Artefact 2 - Personal Theory of Practice

MDDE 603 Foundations of Instructional Design: Systems Analysis and Learning Theories, with Dr Kennedy and Dr Sochowski, is an AU MEd core subject that provided me with the opportunity to delve into learning theories, current trends in education, and personal and professional introspection as to how these theories apply in my professional career as an educator. The artefact selected as part of this course, Personal Theory of Practice, is based on a short paper that allowed me to reflect upon and synthesize the theories covered, discuss and analyze their affordances and limitations, and if and how they apply in my own teaching and learning context. More specifically, the paper should include the following components: 1. My view of learning encapsulated in three learning principles; 2. A short description of each principle, including which specific learning theory or theories support each principle. 

My choice of this artefact stems from my desire to open my educational context door and share and discuss my personal theory of practice in my teaching/learning setting and how MDDE 603 course helped me inform it. Additionally, a pleasant coincidence was that at the very same semester I had also taken MDDE 631 course, which explores inclusive educational practices, case studies, and the implementation of UDL principles. Therefore, this artefact is an opportunity to verify that theory is applicable in practice, which seems to be the hottest issue discussed by practitioners. To this end, the diversity of my students’ demographics in my multidimensional classes is described and the implementation of a student-centered, inclusive, and interactive instructional design to achieve the intended learning outcomes is analyzed, based on examples. While working on this assignment, I delved into theory and inform my practices based on an international, up-to-date, and close to the demands of a digitally connected world demands, in order to maximize opportunities for quality education for all my students. I was surprised to realize that behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism could all be present in my teaching/learning practices, complementarily applied, and encapsulated in three main principles, namely

a) to design a personalized and differentiated instruction that meets my learners’ needs;

b) to activate their own experiences, help them make meaningful connotations, and reach satisfaction;

c) to ensure rich learning environments that encourage critical dialogue, understanding, and skill development.

Above all, this artefact allows me to reflect on the process of composing my personal Theory of Practice, realized through a series of purposeful activities offered in the course.