Artifacts
Course Department, Number & Title: EDUC-D500 Introduction to Adult Education Theory
Semester & Year Enrolled: Spring 2014
Document: Artifact #1 – Paper – My Personal Philosophy of Adult Learning & Teaching Final Paper
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my Introduction to Adult Education Theory course, is a star in my constellation of learning that connected my experiences working with adult learners in a community college setting with the major adult learning philosophies. By meaningfully reflecting on each of the philosophical foundations of adult education in this paper, I developed my personal teaching and learning perspective. It is my goal as an adult educator to actively engage in self-reflection and serve as a model of this awareness with students I serve, and this assignment helped me practice and refine this process. I relied on the knowledge (liberalist approach) from my past; I investigated and examined (behaviorist approach) my beliefs, values, and attitudes; and I challenged my acceptance of the work/education (critical approach) I was pursuing at the time. I found that I utilized a small principle from each philosophy I didn’t completely align with as a guide to connecting with those I do align with. This process allowed my educational perspective to be born.
After completing this paper, I felt so authentic and credible as both a practitioner and learner. I was now confident in connecting a name to my strongest approaches within the adult education world. The synthesis of my views, experiences, and hopes for the future brought to light my humanistic and progressive educational approaches to teaching and learning. From that point on, I dedicated myself to being humanistic as a facilitator, helper, and partner to adults in the learning process. I promised to remain progressive as a reciprocal teacher/learner in which I instigate learning through experiences that are educative. At the time, my professional position and educational practices were not aligned with critical theory approaches. It wasn’t until a future course in this program that I became more aware of informal learning and realized just how much I had been engaged with critical theory methods and ideas. In the future, I want to remain more aware of holistic learning and able to identify when I’m applying adult learning philosophies in my teaching/learning practice.
Semester & Year Enrolled: Spring 2014
Document: Artifact #1 – Paper – My Personal Philosophy of Adult Learning & Teaching Final Paper
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my Introduction to Adult Education Theory course, is a star in my constellation of learning that connected my experiences working with adult learners in a community college setting with the major adult learning philosophies. By meaningfully reflecting on each of the philosophical foundations of adult education in this paper, I developed my personal teaching and learning perspective. It is my goal as an adult educator to actively engage in self-reflection and serve as a model of this awareness with students I serve, and this assignment helped me practice and refine this process. I relied on the knowledge (liberalist approach) from my past; I investigated and examined (behaviorist approach) my beliefs, values, and attitudes; and I challenged my acceptance of the work/education (critical approach) I was pursuing at the time. I found that I utilized a small principle from each philosophy I didn’t completely align with as a guide to connecting with those I do align with. This process allowed my educational perspective to be born.
After completing this paper, I felt so authentic and credible as both a practitioner and learner. I was now confident in connecting a name to my strongest approaches within the adult education world. The synthesis of my views, experiences, and hopes for the future brought to light my humanistic and progressive educational approaches to teaching and learning. From that point on, I dedicated myself to being humanistic as a facilitator, helper, and partner to adults in the learning process. I promised to remain progressive as a reciprocal teacher/learner in which I instigate learning through experiences that are educative. At the time, my professional position and educational practices were not aligned with critical theory approaches. It wasn’t until a future course in this program that I became more aware of informal learning and realized just how much I had been engaged with critical theory methods and ideas. In the future, I want to remain more aware of holistic learning and able to identify when I’m applying adult learning philosophies in my teaching/learning practice.
