Initial Reaction
“What did I get myself into?” was what I said to myself when I began my ADL journey in October of 2021. The first course I took was 5305 Authentic Innovation with Dr. Harapnuik. After our first meeting, I was excited, but so confused. No tests, no quizzes. Just projects and I had to choose the topic. I was so perplexed at this point because I was expecting Dr. H to tell me exactly what he wanted to see on each assignment. I looked for a rubric, but the one he provided was so vague. I wasn’t used to learning this way. At first, I didn’t even feel like I was learning, and it was so frustrating. I didn’t understand the assignments and I just wanted to be told what to do. I was floored when I realized that all the courses I would be taking were going to be related to one another and fit together cohesively. I was expecting for each course to be its own separate thing. I was also shocked to find out that this innovation project I was working on was actually going to be implemented on my campus. I was mind-blown! How was little old me going to make a change in my organization? I always looked up to people who did that, but it was never me. I realized I wasn’t going to be able to complete assignments just to complete them and then hope for an A. It was much more meaningful than that. I was relieved when Dr. H encouraged us to work collaboratively. I always say three heads are better than one, and I was so
fortunate that two of my work colleagues (and friends), Erika Peña and Veronica Balli, were also in the ADL program, so working together made sense. It wasn’t easy, but collaborating on our assignments and giving each other feedback made it attainable. We finally wrapped our heads around making a change in our organization and we were ready for the challenge.
First Realization of COVA
While working on the literature review for 5305 with my core group, I finally realized why Dr. Harapnuik danced around the questions we asked him. He wasn’t teaching, he was guiding me
through a learning path. I was learning how to learn in a significant learning environment that Dr. H
created for me. It took me learning through frustration, failures, and setbacks to realize I was developing a growth mindset, or a learner’s mindset. I watched videos, read books and articles, engaged in discussions with classmates, and researched on my own, and through it all, I was learning. I was becoming a self-directed learner and I was loving it!
Taking Control of my Voice and Promoting Change
One of the difficult things to get used to was formulating our assignments towards our stakeholders, not our professors. Again, I had never experienced this, but I was so grateful that it was designed this way. It made our work so much more meaningful and it helped develop my voice, which was something that had always been difficult for me. When I had an idea, I’d always keep it to myself thinking it wasn’t good enough. Taking the course Leading Organization Change, changed that about me. I’m no longer keeping quiet. I’m using my voice to make changes.
It wasn’t until taking the Learning Mindset course that I realized something for myself that I tell my
students all the time. You learn from your mistakes. It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about the A. It’s about the learning that happens in the process of learning. This is what needs to be taught in schools. Learning how to learn. I realized that I need to listen to my students more and foster what they want to learn about, too! I’ve also realized, and research has found, that effective collaboration is a huge part of learning and providing those opportunities for my students is so important (Harapnuik, n.d.).
COVA + CSLE
Giving my students choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities is what's going to keep them motivated to learn, teach them how to learn, and create lifelong, self-directed learners. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to be immersed in learning this way. It has prepared me to be able to offer this kind of learning to my students and colleagues. There will be pushback from my colleagues because some of them might think how I thought at first. They might wonder how our kids are going to keep pushing through after failing? The answer is…Growth Mindset plus all of the answers I have in my ePortfolio…from the Influencer Strategy and 4DX to CSLE and the Go & Show PL. It is now time to share my learning and influence my colleagues to follow me down the blended learning path.
References
Harapnuik, D. (2018). It’s About Learning|Digital Learning and Leading. Harapnuik.org.
Harapnuik, D., Thibodeaux, T., Cummings, C. (2018). Choice, ownership, and voice through authentic
learning [eBook]. Creative Commons License. http://tilisathibodeaux.com/wordpress/wp-
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