Contribution to my leanring
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"The moment you begin to question, you begin to learn. Questioning is the key that opens the door to true understanding."
~Matias de Stephano
More Curious, More Confident, More Me
More Curious, More Confident, More Me
Sonia Rodriguez | November 24, 2025
Reflecting on my journey to become a powerful performer and self-directed learner, I’m amazed at how much growth has taken place in just a short time. This course required me to look back over my entire ADL program and synthesize what I’ve learned, an experience that brought together memory, practice, and a deeper understanding of how I’ve developed.
In one of my early reflections, I asked myself, “How am I going to do this?” At the time, the workload felt overwhelming and the path ahead unclear. Now, looking back, I realize that I simply figured things out as they came. I learned as I went, trusted the process, and I’m proud to say I did it!
I also remember thinking, “I’m not going to finish on time!” That fear pushed me to rethink the way I organize my learning. I became more intentional about planning time to work on assignments, creating an environment that supported my learning style, and staying focused so I could follow through. These might seem like simple adjustments, but they made a significant difference in my ability to manage expectations and meet deadlines.
The learning process itself has been fascinating. I’ve embraced continuous improvement, strengthened my growth mindset, and sharpened my abilities as a self-directed learner. The structure of this program, especially the use of COVA and Assessment OF/FOR/AS Learning has made the journey both meaningful and manageable. Perhaps just as importantly, I’ve been surrounded by colleagues who are as motivated to learn and grow as I am.
As Dr. Harapnuik emphasized early in the program, “In order to build self-efficacy you have to talk to someone about it.” That insight has shaped my entire experience. I eagerly communicated with my colleagues, asked family members for input, reached out to my professors with questions during live meetings or through email, and even talked things through with myself.
Throughout the ADL master’s program, I’ve had the opportunity to engage with incredible colleagues who have expanded and enriched my understanding. In this course, I had the privilege of working closely with Rebecca Chang, LaShaunda Brown, Faith Lopez, and Tasha Brown. Rebecca took the initiative to create a GroupMe for our team, which became our main space for questions, feedback, and encouragement.
I was also part of a larger GroupMe community for the course, where we shared resources, reminders, and insights. Angela Speck kept us up to date on meetings and important details, something I appreciated deeply this year, as my work schedule kept me from attending as many live sessions as I usually do. The recordings, combined with the GroupMe support, helped me stay grounded and informed when life felt unpredictable.
One area I know I can still improve is video creation. While I’ve definitely grown from my very first recording to my most recent one, the learning curve is still there. I can see the progress, but I also know there’s so much more to explore. Moving forward, I want to carve out dedicated time to build my skills, experiment with new tools, and become more confident.
Despite the challenges, I’m proud to say I have received A’s on all of my assignments so far. The time, energy, and effort I put in were absolutely worth it. I made revisions based on feedback from my peers and professor, and those adjustments made my work and my thinking even stronger.
I’m grateful for the growth I’ve experienced with the support of my learning community.
This course not only challenged me, but also changed me. During these eight weeks, I juggled a demanding work schedule while simultaneously implementing my innovation plan. I held after-school planning meetings with academic coaches, delivered professional learning, and even recorded sessions. On top of that, life was happening too, I experienced personal loss, including the passing of a dear friend.
And yet, I still managed to get things done. I showed up. I did the work. I did my best!
My mom always told me, “You can lie to me, but you can’t lie to yourself.”
I know in my heart that I gave this course everything I had.
This is only the beginning of my innovation project, and now I’m more curious and more confident. I’ve proven to myself that I can accomplish things that once felt enormous. I’ve experienced firsthand the power of community, technology, intentionality, and a growth mindset. According to Thomas and Brown, a collective “is a collection of people’s skills and talents that produces a result greater than the sum of its parts” (p. 52).
Together, we truly can accomplish more. I’m eager to continue learning and giving to the world. Now I know that reaching one person at a time makes a huge impact! Thank you Dr. H.
For all of these reasons and with pride in my growth, I give myself a score of 90.
Thomas, D., and Brown, J.S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. CreateSpace.
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