educd_500_final_paper_l.a..docx |
Course Department, Number & Title: EDUC-D505 Adult Learning Through the Lifespan
Semester & Year Enrolled: Fall 2017
Document: Artifact #2 – Paper – Theory to Practice: Informal Learning
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my Introduction to Adult Education Theory course, is a star in my constellation of learning that brought to light how prevalent informal learning has been in my life, particularly in the workplace. I not only realized just how often I was participating in informal learning, but just how powerful of a learning form it is as well. By reflecting on the topic of informal learning, it made sense to me how important a voluntary will to learn is. Whereas formal learning generally involves a tangible commitment of some kind, such as a training meeting you attend that lasts two hours, there is learning waiting to make an impression on you often without you even knowing. It quickly became apparent to me that much of this informal learning was happening while on the clock, in daily conversations with students as well as interactions with colleagues. While this only heightened my sense of perception of all the learning up for grabs in my workplace and excited me, it also saddened me a bit. I began to become more aware of those that either shut themselves off from informal learning opportunities in their life or refuse to recognize certain moments or events as learning experiences and instead wallow in negativity. At my core as a humanistic educator, emphasizing active learning is a key approach in helping humans realize their full potential. Recognizing that learning doesn’t happen only when it’s “scheduled” or “official”, ignites one’s capacity to reflect, change, and grow whenever they see fit. My hope for the future is that this assignment, and the revelations that came with it, inspire me motivate students, colleagues, and anyone who may not have access to formal learning settings, just how much knowledge, skills, and enrichment you can gain at no cost.
Semester & Year Enrolled: Fall 2017
Document: Artifact #2 – Paper – Theory to Practice: Informal Learning
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my Introduction to Adult Education Theory course, is a star in my constellation of learning that brought to light how prevalent informal learning has been in my life, particularly in the workplace. I not only realized just how often I was participating in informal learning, but just how powerful of a learning form it is as well. By reflecting on the topic of informal learning, it made sense to me how important a voluntary will to learn is. Whereas formal learning generally involves a tangible commitment of some kind, such as a training meeting you attend that lasts two hours, there is learning waiting to make an impression on you often without you even knowing. It quickly became apparent to me that much of this informal learning was happening while on the clock, in daily conversations with students as well as interactions with colleagues. While this only heightened my sense of perception of all the learning up for grabs in my workplace and excited me, it also saddened me a bit. I began to become more aware of those that either shut themselves off from informal learning opportunities in their life or refuse to recognize certain moments or events as learning experiences and instead wallow in negativity. At my core as a humanistic educator, emphasizing active learning is a key approach in helping humans realize their full potential. Recognizing that learning doesn’t happen only when it’s “scheduled” or “official”, ignites one’s capacity to reflect, change, and grow whenever they see fit. My hope for the future is that this assignment, and the revelations that came with it, inspire me motivate students, colleagues, and anyone who may not have access to formal learning settings, just how much knowledge, skills, and enrichment you can gain at no cost.
theory_to_practice_-_d505-1.doc |
Course Department, Number & Title: EDUC-D506 Adult Education Planning and Development
Semester & Year Enrolled: Spring 2015
Document: Artifact #3 – Paper – Interview Project
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my Adult Education Planning and Development course, is a star in my constellation of learning that represents my ability to recognize strengths and weaknesses of training programs in real time. Delivering appropriate training based on proven theories and methods is an ability every successful adult educator must develop. With this project, I had the opportunity to interview a professional development instructor and observe a training program led by her titled “Engaging Employees at Work”. I felt prepared by the knowledge of assessment and evaluation in adult education I learned so far in the course, so I was able to put on a critical lens and gain insight from a real-world training example. I witnessed firsthand how utilizing self-reflection exercises, case studies, and facilitating discussion work to engage participants and meet the goal of successful learning. Major approaches such as Keller’s ARCS model of Motivational Design and Kirkpatrick’s Evaluation Model came alive for me, as I observed them being facilitated in action. With this experience, I was engaging in humanistic learning theory by building upon course concepts from real-world applications. This helped me understand first-hand the central assertion of humanism, that when learning is combined with relatedness to experiences in life, learners are able to link their cognition to the real-world. It was also beneficial to my professional growth to learn from a practitioner currently implementing what I was studying. By documenting her planning process before and reflection after the training program, I had an example from an expert that I could consider and follow alongside my own way in the future. My hope for the future is that I can design and lead a training program as successful as this one. I can take this as a learning experience and apply what I believed worked and improve upon things that I thought could have been better when I begin my own involvement with adult education assessment, evaluation, and training practices.
