COVA Reflection

My innovation plan focuses on learning the different concepts of financial aid and the importance of financial literacy for college students. I choose this topic because of my current career position and because it’s a constant issue I see with my students I work with every day. Students preparing to begin college and take more control over their personal finances in many cases lack the skills and knowledge to make responsible financial decisions. This is a critical timeframe because so many students are taking on increased responsibility for their own fiscal decisions through loans, credit cards, and personal finance management. Overall while young adults in higher education were taking on increasing responsibility for their finances they displayed a clear lack of skills, knowledge, and confidence in their abilities to do so.

I believe that embracing the COVA approach during my time in this ADL program has increased my learning. This approach takes in consideration the natural human desire to have choice and control in any situation. Having the ability to choose how I will learn as well as how I will demonstrate my learning is vital to the engagement motivation, and persistence needed to be successful in this program. Everything I have learned will eventually be something I can use in my career. This brings “authenticity” to my learning which in turn will elevate the importance of effort and true conceptual learning on my part.