A Journey Through EDLD 5313 and EDLD 5389
Each time I take a moment to reflect on another eight-week term, I find myself evaluating both the individual growth I've gained and the powerful collective experiences I've shared with my peers. This past term, two courses—EDLD 5313: Creating Meaningful Learning Environments and EDLD 5389: Developing Effective Professional Learning—took me on a journey to explore new freedoms through innovative approaches. Both courses centered around critical concepts, including choice, ownership, voice, and authentic learning (COVA), weaving them into diverse standards and strategies for impactful learning.
As I worked through these courses, it became clear how EDLD 5313 informed and supported the work I was doing in EDLD 5389. In hindsight, I wish I had made those connections earlier, leveraging my 3-column table and UbD templateto enrich my final project in 5389, instead of creating professional learning for a different, albeit related, purpose. However, what became evident was.
In EDLD 5313, we started with Thomas and Brown's A New Culture of Learning, which became a pivotal foundation for my Innovation Plan. It helped me align my vision for blending learning in corporate environments, sparking a deeper understanding of how the culture and context of learning shape its success. This exploration allowed me to construct new approaches for implementing blended learning that fit naturally into my evolving educational philosophy.
The Philosophy of Learning task was particularly challenging yet rewarding. As someone focused on corporate learning, I had never fully articulated my ideas on paper before. One of the most significant revelations was putting into words the value of compelling digital content in corporate settings. This reflection helped me better communicate my thoughts on the importance of engaging content and the environments in which learning takes place.
As we moved into discussions around Aligning Outcomes, Assessments, and Activities—a concept closely tied to the 3-Column Table and UbD Design —my perspective grew further. Initially, I was concerned about how I would connect with my corporate audience, but through each task, ideas sparked and began to flow. The process showed me how digital and blended learning environments could be intricately designed to meet specific learning outcomes. I was able to take these concepts and immediately apply them to my work, presenting needs assessments, statements, and learning design proposals for corporate projects, effectively bridging theory to practice.
In EDLD 5389, we began with a Call to Action, which prompted me to think carefully about my audience. I focused on how I could transform traditional learning into a digital blended model to support the implementation and success of my Innovation Plan. In hindsight, I realize that I could have integrated the work from 5313, aligning both projects around a unified audience, rather than focusing separately on kindergarten teachers in 5313 and the learner-mom perspective in 5389. This would have streamlined my approach and deepened the connection between the two courses.
However, moving forward, I’ve created a Professional Learning Framework that will guide the development of a six-part series designed to foster meaningful learning experiences. Each session in the series is carefully crafted to build upon the principles of effective professional learning, starting from the first session where participants "learn by doing." This hands-on approach not only supports learning but models the exact strategies teachers will use in their classrooms, ensuring immediate relevance and impact. Through this framework, I am not just teaching content, but demonstrating how to effectively implement it—ensuring that from the first session, the learning process begins in a meaningful and actionable way.
Assessment as Learning: A Holistic Approach
The synergy between EDLD5313 and EDLD5389 became apparent as I progressed through both courses. While EDLD5313 focused on frameworks and perspectives, EDLD5389 emphasized applying those concepts to foster effective professional development. This natural connection led me to create a unified assessment approach, allowing the readings, frameworks, and assignments from one course to directly inform and enhance the other. The result was a continuous loop of learning and application, where the work in one course built on and improved the work in the other.
Looking back, treating the two courses as an interconnected experience rather than separate ones enriched my learning. I found that each contribution in one course was sharpening the quality and impact of the work in the other. Therefore, in my self-assessment, I have applied the same grading criteria to both courses, as they were part of a cohesive journey that allowed for deeper understanding and growth.
By aligning the assessments across both courses, I was able to see the larger picture of how Assessment as Learning can be implemented not only in professional development but also in my teaching practice.
I am giving myself the following grades:
EDLD 5313: 98/100 (98%)
EDLD 5389: 98/100 (98%)
Collaborative Growth and Lasting Connections
My partnership with Doyna Johnston and Angelica Padron truly flourished during our third term together. This term, in particular, brought unique challenges for each of us, but the foundation of our collaboration built over the first two terms enabled us to navigate both the good and tough days with ease. After six courses alongside these smart, resourceful, and creative women, I can confidently say that their unwavering support, humor, and brilliant ideas have been instrumental in my success. I couldn’t imagine completing this program without them.
Additionally, we expanded our collaborative efforts by engaging more actively in GroupMe group, which provided further support, clarified ideas, and strengthened our teamwork. These platforms were especially helpful in refining our videos, promoting our ideas, and streamlining communication, ensuring that we were all aligned in our learning journey.
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