Running head: GROWTH ASSESSMENT

Growth Assessment
Sara Lobo-Sanchez
Azusa Pacific University

GROWTH ASSESSMENT

Growth Assessment
History of Coursework

Term I: Fall I 2015

EDTC 524: Instructional Design and
Development, Dr. Kathryn Price

Key Learning

Term I: Fall II 2015

EDTC 511: Foundations in Educational
Technology, Dr. Kathleen Bacer

Key Learning

Term II: Spring I 2016

EDTC 517: Digital Communications, Joe
Bruzzese

Term III: Spring II 2016

EDTC 518: Global Learning/ Cross- Cultural
Classroom, Professor Barbara McMillan

Create my own website use Weebly

Use the applications of google and other
useful applications for my classroom

Key Learning

Term IV: Summer 2016

EDTC 521: Digital Imagery/ Learning
Environments, Professor Doyle Potter

Ability to navigate and use Adobe Acrobat

DC
Integrate useful technology into the
classroom with great results

Key Learning

EDTC 524: Instructional Design &

Development, Professor Kathryn Price

Created a presentation for educational

curriculum use.
Create unit using Backwards Design
(BWD)

Understand what Digital Citizenship entails

Learned how to develop lessons for the 21st
century learner
Introduction to Global Learning Projects
Effectively create a unit plan with the
incorporation of technology
Create effective visuals for multimedia
presentations for in the classroom and in
PLCs

Key Learning
Capture, edit, and produce high quality
photos and video. In Pixlr/Photoshop
Use of digital imaging, video, and audio to
create high quality digital media projects

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EDTC 523: Information Design &

Hypermedia, Professor Kathryn Price

Term V: Fall I 2016

EDTC 520: Managing Tech- Supported
Curriculum, Professor Elisabeth Silver

Key Learning

EDTC 527: Special Topics in Educational

Technology, Professor Barry Betteger

Creating Global Learning Project and

adding hypermedia
Collaboration and feedback loops for
enhancing student work

Review District Technology Plans and

professional development plans and how to
improve and revise plans in own district
Collaborate with cadre mates to create
software evaluation rubric and school
improvement plan
Building a webfolio
Researching online web applications to
develop more effective curriculum

Personal Growth
Throughout this last year, I have grown in my personal life more than I ever have. I have grown
in areas of my spiritual life, my cognitive skills, and my overall passion and confidence in myself as a
student and a teacher. I think that this is one of the things that I found most rewarding through this
program was making a connection with my cadre. Something about the anonymity of the online structure
proved to be one of the most constant and stable things in my life through these trials over the last year. I
could post and lean on these wonderful people and ask for prayer at any moment. Still to this day I can do
this as my family has been hit by yet another trial.
Spiritually I have grown more than I ever had. The forums forced me, and I say that lightly, to
study my bible more. Through these rough and trying times, it seemed that the weekly spiritual
assignments were directly connected to what I was going through in my life. One of the more pertinent
questions that I was asked throughout this journey was how my faith connected to my time spent working
through the development of my curriculum. One of my posts in Digital Learning (EDTC 521), from
back in July 2016 stated, Although I am a firm teacher, I practice grace in my classroom as well in
situations in the hopes of demonstrating for my students the love of God. While it may be indirect, it is
hopefully planting a small seed in them as to how to exercise grace and love for others (Lobo-Sanchez,
2016, Created in His Image post 6).

