In both courses, I have made a concerted effort to engage deeply with the readings, activities, and discussions. In Creating Significant Learning Environments, I found the ideas in Fink’s (2013) book, Creating Significant Learning Experiences, particularly impactful. One of the key concepts that stood out to me was the focus on creating “significant learning goals” that go beyond traditional content knowledge. This perspective led me to reframe how I approach curriculum design, ensuring that my teaching not only covers subject content but also encourages students to develop essential skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-regulation. For instance, I began integrating reflective practices into my lessons, encouraging students to assess their own learning processes and set personalized goals for improvement (Fink, 2013, p. 87). This shift toward learner-centered teaching has not only enhanced my approach to teaching but has also deepened my understanding of how to support students in becoming lifelong learners. Additionally, in Developing Effective Professional Leadership, the discussions about leadership traits and strategies have helped me refine my approach to leadership within my school. I’ve adopted more collaborative techniques, involving my team in decision-making processes, which has fostered a more cohesive and accountable working environment.

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The ideas from Thomas and Brown's (2011) A New Culture of Learning also played a significant role in shaping my understanding of the dynamic nature of learning in today’s world. Their exploration of learning as an ever-evolving process that requires imagination and adaptability aligns closely with my philosophy of fostering self-directed learning in students. In the Learner's Mindset Explained (Harapnuik, 2025) and Reignite the Learner's Mindset (Harapnuik, 2025) articles, I gained further insight into how we can encourage students to view learning as an ongoing process, where challenges are opportunities for growth, not obstacles to success. These concepts connected well with Fink’s (2013) approach to creating significant learning environments, as both advocate for environments that support continuous, self-reflective growth. I also found Andrews et al. (2011) findings on active learning particularly interesting, as they emphasize that active learning is not always a guaranteed strategy for student success. This challenged me to rethink my approach to classroom activities and focus more on meaningful, high-impact active learning opportunities.

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In terms of collaboration, I consistently communicated with my partners via text, email, and Padlet, which allowed us to provide continuous feedback on assignments and discussions. The constant feedback loop helped us refine our thoughts and clarify any misunderstandings. As a team, we worked diligently to apply the concepts of growth mindset and professional leadership to our collaborative projects. This ongoing communication strengthened our learning, allowing us to deepen our understanding of both course content and real-world application.

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Areas for Improvement

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While I have made strong contributions to my learning and to the learning community, I acknowledge there are areas where I can improve. One such area is time management. Although I have consistently met deadlines, there were times when I could have been more proactive in my contributions. In both courses, I could have engaged earlier with my peers’ posts and added additional research to further enrich the discussions. As we know, leadership is about setting the tone for others, and I could have done more to inspire my team members to take more ownership of their learning process. I also realized that while I contributed feedback and participated in discussions, I could have made more connections between the two courses. As both courses focus on fostering a deeper understanding of learning and leadership, I could have synthesized these insights more explicitly. A stronger integration of the leadership concepts from 5389 and the learning environment theories from 5313 would have allowed me to create a more cohesive approach to both teaching and leadership.

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Contributions to Learning Community

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I consistently collaborated with the following members of my base group: Katelyn O'Quin, Ann Zastryzny, Veronica Mata, and Jackie Bittner (from 5313 and 5389). These members played an integral role in shaping the success of my Innovation Project, Leading Organizational Change, Concepts of Educational Technology,  ePortfolio,  Creating Significant Learning Environments, and Developing Effective Professional Leadership.   We used Group Me to communicate with both classes as a whole: Developing Effective Professional Leadership and Creating Significant Learning Environments.  As a base team we have separate Group Chats via text message and emails.  Lastly, we have been using the platform Padlet to post our work for peer review/feedforward.  