Semester & Year Enrolled: Spring 2015
Document: Artifact #3 – Paper – Interview Project
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my Adult Education Planning and Development course, is a star in my constellation of learning that represents my ability to recognize strengths and weaknesses of training programs in real time. Delivering appropriate training based on proven theories and methods is an ability every successful adult educator must develop. With this project, I had the opportunity to interview a professional development instructor and observe a training program led by her titled “Engaging Employees at Work”. I felt prepared by the knowledge of assessment and evaluation in adult education I learned so far in the course, so I was able to put on a critical lens and gain insight from a real-world training example. I witnessed firsthand how utilizing self-reflection exercises, case studies, and facilitating discussion work to engage participants and meet the goal of successful learning. Major approaches such as Keller’s ARCS model of Motivational Design and Kirkpatrick’s Evaluation Model came alive for me, as I observed them being facilitated in action. With this experience, I was engaging in humanistic learning theory by building upon course concepts from real-world applications. This helped me understand first-hand the central assertion of humanism, that when learning is combined with relatedness to experiences in life, learners are able to link their cognition to the real-world. It was also beneficial to my professional growth to learn from a practitioner currently implementing what I was studying. By documenting her planning process before and reflection after the training program, I had an example from an expert that I could consider and follow alongside my own way in the future. My hope for the future is that I can design and lead a training program as successful as this one. I can take this as a learning experience and apply what I believed worked and improve upon things that I thought could have been better when I begin my own involvement with adult education assessment, evaluation, and training practices.
d506_interview_project.docx |
Course Department, Number & Title: EDUC-D512 Seminar in Forms and Forces of Adult Education
Semester & Year Enrolled: Fall 2015
Document: Artifact #4 – Paper – The Influence of Technology
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my Seminar in Forms and Forces of Adult Education course, is a star in my constellation of learning that connected my experiences as a longtime online student learner with the current literature on and significance of distance education. By meaningfully conducting research on the impact of online learning in adult education, I developed an understanding of current trends and issues in educational technology that I could apply in my professional practice with students and reflect upon personally. When I first looked at the options for this paper, I knew online learning would be my path to explore. Education has been the most transformative part of my life, and online learning provided me access and convenience to complete my first degree. This artifact encouraged me to really think about three things: 1) the future of adult education, 2) access to life-long learning, and 3) the globalization of education.
Writing this artifact proved to be a very valuable starting point for an elective Instructional Systems Technology course I took later in the program on the topic of emerging learning technologies. As I came to better understand and appreciate the concerns of access in distance education, my research brought me to the “next big thing” in online learning called MOOC’s (massive open online courses). While the advantages of online learning have grown greater every year and developed grander impacts with the help of MOOC’s, the limitations of access to the Internet around the world have to be addressed if we truly hope to provide life-long learning to the masses. I did not expect to uncover such a major issue down the path of exploring online learning and distance education technology. Nobody deserves to be prevented from getting an education because they don’t have access or the right to technology. Humanistic educators stand for the freedom to learn, meaning that everyone has the right and potential to learn. With personal and professional connections to online learning, I hold myself responsible for staying educated about current trends and issues surrounding the field. I couldn’t have made these realizations at a better time, considering the current political climate regarding net neutrality. In the future, I want to continue bringing awareness to the issues surrounding distance education and be part of improving the roadblocks related to access and affordability to bring learning to as many people as possible.
Semester & Year Enrolled: Fall 2015
Document: Artifact #4 – Paper – The Influence of Technology
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my Seminar in Forms and Forces of Adult Education course, is a star in my constellation of learning that connected my experiences as a longtime online student learner with the current literature on and significance of distance education. By meaningfully conducting research on the impact of online learning in adult education, I developed an understanding of current trends and issues in educational technology that I could apply in my professional practice with students and reflect upon personally. When I first looked at the options for this paper, I knew online learning would be my path to explore. Education has been the most transformative part of my life, and online learning provided me access and convenience to complete my first degree. This artifact encouraged me to really think about three things: 1) the future of adult education, 2) access to life-long learning, and 3) the globalization of education.
