Final thoughts and lessons Learned
In the introduction I defined the term capstone; it is the most important action in a series of actions. Examining life’s actions is what Socrates is referring to in the quote above. The quote from Socrates is interpreted differently by many. To me, self-examination and reflection is how we learn and grow from our experiences. It is how we gain meaning from our experiences. The act of completing this capstone stands as an example of the self-reflection and examination Socrates refers to.
Before beginning this journey, I conducted an informal cost benefit analysis in the form of a pro and con list. I wanted to make sure graduate school was the right choice and be intentional in my decision. At the end of this journey it is a good time to revisit the original list. Did the pros prove themselves and did any of the cons negatively impact me. Pros included job opportunity, salary increase, networking connections, immediately applicable skill set and investment returned in 4-5 years. My entire pro-list was proven. I have already, before degree completion accepted a new job opportunity and have increased my salary. My networking connections in the program directly provided me with interview and job opportunities. Many of the skills and much of the knowledge I have gained in this program have been applied to work product. In fact, at least 3 to 4 projects completed during my coursework have been used in work situations. Finally my return on the investment, when I accepted my new position, they also began to fund the degree program. Add that to the salary increase and the investment has already been repaid. Cons included time away from family activities and responsibilities, increased stress, cost, missed work opportunities and being educated out of job opportunities. The only realized cons were the time away from family and family responsibilities and the increased stress of a heavy workload and class load. Luckily my family was very supportive of my studies and supported me by giving me the time and understanding to complete the degree.
The summary of this portfolio is much more than the themes I identified. The portfolio tells a story of understanding, growth and discovery. The understanding instructional design as a foundational concept, the growth of my knowledge in distance and eLearning and the discovery of a new area of interest in learner participation. However, these themes stand for so much more. The real story is being able to identify foundational concepts and use them to build upon. Further, the ability to grow my knowledge by researching and critiquing relevant literature and finally discovering new themes and areas of interest that will impact my work as a training and development professional.
While completing the program, I sometimes grew frustrated by team based or group based learning projects. My frustration in the moment was short-sighted. Upon reflection, these experiences were valuable for a number of reasons. First, the assignments themselves and the skills they were meant to instill. Second is learning from others experience and knowledge. Third is the real world experience of working with a virtual group. Real life experience is a foundational concept in adult learning theory. When I began the graduate program, I was a training department of one. Working with these virtual groups gave me the experience I needed to move on to my current position. My co-workers and manager are all in different cities. Most of our work is completed online via collaborative tools. The group projects also taught me how to manage conflict among team members. I had experiences with team members that slacked off or were not as productive as others. I had team members that were not as committed or available as I was and conversely had team member that were more demanding on my schedule.
My hope is that this portfolio reflects my commitment to being lifelong learner as a training and development professional. The immediate audience is my advisor. After graduation I would like the audience to be potential employers and clients. I plan on tweaking the portfolio to include examples of work product and my contributions to my department’s professional development. I will change the perspective from a graduate capstone to a professional portfolio that I can leverage for career advancement.
Before beginning this journey, I conducted an informal cost benefit analysis in the form of a pro and con list. I wanted to make sure graduate school was the right choice and be intentional in my decision. At the end of this journey it is a good time to revisit the original list. Did the pros prove themselves and did any of the cons negatively impact me. Pros included job opportunity, salary increase, networking connections, immediately applicable skill set and investment returned in 4-5 years. My entire pro-list was proven. I have already, before degree completion accepted a new job opportunity and have increased my salary. My networking connections in the program directly provided me with interview and job opportunities. Many of the skills and much of the knowledge I have gained in this program have been applied to work product. In fact, at least 3 to 4 projects completed during my coursework have been used in work situations. Finally my return on the investment, when I accepted my new position, they also began to fund the degree program. Add that to the salary increase and the investment has already been repaid. Cons included time away from family activities and responsibilities, increased stress, cost, missed work opportunities and being educated out of job opportunities. The only realized cons were the time away from family and family responsibilities and the increased stress of a heavy workload and class load. Luckily my family was very supportive of my studies and supported me by giving me the time and understanding to complete the degree.
The summary of this portfolio is much more than the themes I identified. The portfolio tells a story of understanding, growth and discovery. The understanding instructional design as a foundational concept, the growth of my knowledge in distance and eLearning and the discovery of a new area of interest in learner participation. However, these themes stand for so much more. The real story is being able to identify foundational concepts and use them to build upon. Further, the ability to grow my knowledge by researching and critiquing relevant literature and finally discovering new themes and areas of interest that will impact my work as a training and development professional.
While completing the program, I sometimes grew frustrated by team based or group based learning projects. My frustration in the moment was short-sighted. Upon reflection, these experiences were valuable for a number of reasons. First, the assignments themselves and the skills they were meant to instill. Second is learning from others experience and knowledge. Third is the real world experience of working with a virtual group. Real life experience is a foundational concept in adult learning theory. When I began the graduate program, I was a training department of one. Working with these virtual groups gave me the experience I needed to move on to my current position. My co-workers and manager are all in different cities. Most of our work is completed online via collaborative tools. The group projects also taught me how to manage conflict among team members. I had experiences with team members that slacked off or were not as productive as others. I had team members that were not as committed or available as I was and conversely had team member that were more demanding on my schedule.
My hope is that this portfolio reflects my commitment to being lifelong learner as a training and development professional. The immediate audience is my advisor. After graduation I would like the audience to be potential employers and clients. I plan on tweaking the portfolio to include examples of work product and my contributions to my department’s professional development. I will change the perspective from a graduate capstone to a professional portfolio that I can leverage for career advancement.