1. Introduction

Reflecting on the past eight weeks, Roger Schank's Teaching Minds: How Cognitive Science Can Save Our Schools comes to mind, particularly his emphasis on cognitive processes. Throughout this course, our group employed conscious, analytic, and social processes at various stages. My expectations for this course—excitement, anticipation, and progress toward graduation—were fully met.

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Our group, the A-Team, consisted of Saria, Jene', Elizabeth, Marie, and myself (Melissa). We collaborated through Canva, Google, and Zoom, sharing ideas about education and learning experiences. Though we faced occasional frustrations and confusion, we worked through challenges together.

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Notable Challenge: During one Zoom discussion, I failed to record an excellent session. It absolutely killed me to have to tell my team members that somehow, I didn't record the session. The team was understanding, and we adapted by using Canva instead—another example of our collaborative spirit.

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​2. Evaluation of Successes - What is Working Well?

Strong Communication & Collaboration

• Mutual encouragement and visible growth among team members

• Willingness to compromise between Zoom and Canva preferences

• Teamwork that made challenging assignments manageable

 

Technology Integration Initially hesitant about AI due to growing up with movies like Terminator, my younger teammates transformed my perspective by:

• Explaining practical AI applications in education

• Demonstrating how AI tailors lesson plans to individual student needs

• Encouraging hands-on experimentation

 

This became transformative—AI shifted from threatening to game-changing in my learning process.

Collaborative Spirit Our group demonstrated that different experiences and expectations enriched our learning. We learned that our ideas weren't the only valid ones, and listening to different perspectives strengthened our understanding.

 

3. Areas of Growth or Improvement

Organization While balancing full-time work and parenting two teenage girls, I recognize the need for better organizational systems. Managing multiple platforms and deadlines requires more structured approaches.

Technology Confidence Though I've made significant progress, continued growth in understanding and using emerging technologies remains a priority. I want to move from basic competency to confident integration.

Theoretical Application I need to more explicitly connect learning theories to practical experiences, bridging the gap between what I observe and the cognitive science that explains it.

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4. Brief Summary and Reflection of Each Assignment

 

5. Reflection of Your Collaborative Discussion Group

What I contributed While I'm not an instructor, I work closely with students and offered perspectives about the student experience that the team hadn't previously considered. My contribution centered on how educational approaches impact learners directly—bridging the gap between instructional design and student reality.

 

What I Learned About Myself

• I'm still capable of significant learning and growth

• I can embrace new technologies despite initial resistance

• Different approaches to teaching and learning genuinely excite me

• Vulnerability (like admitting the recording failure) strengthens rather than weakens team relationships

 

What I Learned About My Group Members My teammates demonstrated how educators thoughtfully incorporate AI into their classrooms, tailoring instruction to individual student needs. I learned how much they love teaching and how they constantly think in terms of what's best for their students. Their stories about innovative classroom connections were incredibly moving and inspiring.

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What I Would Change I would have established clearer recording protocols earlier to avoid technical mishaps. Additionally, I wish I'd been more proactive in sharing student perspective insights throughout the course rather than waiting for prompted discussions.

 

6. Summary and Conclusion

This eight-week journey reinforced that education is about continuous growth, collaboration, and openness to new ideas. The A-Team demonstrated how diverse perspectives and mutual support create powerful learning experiences.

Key takeaways include:

• Collaboration requires compromise - alternating between platforms honored different preferences

• Age doesn't limit learning - at 56, I'm still growing and embracing new technologies

• Student perspective matters - my non-instructor role provided valuable insights

• Technology enhances rather than replaces - AI became a tool for personalization, not a threat

I'm excited about the changes ahead and grateful for this opportunity to further my career while learning alongside such dedicated educators. This course proved that learning communities thrive when members bring different experiences, remain open to new tools, and commit to supporting one another's growth.