Introduction

When I began EDLD 5317: Resources in Digital Environments, I expected to strengthen my academic writing and deepen my understanding of how innovation in education can be shared through publication. What I didn’t anticipate was how much I would grow as both a writer and collaborator. Over the past eight weeks, the course guided me through the process of developing a publishable article, collaborating on a media project, and reflecting on the intersection of technology, language learning, and leadership. Each week built on the previous one—transforming my initial ideas into a cohesive body of work that now forms part of my professional identity and ePortfolio.

This course challenged me to think beyond traditional instructional design and truly step out of my comfort zone. It pushed me to take creative risks, experiment with unfamiliar digital tools, and think like both a learner and a leader. I was introduced to new technologies—particularly Google Notebook—that expanded my understanding of how digital organization and collaboration can transform professional learning environments. What began as a focus on technology integration evolved into a deeper understanding of how digital environments cultivate authentic learning, agency, and equity.

The course opened with the challenge of conceptualizing an idea worth sharing with a professional audience. From there, I explored the iterative process of outlining, drafting, receiving feedforward, and revising my work to reflect both clarity and impact. This process pushed me far outside of my comfort zone. For most of my career, I’ve focused on creating and supporting learning experiences for others, but I had never truly considered that my own content, experiences, and work were worthy of professional submission. Confronting that self-doubt and reframing my expertise as valuable scholarship was both intimidating and empowering. Alongside this process, my collaborative discussion group provided authentic dialogue that deepened my understanding of how ideas evolve through collective reflection and reminded me that our professional stories, when shared, have the power to inspire growth in others.

By the end of the course, I felt more confident not only in my ability to design and lead professional learning in digital spaces but also in my capacity to model risk-taking, reflection, and innovation for the educators I support. This course didn’t just enhance my academic writing—it expanded my professional vision, reinforcing that meaningful change in education begins with the courage to share our ideas and learn publicly alongside others.

Evaluation of Successes

One of the most significant successes of this course was the alignment between my publication topic and my innovation plan. My article, TikTok-Inspired Video Activities to Support Oral Language Development for English Learners, bridges research and classroom practice by exploring how short-form video can promote oral language proficiency in Grades 2–5. Through each stage of development, I gained confidence in my ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively.

Another success was my growth in digital media production. The Media Project allowed me to translate research into an engaging, accessible conversation that reflected real-world applications of educational technology. This process reaffirmed that meaningful innovation is not just about introducing new tools—it’s about designing learning experiences that connect with students’ cultural and linguistic identities (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017).

Even more rewarding has been seeing the impact of this work unfold in real time. I recently began implementing my media project with 4th grade, and I am absolutely loving it. The students are engaged, creative, and excited about their work—often seeking me out with new ideas for their videos. More importantly, during what is often referred to as “Shock-tober,” a challenging time of year for many teachers, the energy has shifted. Teachers are genuinely excited to implement this project in their classrooms. One teacher shared, 'This brought a smile to my face and reminded me why I wanted to teach.' Seeing both student enthusiasm and teacher joy has been one of the most validating outcomes of this entire journey.

Areas of Growth or Improvement

While I’m proud of my growth, I also recognize areas for improvement. Time management during the drafting stages was a consistent challenge. Balancing my professional responsibilities as an Instructional Technology Specialist and my graduate coursework required intentional scheduling. In future courses, I plan to build more structured writing blocks to allow for deeper reflection and revision.

Additionally, I want to continue strengthening my scholarly writing voice. I’ve grown more confident in integrating research, but I aim to refine transitions and academic tone to ensure my writing maintains both precision and readability (Mertler, 2017).

Assignment Reflections

Publication Outline:

The outline served as the foundation for my article and helped me clarify my purpose—to demonstrate how culturally relevant, technology-integrated strategies can strengthen oral language development for English learners. This stage encouraged me to connect my innovation plan with current research, drawing from Mertler (2017) and Darling-Hammond et al. (2017) to frame my rationale.

Publication Rough Draft:

The rough draft stage was transformative because it invited peer and instructor feedforward. My group’s feedback highlighted the importance of clearly articulating how the strategy supported TELPAS domains and ensuring equitable implementation. Their insights prompted me to strengthen my evidence base and connect each classroom example to student growth and leadership actions.