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I could go on and on about how my faith and the support of others through prayers has made me
into a better Christian woman. I feel more connected to the Lord than ever, and I can say with absolute
certainty, that APU had a lot to do with the personal growth. In one of the first classes that I completed
my personal growth assessment (Bacer, 2015), I scored myself at a 2, meaning to some extent. My
evidence of my score was seen in my statement from my assessment, I feel that I have become more
engaged in the Cadre as opposed to my last class. The forums were very helpful and important for
growth (Lobo-Sanchez, 2015, 511 Growth Assessment). The forums were new to me this cadre, and
although I do enjoy communicating with my classmates, it is a struggle to keep on top of them.
In my final few classes for Fall I, 2016, I began to really excel in my personal growth and my
interaction with my classmates. On my last growth assessment for Managing Tech-Supported Curriculum
(Silver, 2016), I rated myself at a 3, meaning very significant. My evidence was based on the fact that I ,
Pushed myself to collaborate more with my fellow cadremates (Lobo-Sanchez, 2016, 520 Growth
Assessment). The fact that I could understand what my fault and failures were in my personal growth,
proves that I have grown in my cognitive skills in communication. I took the class Digital Imagery
(Potter, 2016), and I found a passion I never knew I had. The class was a break from my Global Learning
Project and all the rigorous assignments. It was an opportunity to test the limits of my technological
skills. I instantly fell in love with photography and retouching. On my off time, I spent hours shooting
photos of my kids, of my surroundings, and of the events in my life. This class really brought me back to
life. This passion spread into my other summer class and into my preparation for my new job. To say that
I found a passion and love for teaching and life again is an understatement. This new season has been one
of the most rewarding seasons of my career. I am so thankful to APU for creating a class that was so
rewarding and eye opening.

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Professional Growth
If I would have been asked where I saw myself today, I would have, with confidence, said I
would be the Assistant Principal at NOVA Academy. Fortunately, and I say this with a smile, God laughs
as we make plans for our lives. Throughout this program, I have experienced more professional growth in
my career then I have over the last ten years. In the last year I have had a career change, grown
professionally, and have gained pride in my accomplishments. I have been working now at my new high
school teaching 10th and 11th grade English and I absolutely love it. I have found my passion again and
my love for teaching. The stress is gone from this last year; the long hours are gone; the depression of
finding purpose is gone. I have grown so much in these last four months and I am so thankful that God
does not grant those prayers that I do not understand.
Once I made the decision to move to another job I was definitely humbled at becoming a new
teacher at a school. In a large school making friends and relationships is difficult. Thankfully, being
enrolled in the APU program I was forced to interact with my colleagues. During my EDTC 520,
Managing Tech-Supported Curriculum, class I had to create a Personal Learning Community (PLC) in my
own work environment. This project was meant to collaborate with other staff members, mentors, and
outside resources to research effective technology methods that could be incorporated into the classroom
curriculum. This class was key to my Professional Development as was evidence in my end of the class
assessment. Not only did I become more engaged with my cadremates in trying to develop useful
curriculum to share, but I become more, Engaged more with my own staff at my site through the
project's requirements (Lobo-Sanchez, 2016,520 Growth Assessment). Through the projects and the
opportunities to engage with other professionals, I have gained so many new relationships at my new site.
I have found myself volunteering to lead workshops and share my learnings with others. I have taken a
true pride in becoming a mentor to my team teacher, who is in fact a first-year teacher. This year has been
one of my happiest in teaching and I am only four months in.

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Technical Growth
"Technology is in a constant cycle of renewal. This creates opportunity for constant invention,
growth and evolution (Jackson, 2016, Practicum in Educational Applications of Technology). In my
initial assessments, I would say that I was technically sound in most areas. Throughout the program, I
have grown in areas of technical expertise, gained access to new programs, and learned to incorporate
more technology into my classroom.
Starting with Foundations in Educational Technology (Bacer, 2015), I found myself baffled at the
technological jargon and the endless programs that we would be studying. I struggled to even get off the
ground with Adobe Acrobat. I thought I knew the extent of Portable Document Format (PDF)files, but I
had no idea of those capabilities with the program. I must say that Adobe has definitely become one of
my favorite programs and I know I will continue to use it well after I graduate. I feel that my technical
expertise has grown immensely. I am extremely confident in using the most up to date technologies,
applications, etc. in and out of the classroom.
In addition to Google and other numerous applications I have learned over this last year, I have
also fallen in love with Actively Learn. This was a program that I found when I was exploring technology
for my Digital Communications (Bruzzese, 2016) class. Actively Learn is an online program that allows
teachers to upload documents, pdfs, etc. and attach questions, forums, articles, etc. to the assignment.
Basically, the program has created a paperless classroom. While I have not gone completely paperless in
my English class, I have found that my students are more engaged in the novel readings when using this
program. It has eliminated the need for large orders of novels, and has allowed me to accommodate for
my Special Education (SPED) and English Language Learner (ELL) populations.

