Synthesis of Applied Digital Learning
5320
COVA Reflection
Ultimate Choice
Coming into this program was the ultimate choice. Yes, every waking moment we make choices that can determine the next minute,day, month, year, and the rest of our lives. Education wise, I chose to continue my education beyond my bachelors in a challenging time considering it was my first year teaching. Looking back as I am writing one of my final reflections I don't regret it, but during all the other 8 week semesters I definitely questioned my decisions negatively.
Structure is what I personally strive on. Through school and working in athletic compliance, there was never really a chance to have choice or create change. It was literally done by the book and never veered from that. When attending the first class and the term was introduced in one of the first courses I just brushed it off. I assumed a choice of a couple of topics to read more about and nothing further.With the introduction of the true COVA (Choice,Ownership and Voice through Authentic learning), I was mentally prepared to be set up for failure. Like choice?? What is that?? I was always provided with follow structure and never veer. So just in that itself, was a shock. Then to find out the COVA was the base of the program I was beside myself in stress from not experiencing this for myself along with other first year teacher problems.
I had no other choice but to adjust.Change in this aspect of the course was hard for me to process. The small amount of time I spent on trying to process or how to make myself more comfortable would turn out negative due to my fixed mindset about change. I like to think I am always a half glass full type of gal, but this fixed mindset really had a hold on me especially when it came to having to exercise my creativity in choice and ownership. I would fail the courses if I didn't choose to act upon choice. There was no exact structure or directions, so it was hard for me to just let go and get creative and zone in on my thoughts and opinions. I felt as if I had to go to fight or flight mode when doing some assignments. I know how dramatic that sounds, but a year ago that was my mindset.
Promoting vs. Doing
Just because I didn't have the opportunity to be introduced and use the COVA approach, doesn't mean it had to be a stranger to other learners. Though it is contradicting, I believe in the approach 100% and am all for it. I think it was hard for me because I instantly had to adjust to the choice and ownership. For other learners, especially those who are younger, I think they can slowly adjust and they can take charge of their learning at a nice pace. Since I personally was taken off-guard and dealt with the transition from being told what to do to having to make my own choice in what to do, my experience can help ease others with the same transitions. I can see why some people resist change, but I survived this change so others can too. In my innovation plan, I had no clue what to do so I chose the safe way of implementing ePortfolios. The joke was on me because there really is no safe way.As being a first time teacher for two months ,not really knowing anything about the school, or district I was 75% thinking I can try to do this innovation only in my class and be okay without stepping on anyone’s toes or getting in trouble. My learning philosophy does align with COVA and CSLE.In my experiences I was never given that opportunity,so after learning, reading, and watching videos about the two topics I was all for it. We needed to ditch the boring ways of learning I was stuck with and allow students to be exposed to choice! With implementing EPortfolios in the classroom this allows student to have that choice on how they want to show off their own authentic learning experiences throughout the school day in all subjects.Having the students exposed to having choice will have them prepared for having to be creative and take ownership of something without clear defined structure of what is expected.
Innovation Update
What worked?
During the innovation process, I had no clue what I was going to pursue for my innovation project. When I chose the portfolios, I believed I would be able to implement this after going through the masters program. What I didn’t know was how much community this process involved, which, in the end I was grateful for. Since being a third grade teacher, I thought I could implement it in my classroom first and slowly show it to other teachers to get their take. At the end of May I was notified, I would be moving to kindergarten, which threw off my whole idea of trying to implement it for the following year. At the beginning of this school year, when I had planned to try to implement, the district had more intense plants on far as our daily schedule and lessons, which through everybody a curveball of stress. throughout the process, though, I did have teacher input and be able to experience a classroom for the first time. It showed me what ways I could implement change and what ways are I needed to revise some of my expectations and make them more specific in someways.
What could you do better? Knowing what you know now, what key things (if any) would you do differently?
Looking back at the year of the program, I would have done more research and dug deeper into the readings to see other peoples perspective. I know everybody’s classroom district city, and even state are different from one another, but at the end of the day wanting the best for our future leaders is what we all want. Also, I would join a group sooner, because having that support or second opinion, was a really great strategy and tool to use for success. As far as the innovation project I think I would’ve been more specific or made something more exclusive to the younger grades having the knowledge I have now.
What lessons have you learned?
This program was full of new ideas and concepts I would’ve never thought to research or even know existed. Seeing how much research there has been over a growth, mindset and more specifically Eportfolios let me to a world full of possibilities and a new way of thinking about our learners and being able to integrate that technology. The world is constantly changing, and technology is becoming more powerful and being able to start our future leaders early on with technology applications, and being familiar is not only a great step to their foundation as developing humans but it’s a great step for our society.
How do you plan to promote and communicate your innovation project?
Before promoting and communicating my project, I would make it more specific and figure out a way to integrate it into our day within our district provided lesson plans, and make sure we have the technology available to the students for the innovation project to take affect and be successful.
How would you apply what you have learned to your next innovation project?
I learned much more than I would’ve ever thought. I would’ve with the different courses, focusing on different aspects of implementing an innovation. Having a second opinion or third or fourth or even fifth and having input really can make or break your innovation. Other people can tell you right off the bat what they see being successful not successful when it comes to their classes.