As I wrap up another course in the Applied Digital Learning (ADL) program, I reflect on how helpful this 5303 course has been. At this point in my Master’s Program I have created an ePortfolio that will be used throughout the duration of the program and thereafter. This course gave me a chance to really explore different websites and platforms for my ePortfolio.
As I mentioned in the Contributions to My Learning post, when I started my ePortfolio in a previous course (5302) I briefly looked at different platforms such as Weebly, WIX and WordPress, before deciding to use WIX as my platform. While there have been certain aspects about WIX that are challenging, I find it easy to navigate and with a host of different templates and designs, there is so much for me to choose from as my focus shifts over the years. Even though I found an appreciation for WIX early on, I made myself explore WordPress more to see if a more robust platform was what I wanted.
Easy navigation and simplicity are definitely not terms I’d use to describe WordPress as a platform. I spent a few days exploring some of its features and reviewed classmates' websites made on the platform, but ultimately opted not to switch from WIX. For starters, I found the initial starting process (getting going with my first page) to be more cumbersome than what I experienced with WIX, which was not a great first impression for me. Second, I took some time to evaluate what I wanted out of my ePortfolio and what I was or was not receiving with my current site. Realizing that my plan post program is to market myself in more of the instructional design sectors, I feel that my current site allows for me to grow and evolve towards that goal. So ultimately, I am happy with my decision to NOT switch.
Over the past few weeks, I continue to find areas to improve on my site, sampling layouts and cleaning up the menu so that the drop downs are clean, yet sufficient in providing visitors with information. I love color but choose to keep my site color scheme to a minimum (pale green, with white or black fonts), and rely on a consistent design layout for my pages. This allows for me to still showcase some of my personality, while keeping things clean and organized. Each time I change or publish something new on my site I love looking at the outcome! It really is exciting to watch things evolve from nothing to a full functioning ePortfolio.
One area that I plan to start devoting more time on is the presentation of my site in ‘mobile mode’ which I currently have devoted ZERO time to. However, that portion needs some work because I alternate between viewing my site on a laptop and a mobile device and it looks far less organized and appealing on a mobile device. My goal over the next couple of weeks will be to dedicate some time into cleaning up the overall look of my site on the mobile interface.
In addition to developing my ePortfolio during this course, I was assigned and read the COVA eBook by Dwayne Harapnuik, Tilisa Thibodeaux, and Cynthia Cummings. What I enjoyed most about this reading is how I can see the different aspects, outlined in the book, unfold within this program. With each course I’ve taken, I can reference back to parts of the book that further explain and justify that component. Essentially, I get to witness and live the benefits of choice, ownership, voice, and authentic learning in this ADL program. Subsequently, I am able to transfer this over to the students and teachers I work with as they develop their own ePortfolios. ePortfolios truly embody COVA and I can say that by using an ePortfolio my learning has been enhanced throughout the process. It has been a while since I have been able to see information, I’ve learned placed into action, so to see it now is truly refreshing. This only further inspires me to center content around the learning and the learner, rather than having myself be at the center of the learning process for my students. I look forward to implementing the COVA learning approach further with the students I am working with and throughout this ADL program.
Below you will find the blog posts I have written throughout this course. My goal is to continue to produce more blog content, not just of topics related to the course but also other aspects of myself and my life outside of my education and career.
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