Writing this artifact proved to be a very valuable starting point for an elective Instructional Systems Technology course I took later in the program on the topic of emerging learning technologies. As I came to better understand and appreciate the concerns of access in distance education, my research brought me to the “next big thing” in online learning called MOOC’s (massive open online courses). While the advantages of online learning have grown greater every year and developed grander impacts with the help of MOOC’s, the limitations of access to the Internet around the world have to be addressed if we truly hope to provide life-long learning to the masses. I did not expect to uncover such a major issue down the path of exploring online learning and distance education technology. Nobody deserves to be prevented from getting an education because they don’t have access or the right to technology. Humanistic educators stand for the freedom to learn, meaning that everyone has the right and potential to learn. With personal and professional connections to online learning, I hold myself responsible for staying educated about current trends and issues surrounding the field. I couldn’t have made these realizations at a better time, considering the current political climate regarding net neutrality. In the future, I want to continue bringing awareness to the issues surrounding distance education and be part of improving the roadblocks related to access and affordability to bring learning to as many people as possible.
d512_term_paper.docx |
Course Department, Number & Title: EDUC-D525 Introduction to Distance Ed Systems in Adult Education
Semester & Year Enrolled: Spring 2016
Document: Artifact #5 – Paper – Teaching with Technology Statement
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my Introduction to Distance Education Systems in Adult Education course, is a star in my constellation of learning that connected my experiences as an online teaching assistant with proven theories and practices of teaching and learning online. By deeply evaluating how my personal philosophy of adult learning and teaching aligns with approaches specific to educational technology, I became aware of the theories that guide me in my interactions with technology and online student learners. From the instructions for this artifact, I was encouraged to critically look at how specific approaches of humanism apply to teaching learners on online environments. Embracing such a humanistic viewpoint, I was able to pinpoint my strategy in working with online students as learner-centered and self-reflection driven. This artifact also challenged me to consider how other theories play a critical role in many teaching-learning components in distance education settings. While I may approach a situation with a humanistic lens, I can recognize the importance of evaluating if it can apply holistically or if adopting perhaps another method would be more effective. For example, a behaviorist method for assessment or cognitivist method for increased memory retention could improve the overall effectiveness of the learning outcomes desired.
My current professional goals include teaching online courses as an adjunct, which will allow me implement what I learned in this course and specifically this Teaching with Technology artifact. I’m also passionate about pursuing instructional technology/design which will also allow me to put the knowledge I gained and insights I discovered from this assignment into practice. In the future, I intend to be very methodical and organized when it comes to how I approach teaching the adult students that I work with. I hope to dedicate time in developing experiences which make the acquisition of knowledge and skill more efficient, effective, and appealing to learners.
Semester & Year Enrolled: Spring 2016
Document: Artifact #5 – Paper – Teaching with Technology Statement
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my Introduction to Distance Education Systems in Adult Education course, is a star in my constellation of learning that connected my experiences as an online teaching assistant with proven theories and practices of teaching and learning online. By deeply evaluating how my personal philosophy of adult learning and teaching aligns with approaches specific to educational technology, I became aware of the theories that guide me in my interactions with technology and online student learners. From the instructions for this artifact, I was encouraged to critically look at how specific approaches of humanism apply to teaching learners on online environments. Embracing such a humanistic viewpoint, I was able to pinpoint my strategy in working with online students as learner-centered and self-reflection driven. This artifact also challenged me to consider how other theories play a critical role in many teaching-learning components in distance education settings. While I may approach a situation with a humanistic lens, I can recognize the importance of evaluating if it can apply holistically or if adopting perhaps another method would be more effective. For example, a behaviorist method for assessment or cognitivist method for increased memory retention could improve the overall effectiveness of the learning outcomes desired.
My current professional goals include teaching online courses as an adjunct, which will allow me implement what I learned in this course and specifically this Teaching with Technology artifact. I’m also passionate about pursuing instructional technology/design which will also allow me to put the knowledge I gained and insights I discovered from this assignment into practice. In the future, I intend to be very methodical and organized when it comes to how I approach teaching the adult students that I work with. I hope to dedicate time in developing experiences which make the acquisition of knowledge and skill more efficient, effective, and appealing to learners.
d525_teaching_with_technology_statement.docx |
Course Department, Number & Title: EDUC-R511 Instructional Systems Technology
Semester & Year Enrolled: Spring 2017
Document: Artifact #6 – Project – Module 1A: Team Success
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my elective course in Instructional Systems Technology, is a star in my constellation of learning that addresses the fact that learning is a process that involves the acquisition of new skills and knowledge. Meaning, as new skills and knowledge are acquired through education, there is a need for the establishment of more complex and diverse systems to manage them efficiently. This artifact increased my learning by enabling me to understand the instructional problem and the application of different learning theories (cognitive learning theory, behaviorism, and constructivism) to learning outcomes, discussion forums, weekly quizzes, reflection papers, and feedback. The artifact relates to my humanistic theory of adult education by taking a more in-depth angle in defining the connection. Each of the three learning methods in the artifact were applied to different learning activities which provided a deeper understanding of the material.
