Category Archives: Reflective Writing

Top 5 Learning Take-Aways from my M.Ed. Experience

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In no particular order, here are five key take-aways from my M.Ed. experience.

  1. Reflective practice is key to growth and correction of errors. This involves setting goals, tracking progress, and adjusting as needed. If we take the time to reflect on what is going well and what can be improved, we can assure ourselves that we have a good trajectory and make adjustments as needed.
  2. It can be easy to get lost and overwhelmed in all the noise of current events. Take time off the grid to decompress and relax. For me, this means reading a good book just for fun. I’ve come to see the value in leisure time in helping me to be more productive during work times.
  3. There are many good paths that one can take but sometimes we just need to choose one. At times, what is most important is that we commit to a path rather than try to identify the “perfect” choice. Too much deliberation and contemplation can stall results; sometimes you need to jump in and get your feet wet even if you don’t have all the answers yet.
  4. When I don’t have the motivation to do something I don’t like to do, it helps me to break the task down into more manageable chunks. Then, as I complete each one and check it off my list, I feel a sense of accomplishment that propels me forward.
  5. While it is important to have high standards for oneself and others, it is immensely cathartic to extend (and receive) mercy when we fall short. By striving to do our best, but forgiving ourselves when we don’t, we can make progress and develop without falling into a sense of despair and hopelessness.

I think what is interesting about this list is that while some of it is related to higher education content, it is mostly focused on functioning and thriving in general. I think that this is valuable, because these are notions that transcend a given field and are essential “survival skills” if you will.

Flexible Commitments (my refining moment)

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Just over a year ago I wrote a post about the value of committing to something. In that post, I related how I committed to being an academic adviser and how that making such a commitment provided meaning and direction in both my work and my studies. Since then, it seems like the vision of being an academic adviser exclusively has eluded me, at least for the time being. My “dream job” that I had pitched to the department head fell through as we entered into chaos and recession due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these new circumstances brought with them new opportunity and enlightenment.

Towards the end of the spring 2020 semester when everything was on lock down and job prospects were looking slim, I was approached by my department leadership about having me teach CHEM 110 (an introductory chemistry class) over the summer. Initially, I was not really interested. I had already lined up another summer job doing academic advising with the Division of Undergraduate Studies at Penn State and was excited for that. Also, I had applied to multiple full-time advising positions within the university. These other jobs were much more in line with my previous commitments.

However, events unfolded in ways that did not align with my commitments. While I thought that the interview for the full-time advising position went well, they never contacted me about it. Even when I followed up with them, they ignored my email. The folks at the part-time summer advising position called me and indicated that they were unsure of the plan because of the transition to remote life on campus- they were not sure how they were going to run their New Student Orientation program. And, I had this offer to lecture chemistry. Prior to this, I had told myself (and others) that I never wanted to lecture. The more I attended lectures and watched the faculty stand in the front and deliver, the less I wanted to do it myself. It just didn’t seem enjoyable. I much preferred the individual contact than the large lecture hall.

After considering my options over and discussing it with my wife (and praying about it), we felt that I should take the lecturing position for the summer. Shortly after that, things sort of fell into place. I heard about about the part-time summer job and they would not be hiring anyone for it; it was going to be too complicated to train and administer outside folks for a virtual orientation. Also, I ended up needing to be in Michigan for several weeks to assist with family affairs and the more flexible, lecturing position permitted that to occur. So, once I had made that commitment, things worked out. In the end, I really enjoyed the lecturing experience. It was unique and I learned a lot about teaching, helping students, managing a course, and leading a team.

Now, I don’t really know what direction my career is headed. For quite a while I had committed to and was sure it was advising. Now, I just don’t know. So, in some regard, I am back where I was prior to committing: many options available and no clear path. However, what I do feel confident in is that by carefully considering my options, my strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities, then committing to a path, that things will work out in the end.

 

Reflections on HIED 846 – College Students and their Success

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This was an interesting class to take in the middle of a global pandemic that shut down just about everything. One of the main theoretical models discussed was Alexander Astin’s IEO model which focuses on student characteristics (I, Input), environmental factors (E, Environment), and desired results of the educational experience (O, Outcomes). Very abruptly, across the world in educational institutions the environment changed from in-person instruction to remote-synchronous, remote-asynchronous, or hybrid settings; all with little to no real preparation for the students or the faculty. Adapting was stressful and I know that our mantra was that “good enough is the new excellent”.

In every educational setting, I think we need to focus on the individual. Data and trends can help us get a general understanding of what to expect from a certain population. They provide meaningful structures and frameworks to guide interactions, but it is truly in the personalization process that students can make the largest gains. But, how can that happen now that we are all virtual? How do we make the connections we used to have (and perhaps that we took for granted) when meeting face to face?

Technology is wonderful for connecting to people, but in my experience it facilitates connections that already exist better than new ones. In other words, technology helps me maintain connection with my Dad who lives seven hours away from me because we already have a meaningful relationship. It is a lot harder to start a meaningful connection only through technology. But, it is the situation in which we find ourselves.

I think that Astin’s IEO model can actually help us understand how to approach this situation. More than ever in the past, today’s students (Input) are technology savvy. We (instructors and higher education professionals) should take advantage of their expertise and get them engaged through technology. By helping them to take responsibility for creating a healthy and meaningful atmosphere online, they can take ownership and make better connections.

Our efforts (Environment) need to be fully inclusive. What this now means is that some people are going to struggle to connect online (both emotionally and also literally in terms of internet connection). We need to understand each person’s situation and alter our processes and approach to make sure that we maximize accessibility and student progress.

Finally, how should our outcomes change? Frankly, in a sense we are still in survival mode. So, it is evident that we should help students to understand that learning to cope with tragedy and difficulty are vital skills. Hopefully, one goal of dealing with learning during a pandemic is that we are all more merciful towards each other. Because we no longer can assume that they have access to the same resources, we need to be willing to listen to needs and accommodate where we can. I don’t think this means lowering our expectations that students learn and grow, but it means that we are can be more lenient on issues that are peripheral to the main goals.

Going forward, I would love to hear from students who are struggling to succeed during the pandemic. What is hardest for them? What can been done differently to help? I’m sure that in the coming months, there will be plenty to say on this issue.

Be well!