Self-Appraisal

Progress Towards My Personal and Professional Goals

Since starting my journey towards earing a Doctor of Education degree from UND, I have experienced profound transformation in my role as an education leader.  Being able to practically apply the scholarly knowledge gained from this program, I have not only progressed towards my initial personal and professional goals but have also identified and embraced new goals.  This journey has led me to critically reflect on my original goals submitted as part of my application to this program and has reshaped my leadership philosophy and dispositions in meaningful ways. 

Entering this program, my primary goals were to grow in my teaching practices and curriculum development and focus on how I could better support student success. Along my journey, my goals expanded to include fostering and supporting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environment. Throughout the program's rigorous coursework, research, and practical experiences, I have been able to hone my abilities to critically analyze educational challenges, implement innovative strategies, and measure their impact on student success including universal design learning (UDL); andragogy; adult development and the impact on learning; understanding gaps in academic advisement to be diverse, equitable, and inclusive; and implementing practices to support student mastery and success.  The following examples are reflective of my learning and growth to in my teaching practices to transform my classroom and coursework to be accessible for all learners and to adapt to adult learning: 

• • Presentation (Pecha Kuka): Adult Learning Curriculum

  • Infographic: Adult Development, Interview with an Adult Learner

  • Presentation: Universal Design Learning Key Takeaways 

  • Interview: Adult Learner

Diversity, equity, and inclusion has become a priority for my teaching and learning practices as well as academic advisement.  This practitioner-scholar coursework led me to my dissertation topic to utilize academic advisement to better meet students changing needs.  The following example provides research and evidence-based practices where I was able to identify gaps that exist in academic advisement approaches to address diversity, equity, and inclusion.:

• • Scholarly Writing: A Literature Review of Academic Advisement Strategies for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

This program has also prepared me to be able to confidently present teaching and learning practices that help support students' success.  The following example provides my application to a comprehensive pro/con argument for providing continuous learning opportunities for students to reach mastery in a subject which helped me to confidently present this practice to colleagues and address both sides of the argument. 

• • Pro/Con Argument - Continuous Learning Opportunities

Leadership Philosophy and Dispositions

My leadership philosophy continues to be centered on focusing on the journey of growth and development and lifelong learning for myself, my students, and those around me.  However, after my journey through this program, I have now added a deep commitment to ethical leadership, being able to effectively adapt to the ever-evolving field of education, collaboration with stakeholders, and diversity, equity, and inclusion to my leadership philosophy.  I also believe that anyone can lead.  I have provided an example which support the growth of my leadership philosophy and dispositions. 

• • Leadership Platform 

  • This I believe Essay: Anyone Can Lead

While I feel confident in my abilities to continue to apply the knowledge I have learned to my practice, I also understand the journey does not end here as education is a very dynamic field and new challenges and opportunities will present themselves.  I feel confident in my abilities to continue to learn, research, apply scholarly knowledge to my practice to continue to create a positive, diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment.