Contribution to My Learning and the Learning Community
Numerical Score I Believe I Earned: 91/100
Throughout EDLD 5389 and EDLD 5318, I experienced meaningful professional and personal growth as a self-directed learner (Fink, 2013). This reflection evaluates how I contributed to my own learning, how I supported the learning community, and how my collaboration with classmates strengthened my work across both courses (Fink, 2013). Self-assessment is essential for becoming a powerful learner who can evaluate the quality of their own thinking and performance (Fink, 2013). This assignment has allowed me to intentionally reflect on what is working, what I can improve, and the impact of my collaboration (Fink, 2013).
Key Contributions to My Learning
One of my strongest contributions this term was the consistent revision of my work based on feedback from my professor and peers (Schön, 1983). After reviewing video feedforward and written comments, I revised my Planning the Alternative PL assignment, strengthened my call to action, and improved the clarity and alignment of my PL strategy (Schön, 1983). In EDLD 5318, I adjusted my Implementation Overview by reorganizing sections, making my TEKS alignment more explicit, and refining the usability of my course design (Schön, 1983). These revisions reflect the idea of the reflective practitioner who learns through cycles of action and reflection (Schön, 1983).
I also completed all required readings and course media, which helped me apply research meaningfully (Gulamhussein, 2013). I drew from research on sustained professional learning and the need for long-term support to ensure teacher growth (Gulamhussein, 2013). I also applied the principles of learner choice and ownership outlined in the COVA model to justify design decisions in my course development work (Harapnuik, 2018). In EDLD 5318, I referenced digital age pedagogical principles to support decisions related to media, cognitive load, and student-centered course navigation (Bates, 2019). Integrating these sources helped me justify design choices, improve discussions, and connect theory to my classroom practice (Bates, 2019; Gulamhussein, 2013; Harapnuik, 2018).
Contributions to the Learning Community
My learning community, especially Jennifer and Thomas, played a significant role in my progress this term (Fink, 2013). We met on Zoom to review our assignments together using the course rubrics as guides, which helped us clarify expectations and improve our revisions (Fink, 2013). These collaborative sessions strengthened my understanding of the criteria for high-quality work and supported my ability to revise with purpose (Schön, 1983).
Evaluation Rubric "Thomas Robinson"
Evaluation Rubric "Jennifer Haden"
We also supported each other through GroupMe whenever we had questions or needed clarification on APA formatting, links, assignment directions, or rubric interpretations. This ongoing communication allowed us to stay aligned with expectations and reduced confusion throughout the course (Fink, 2013). Our collaboration reflects the value of learning environments that promote voice, choice, and authentic peer interaction (Harapnuik, 2018).
In discussions, I contributed actively by posting early, responding thoughtfully, and connecting classmates’ ideas to research-based practices (Gulamhussein, 2013). I offered encouragement, expanded on the ideas of my peers, and helped connect shared experiences to frameworks we were studying in the course (Fink, 2013). This level of engagement aligned with the expectations for meaningful participation and helped strengthen the learning community.
What I Did Well
I demonstrated several strengths this term, including consistent participation, engagement with peer learning, and integration of research into my posts and assignments (Fink, 2013). I also demonstrated leadership by sharing examples from my Spanish classroom—such as culturally responsive practices, AI-supported learning, and authentic communication tasks—which helped others apply course ideas to their own contexts (Gulamhussein, 2013). I am also proud of my willingness to revise my work even when revisions were not required, showing my growth as a reflective, self-directed learner (Schön, 1983; Fink, 2013).
What I Can Improve
Although I met most expectations, there are two areas for improvement. First, I occasionally submitted assignments close to deadlines, which limited the opportunity for classmates to engage with my initial posts (Fink, 2013). Second, in the future, I will work on balancing depth with conciseness to ensure clarity and accessibility.
How Collaboration Across Both Courses Strengthened My Learning
Taking EDLD 5389 and EDLD 5318 at the same time helped me see the deep connection between instructional design and effective professional learning (Bates, 2019). The usability testing process from 5318 strengthened my understanding of feedback cycles and user experience, which connected directly to leadership and coaching frameworks from 5389 (Schön, 1983). The PL models and research on sustained teacher growth helped me refine the implementation components of my instructional design work (Gulamhussein, 2013). My Zoom meetings with Jennifer and Thomas helped me improve both course assignments, demonstrating the impact of sustained peer collaboration (Harapnuik, 2018).
Conclusion
Given my consistent engagement, thoughtful collaboration, integration of research, willingness to revise assignments, and active support of my learning community, I believe a score of 91/100 is appropriate. This term strengthened my skills as a reflective practitioner and reinforced my commitment to leadership, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
References
Bates, A. W. (2019). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning. BCcampus.
Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. Jossey-Bass.
Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the teachers: Effective professional development in an era of high-stakes accountability. Center for Public Education.
Harapnuik, D. (2018). COVA — A learner-centered approach to education. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6991
Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Basic Books.
