The ePortfolio course in the ADL program truly empowered me to find my voice. Once I embraced that this ePortfolio and innovation project were mine, no one could ever take them away from me. But to really know what this resource needed to be, I needed to start using it in my professional life. To do this required a level of vulnerability and authenticity that was very uncomfortable. The growth mindset material was covered right as I evaluated so much of my experience with and my beliefs about learning. While unlearning to relearn, I further worked to free myself from old fixed mindset beliefs. To utilize this professional resource to change the world, I would have to open up and use my voice to share more about who I am and why this matters. “Make it real,” Dr. Harapnuik would say.
As I was working to create my innovation resource, I was also considering the ways to incorporate what I was learning into my interactions with students. I was evaluating how a growth mindset fits into an advising mindset. It was easy for me to focus on my organization since my innovation directly impacts my daily work. The authenticity of the project helped me embrace the COVA approach to learning. I am constantly digging for more information on how I can help my students make deeper connections with their educational interests to claim active roles in their learning.
Actively creating an advising resource made this journey real because advising is genuinely something I care deeply about. Having experienced the COVA approach to learning through this significant learning environment, I have realized that genuinely authentic learning is something I care deeply about. Helping others overcome fixed mindset labels emboldens me to take on the challenge of changing the world.
Ultimately, my goal is to change the world of higher education through advising interactions. By strengthening the relationship between advisors and advisees, students will equip themselves for academic learning. Through innovative improvements, the frequency and depth of student interaction will enhance the advising relationship. Fostering a symbiotic relationship of facilitated discovery and reflection allows advisors to connect with their personal “why” and professional purpose, which provides a sense of fulfillment.
CSLE2COVA. (2019, August 9). EDLD 5303 Week 4 Learning from Leaders Tips [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ98azhUcZ8
The Advisor That Cares 