https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WkNRdyHj3fzjY_MLAkOOOWE_g73kcA6mfZKs_t6mRKs/edit?usp=sharing

Contribution to my Learning and Learning Community Class 5303 This semester I decided to take it slow. Going so hard my first semester back in school soon made me realize that being a full-time single mom who works 2 jobs just to make ends meet, have own business and doing two online classes was defiantly pushing it and doing too to much. During this semester I had many bumps and construction going on in my life with two of my close friends losing their parents back-to-back to other bs life threw at me. I was fortunate to have to take only one class this time second term. By this course being the third course of grad school, I have put my pride aside and realized that I will not make it in these courses if I don’t start talking to other colleagues who are taking the same courses. I’ve found it very helpful this semester how powerful it is to have a learning community in any career that you make have. Seeing that I couldn’t make it by myself in school this semester I promised myself to give it my all while learning from my colleagues. After having such a difficult time finding a group to collaborate with in one of my first classes I made it my job to reach out to the group, I was in from my other course so we could get a head start on meetings, books, and other learning materials that would be of great assistance for these upcoming classes. Since being in the program I have gained so much more knowledge in this short amount of time just by being a part of a learning community. The learning community that I am a member of consist of 5 others we all just stuck together after our first two courses together and I am so glad we did. Being able to share ideas, through zoom/team meetings every Wednesday at 7pm has been outstanding and last more than an hour. There were a few members of my learning community taking two classes this semester. I love the fact that as a group we decided to let those members have their meeting about their other class. Just hearing them talk about the work and the course itself made me also realize I did good with dropping that class lol. I mean I still must take it but not now more like in January, so I have a few more months to prep. Being apart of this learning community has taught me that no matter how well you may know something, there’s always someone who knows a little bit more about the subject than you do, and you can learn from others. Our group meetings could be started by any member in our group. Usually, the day before our meetings I would send out a reminder text or a text asking if we where still meeting. To me that job was important because now I felt apart of something and felt like why not reach out who is it going to hurt. It will probably hurt more if you don’t ask. And I’m so glad I did because sometimes it just takes that one and that one was me this time. Before taking these courses, we had never met, and it really seems like we’ve been knowing one another way before grad school. The bond that we have is amazing and I’m extremely happy to be a part of such a dynamic learning environment. Coming in with more knowledge of what needed to be done to be successful in this course has allowed me to open up give and receive helpful feedback/feedforward. With me stepping out the box this semester and fulfilling my promise to myself I have to give myself a grade of 89 for going above and beyond this semester I can honestly can say I have did the damn thang this go round. I'm truthfully proud of myself for stepping out get feedback allowing others to give me feedforward help has been wonderful

Honestly now that I am back in school having an portfolio is one of the best things I could have gotten they really come in handy. Especially when it comes to keeping up with all your work an assignments. Being brought up doing everything by hand and having to file papers or keep up with loose papers has now become a thing of the past since almost everything has become digital. Technology has made it so much easier, we now have mini computers at the tip of our fingertips (our phones). Instead of writing things you need to do on pieces of paper you can now create a note in your phone and check off everything that needs to be done and the phone will track it for you. Eportfolios are used overall to digitally record the students learning through out their educational learning experience, giving one time to reflect on what you have accomplished through out your educational experiences as well as the cooperate world. Its a way to collect and reflect on your work, showcase achievements, create study and work plans. Its basically your OWN space a space you have created just for you and for you to be able to share with others if you choose. Creating an Eportfolio for grad school has been such a tremendous help for me allowing me to record and keep information needed for future dates all in one place. I am still learning how to setup different tabs and blogs which as become a challenge but not bad enough to say I give up....oh no that's not in me