article, Catherine Buyarski sites the following goals for an advising portfolio:
- To allow each advisor to document and accomplishments and contributions to students […] and the education profession;
- To define expectations for advisor performance and reinforce the priorities of [the institution and advising team];
- To encourage professional reflection and goal-setting; and
- To allow for assessment of advisor needs to provide input into [institutional] planning.
Buyarski, C. (2014). Advisor Portfolio Examples. NACADA | Clearinghouse of Academic Advising. Retrieved from https://nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Advisor-Portfolio-Examples.aspx
Sanchez, S. B. (2021). Building your personalized advising portfolio.
Unlearn
I just completed my graduate training requirement titled “Mental Well-Being” from getinclusive.com as required by the Dean of Students and the Student Health Center.
Reflecting on this training, I realize that everything now passes through this new learning lens. In the training there was a section on the need to unlearn. I could not help but think about all of us in the ADL Program. Aren’t we unlearning everything we previously thought about learning? Aren’t we unlearning previous expectations and measures of our learning and our students?
How is your unlearning journey going? I struggle with myself as I try to figure out the goal, objective, or expectation of a given assignment when I’m just supposed to be observing my my learning process.
I’m learning to reconnect with my inquisitive and creative mind and recognize that it takes time to break those old established learning ideas.
Change is difficult at first, but it is worth it.
Harapnuik, D. (2010, January 12). Innovation Starts with a Focus on Creativity. Harapnuik.org. Retrieved April 9, 2022, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=474
Harapnuik, D. (2020, December 12). Want To Change the World – Tell a Good Story. Harapnuik.org. Retrieved April 9, 2022, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=8441
Harapnuik, D. (2021, August 16). Assessment OF/FOR/AS Learning. Harapnuik.org. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=8900
Interesting observation
I put out a post at the start of this session asking for mentorship and offering mentoring. I have had a few correspondences with classmates but little ongoing collaboration outside weekly module discussions.
However, through my learning communities, I am finding a mentorship role. I really appreciate that I can share findings and tips from my own experience with the Innovation course. I don’t understand why (yet), but I can guide my group mates in finding their assertive voices. I can only assume because I struggle with writing in a passive voice. Even when I recognize my error, I can get stuck trying to reword the sentences or clarify the meaning.
I am very grateful that I have found an opportunity to glean the benefit of this program component.
Harapnuik, D. (2021, August 16). Assessment OF/FOR/AS Learning. Harapnuik.org. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=8900
Harapnuik, D. (2021, October 9). ADL/EDLD 5305 Tips & Perspectives. https://www.Harapnuik.Org/. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=8553
Stanford Alumni. (2014, October 9). Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiEeMN7vbQ
Mine!
Having ownership of my ePortfolio allows me to become the visionary and voice for my ideas. Through the full ownership of my creation, I can experiment with what I want my digital identity to say about me. I am empowered to explore and experiment through the creation of my ePortfolio—both in form and function. I ultimately control the visual aesthetic, and the tone of the information shared because I own my ePortfolio. Because I own my ePortfolio, the knowledge and information I post is mine to take with me no matter where I work, present, or promote myself. By owning my ePortfolio, I am the “system administrator for [my] digital [life] (Campbell, 2009) and the IT department of my institution is not “the steward for [my] work (Watters, 2015).
References
Gardner, W. G. (2009, September 4). A personal cyberinfrastructure. EDUCAUSE Review. Retrieved April 7, 2022, from https://er.educause.edu/articles/2009/9/a-personal-cyberinfrastructure
Watters, A. (2015, July 15). The web we need to give students. Medium. Retrieved April 7, 2022, from https://medium.com/bright/the-web-we-need-to-give-students-311d97713713
Why ePortfolio?
I am building an ePortfolio to compile all of the repetitive questions and information I attempt to provide during my interactions with students. My goal is to empower and inform my students.
The more I listen to Dr. Harapnuik and Dr. Thibodeaux the more I’m seeing that this will also be an excellent resource for me professionally. Now I will have a centralized location where I can keep a continual list of the webinars and professional development I participate with through my professional organizations. Dr. Thibodeaux has inspired me to utilize my e-portfolio to find my voice as I reflect on my learning journey throughout the creation process.
By utilizing my e-portfolio as a living resume or CV, I can use it to invest in myself professionally because it is often very hard to remember all of the professional development opportunities and experiences I have participated in. After reading and watching the items in this week’s modules, I am beginning to understand that creating and maintaining an e-portfolio allows me to become an active participant in my learning. The Reflection4Learning really helps me understand that I am just “storytelling” or using “narrative inquiry” to “search for connections” which helps me overcome my own sense of writer’s block for my own reflection blogs.
