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Throughout my time in my Master's program, the areas I have achieved competence in include, Leadership, Technology, Advising and Supporting, and Student Learning & Development. Below, I have outlined my level of understanding for each and provide examples of how I have shown this competence in my work.
Social Justice & Inclusion
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Foundational: Participate in activities that assess and complicate one's understanding of inclusion, oppression, privilege, and power
This year, I have had the opportunity to gain a foundational understanding of DEI by evaluating my own understanding of these issues in higher education and the world. This spring in particular, I have participated in a certification program that was facilitated by the University of South Florida, Muma School of Business. This program consisted of modules about emotional intelligence, stereotypes and biases, understanding your organization, thinking about the future of your organization as it relates to DEI, recruitment and retention, community outreach, and sustainable business models.
Technology
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Foundational: Design, implement, and assess technologically-rich learning experiences for students and other stakeholders that model effective use of visual and interactive media.
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Foundational: Incorporate commonly utilized technological tools and platforms including social medial and other digital communication and collaboration tools into one’s work
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Foundational: Demonstrate awareness of one’s digital identity and engage students in learning activities related to responsible digital communications and virtual community engagement as related to their digital reputation and identity.
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Intermediate: Model and promote adaptability among students, colleagues, and educational stakeholders in the face of fast-paced technological change and demonstrate openness to the introduction of new digital tools by others.
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Intermediate: Utilize local, national, and global digital professional learning communities and personal learning networks to enhance intra- and inter-institutional collaboration and ongoing professional development in educational, customer service, marketing, and community engagement efforts that reflect the mission and values of the organization.
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Intermediate: Initiate the development of holistic educational interventions designed for students participating in courses and other educational experiences delivered via hybrid and online formats.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed so much about the world that we live in, including how we communicate, connect, and support our students throughout their college experience. Due to this, I have gained intermediate competence in technology by seeking out opportunities to increase my own knowledge of digital resources and platforms such as Blackboard, Google Classroom, Zoom, Handshake, Credly, and LinkedIn Learning. In the spring of 2021, I designed learning paths through LinkedIn Learning to offer information technology resources that Merrimack College offers to faculty, staff, and students. Another way that I have developed competence in this area has been through the digital badging initiative at Merrimack College. I have assisted in the development of the Office of Digital Badging and collaborated with various institutional offices to create badgeable experiences for various groups of community members. With the implementation of many new initiatives in the O'Brien Center for Career Development, digital badging has helped us to not only connect with stakeholders within this institution, but we have been able to partner with external facing offices as well such as the Merrimack Institute for New Teacher Support (MINTS).
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Below, is a copy of our end of year report from Credly. This report highlights our program performance and badging statistics at Merrimack College.
Here are a Few of the digital badges that I have worked on... click to learn more!
Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Technology Resource Guides using LinkedIn Learning... click to learn more!
Advising & Supporting
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Foundational: Challenge and support students and collogues.
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Intermediate: Provide and arrange for the necessary training and development for staff to enhance their advising and helping skills.
I have gained intermediate competence in this area through multiple opportunities in my graduate fellowship in the O’Brien Center at Merrimack College. In the spring of 2021, I developed a series of trainings for Merrimack College Success Coaches to build their knowledge and skills in career preparedness in order to better support their students. The artifacts that I have chosen to represent my work in this area are the presentations that I developed to train the Success Coaching staff.
Success Coach Training Workshops...click to learn more!
This is an image created by a colleague of mine to outline and promote the workshops that I developed for Success Coach Training.
Student Learning & Development
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Foundational: Construct learning outcomes for daily practice, teaching, and training activities.
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Foundational: Articulate theories and models that describe the development of college students and the conditions and practices that facilitate holistic development (e.g. learning, psychosocial and identity develop
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Foundational: Articulate one’s own developmental journey in relation to formal theories
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Intermediate: Design programs and services to promote student learning and development that are based on current research on student learning and development theories.
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Intermediate: Identify and take advantage of opportunities for curriculum and program development to encourage continual learning and developmental growth
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Intermediate: Construct effective programs, lesson plans, and syllabi
Throughout this year, I have had the opportunity to be an integral part of the implementation of LinkedIn Learning on campus. By using LinkedIn Learning, with faculty, staff, and students, we have been able to "close the gap" between academic and career goals. By utilizing this platform and the custom content feature, I have been able to collaborate with other offices within the college, and develop content to engage learners in a virtual world. In the spring, Paul Petrone from LinkedIn wrote an article about the work that we have done in pushing this initiative to stakeholders titled "How LinkedIn Learning “Closes the Loop” for Merrimack College". One of the ways that we have been able to use this platform is in OBR1050. This is a career development and exploration course that I have co-taught during the spring semester. We are able to search for and develop content to upload and have students watch as part of their homework. Then, when we come together during class, we are able to have meaningful and collaborative conversations about the content that everyone has gone through.
Organizational & Human Resources
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Foundational: Use technological resources with respect to maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of one’s work
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Foundational: Communicate with others using effective verbal and non-verbal strategies appropriate to the situation in ways that the person(s) with whom you are engaged prefers​
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Foundational: Understand the relational roles partners, allies, and adversaries play in the completion of goals and work assignments
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Intermediate: Effectively develop and manage human resources, facilities, policies, procedures, processes, and materials
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Intermediate: Construct unit’s operation to function in a sustainable fashion
A large part of my role this year has been to aid in the development of the Office of Student Employment. This position gave me a solid understanding of what goes into the hiring process and all of the different skills that are required to be able to perform well when one is involved in this work. I have attached a copy of our mid-year report from the Office of Student Employment to showcase the magnitude of the work that we accomplished in just one semester. I will update this with the end of year report when it becomes available.