Running head: FINAL REFLECTION

ELPS430:FinalReflection
AdessaKiryakos
LoyolaUniversityofChicago

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Wecancontinuetofollowtraditionalwaysofteaching,repeatingthesamepracticesthat
weandothersinourdisciplineshaveusedforyears.Orwecandaretodreamabout
doingsomethingdifferent,somethingspecialinourcoursesthatwouldsignificantly
improvethequalityofstudentlearning(Fink,2003,p.1).
Ashighereducationcontinuestobemoreaccessibleandthereforedealingwithnewdynamics
andchallenges,itisalsoimportantthatitfollowssuitewithotherindustriesinremaining
innovative.Approachtocurriculumandteachingaretwoareasthathaveaheavyeffectonif
studentsarepreparedtobelifelonglearnersandabletothrivebothincollegeandafter.Asa
resulttwomajorthemesthathavepoppedupformeinapproachtolearningandcurriculum
designisintentionalitybehindwhatisinthecurriculumandtheimportanceofvariationin
approach.
Priortothisclass,myexposureandobservationtocurriculumandlearningalignedwith
Finks(2003)analysisonlecturebaseddiscussion.InFinkelstein,Seal,andSchusterssurvey
nearlytwodecadeslater[than1980]involvingnearlyathirdofallU.S.facultyfound:76
percentidentifiedlectureastheirprimaryinstructionalmethod(ascitedinFink,2003,p.3).As
aresult,IwastrainedtounderstandlearningasaonewayformofcommunicationwhereI
passivelylearnedmaterialandenoughtoallowmetoregurgitatewithoutprocessing.Without
theabilitytomakeconnectiontothematerialandapplytorealworlditcanbedifficultforthe
informationtoremainstored.InLearningReconsidered2,Keeling(2005)referencesBaxter
Magolda(1999)fourdimensionsoflearningthatare:cognitivecompetence,intrapersonal
competence,interpersonalcompetence,practicecompetence.Withouttheabilitytomake
meaningofknowledge,theknowledgecaneasilybedismissed.ClasseswhereIwasableto

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makemeaningandhavehadthemostimpactfullearningexperienceswere,andare,classesthat
incorporateddifferentlearningactivitiesintheapproachtocurriculumandclasstime.Themost
recentexamplesofthisareinthisclassandpreviouslyinmyLeadershipinHigherEducation
classtaughtbyDr.JohnDugan.ThereasonIchosetotakethisclasswasbecauseIhavebeen
teachingFirstyearSeminarcoursesandthissemesterwouldbethefirsttimeIteachbymyself.
Iwantedtomaketheclassdynamicandapproachthecurriculumwithintentionality,
explanation,andpurposetohowandwhyitwasstructured.ClasseslikeLeadershipinHigher
Educationmodeledwhatthatwouldlooklike.ActivitiesIusedinthefirstyearseminarcourse
classwereinspiredbyactivitiesinthisclass,suchashavingworkstationswherestudentspairin
groupsandswitchstationswhenpromptedto.Throughthereadings,classdiscussions,and
assignments,thisclasshaspreparedmeandwillcontinuetopreparemewiththeneeded
knowledgeforfuturecurriculumdesignapproachandteaching.
Asaresultofthisclassmyphilosophyoncurriculumdevelopmentgoesbacktothe
themesofintentionalityandvariation.Whenacurriculumhaslearningoutcomes,proper
assessment,andlearningactivitieslaidouthelpsinstructorsstayontask,helpsstudents
understandthegroundingbehindthewhyofeverything,andhowastudentslearningwillbe
measured.Nilson(2010)goesontosupportthisbystating,outcomescenteredcoursedesign
guaranteesahighlevelofstudentengagementbecausetheprocesssteersyoutowardstudent
activeteachingstrategies(p.18).Nilson(2010)thenmentionsthatactivitiesandassignments
shouldbeframedaroundthelearningoutcomesandtheywilllookdifferentdependingonwhat
theinstructorishopingstudentswillgainfromthecourse.Inmyexperience,thestudentsinmy
firstyearseminarcoursethissemesterhaveexpressedappreciationforhelpingthemconnectthe

