Growth Mindset, Failing Forward, & COVA

        After some ample time of reflection, I have been able to recognize all of the valuable lessons I have gained through Lamar's Educational Technology Leadership master's program thus far. Perhaps the most valuable lesson that I have learned throughout this program that has impacted me the most is the importance of a Growth Mindset and The Power of Yet that we learned about in my most recent course, Concepts of Educational Technology. I have been able to implement this in my personal and professional life immediately and will be able to continue to apply these new concepts forever. I am always excited when I get the opportunity to introduce these concepts to others to implement them into their lives too!

        The four steps, created by Scott Jeffrey, have been extremely beneficial for dealing with difficult challenges such as teaching during the current pandemic, getting out of my comfort zone when it comes to implementing new skills such as the COVA approach, and my progression of attaining my master's degree. I can notice and identify my fixed mindset voice, recognize that I have a choice in the mindset or attitude I have towards the task at hand, talk back to it with a growth mindset, and then improve the situation! Please check out my Growth Mindset Plan for more information about what a Growth Mindset is and how I implement it in my life and in the classroom too! The Digital Leading and Learning courses in this program have also allowed me to collaborate with classmates through discussion boards, online blending learning, and group meetings. This experience has been extremely beneficial to my progression through this portion of this program and has introduced my to many Learning Networks as well. 

        I have often viewed failure as a setback instead of embracing my failures and instrumentalizing them for my success. Through this program, I was introduced to Failing Forward strategies by John Maxwell. I have come to realize that failure, honestly, cannot be avoided and is an essential part of moving towards success. Failure can often lead to many new opportunities that allow for more growth and improvement. I was recently reflecting on my passion and purpose for choosing to work in the Education field. Please check out my Learning Manifesto for information on my "why." However, that reflection process allowed me to look back at all the failures, trials, and tribulations that I have gone through to get to where I am today. If it were not for failing forward and allowing those experiences to help me grow, I would not be where I am today.

        Applying the COVA approach throughout this process has allowed me to experience my learning in a new and authentic way. Creating an ePortfolio allows you to enhance an active and more profound learning experience where you can choose to participate in various authentic learning activities. An ePortfolio allows you to showcase your learning, knowledge, and experiences that you have acquired through a platform that you can decide how to use and set up. I have learned that reflection is probably one of the best tools we can use as educators to show our professional growth. Reflecting allows you to look back on past experiences and think critically about what you learned and how much you have grown.

        Incorporating blogging through ePortfolios has allowed me to see how far I have come, just in the short twelve weeks, since starting to build my ePortfolio. It has been quite a transition of having the "freedom" to do more of what I want instead of following a strict rubric as I had to do in the Administration courses before the DLL courses. Creating my ePortfolio with the COVA approach has allowed me to showcase my work in a way that I believe best represents who I am and what I stand for. The COVA approach gives me a choice and a voice in the decisions I make, which creates more authentic learning experiences, which allows me to have a choice when creating something that I can be proud of. At the beginning of this process, I was able to explore many website building platforms, but using the COVA approach, I had a choice in which site I thought would best work for me. This has been the process through the entire progression of building my ePortfolio. I continue to incorporate elements of the COVA model into my ePortfolio by creating learning experiences that are authentic to me.

        Through this experience, I have had the opportunity to express my ideas through blogs, build various projects, or create plans where I can genuinely voice my thoughts to express my personal learning experiences. It has allowed me to create a deeper and more meaningful connection to the reason behind building my ePortfolio. Implementing the Growth Mindset, Failing Forward Strategies, and the COVA approach through my progression throughout the remainder of this program will help me to continue to strive for success! I look forward to many more authentic learning experiences that are to come!

References

Jeffrey, S. (2020, June 23). Change Your Fixed Mindset into a Growth Mindset [Complete Guide]. Scott Jeffrey. https://scottjeffrey.com/change-your-fixed-mindset/