EDLD 5318- Designing Online Learning: Contributions to My Learning and Learning Community

Contributions and Self-Score.

EDLD 5318

Score 91/100

Through completing the coursework in this most recent installment of the Applied Digital Learning program, I have had the opportunity to reflect on how to design an online course. These concepts are imperative if I want my innovation plan to succeed. There have been many times when I have heard fellow educators mumble, “I wish there was a way to reach my students more effectively than I am right now.”  A Blended Learning course could be the answer to that wish.

In preparing my Instructional Design Model, I had to think about how I could improve the involvement of students in my classes. I opted to explore the development of an online Creative Writing Course.  This could be offered as a class outside a student's normal school day or a home bound student who wishes to continue to earn credits while outside of school, or a Blended Learning (both online and face-to-face format) class.  After considering the reasons why and my approach, I created my Rationale Video. I then worked to produce my Fink’s 3-Column table. As I thought about the progress of this online course, I decided to develop the first unit focusing on the Fictional Short Story. Since my district utilizes the Google Suite LMS to disseminate announcements, updates, and coursework to students, I developed a Google Classroom to facilitate the course. I then created a second Video to explain the structure of the course. I then had several students and colleagues complete a usability test on my Google Classroom course.  I used a Google Form to conduct the feedback, which mixed the Lichert/Linear Scale and open-ended question responses.  These are detailed in my Compilation Canva presentation and Compilation Video.

I would like to thank my EDLD 5318 core group members:

Jackie Bittner, Frank Seneriz,Kelsi Martin, and Whitney Davis for their support, guidance, patience, and insights during this term. They have been a true tour de force, and I am honored to have worked with them. Jackie set up a Padlet for us to collaborate and communicate. My group supported me through all the personal stuff I have been going through and were there for last-minute feedback on my work.

1. What has worked, and what can be done better?

 EDLD 5318: As a class, we all joined a GroupMe chat where we have been posting our work for anyone to review and give feedback.  In working with my Learning Community, some of whom are from the EdTech program, I got to learn from them and have been able to help them with certain elements that they were not familiar with.  Constant communication with feed forward and feedback has been invaluable in this course.  One of the things that I continue to struggle with is the balance of work/ school/ family during this program.  I have been given increased responsibilities on the PBIS, UDL, and Cultural Proficiency Programs in my school and district. I then have to manage the time that is left between family and the ADL program, which makes me a very busy person with what seems less time each day.

2. Contributed to, helped build, and provided feedback to your core collaboration group and revised all assignments and reflected on revisions in this contribution to a learning activity.

In my Core collaboration group for EDLD 53189, I was able to provide feed forward and feed back on the work that was done throughout the course.

3. Completed ALL of the course readings, videos, and supporting resources.

I assigned myself a 91/100 for my overall grade for EDLD 5318. My assignments were completed. I watched all of the videos in order to understand the information for the group discussion posts.  I was able to attend every online class meeting and was able to get my work and collaborative discussions in on time, but I realize they could have been more developed than what they were.   

4. Met the various course activity deadlines indicated in the calendar.

I assigned myself a 91/100 for EDLD 5389 because although I completed all the required assignments, I submitted the module 2 collaborative discussion and Implementation late. I feel accomplished in the fact that I did attend and contributed to all scheduled class meetings on Tuesday evenings at 6 pm. I often received the clarity I needed for assignments in these class meetings and found a bond with my fellow cohort members.

I also believe that a rating of 91/100 is accurate because I 

• Although I did not take a leadership role in my core group, I made sure that I gave the feed forward and feedback when my group members asked for it.
• Contributed to my learning and the learning of my colleagues by participating in ALL activities.
• Actively contributed in the various course forums.
• Posted most of my Collaborative Discussion posts in on time for comments from my group members, but did comment on the posts submitted by my classmates on time.
• My postings reflect breadth and depth of thinking with research to support my thinking and are cited using APA.
• Additional postings were made that did not require research but were rather to contribute to the learning.

I continue to develop a growth mindset throughout the ADL program and look forward to implementing my Innovation Plan to help my students become the learners they need to be in the future.