3.5 Assignment: Critical Reflection Journal/Blog

What is new to my thinking or learning this past week? 

During the past week studying the learning process and how it happens, we explored educational standards, educational theories, educational frameworks, and models for online teaching and learning.  Noted author Jane Vella asks, ‘how do they know they know?’ The answer is that they just demonstrated it.  As educators, we want to know whether they (the student) understand what we have taught them and how effective we have been.  This is accomplished by using specified educational standards to measure retention of the material.  We also studied various learning theories to gain a better perspective on how learning happens.  Finally, we explored different models of online teaching and learning.

            As an outsider to the classroom as a teacher, I gained considerable knowledge and insight into the teaching and learning process with this week’s studies.  As a student throughout my education journey, I have come to understand that learning and teaching go hand in hand.  The learner learns from the teacher; the teacher learns from the learner.  The learning environment should foster understanding.  The learner has the responsibility to participate in the learning process, so basically, they will get out of it what they put into it.

            The better we understand the learning process and how it happens, the more effective an educator we can be.  Utilizing tools like ‘Wakelet’ to gather and curate ideas and information to enhance the teaching and learning process, we will be more effective in the classroom.  This will be evident as we evaluate and assess the student’s knowledge and retention level.  Ultimately, the more knowledgeable we are, the more effective we will be.  Helping students learn in the most effective way possible should always be our priority as educators.  

How has this new information challenged me?

            As a lifelong learner, I continually seek knowledge, particularly new knowledge.  This past week has helped me realize that I have much to learn about the learning and teaching process as an outsider to the classroom.  I have always been somewhat blurry on the nuts and bolts of how individuals learn and the most effective way to learn.  I know that a teacher teaches, and a student learns.  Now I can put a name and a face to the various aspects of the teaching and learning process. 

I have also been a little bit skeptical of the way we assess students.  After reading much of the required reading this week, I recognize that assessment is vital to ensuring that we, the educator, have effective teaching processes and methods.  Gaining a better understanding of learning theories and models will help me think outside the box to understand better each student and how they learn best and not just settle on traditional teaching methods. 

Continuing to gain knowledge as an educator, vet new theories, and learn from other teachers through Professional Learning Networks will not only challenge my way of thinking. Still, it will help me better understand my students. When I better understand my students, I will serve them most effectively.

How has this stretched my professional growth and development?

            It has been said that knowledge is power, and I would add to that with great power comes great responsibility.  As educators, we can bestow great wisdom and knowledge to our learners.  I would take that a step further and say we have an even greater responsibility to ensure that they retain that knowledge and put it into practice. If we develop as educators who are leaders in our field, we need to continually seek new knowledge, theories, and ideas from other educators.  I enjoyed the tool “Wakelet” in this week’s activities, and I learned how to put my learning into practice.   Using tools such as this one and learning from other educators and peers will help me grow in my profession and develop my knowledge.

What are the implications of this week’s learning on my professional practice?

            What good is knowledge if you don’t put it into practice?  There has been a lot of new information presented in this past week’s studies.  I have a choice to take what I have learned and apply it to the classroom and teaching practice.  The other option is simply adding the knowledge to my tool belt and keeping it to myself.  I am reminded of Matthew 16:26, which says, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”  Relating this same concept to learning and teaching, I would rewrite this verse as follows: "What good would it do my students and me if I gained all of this valuable knowledge and didn’t put it into practice in my classroom?” 

How can these new learnings impact my personal faith journey and my impact for the Kingdom?

              Throughout the New Testament, the crowds followed Jesus wherever He went to listen to His teaching.  They hungered to know more about what He taught and the knowledge He had of what was to come.  Similarly, I believe it is the hope of every educator, including me, to impact lives the way that Jesus did through His teaching.  As a lifelong learner, I seek knowledge and understanding of new ideas and concepts that will help me grow not only in my professional practice but in my spiritual walk with the Lord.  Gaining a new understanding of how we think and learn has helped me understand my thinking and learn best.  As I seek to be the salt and light to the world that God has called me to be, I need to use the knowledge that I have and the knowledge that I will gain through professional development to impact my students and my colleague’s peers.