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I believe my contributions to my base group community were substantial. I took responsibility for leading several discussions, ensuring that we adhered to deadlines, and making sure each member felt heard. By using various platforms, we could maintain continuous communication and feedback loops, which helped everyone stay on track and share insights. I made active contributions in all forums, providing thoughtful responses to peers and sharing additional research to further the depth of our discussions. As an active participant, I also made sure to post in a timely fashion, enabling others to respond to my posts and foster a collaborative learning environment. In particular, I believe my posts reflected both breadth and depth of thinking, as I often linked course content with real-world examples and cited research to support my perspectives.

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Through this collaborative process, I not only benefited from my own learning but also helped my peers refine their understanding of complex concepts. I contributed extra discussions, some of which did not require research but were meant to provoke deeper thinking. These informal contributions helped foster a sense of community and allowed my peers to feel comfortable sharing their own insights. This exchange of ideas and feedback helped create a productive and supportive learning environment where we all felt motivated to challenge ourselves and grow professionally.

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I have actively engaged in revising all assignments by reflecting on the feedback provided by the course instructor. Each revision process was guided by the specific comments and suggestions I received, allowing me to refine my understanding of the subject matter. By carefully addressing areas for improvement, I was able to enhance the quality of my work, demonstrating my commitment to continuous learning. The revisions not only helped me improve the assignments but also deepened my overall grasp of key concepts. This process of reflection and adjustment has been a valuable part of my contribution to the learning community, as it encouraged a cycle of growth and knowledge sharing.

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Integrating Ideas from Both Courses

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The most significant impact of my work across both courses has been the integration of the leadership concepts from Developing Effective Professional Leadership and the learning environment strategies from Creating Significant Learning Environments. By thinking about leadership in terms of fostering collaboration and guiding self-directed learning, I have learned how to create a more effective and supportive learning community. As a leader, I now understand the importance of creating conditions where learners are empowered to take ownership of their progress, while also learning how to assess the quality of their work. This understanding will not only benefit my personal growth but will also have a profound impact on how I lead and support others in professional and educational settings.

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The articles on teacher collaboration (Goodwin, 2015) and effective professional development (Gulamhussein, 2013) further reinforced the importance of building a strong support network with peers and continually improving through professional development opportunities. These readings helped me understand how critical it is for educators to engage in collaborative professional growth, as it enhances both individual and collective efficacy in fostering student success.

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Conclusion

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In conclusion, I believe my contributions to both Creating Significant Learning Environments (5313) and Developing Effective Professional Leadership (5389) justify a self-assessment score of 94. My active participation, leadership, and engagement with course content have contributed meaningfully to both my personal development and the learning community. While I have areas for growth, particularly in time management and deeper integration of course concepts, my consistent effort to contribute to the learning environment, both individually and collaboratively, has positively impacted the course experience. Moving forward, I will continue to build on these insights to further enhance my ability to lead and support learners in creating meaningful, self-directed learning experiences.

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References

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Andrews, T. M., Leonard, M. J., Colgrove, C. A., & Kalinowski, S. T. (2011). Active learning not associated with

student learning in a random sample of college biology courses. CBE Life Sciences Education, 10(4), 394–405. http://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.11-07-0061

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Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses.

Jossey-Bass.

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Goodwin, B. (2015). Research says/Does teacher collaboration promote teacher growth? Educational Leadership,

73(4), 82–83. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec15/vol73/num04/Does-Teacher-Collaboration-Promote-Teacher-Growth%C2%A2.aspx

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Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the teachers: Effective professional development in an era of high stakes

accountability. Center for Public Education. Retrieved from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-176_ProfessionalDevelopment.pdf

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Harapnuik, D. (2025). Learner's mindset explained. Harapnuik.org. Retrieved from https://www.harapnuik.org/?

p=8705

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Harapnuik, D. (2025). Reignite the learner's mindset. Prezi. Retrieved from

https://prezi.com/view/WNrNvvkVm9HnRi9jnsAj/

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Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant

change (Vol. 219). Lexington, KY: CreateSpace.