Conclusion

On entry to the program, my initial goals were to:

• Develop skills and knowledge to create effective, attractive, and compelling online learning objects.
• Learn more about how to meet the learning needs of adults in a responsive, supportive, and respectful way.
• Gain a recognized credential that would reflect my development as an adult educator.

In reaching this final stage in the program, I find that my first goal was very lofty, and has only been partially met – I have gained significant knowledge on what it takes to develop online learning objects, but I am just at the beginning of developing skills in this area. I have been given great guidance, but only by practising this set of skills will I attain proficiency. ISD is an evolving area and, if I am going to do this kind of work, I will need to study more and practice more (as I discussed in my reflection on Artefact Three). Nevertheless, I am extremely pleased at what I learned from MDDE 604.

My second learning goal has been met in an abundance of ways beyond my expectations, however there is always more that I need to learn. I have changed over the years, I have a new vision now for my future. From my learnings in the program, I have identified learning needs related to being effective as a facilitator of emancipatory learning (helping others to see possibilities for meeting their goals that they may not have considered).

I now consider that I have received both a grounding and excellent direction – but there is always more work up ahead. This is work that I must now do in order to evolve my “paradigm of teaching” and “paradigm of learning.” I believe that I am now well-equipped to take on this work.

Gaining a recognized credential is still important to me. However, it is just a springboard to what I do next. I hope that people will find me knowledgeable and helpful to them. I have no plans to seek a PhD, but I am looking for further learning which will make me more understanding of people’s situations, more effective as a helper, and able to determine where I am making assumptions that need verification before they can be the basis for more learning.

My unstated goal (and mostly unrecognized by me on entry to the program) was to invent a new and better me. The Masters in Education (Distance Education) program has enabled me to move forward from a rather dysfunctional life situation, to a new view of how I can use my voice and my abilities to achieve what I believe is my true life’s work. I feel a great sense of contentment, although I know that there is a lot still for me to do. I go forward into this new work with a feeling of excitement and a strong sense of purpose. The program has been instrumental in enabling me to make this transition. This has been truly transformational learning!

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/81/8d/19/818d190d7bc82c12839afbfcb5544ec6--first-place-exploration.jpg

I have discovered that I can take on many roles, but my journey now is to seek authenticity (the "real" me). There may be many missteps along the way, but if I can recognize what works and what does not, I believe that I can move forward with excitement, motivation, and hope in my future.

I have been significantly redesigning my life, and what I think “self-actualization” means to me, for many months now. I think this is some of my most important work. Through the program, and my experiences, I feel that I can be of significant service to others in the community in the next few years. I feel that this is work that I must attend to diligently while my health remains good.

We all have our own “life threads” to weave. I am grateful that you all have become part of my “tapestry” and I hope that we will be reconnecting again somewhere in the future.