Reflection & Application
Interview with an ADL student
Mrs. Lopez, an interventionist elementary teacher, is an M.E.d. student in Applied Digital Learning (ADL) at Lamar University; she is sharing her thoughts on her learning experience on CSLE (Creating Significant Learning Environments) plus the COVA approach (Choice, Ownership, and Voice through Authentic learning opportunities), how it helped during her learning process, and how it can help others.
Where or when did you first realize that you genuinely had choice, ownership, and voice through authentic assignments?
Since the day of my first class, I realized that this program would be different and needed to take control of my learning. My first two courses were Disruptive Innovation in Education and Appling Education Technology. In the first one, the instructor asked me to find an opportunity or problem in my workplace and make an innovation proposal. I had the choice to select a real-world problem to work on during these ten months, my Innovation Plan. In the second class, I had the choice on the platform to create my ePortfolio and started using my voice to structure my ideas and share them with others.
What was your initial reaction when given the freedom and responsibility to choose to take ownership of your learning through an authentic project? Were you ready for this?
I had mixed feelings; I simultaneously felt lost, overwhelmed, uncomfortable, and excited. I was not ready for this amount of freedom and responsibility to choose and take ownership of my learning. Throughout my academic journey, the instructor provided everything for me; I was responsible for understanding the information and sometimes memorizing it to pass the test. I doubted myself, lost confidence, and wanted to drop one of the courses. However, my instructor helped me understand that challenges are learning opportunities, and we must step out of our comfort zone and take ownership of our learning.
What did you do to adjust to this approach to learning? Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?
I faced my anxiety, shifted my mindset, and developed a plan. I would review outcomes for the course, complete my readings, share my ideas in the discussion forum, clarify or expand ideas with my collaboration team, read the assignment requirements carefully, look up project examples, and invest a lot of time and effort organizing and presenting my ideas in my ePortfolio. Developing a growth mindset helped me take ownership of my learning and adjust to this new approach, as well as other challenges like returning to school after twenty years, basic digital literacy, and limited writing skills. I am content with how I adjusted to this learning style, and I recognized that learning happens when we are challenged and uncomfortable.
How difficult was it to control your voice and focus on your organization as the audience for your work?
It wasn't easy to control my voice and focus on my organization as the audience for my work at the beginning of the program because in all my previous academic work, the audience was the instructor, and I completed my assignments just for a grade.
Some students had mixed feelings toward promoting change in their organizations—how has your attitude toward leading change grown throughout the program?
Promoting organizational change is not easy; it requires time, dedication, and hard work. I experienced mixed feelings; on one hand, I felt very excited and motivated to positively impact my workplace and make a difference in students learning, but on the other hand, I did not feel capable of doing it. After taking the Leading Organizational Change course, I felt more prepared to change behaviors, appeal to people’s hearts, and have crucial conversations to promote change in my organization. My confidence grew throughout the program.
How authentic is your innovation plan? Did you just create it to get through the coursework, or did you really hope to change your organization?
My innovation plan is an authentic project born as a dream, hoping to change my organization; I knew I could positively impact the students' learning. I will start smaller with a pilot program with fifteen fifth-grade students creating their ePortfolio and extending the initiative gradually. However, circumstances can change, and my Innovation Plan may require adjustments, especially in the time frame. Although my plan was created for the fifth-grade students at McMullan Elementary, it can adapt to a different grade level or school.
How does the COVA approach and Creating Significant Learning Environments (CSLE) align or not align with your learning philosophy?
In My Learning Philosophy, every student is unique and learning is a specific process for each individual. Every student needs an engaging learning environment; technology is crucial in today's learning. CSLE plus COVA approach equals learning environments that are student-centered and technology as a catalyst to enhance learning, allowing learners to work at their own pace and strategies. This approach allows learners to work on real-world problems where students have a choice and voice during their learning, which leads to engagement and ownership. My learning philosophy aligns perfectly with the CSLE and COVA approaches.
How has your perspective on learning and your learning philosophy changed? If there haven’t been any changes, explain why.
My perspective on learning and my learning philosophy didn't change. However, it has been expanded throughout the ADL program since I was able to consider the impact of digital learning and how technology can facilitate student-centered learning environments.
Knowing what you know now about the COVA approach, how will you plan to use the COVA approach to create significant learning environments in your organization? Or will you not use the COVA approach, and why?
Having experienced the COVA approach in my learning process and seen its benefits, I started creating a learning environment in my classroom where students have more active learning. I began with a shift in my role; instead of delivering all the information, I am bringing research opportunities and guiding them to connect their projects with the real world, giving them a choice on how they want to present and organize those projects. I also encourage collaboration and feedback on their assignments.
How will you give your learners choice, ownership, and voice through authentic assignments?
My Innovation Plan is the implementation of ePortfolios, which allows me to create a significant learning environment that is student-centered. I will use a backward design for my units where outcomes, learning activities, and assessments are aligned (3-Column table). I will be linking the assignments with opportunities to explore technology. I will give options on assignments connected with the real world and personal interests. I will give them a choice on how to present and organize those projects. Provide feedback and guided questions for discussions and reflection.
How will you prepare your learners and colleagues for the COVA approach and CSLE?
I prepare my students and colleagues by modeling a growth mindset, showing them that changes and challenges are growth opportunities. At the end of the school day, I set aside ten minutes for reflection in my classroom. I write a question on the board and encourage my students to reflect on how they did today in their learning. Additionally, whenever there is an opportunity, I share material related to the COVA approach and CSLE with my colleagues. I hope that with time, they adopt a learner mindset.
What challenges will you face in using the COVA approach and CSLE?
Negative attitudes toward change. Students and teachers are customized to traditional learning; teachers deliver the information, and the students receive it. Everyone knows how school works, and they don’t like changes or failures. Taking responsibility and controlling our learning is uncomfortable and requires hard work. It requires stepping out of our comfort zone.
Have you fully adopted or are in the process of adopting a Learner's Mindset, which involves a change in thinking about learning, your approach to learning, and your learning environment? If not, why?
I think I did. As I mentioned before, I had to make a plan and take ownership of my learning to make it through the program. On my first assignments, I read the specifications very carefully to be sure I met them and had a good grade. With time, this perspective changed. I still cared about the quality of my work, but I focused more on my learning than my grades and felt more comfortable making mistakes.
What challenges have you experienced personally and within your organization in adopting CSLE+COVA and the Learner's Mindset?
I faced many challenges; the first was constructing and assessing my learning. I was not sure if what I was doing was good enough. I was having guidance, but I expected lectures. Another challenge was the time I spent studying during these ten months. Balancing work, family, and school is hard. Going back to school after twenty years and having a bachelor’s degree that was not in education, I had to catch up with many things to understand the new concepts. Writing in English as my second language was my weakness. When I registered for this program, I assumed it would be in a traditional way: read, understand, and present the test. Many studying hours I spent revising and editing until I was satisfied with the final product. Another challenge was my basic digital skills. I experienced many frustrations trying to learn how to use new technological tools. However, every challenge was worthwhile because it made me a better learner.
REFERENCES
Harapnuik, D. (2017) CSLE+COVA. Retrieved from
http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6988
Harapnuik, D. & Thibodeaux, T. (2023). COVA: Inspiring Learning Through Choice, Ownership, Voice and Authentic Experiences. Learner's Mindset Publishing.