I would consider making a few changes to this artifact based on future learning. The project focuses on a single learning environment; online learning, which means the results are limited to this learning environment. The change I would make is to incorporate the components of the artifact in different learning environments, particularly classroom settings. Implementing the ideas to online learning yielded positive results with many learners recording improved performance. However, I would change the learning environment by making integrating both the online and the classroom settings. The future growth that might arise from this artifact is the establishment of diverse learning approaches that apply to integrated learning environments.
Semester & Year Enrolled: Spring 2017
Document: Artifact #6 – Project – Module 1A: Team Success
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my elective course in Instructional Systems Technology, is a star in my constellation of learning that addresses the fact that learning is a process that involves the acquisition of new skills and knowledge. Meaning, as new skills and knowledge are acquired through education, there is a need for the establishment of more complex and diverse systems to manage them efficiently. This artifact increased my learning by enabling me to understand the instructional problem and the application of different learning theories (cognitive learning theory, behaviorism, and constructivism) to learning outcomes, discussion forums, weekly quizzes, reflection papers, and feedback. The artifact relates to my humanistic theory of adult education by taking a more in-depth angle in defining the connection. Each of the three learning methods in the artifact were applied to different learning activities which provided a deeper understanding of the material.
I would consider making a few changes to this artifact based on future learning. The project focuses on a single learning environment; online learning, which means the results are limited to this learning environment. The change I would make is to incorporate the components of the artifact in different learning environments, particularly classroom settings. Implementing the ideas to online learning yielded positive results with many learners recording improved performance. However, I would change the learning environment by making integrating both the online and the classroom settings. The future growth that might arise from this artifact is the establishment of diverse learning approaches that apply to integrated learning environments.
team_success_module_1a.docx |
Course Department, Number & Title: EDUC-R511 Instructional Systems Technology
Semester & Year Enrolled: Spring 2017
Document: Artifact #7 – Project – Module 2A: Team Success
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my elective course in Instructional Systems Technology, is a star in my constellation of diverse learning that enlightened me to the different instructional methods that can be applied to active teaching and learning to address the needs of learners. This was a profound new learning experience for me, and was the first major project I completed in a small group during my entire Master’s journey. I chose this artifact because it of its clear explanation of the interrelatedness of a range of factors that contributed to active learning, including educational technology, humans, instructional design and technology, and technologies geared towards human performance. Creating this artifact increased my learning in different ways. It enabled me to acknowledge the need for diverse learning experiences in my education. By understanding ever-evolving technologies and innovations, it was easy to determine why educators need to not only learn and explore new teaching avenues but also experiment and utilize them in different learning environments. The name my group members and I chose to call ourselves was a critical component evident in this artifact. Team success is crucial regarding adult education theory. That is, adult learning promotes and encourages collaboration and successful teamwork between learners and educators are the key to adult education.
Based on learning in later classes, I would provide more explanation of the Crew/Humans component. It seems to offer less insight on who precisely the humans in the adult education are and what their roles and relationships are. Implementing this artifact resulted in improved adult learning outcomes. However, I would consider including an approach to monitor the progress, identify potential areas for improvement, and provide measures on how to improve those areas. From this artifact, more diverse learning methods can be defined intending to ensure valuable experiences in learning and high quality of teaching.
