Created by Samara Marin using Microsoft Copilot

At this point in my master’s journey, this is the fourth collaboration blog post I have completed. My feelings toward completing these collaboration posts have definitely changed since being in the Applied Digital Learning program. I still remember the absolute panic I felt the first time I learned what a collaboration post was. Before joining this program, I was content to complete all my projects alone. I felt I didn’t need anyone’s help in class. Then, I began to drown in this program. I had to ask for help, and this program made asking for help a part of the process to receive a degree. The more I collaborated with those around me, the more I enjoyed seeing the same information from different perspectives and sharing my own perspectives. I found myself returning to discussion boards in order to respond to discussions that I had posted at the beginning of each eight-week course to see if anyone had responded to my previous posts.

I wanted to start collaborating with my cohort early this semester since we graduate in two short months (December 2024). I created the Microsoft TEAMS page at the end of the summer courses in order to prepare for the fall courses and begin discussing with my classmates who would be completing the course after the first rotation of fall courses, as well as those who would be in the course with me until December. What started as a way to understand the material became a way to stay connected with the students who helped me make it through this program. Mia, Maria, Ana, Amburh, and Rose began the program with me and will hopefully graduate from the program during the same rotation as me. These ladies have been taking the same courses as me each semester of the Accelerated Applied Digital Learning Masters program. I also received assistance from Rebecca Chang in the EDLD 5389 course this semester. Sara and Audrey began the program before me and are finishing the program eight weeks beforehand, but I will hopefully get to see them at graduation as well. These two ladies helped me when it came to EDLD 5318.

When completing the course activities, I completed all assignments and readings on time. However, I completed the last few discussion posts closer to the course’s end. For 5389, this means three discussion posts; for 5318, this means one discussion post. However, for each discussion post, I responded to every reply my original post had, on top of reading my classmates’ responses and replying to those that resonated with me. This meant a minimum of three posts per discussion in each course. As far as 5389 goes, the most responses to one discussion post I created was eleven, with an average of six responses over the semester. In 5318, I had an average of eight posts and posted nine responses to the discussion post, with the most replies from me.

I noticed a dip in my participation around the middle of September due to my husband’s and daughter’s birthdays falling very close together and school starting. However, aside from that time frame, I spent an average amount of time in the course completing discussions, readings, and assignments, as shown below.

After seeing the past eight weeks laid out in the form of images, I believe that I deserve the following results for the stated reasons.

For EDLD 5389, I believe that I deserve an 85.

This is because although I provided feedback to my colleagues when requested, I made it to every class and completed the assignments. I should have been on time for one of the discussion posts and responded in week seven instead of week five. I also spent less time on the course than I normally spend. While I still completed the assignments, based on past courses I can complete my discussion posts on time so that one discussion post does not allow me to give myself an A. That being said, I am excited to implement the professional learning techniques that I have learned as my campus director has stated interest in the alternative PL plan I have proposed.

For EDLD 5318, I believe I deserve a 90.

This is because, in this course, I completed every assignment and discussion post on time. However, I did miss one of the classes. This was simply because I did not set the timer for that day as I normally do when I have a class. As in 5389, I provided feedback for my colleagues and even implemented the project on my campus to test the course’s usability, as shown in the usability video. However, the fact that I missed a class due to a missed alarm does not allow me to give myself anything above a 90.