Contribution to my Learning and Leading

EDLD 5315 - 95/100

EDLD 5320 - 90/100

It is the end of this journey. Reflecting on everything that I learned during this program, I can see that every single course led me to grow as a learner and as a leader. It is bittersweet to reach the end, however, I am excited about the idea of applying everything that I learned in my future as an educator and instructional designer.

During these last 8 weeks of the program, I developed an action research outline, literature review, and a research plan that examines if the use of an ePortfolio increases business students' level of employability as compared to business students that didn’t use one in any of their courses. I chose this topic because it complements the project that I have been developing throughout this program. I have been working on implementing an ePortfolio in one of the business courses at Epoka University.

The literature review aimed to explore what scholars and different authors have written about the ePortfolio as a tool for evaluating applicants during a hiring process. The study also covered advantages and limitations, the universities' intermediary role between students and companies, and it discussed the consequences of companies.

Finally, I developed an action research plan that is specifically focused on business students and recruiters that commonly search for trainees at Epoka University. Data will be collected before and after the ePortfolio implementation in the International Business course. The goal is to demonstrate that ePortfolios benefit students during the job search and convince other instructors of the business department that it is worth its implementation in the entire department.

In 5320, I reflected on my journey through the Applied Digital Learning program, and how much learning about COVA + CSLE has helped me to become a more reflective educator, able to guide and coach learners to find answers by themselves, and to train them to become self-learners. I reviewed how my innovation plan has been transformed during these past months. Due to a job change, I refocused my project and decided to collaborate with a business instructor to implement the ePortfolio in his international business class. We started working together by establishing the desired outcomes, assessments, and activities I built for the EDLD 5313 course. I then designed a course outline and a plan that includes content organization and activities that provide opportunities for students to become better self-learners and critical thinkers and better at acquiring and managing knowledge from all disciplines.

Finally, I review my ADL journey. Reflecting on everything that I learned during this program, I can see that every single course led me to grow as a learner and as a leader.

In both courses, I completed all the requirements assigned. For the discussions, I posted and replied to my peers with comments and feedforward. Since I have been traveling during the summer, I watched all the recordings of the live meeting sessions which were very helpful and clarified many of my questions.

As during previous terms, my team members collaborated using Google suite documents and offered each other advice and feedback on assignments. We worked together on a podcast for the COVA=CSLE reflection as well. They were amazingly helpful. My group included Naima Bagot, Angela Upshaw, and Herman Bibbs.

It is exciting but somewhat sad to reach the end of the program. However, I am excited about the idea of applying everything that I learned in my future as an educator and instructional designer.