Semester & Year Enrolled: Spring 2017
Document: Artifact #7 – Project – Module 2A: Team Success
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my elective course in Instructional Systems Technology, is a star in my constellation of diverse learning that enlightened me to the different instructional methods that can be applied to active teaching and learning to address the needs of learners. This was a profound new learning experience for me, and was the first major project I completed in a small group during my entire Master’s journey. I chose this artifact because it of its clear explanation of the interrelatedness of a range of factors that contributed to active learning, including educational technology, humans, instructional design and technology, and technologies geared towards human performance. Creating this artifact increased my learning in different ways. It enabled me to acknowledge the need for diverse learning experiences in my education. By understanding ever-evolving technologies and innovations, it was easy to determine why educators need to not only learn and explore new teaching avenues but also experiment and utilize them in different learning environments. The name my group members and I chose to call ourselves was a critical component evident in this artifact. Team success is crucial regarding adult education theory. That is, adult learning promotes and encourages collaboration and successful teamwork between learners and educators are the key to adult education.
Based on learning in later classes, I would provide more explanation of the Crew/Humans component. It seems to offer less insight on who precisely the humans in the adult education are and what their roles and relationships are. Implementing this artifact resulted in improved adult learning outcomes. However, I would consider including an approach to monitor the progress, identify potential areas for improvement, and provide measures on how to improve those areas. From this artifact, more diverse learning methods can be defined intending to ensure valuable experiences in learning and high quality of teaching.
module_2a_team_success_final_version-1.pdf |
Course Department, Number & Title: EDUC-U544 Intro to Student Affairs
Semester & Year Enrolled: Summer 2017
Document: Artifact #8 – Paper – One Size Does Not Fit All Evaluation
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my elective course in Intro to Student Affairs, is a star in my constellation of learning that emphasizes and reminds me of the need for collaboration across the divisions in higher education. This project increased my understanding of diversity in educational institutions, systems, and operations. It has become increasingly essential to adjust organizational structures in education systems to ensure collaborative action in response to the increased emphasis on student success, engagement, and retention. This artifact improved my learning by enabling me to understand that a single approach to learning may be ineffective in achieving the goals of education (one size does not fit all). This artifact is related to my theory of adult education because it corresponds with a critical characteristic of the approach, which is self-direction or autonomy. Adult learners should be actively involved in their learning process and make informed choices regarding their objectives of learning.
Moreover, a mentor should guide them in directing their learning goals. In this artifact, it was humbling to know I worked for an organization that helped people turn their dreams into achievable goals using affordable, accessible, and high-quality learning opportunities. Also, autonomous departments are established to allow for the maintenance of extensive professional expertise aimed at achieving a high-quality education. The change I would make to this artifact based on future learning would be to provide more information on how the specific models of education have affected learning. Also, I would highlight how collaboration has served as the core of improvement in learning in the various learning environments. The ideas in this artifact were implemented, and they resulted in better and improved learning outcomes. I would also ensure more evaluation programs are established to monitor the learning performance and outcomes. Last, more learning approaches will arise from this artifact in the future.
Semester & Year Enrolled: Summer 2017
Document: Artifact #8 – Paper – One Size Does Not Fit All Evaluation
Caption Statement
This artifact, from my elective course in Intro to Student Affairs, is a star in my constellation of learning that emphasizes and reminds me of the need for collaboration across the divisions in higher education. This project increased my understanding of diversity in educational institutions, systems, and operations. It has become increasingly essential to adjust organizational structures in education systems to ensure collaborative action in response to the increased emphasis on student success, engagement, and retention. This artifact improved my learning by enabling me to understand that a single approach to learning may be ineffective in achieving the goals of education (one size does not fit all). This artifact is related to my theory of adult education because it corresponds with a critical characteristic of the approach, which is self-direction or autonomy. Adult learners should be actively involved in their learning process and make informed choices regarding their objectives of learning.
Moreover, a mentor should guide them in directing their learning goals. In this artifact, it was humbling to know I worked for an organization that helped people turn their dreams into achievable goals using affordable, accessible, and high-quality learning opportunities. Also, autonomous departments are established to allow for the maintenance of extensive professional expertise aimed at achieving a high-quality education. The change I would make to this artifact based on future learning would be to provide more information on how the specific models of education have affected learning. Also, I would highlight how collaboration has served as the core of improvement in learning in the various learning environments. The ideas in this artifact were implemented, and they resulted in better and improved learning outcomes. I would also ensure more evaluation programs are established to monitor the learning performance and outcomes. Last, more learning approaches will arise from this artifact in the future.
one_size_does_not_fit_all_-_544.docx |