5317 Assignment Compilation and Contributions

Introduction
I currently serve as an instructor for Automated Logistics and leadership in the U. S. Army. In the future, I want to transition to virtual counseling and other forms of digitalized mentorship programs for the youth. As a military instructor, digital learning is something that we have slowly transitioned to, and I have been blown away by the capabilities it affords us, as well as the positive response from the soldiers. I am also the parent of a neurodivergent child whose ability to communicate relies heavily on digital communication devices. My interest in educational leadership focuses on fostering an inclusive and innovative learning environment where technology serves as a bridge to empower both educators and students. Strong education leadership involves advocating for the integration of digital tools that enhance learning experiences, particularly for students with special needs. My experience has prompted me to pursue higher education in the field of digital learning. I entered this program with the expectation of gaining both knowledge and skills that will allow me to assist in the advancement of digital-based education programs and to ensure that digital tools are accessible, engaging, and genuinely beneficial for diverse learners.

Evaluation of Successes
Technology has advanced in many ways that have created and can continue to create endless opportunities for educational growth amongst learners and teachers alike. “With the proliferation of the Internet, the world is now interconnected enormously. Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets have ushered in a new kind of anywhere, anytime computing that opens up the potential for learning more readily situated in real-world contexts.” (Stevenson & Hedberg, 2013, p.120) We have all been witnesses to incredible improvements in devices and programs like smartphones, Grammarly, and even the internet as a whole, but now, in addition to those technological improvements, we have the introduction of new technology tools that expand upon and innovate new avenues of educational capabilities. “Artificial intelligence (AI) natural language processing (NLP) systems, such as OpenAI’s generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) model or Meta’s Galactica, will soon be widely used in many forms of writing, allowing users to create content in addition to just editing as they did with Grammarly and Word”. (Hosseini, Rasmussen, & Resnik, 2023, p.715) Tools like this and many other technological advancements are being incorporated into education, allowing students the opportunity to better connect with learning and build confidence through means that closely resemble the outside world they’ve come up in, inside their respective learning environments.

Areas of Growth
With all new things, new challenges, and a need for improvement are part of the course that comes with both educational and professional growth. The incorporation of technologically advanced learning tools and skills into the educational and professional environment comes with developmental challenges regarding implementation. In this age of technology, advancements can come faster and, in more forms, than we can keep up with, let alone be trained on how to use them. This makes professional development, peer-to-peer collaboration, and organizational support critical as it pertains to incorporation. We need to work more with each other, pulling from each other’s experiences and knowledge to create developmental training techniques focused on proficiency. This will allow us to get continual developmental training on our skillset and allow us to work proactively on improving our knowledge and skills instead of being reactionary.
Reflection on Each Assignment

o *Publication Outline
• Getting your initial ideas can be difficult because everyone’s thought process for attaining ideas is different. “There are two sources of new ideas coming and that is the big project that I’m working on that’s kind of one source and then there is the kind of you know additional stuff” (Jago, 2023, 0:53). In this situation, both the big projects and the additional stuff can be your topic, therefore pinpointing what you want to build your article around can be difficult in your outline stage. The key to working through your outline is choosing a topic that doesn’t just rely on the information but is effective in delivering your overall message to your intended audience. “An effective research topic gives you a specific area in a general broad topic to focus on and conduct your research on” (Seburn, 2022, 0:45). This is accomplished by breaking down your general topic and then picking that specific area that offers you the most impact. Now that we have a path to finding our topic, you can get your article started.

o *Publication Rough Draft
• Publishing an article comes with its challenges, and one of the most common is how to cope with the fear of rejection and criticism that comes when we are vulnerable and share our ideas with others. Understanding that constructive feedback can be an invaluable component to growth and development that can help overcome the natural fears and reservations that can come with publishing an article.

o *Media Project
• Digital technology is on a continuous trajectory of improvement, and those improvements have lent themselves to some incredible media design tools that allow us to progress media engineering and media engagement far from what it has been. Digital tools like virtual reality and 3D modeling allow a digital creator to engineer a project that interacts with its intended audience and allows them to interject themselves into the actual creative make-up of the media project.

o *Publication Final Draft
• Publishing an article is a great way to highlight important topics, inform those who may not be in the know, and/or enhance your professional profile. In my professional and educational journey, I have found published articles incredibly beneficial and informative for my overall professional development. Understanding how published articles work and how I’ve been able to grow from the utilization of published articles knowledgeably plays a huge part in my desire to publish an article. As educators and professionals, we understand the Importance of information and the impact that spreading information and ideas can have on people in a variety of ways, from invoking thought, creating ideas, and/or changing hearts and minds. My main goal in the development of my article is to raise awareness, support, and overall knowledge of issues surrounding neurodivergent individuals in education and socially, so that they may be better served from both a social and professional standpoint.

Closing Reflection on Collaborative Contribution
When it comes to working in and contributing to a learning community, what you get back is just as important, if not more important, than what you put in. I felt that the most impactful contribution and entity that worked the most was the group’s reflections and feedback on each other’s work. Akhirah Avant, Gretchen Anderson, and Julianna Robinson all played a major role in my overall success in this course. The discussions covered a lot of course material, so when my group mates gave responses, the incite would always lend itself directly to things that could be utilized in my development in the course. Working in a learning community can prove to be quite challenging, especially when it comes to collaboration, timing, and communication. Group collaboration is not as simple as assigning members to teams and then walking away. As a member of the learning community for this course, as well as my other courses, I pride myself on offering helpful ideas and feedback that my team members can effectively utilize for their educational growth. As I move forward with my learning, I plan on expanding my learning ideology. After taking this course and working in my collaborative group, the impact of a growth mindset has allowed me to alter my vision of learner, educator, and leader for the better.

References
Hosseini, M., Rasmussen, L. M., & Resnik, D. B. (2023, January 11). Full article: Using AI to write scholarly publications. Taylor & Francis. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08989621.2023.2168535
Jago, M. (2023, July 22). Writing and publishing a journal article. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WadxYVp5MSA
Seburn, C. (2022, February 28). How to Choose a GOOD Research Topic: Research Papers for Beginners. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxMsZsNw47U