EDLD 5313 Contributions to your Learning and the Learning Community

Contributions to Your Learning and the Learning Community

Selected Numerical Score:

Creating a Significant Learning Environment 5313 - 95/100

So here we are again, the end of another eight weeks has come and gone in the Advanced Digital Learning Program. Unlike previous semesters for the first fall term, I decided to only take one course 5313 Create Significant Learning Environment. In this course, we explored the learning, implementation, and application of technology within the learning environment. This focus allowed for my learners to make meaningful connections that are so important to understand deeper learning. Which will analyze their learning environment and determine situational factors that impact learning. This course was extremely challenging for me because unlike most of my classmates, I do not teach in a classroom setting. There is no required content or curriculum I must follow.

Crediting Group Members: Bethany, Lera, Dawn, Stacy, and Rachel

When I think about my learning community, nothing but smiles can come across my face. I am truly honored and blessed to be working with some of the most intelligent yet talented group of young ladies. I have worked with these lovely ladies in previous classes and our bond has only gotten stronger. I consider all of these ladies to be more than classmates, they are my friends. We’ve helped each other with so many things other than coursework. We all specialize in certain areas and know exactly who to contact when certain issues occur. For example, Lera has needed financial aid advice for a few of her colleagues and family members. And because of our relationship we have built in these courses she knew that I would be the one to call. I am always willing and available to help anyone who needs me.

Dawn, as always, did a great job at keeping the group organized. She created a google drive that we used as an outline to show when assignments were due and a summary of the readings. Bethany and Lera, I worked with in previous semesters, so I was excited to continue our journey. We found that the best way to understand the different topics was to give ourselves more content and related information as possible. In doing so, we watched several youtube videos, read the required content, followed all the associated links, researched for related information and took many notes. We recognized collectively that reflection is a crucial aspect in learning. We agreed that blogging helps us reflect upon the process and my facets of understanding to see ourselves in each piece of the learning opportunity that will create a significant learning environment.

However, it is still a struggle to keep up with all of the academic research. For me, it seems like at times some of the information starts to look and sound the same. The information starts to run together and it’s hard to differentiate the difference. My learning community kept me grounded, when I started to fall behind because of my personal issues such as my uncle’s death and my son's repeated illnesses, they were constantly emailing me and group messaging me as well to ensure I stay on track. Dawn and Rachel would post reminders to the group chat about discussion posts, due dates, and comment deadlines and upcoming assignments.This allowed us to successfully keep up with the timely postings and actively collaborate.

In all, I learned a lot in this course. Dr. Grogan is absolutely amazing. She is extremely informative, organized, and available which is everything a professor should be. She even reached out to me during the semester, because she noticed my focus had shifted from the beginning. I didnt even think she was paying attention. This course and its learning experience has a special place in my heart. The openness and vulnerability shared during our weekly zoom meetings was phenomenal. Dr. Grogan would sometimes have connection issues where she is located in California that would cause her to not be available during class. However, the entire class would still remain in the meeting and discuss different lesson topics. We all worked together to ensure we understood the goal of creating a significant learning environment.