It’s crazy to think about all the ways in which collaboration has become an integral piece to success these days, especially now in the 2020s. By relying on ONLY yourself, you can only get so far!
Reaching out for help or requesting a teammate is not always easy; however, larger gains can be made more quickly when comradeship is utilized. How great is that?? There are so many benefits to be had by all.
(OHA Learning, n.d.)
With thorough reflection and specific self-assessment, let’s break down several ways I have requested or given assistance within my professional learning community and tighter circle of educator peers... for better or for worse:
One - To begin with, I joined a NEW learning community and it has been exciting to extend my reach by participating through asking and answering questions. On Facebook, the group is called “Lamar University Educational Technology Leadership 2021-2022.” It hasn’t been extremely active, but there have been posts every other day or so and I have assisted several classmates with inquiries that have arisen about their projects and progress. So far, there are twenty-nine active members within this online community and it will continue to grow!
Two - I have consistently been collaborating with a group of peers using the GroupMe application. We are a small but mighty group of nine members total. A few have kept up with our fast pace of two courses each semester and others have skipped around to one class or another. Our group includes: Lisa W., Nyjah J., John B., Jessica B., Jess E., Edward S., Amanda B., and Allison K. When it comes to FEEDBACK for online classes 5389 and 5318 there have been a few peers who have collaborated best. These EXCEPTIONAL members are John, Lisa, Jess, Jessica, Amanda, and Allison. I couldn’t have received such great feedback for editing my work without them!
Three - Revising and editing have actually become one of my favorite parts of these courses! It’s been fun to review the feedback received from my professors as well as through open dialogue with my peers in learning communities online and also through the typed collegial discussions through the class portal pages. It’s easy to see the “edited on” dates throughout my blog posts, which means that I’ve gone back to change my original posts! It’s great to see how I have improved since the beginning of these courses. I was able to track my submissions and edits through the schedule and checklist I created and shared with my core peer group at the beginning of the semester, seen as a screenshot below.
Four - I have completed each and every assignment on time! It wasn’t always easy to pace myself, but being aware of dates and deadlines definitely helps keep me on track. It has also been lovely and refreshing to read the materials provided and also interesting to deep dive further into these ideas through additional research. The videos and resource links allowed me to better make connections to the information given in the articles. My references list is extensive from these courses. This will be great to return to for further research into these topics. I was focusing on proper APA citation style during forums and within ePortfolio blog posts.
Five - I took leadership as well through remaining open-minded during class discussions on Zoom, by assisting peers through their studies, and encouraging questions. I made sure to reply to course forums in a timely manner, ensuring replies through Q&A-style responses. Additionally, I was always replying and discussing with peers within our GroupMe app as seen through a piece of evidence, pictured below.
Six - Both courses were bringing challenges to the table. It was a thrill to see where my Blended Learning professional development research took me in 5389. It was also exciting to create the beginnings of a read online learning course through 5318. Even though these classes are coming to a close, I will not stop thinking about and digesting these ideas. I will still work to publish my online course on Udemy. com’s website! How amazing it will be to see other’s learning and growing through my live classes, activities, and interactive lecture videos. Both of these classes worked together for the benefit of each! It was a great design for them both to be completed simultaneously since it strengthened my research and understanding of both topics. Feel free to click the above links to see projects merging and assisting to clarify the understanding of both courses.
Seven - In conclusion, what was working for me and what can I do better? I believe that my strong points include communication with peers and reflective editing. This revising process helped me grow through my continuous research. I must admit, however, that I could have turned in some assignments early to get feedback from professors and peers in a more timely manner. If this happened, then maybe I could have even edited some projects before the official due date! What a happy day that would be. I also wish there was more time in the day to more thoroughly comb through many of the readings presented. Skimming was sometimes necessary even though I would prefer to slowly take notes and read each section reflectively.
Overall, I would grade myself 93/100 points. I know I sure have room for improvement! :)
References
OHA Learning and Engagement Peer Learning Networks. (n.d.). Www.oha.com;
Governance Professionals Peer Learning Network. https://www.oha.com/learning/peer-
learning-networks
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