Professional Development Goals, BYU-Idaho Style

Tyler,

After a lot of thought and consideration, I’ve identified two goals that I will focus on to help me better realize my obligations under the second, third, and fourth obligations of my Online Instructor Agreement:

1) Compile and update a dossier of student feedback suggestions, lessons learned, and helpful tips from our teaching group to deepen my understanding of course content and strengthen my lesson preparation skills.

2) Compile as list of and analyze my distance learning and collaboration strengths and weaknesses, taking in experience from my full-time job, time spent as an online student, and in my role at Uncharted to improve my online learning facilitation skills. This goal will dovetail with the first goal.

We’ve been reading in Mosiah in our family scripture study, and are currently reading about the people of Limhi. I’m going to take some inspiration from Gideon, captain of Limhi’s army, when he says to Limhi “If thou hast not found me to be an unprofitable servant, or if thou has hitherto listened to my words in any degree, and they have been of service to thee, even so I desire that thou wouldst listen to my words at this time, and I will be thy servant and deliver this people out of bondage.” (Moshiah 22:4)

I hear myself and my students in Gideon’s words. In the midcourse feedback, my students have offered some constructive suggestions on how I may improve. I need to listen to their words and remind myself that they have been “of service” to me. Compiling the dossier of student feedback and other suggestions will be a concrete way I can remember their words so I do not find them to be “unprofitable servants.” Additionally, I need to remind myself that I am my students’ servant and that I have the obligation to “deliver [them] out of bondage” as I do what I can to help them understand the assignments, deadlines, and other ins and outs of this online course environment.

Let me know what you think.