Throughout this course, I embraced the growth mindset, recognizing that as a Pre-K teacher, the learning process itself is an evolving experience. This mindset has been particularly useful in working on my innovation project, where I explored the enriched virtual model for early childhood education. Initially, I struggled with integrating technology into an age-appropriate, engaging, and pedagogically sound way for young children. However, I viewed this challenge as an opportunity to grow, and through continuous practice and feedback from peers, I have significantly improved my approach.

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The learning manifesto that I’ve developed emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and persistence. This framework has helped me stay focused on developing new teaching methods and integrating them with my project. I continually assessed my work to ensure that it met both the pedagogical needs of my students and the requirements of my innovation project. By regularly participating in course discussions and engaging with the resources provided, I ensured that I stayed aligned with my manifesto. Additionally, I took responsibility for revising assignments and reflecting on how these revisions could enhance both my learning and the learning of my peers.

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For example, when we explored the idea of "blended learning," I took the time to research how virtual tools could enhance in-person Pre-K instruction. I shared these findings with my group and led discussions on how these tools could be adapted for early childhood. This contribution not only supported my own learning but also encouraged my peers to consider the unique needs of young children in a digital environment.

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While I have made significant strides in contributing to group discussions and course activities, I recognize there is always room for improvement. Specifically, I want to improve the timeliness and depth of my contributions. At times, I found myself caught up in refining my project ideas and was slower to post in forums, which could have impacted my ability to influence and interact with my peers. Moving forward, I plan to better manage my time to ensure more consistent participation in group discussions.  There were times when the readings became overwhelming to keep up with due to working full time and family life.  This can be adjusted with blocking times specifically for the readings so I stay on track every week.

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I took an active leadership role within my base group by encouraging open dialogue, offering constructive feedback, and collaborating on course activities. Through influencer strategy, I made deliberate efforts to foster a collaborative environment where group members felt comfortable sharing their ideas. I contributed regularly in discussions by posting thought-provoking questions, providing feedback on others’ posts, and offering support in the development of ideas. This aligns with the 4DX model’s discipline of "creating a cadence of accountability" – I kept myself accountable to my group by ensuring that I participated in every meeting and remained committed to providing timely feedback.

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In terms of lead measures, I tracked my progress by monitoring how effectively I contributed to group meetings, how well I applied course learnings to my innovation project, and how I supported the learning of my peers. I kept a compelling scoreboard by documenting each instance of collaboration and feedback provided, allowing me to reflect on my contributions and continue growing.

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The course emphasized the importance of contributing to the learning community, and I made a concerted effort to contribute beyond the minimum requirements. I regularly participated in course forums, shared resources, and provided feedback to peers, ensuring that my contributions helped build a collaborative and supportive learning environment. This not only benefited me but also encouraged my peers to take ownership of their learning and apply course concepts effectively.

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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 5302 and 5304). These members played an integral role in shaping the success of my Innovation Project, Leading Organizational Change, Concepts of Educational Technology, and my ePortfolio.   We used Group Me to communicate with both classes as a whole: Concepts of Educational Technology and Leading Organizational Change.  As a base team we have separate Group Chats for each class on our cell phones for quick responses.  Lastly, we have been using the platform Mural to post our work for peer review/feedforward.  

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​In summary, I have selected a score of 94 because I have made key contributions to the learning community, embraced feedback, and participated in group discussions. My active engagement in the course, along with my participation and collaboration in the projects, has allowed me to grow professionally and personally. However, there are areas where I can improve, particularly in terms of timeliness and expanding my research on virtual learning tools. Moving forward, I will continue to apply the principles of growth mindset, learning manifesto, influencer strategy, and 4DX to enhance my contributions and ensure the success of my innovation project.