The decision to enroll in the Applied Digital Learning program was not my initial choice but it turned into a great investment. In 2022, I received an M.Ed. in Educational Administration from Lamar and was content with that degree. I was under the impression that because I had completed a graduate degree in the same department, I could take the additional four courses and obtain a further degree, however, that was not the case. Over the last two years, I have seen the important role technology has played in the secondary education classroom and decided I wanted to be able to accept the challenge and enroll in the ADL program. The previous graduate program I enrolled in was very different and only required one course to be taken at a time. With the ADL program, I am enrolled in two courses full-time, raising a two-year toddler and working a summer position at the local YMCA as an Enrichment Specialist. Although the first three weeks were very overwhelming, I feel that with guidance from my professors and classmates, I was able to be successful. 

I believe I earned a 45/50 in EDLD 5305 and a 90/100 in EDLD 5302. One of the biggest challenges early on in the program was the lax structure and the need to be self-motivated and disciplined in completing assignments. 5305 was a much more rigorous course that required more assignments, and time management. The videos provided and the discussion questions helped me comprehend the assignments and workload tremendously. I enjoyed selecting a topic for my innovation proposal. As soon as the assignment was given, I had an idea of the topic I wanted to use. Creating the Literature Review and Implementation Outline, helped me to see better how the vision will continue to form. Through 5305 and the discussions I was able to converse, collaborate, and learn from many of my peers! The majority of the students enrolled in 5305 are also enrolled in 5302 with me as well. Melissa Richards, Patricia Hamilton, Khelia Olison Wiliams and many more helped me to broaden my thinking and target meaningful ways to articulate my thoughts. One of the most difficult tasks for me was creating an ePortfolio or website. Before these two courses, I did not have either and the task of creating one was a bit overwhelming at times. With the help and feedback from my classmates such as Joseph Perrone, and Thaddeus Komorowski, I was able to navigate the Wix website and create an ePortfolio that hosted all of the necessary work needed for this program. 

The same classmates who helped me through challenges in 5305, were also enrolled with me in 5302 and helped guide me when life got busy. Although I attended every virtual class, there were times when my toddler was rambunctious and needed attention, or times when I had a hard day of work at the YMCA and was unable to digest everything discussed in the meeting, after having had a meeting right before. During those times, my classmates were able to share notes and provide clarity on assignments. Despite being without power due to Hurricane Beryl, I believe I did a great job of completing the assignments on time and getting them submitted by the due dates. 5302 helped me to develop my why for my innovation plan and find my reason for being in the program. When I created my growth mindset plan, it made me reflect on my beliefs and the lessons I have learned as an educator and in my personal life.

Now that I have figured out how to navigate my ePortfolio, I can continually update my assignments as I complete and submit work to them. Moving forward I feel more equipped and prepared for the courses ahead. With the help of my professors, cohort, family, and colleagues, I believe I will be very successful throughout the duration of this ADL program.