I am also currently lamenting and reflecting on the two faces of the e-portfolios as I attempt to navigate my own process and product; professional and personal; and my growth and learning.
After reviewing Dr. Harapnuik and Dr. Thibodeaux’s e-portfolios I see that they incorporate many aspects of their professional and personal lives into their posts and discussions. Utilizing real life experiences from their personal life to provide examples and stories to make learning real. I am going to try and use my e-portfolio to connect with other academic advisors, my students, and my administration. I can see how linking my e-portfolio can be an asset at professional conferences and could be the beginning of much larger discussions about how to effectively reach students, improve outreach efforts, and continue improvement for all personally as well as professionally.
I would like my passion to show through my e-portfolio. My goal is to empower students and to act as an advocate until they learn enough to advocate for themselves. I sincerely care about people and I want my kindness and caring to show through the resources and information I share throughout my e-portfolio. I also want to open myself to being vulnerable throughout my own learning journey. This is an area I struggle with since it is difficult to not feel judged or insecure, but I’m learning through the many resources and links. Specifically, Seth Godin’s advice in “Blogging Changes your Life” encourages me to, “do it for myself.” I feel more encouraged to stop worrying about how to blog correctly but instead just write to explore “how I explain myself” and reflect on my own thinking, regardless of whether or not anyone is going to read it.
I think that it will be valuable to use e-portfolios for active learning, professional development, formative and summative assessments of our own learning and the learning of our students. I am highly encouraged by the “Know Thyself” benefits provided through e-portfolio development and as I progress through the benefits I began to see the purposeful design of the activities we are doing in the ADL Program. I continually remind myself to trust the process.
Collecting Knowledge vs. Learning
“Now What” from Ryan George reminded me of the topics we have been exploring through the ADL program. We are talking about how accumulating knowledge (collecting dots) is not at all the same thing as learning (connecting dots). Evaluation of the education systems as a whole shows that obtainment of a degree does not necessarily lead to guaranteed employment as painfully illustrated by generation jobless.
References
Bazzi Bazzi. (2022, January 12). Doc Zone Generation Jobless [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq4xoYmgatQ
Harapnuik, D. (2021a, January 18). Collecting dots vs connecting dots. https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=8672In-text citation
Harapnuik, D. (2021b, January 28). Applied Digital Learning. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=8517
Learners Mindset. (2021, January 18). Collecting dots vs connecting dots [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7o3Jh1KZLw
What can I get from the ADL program…
The best way to succeed in the ADL program is to trust the process. I think that we all must accept that we will feel lost and confused for much of the program because that is where we will find the most learning and growth. I find it very helpful that we have been allowed to review the program map to try to grasp how our initial innovation proposal fits into the program as a whole. We will learn the most when presented with projects that are important to us. Our innovation proposal provided us with an authentic learning opportunity. Implementing it allows us to practice all the skills we will need to continue to be change agents within our organizations. Through our own uncomfortable experiences, we will better relate to and understand our learner’s experiences. The goal of our evolution will be to make better learning opportunities and experiences for our students.
Growth Mindset & Yet
I loved the closing statement in this video…
I have fought the ‘I can’t voice’ for so long, especially when faced with a learning challenge. There is a powerful shift when you add “yet” to that mindset. The growth mindset gives us permission to fail forward. We aren’t expected to be experts “yet.” We are striving to tap into our creative inquisitive thoughts, and try new things. We may not have made meaningful connections, “yet” but we will as we continue to reflect on our learning. Being open to failure frees us to experiment. Developing a growth mindset allows me to view a challenge as an exciting opportunity instead of a punishment. Learning from past attempts encourages me to create connections between concepts which deepens my learning so that I can develop higher order thinking/processing. 100%, I believe the growth mindset will help with the acceptance of feedback. With the growth mindset I realize feedback is an opportunity to correct faulty thinking, make improvements, assess bias, and think more deeply about the suggestions provided.
I am my own worst enemy when it comes to grades. Adopting a growth mindset can release students (myself included) from the perfectionist trap of all of nothing. I really dive head first into researching anything and everything I am interested in learning about. I was raised in a time before search engines so I’m always taking a question and plugging it in to either a search engine or google. So much of the growth mindset resonates with me personally, that I am looking forward to learning more about my own mindset. I learned from my Literature Review research in the innovation course of the ADL Program that using google scholar allows me to see others who have quoted a source and related articles. I think finding related sources or sited by sources would be an effective way to learn more about the growth mindset with relation an interest or innovation.
Relating it all to life, we have an almost 12 acre property that we are trying to develop into a hobby farm. We don’t know anything about raising animals, building shelters, planning gardens, but we are willing to research (a lot of YouTube) and we use a lot of trial and error projects. I recognize that this growth mindset applies to all aspects of life and learning.
The Advisor That Cares 