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purposeoftheclasswiththeassignmentsandactivitiesassigned,astheyareabletobetterrelate.
Makingtheconnectiontothemhasbeenanimportantfactortoparticipatinginactivitiesand
completingtheassignmentswithintentionalityandhelpingthemseethebiggerpicture.
Secondly,myphilosophyoncurriculumdevelopmentisthatthereshouldbevariationin
learningactivities,outcomes,andassessment.Variationalsoallowsforinclusivityinlearning
stylesandassessmentpreferences.Forexample,aoneminutejournalisnotauniversaland
singlepracticeforassessment.Somestudentsmayenjoythetimetocollecttheirthoughtsby
themselvesandothersmaypreferanotherapproachinprocessingknowledge.Additionally,
variationcanprovidemoreopportunitytobebothinnovativeandcreativeinapproachto
curriculumifinstructorsarewillingtoputinthework.InreadingTonyWagners(2012)
CreatingInnovatorstheneedisevidenttopushforinnovativewaysofthinking,doing,and
beinginanyfield.Inmodelingsothroughcurriculumapproach,studentsareabletounderstand
thatthereisnoonewaytolearnorteach.Plus,repetitionisboring.Providingstudentswithnew
approachestoactivities,assignments,andassessmentalwayssomethingnewanddifferentfor
themtolookforwardto.However,instructorshavetoseethevalueandopportunitythatcanbe
donetopositivelypromoteactivelearning.Asaresultofmyphilosophyofcurriculum
development,themeshaveemergedasessentialformearticulatingmylearningthroughthis
courseexperience.
Creatingandutilizingsignificantlearningexperienceshavebeenessentialtome
articulatingmylearningthroughthiscourseexperience.Significantlearningislearningthat
makesadifferenceinhowpeopleliveandthekindoflifetheyarecapableofliving(Fink,
2013,p.7).Inmakingadeeperconnectiontothecoursecontentandassignments,Finks

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TaxonomyofSignificantLearninghasbeenhelpfulindemonstratingsixwayslearningcan
contributetomultiplekindsoflearningdonebystudents.Ithelpsprovideastrongerconnection
withthatislearnedinclasstoaspectsoflife.ThetaxonomyalsoheldmeaccountablewhenI
wascreatinglearningoutcomesforthegroupprojectandsyllabusbecausethelearningactivities
andassessmentswereconnectedtotheoutcomes.
Anotherthemethatemergedistheimportanceofcriticalreflectiontothestudentlearning
experience.Throughopportunitiesinclass,casestudies,thegroupproject,andthisreflection,
criticalreflectionhasallowedformetotheprocesswhatIhavelearned.Thepurpose[of
criticalreflection]istogenerate,deepen,anddocumentyourlearning(Ash&Clayton,2009).
Theformsofcriticalreflectionthatwedidinthisclasswerethroughclassdiscussions,group
work,theeportfolio,andtheassignments.Whileitcanbemorecommonforservicelearning
coursestoincorporatecriticalreflection,thisclassservedasareminderthatitcanbe
incorporatedinanyworkfromtheclassroomtotraining.
Inmyselfassessmentforthissemester,myareasofstrengthhavebeenbeingableto
graspthecoursecontentwell.WhathelpedwasthinkingofexamplesofwhenIhadexperienced
forexample,servicelearning,andtheapproachestaken.Anotherareaofstrengthbothinthis
classandingeneralhasbeentheabilitytobecreativeandinnovativewithassignmentslikethe
groupprojectorthesyllabus.Bothweremyfavoriteassignments,astherewasroomtodevelop
myownflavor,asopposedtothecasestudiesthatwerefairlystraightforwardinthetaskasked
andcompleted.Additionally,anotherareaofstrengthinthisclassistheopportunitytoworkina
grouponthegroupproject.IworkbetterandammoremotivatedwhenIknowIamnottheonly

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oneresponsibleforthecompletionofsomething.Ienjoyedourteamandtheabilitytosupport
oneanotherthroughthegroupproject.
Myareasforgrowthinmylearningthissemesteraregoingdeeperinconnectingpoints
andmaterials.Attimes,Icangettothesurfaceofthepointandthenmoveontoanotherpoint
withoutgoingingreatdepth.Anotherareaofgrowthisunlearning,relearning,andtaking
controlofmylearning.Whenfewexamplesoftransformativelearningandeducationhavebeen
modeledinmylife,Iamdealingwithhowtounlearnandrelearnapproachestolearning.Ifind
myselfstillasking,whatisitthattheprofessorwantsandtryingtofigureouthowtofulfill
that,versusaskingthat,butthenaskingmyselfwhatIthinkaboutthetopicandwhatItrulywant
tocontributetothetopic.AnotherwayIthinkofitisretrainingthebraintothinkinadifferent
way.

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7
ReferenceList

Ash, S. L., & Clayton, P. H. (2009a). Learning through critical reflection: A tutorial
for students in service-learning. Raleigh, NC.
Fink, L.D. (2003). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to
developing college courses. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Keeling, R.P. (Ed.). (2004). Learning reconsidered: A campus-wide focus on the student
experience. National Association for Student Personnel Administrators & American
College Personnel Association: Washington, DC.
Keeling, R.P. (Ed.). (2006). Learning reconsidered 2: Implementing a campus-wide focus on
the student experience. ACPA, ACUHO-I, ACUI, NACA, NACADA, NASPA, &
NIRSA: Washington, DC.
Nilson, L.B. (2010). Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. (Ch. 1 3)
Wagner, T., & Compton, R. A. (2012). Creating innovators: The making of young people who
will change the world. New York: Scribner.