Part A 

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The Evolution of My Learning Philosophy Through the COVA Approach and the ADL Program

     I remember almost indelibly realizing choice, ownership, and voice in my learning. It was not an overnight epiphany, but a gradual shift started when I began my journey with ADL, Applied Digital Learning. Until then, my life as an educator in Venezuela and later here in the United States was typical of traditional educational systems. I had been teaching high school in Venezuela but got to teach pre-kindergarten when I moved to the United States. In both settings, the teacher strictly controlled education: I was used to making decisions for my students and following a curriculum that left little room for flexibility or creativity. Therefore, the first time I encountered the COVA approach, Choice, Ownership, Voice, and Authenticity felt like entering a new world.

     I remember being both eager and insecure when I started to work on my innovation plan for the ADL program. I was in my first year teaching pre-kindergarten in a new country; everything seemed new. First, this was the first time in my academic and professional life that I was free to shape my learning. I used to teach in a system where the teacher was the sole authority, and the students followed whatever he said; I now found myself as a student where the responsibility for learning lay fully upon me. Yet exciting and intimidating it was to think that I had the right to decide how to approach my education. I felt like some novice, wondering if I was ready for such autonomy.

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The Impact of the COVA Approach on My Learning

     My first reaction when being given this much freedom was mixed: excitement and self-doubt were the emotions. I was excited about creating my pathway for once, having an actual say in what I learned and worked on, and finally coming to work on projects that resonated with me. It came from the structure of a world I knew well to one where this framework had become dependent upon me. I did not have a map, and that was terrifying. But despite the fear, I went all in, so much so that even as I was doing it, a part of me did not honestly believe this could work. But I also knew very soon that the more involved I am, The more I grow. The truth is, yes, I was flawed and imperfect, but those flaws were sentences in the paragraphs of my growth. In short, I asked questions and heard feedback from my colleagues and mentors, Reflecting on any steps taken. As I reflected more and more, my way became more evident, and I had to learn how to trust and, most importantly, myself.

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Taking Control of My Own Voice

     One of the most challenging aspects of this new learning curve was turning my thinking from passive learning to active participation; in other words, getting a growth mindset plan. For a long time, I worked in an educational model where teacher-directed learning and students followed. That model did not require me to challenge or take risks. However, within the ADL program, that just did not work. I needed to engage fully and actively participate in my learning process. Then, I had days reflexing about growth mindset concept, which indeed became my guiding rule. I remember reading Carol Dweck's work, discussing the power of "yet." It clicked in a way nothing else had before. The idea of not looking at failure as an end but as another stepping stone toward success was huge to me. This empowered me to move ahead, even when unsure of the results. In my head, I opened up, became more willing to do stuff, to try out ways of doing something, and to learn from each outcome, whether positive or negative.

     Upon reflection, the second thing that comes to my head is how important that was to the process and how little credit I had given beforehand. This is because I had been so geared towards continuing and doing the next thing that I did not give much time to reflect upon what had been learned during the earlier parts of the process. I realized through the process that reflection is the connection between experience and growth; it is how we connect our dots and see where we have been and are going. I now intentionally give time for reflection to myself and my students. I want them to understand that it is not the goals but the journey that takes us to the goals of learning.

     Another challenge was to find my voice. The first hard decisions were about who would be my audience since the only audience I used to write for was one professor and within his most rigid academic framework. My projects within the ADL program pushed me beyond that limited framework. I thought about how my work might affect my students, school, and community. At first, I was somewhat at a loss. How would I find my voice to make it echo effectively? As I started the projects that came together with the needs of my school, so did my sense of purpose. My voice turned louder, as it was no longer about completing the task but about creating a change. The more I focus on real world implications while doing something, the more meaningful it will get.

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​From Insecurity to Leadership of Change

     Leading change has also modified my attitude because earlier, I was somewhat vague about whether it is my ability to bring change to my organization. Like many students, I had mixed feelings about whether I was prepared to lead transformative initiatives. Further into the ADL program, I was assured I would be ready to bring about change. Then, one day, I began to envision myself as an instrument of change, bringing in new ideas and ways of doing things that would add value to our setting. Slowly but surely, it fell into place and became very rewarding. Today, I believe even the tiniest changes can bring about huge changes, and I am quite excited about the prospective mark I could make on my school.

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​The Authenticity of My Innovation Plan

     My innovation plan, putting gamification into practice in math teaching, is an idea I am passionate about. It is very organic and authentic for me. From the beginning, since it was an assignment within the program, I wanted to put into action how the principles of game design and elements can be implemented within mathematics classes, keeping the lessons fresh and interactive. Far from a usual in class exercise, this is a serious commitment to improving the educational atmosphere in my school. As I wrote in my literature review, Gamification enables personalized learning and may motivate students to render meaning to their knowledge and intrinsic motivations. This could be the key to teaching and learning, and I am committed to seeing this plan through the long term. I feel this truly allows me to make a real difference in my student's education. It is not about completing a project but changing how we teach and learn. The COVA approach and CSLE go in tandem with my ever evolving learning philosophy.

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Transforming My Learning Philosophy

     Before the ADL program, my concept of learning was very teacher-centered; students had little say in how they learned. The classroom now reminds me of a place to venture into, where students actively participate in the learning process. In this regard, the COVA approach gives students the means to make choices, take responsibility for their learning, and express themselves.

Finally, the ADL program allowed me to morph my experience in COVA into a flexible, student-centered teaching philosophy that espouses student autonomy, curiosity, and participatory roles. I now see learning as dynamic and mobile, where students can do exploratory study for experimentation and growth. Indeed, this has been profound thinking for me since then, provoking me to evoke deeper change within myself, my classroom, and my organization.