Media Project:

The media project was one of the most dynamic parts of the course. Collaborating with my peers to produce a podcast on digital synergy pushed me beyond academic writing into multimodal communication. It reminded me that sharing ideas through multiple formats—audio, visual, and written—can reach diverse audiences and foster deeper engagement (Andersen, 2011). Our discussion on 'Building Together in Virtual Spaces' reinforced the importance of collaboration, communication, and cultural responsiveness in educational innovation.

Publication Final Draft:

The final draft reflected the culmination of feedback, research synthesis, and refinement. Incorporating representative student transcripts, practical benefits, and challenges grounded the article in real classroom experiences. Revising with intentionality taught me that writing for publication is less about perfection and more about purpose—communicating ideas that can inspire action and reflection in others (Krashen, 1982).

Reflection on Collaborative Discussion Group

Working with my collaborative group was one of the most meaningful aspects of EDLD 5317. Each member contributed a unique perspective, and our discussions fostered authentic academic dialogue. I learned that collaboration is not about agreeing on everything—it’s about co-constructing understanding and valuing the diverse experiences each educator brings to the table.

From my peers, I learned how different professional contexts shape innovation: one member focused on CTE professional learning, another on special education differentiation, and another on digital storytelling for literacy. Their approaches helped me see how my own innovation—supporting oral language through video—fit within a broader ecosystem of educational improvement. Our shared reflections can be viewed on my Peer Feedfoward Page, which captures how our dialogue evolved throughout the course and how feedback from peers informed my publication and media project development.

I also learned more about myself as a leader. I tend to take initiative in structuring collaboration, but I’ve grown to appreciate the balance between leading and listening. The process reminded me that leadership in learning communities is not about control—it’s about creating space for others to shine. If I could change one thing, it would be to build in more real-time collaboration sessions earlier in the course, as these moments of authentic exchange often sparked new insights that strengthened my writing, media work, and confidence as a scholar-practitioner.

Summary and Reflection

EDLD 5317 has been both intellectually and professionally transformative. This course redefined how I view learning in digital spaces and reminded me that innovation requires courage—especially the courage to experiment, fail forward, and share vulnerability openly with others. It challenged me to move beyond consuming research to producing knowledge that contributes to the evolving field of educational technology. Through writing, feedback, and collaboration, I developed a clearer understanding of my voice as a scholar-practitioner and a leader.

Throughout the eight weeks, I strengthened my ability to evaluate digital resources critically, align technology with learning outcomes, and design experiences that honor both student voice and teacher growth. The culmination of this learning is reflected in my publication, Beyond the Desk: Using Collaborative Learning to Improve TELPAS Outcomes and Student Engagement, which I plan to formally submit to the Forum on Technology in Practice at the conclusion of my participation in Round Rock ISD RRock Star Aspiring Assistant Principal Cohort in Spring 2026 as part of my capstone project. This experience has not only expanded my digital literacy but also prepared me to lead with innovation, empathy, and strategic vision.

As I reflect on my performance in EDLD 5317, I believe a score of 100 accurately represents the quality, depth, and consistency of my contributions. I met and exceeded all key expectations by completing and refining every major assignment—the Publication Outline, Rough Draft, Media Project, and Final Publication Draft—each demonstrating intentional alignment between research, innovation, and practical classroom application. My work consistently reflected thoughtful integration of scholarly sources, a commitment to the writing and revision process, and strong connections between theory and practice.

In the area of supporting contributions, I demonstrated consistent leadership within my base group and participated actively in all collaborative discussions. My posts reflected both breadth and depth of thinking, with research-based citations that advanced our dialogue. I offered constructive and timely feedback to peers, contributed additional insights beyond required discussions, and helped maintain a collaborative, solution-oriented tone within our learning community.

Evidence of my engagement is visible across my published artifacts, media project, and group reflections. These demonstrate my ability to synthesize research, communicate complex ideas effectively, and lead with authenticity and collaboration. Additionally, the real-world implementation of my media project with fourth-grade students—where both teachers and learners were energized and inspired—reflects the tangible impact of my learning and leadership.

Because I consistently engaged in all aspects of the course with excellence, supported others in their learning, and produced high-quality, research-aligned deliverables that have already influenced my professional practice, this score accurately reflects not only mastery of course outcomes but also the confidence and growth I’ve achieved as an educational leader and scholar-practitioner.

Most importantly, this course reaffirmed my belief that innovation in education begins with purpose, not platforms. Whether through a publication, podcast, or professional dialogue, our responsibility as leaders is to create spaces where ideas translate into impact. I leave this course more confident, more reflective, and more committed to using technology not just as a tool—but as a bridge for learning, equity, and connection.