EDLD 5318 & 5320
Contribution to Learning and the Learning Community
Self Assessment Score: 80/100
Throughout EDLD 5318 and 5320, I have continued to grow as a digital learner and leader, even in a season of life that has been both challenging and transformative. These final courses asked me to reflect deeply on who I have become throughout the ADL program, and in doing so, I learned more about myself than I expected. The COVA reflection in 5320 and the Innovation Project Update helped me truly grasp how far I’ve come as a learner, a designer, and a leader.
One of the greatest lessons I’m taking with me is the value of reflection and how it empowers us to take ownership of our learning. Reflection is not something I always made intentional time for before ADL, but through these courses, I have seen how essential it is. Reflection helped me see the connections between my design work in 5318 and the broader leadership mindset I developed in 5320. It allowed me to recognize my strengths, acknowledge my challenges, and identify how to move forward with clarity and purpose. These are skills I hope to transfer to my colleagues through my innovation plan. As I prepare to roll out the modules I created in 5318, I am hopeful that coordinators will see the value of AI-supported lesson planning and understand how these learning tools can elevate our afterschool programs.
That said, I need to be honest with myself: although I completed all required assignments, participated in discussions, and remained active in GroupMe, this term was very difficult for me. For that reason, I do not believe I earned a perfect score. I am giving myself an 80/100 because, while I met the key expectations at the foundational level, I did not actively contribute to the learning community with the consistency or leadership I strive for. This honesty is part of what reflection is about. True learning requires us to assess the quality of our own work and recognize where we can grow.
This term has been one of the hardest periods of my life. I began 5318 and 5320 just after giving birth to my second daughter. My first baby was only 15 months old. I returned to work while balancing sleepless nights, recovery, and a rapidly shifting home life. At the same time, our department learned that funding for the Texas ACE program, our entire foundation, was uncertain due to a federal freeze. Suddenly, the work I had poured into my innovation plan felt fragile. I struggled with staying connected to coursework because I couldn’t escape the fear that everything I had built might be for a program that no longer existed.
Despite all of this, I completed my modules, met assignment deadlines, and stayed engaged with peers. What I did not do as strongly was lead within the community or offer as much feedback as I normally would. My focus this term was surviving motherhood, work, and school as these responsibilities blended into one demanding season. But even in this difficult period, I learned so much. I learned to give myself grace. I learned that leadership doesn’t always look like being the loudest contributor. Sometimes, leadership is just continuing to show up.
In many ways, this term reflected the heart of my innovation plan: change is hard, but the right community, clarity, and commitment make it possible. Even on the days I struggled to balance responsibilities, I still grew. I still designed. I still reflected. I still showed up. And for that, I am proud.