March 3, 2025 | Frank Señeriz Vega
As I look back on my journey in EDLD 5389: Effective Professional Learning, I find myself reflecting on the ways I have engaged, contributed, and grown. Learning is never a solo act, and this course has reinforced the power of collaboration, the importance of feedback, and the value of continuous refinement. Assigning myself a score of 90, I believe this number reflects both my dedication and the areas where I still have room to grow.
From the very start, I committed myself to fully engaging with the course materials, discussions, and collaborative opportunities. Reading Teaching in a Digital Age opened my eyes to aspects of teaching that I had never considered before. It also brought back ideas from my undergraduate program that I hadn’t revisited in years. Additionally, each reading, video, and resource helped shape my understanding of what effective professional learning should look like. Dr. Harapnuik’s approach to learning challenged everything I had done so far in this master’s program, pushing me to adopt a growth mindset and rethink the way I approach professional learning. More than just absorbing content, I made a concerted effort to apply these principles in real-world contexts.
Collaboration has been both an enriching and challenging part of my experience. Much of this took place in our GroupMe chat, where I worked alongside an incredible group of students with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Engaging with Sarah Enger, Kevin Quintero, and Monique Richardson was particularly impactful, as they consistently contributed meaningful insights and fresh perspectives to my work. We bounced ideas off each other, provided feedback, and supported one another through the challenges of designing meaningful professional learning experiences. These informal yet purposeful conversations were invaluable in pushing me to think more critically, refine my work, and expand my understanding.
One of my biggest challenges in this course was learning to accept and apply feedback effectively. While I have always been eager to help others by offering feedback and ideas, I often find myself hesitant when it comes to sharing my own work. Thanks to the support and encouragement of my peers, I was able to revisit and refine my assignments with more confidence. Their insights helped shape my projects into something more polished and impactful, and I hope that my feedback provided them with the same level of value in return.
Even with my strong engagement, I recognize there are areas where I could have done more. While I participated consistently, I sometimes held back from taking a more active role in discussions. Moving forward, I want to challenge myself to ask more thought-provoking questions that foster deeper conversations. Additionally, while I developed strong frameworks for professional learning, there is always room to incorporate more innovative strategies and case studies that cater to a wider range of learning needs. Lastly, although I actively sought feedback, I realize that getting input earlier in the process could have allowed for even greater refinement before final submissions.
Being part of this learning community has been incredibly rewarding. My engagement in our GroupMe chat played a crucial role in my learning experience, serving as a space where we exchanged ideas, discussed course concepts, and helped each other navigate challenges. Through this platform, I provided consistent and constructive feedback to several colleagues, ensuring that we all refined our work and elevated our understanding of professional learning design.
Reflecting on my growth, I recognize how my willingness to revise my work and incorporate feedback has strengthened my learning. Rather than viewing revisions as corrections, I embraced them as opportunities to refine my understanding and enhance my professional learning designs. More importantly, I actively applied course concepts in real-world settings, bridging the gap between theory and practice.
Assigning myself a score of 90 feels like an honest and accurate reflection of my efforts. I have been engaged, collaborative, and reflective, yet I also acknowledge that there is always room for improvement. This course has provided me with the tools to design professional learning experiences that are both meaningful and effective. Moving forward, I am eager to continue refining my approach, deepening my engagement, and applying these insights in my professional practice.
I have included links to my work in my ePortfolio, showcasing my contributions and progress throughout this course. If you have any feedback, I’d love to hear it—learning is, after all, a continuous journey.
References
Bates, T. (2022). Teaching in a Digital age: General: Guidelines for designing, teaching and learning (3rd ed.). Tony Bates Associates Ltd.