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Lifelong Learning Plan

At the close of my last term at Azusa Pacific University, I am feeling extremely confident in my
lifelong learning plan. At my school site we have weekly Personal Learning Communities (PLC) by
department and also as a collective staff. In these meetings we are able to explore new technologies,
develop lesson plans, and continue to learn from one another. With the development from my school PLC
and the PLC that I created through APU, I have no doubt that I will continue to grow in my learnings each
and every year.
In addition to my PLCs I plan to volunteer for seminars that are offered over the summer through
my school district. This will ensure that I am most current with educational issues and newly developed
technologies. I still in moving towards incorporating more technology within my classroom lessons and
curriculum, so my goal is to continue educating myself on how to do that. I have already fully integrated
Actively Learn into my curriculum and have all of my team teachers onboard with integrating this
application as well. Hopefully, in the future, I will be able to continue bringing technology to my
department.
Conclusion
This last year has truly been quite an experience. There are not enough pages in this paper to
elaborate on how my life has drastically change personally, professionally, and technologically. I have to
say with surety, that I am at my best right now in my classroom. I have a confidence that I have never
experienced and I owe a debt of gratitude to all of the professors and cadremates that worked with me
along the way. I am truly going to miss working with everyone and so I hope that we can continue with
our little intimate PLC.

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Resources
Bacer, K. (2015). EDTC511: Foundations in Educational Technology. Online Master of Arts in
Educational Technology. School of Education, Azusa Pacific University. Azusa, CA. Retrieved
from http://sakai.apu.edu.
Bacer, K, Bettger, B, Brown, J, Bruzzese, J, McMillian, B, Potter, D, Price, K Silver, E. (2016-2017).
Online Master of Arts in Educational Technology. School of Education, Azusa Pacific University.
Azusa, CA. Retrieved from http://sakai.apu.edu.
Bruzzese, J. (2016). EDTC517: Digital Communications. Online Master of Arts in Educational
Technology. School of Education, Azusa Pacific University. Azusa, CA. Retrieved from
http://sakai.apu.edu.
Jackson, Jaja. (2016). EDTC526: Practicum in Educational Applications of Technology. Online Master of
Arts in Educational Technology. School of Education, Azusa Pacific University. Azusa, CA.
Retrieved from http://sakai.apu.edu.
Lobo-Sanchez, Sara. (2015). EDTC511 Growth Assessment. Taskstream. Retrieved from
https://www.taskstream.com/Main/main_frame.asp
Lobo-Sanchez, Sara. (2016). EDTC520 Growth Assessment. Taskstream. Retrieved from
https://www.taskstream.com/Main/main_frame.asp
Lobo-Sanchez, Sara. (2016, July). Created in His Image.Retrieved from
https://sakai.apu.edu/portal/site/74168296-15a5-44d6-bc40-73d1e6083689
Potter, D. (2016). EDTC521: Digital Imagery/Learning Environments. Online Master of Arts in
Educational Technology. School of Education, Azusa Pacific University. Azusa, CA. Retrieved
from http://sakai.apu.edu.

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Silver, E. (2016). EDTC520: Managing Tech-Supported Curriculum. Online Master of Arts in

Educational Technology. School of Education, Azusa Pacific University. Azusa, CA. Retrieved
from http://sakai.apu.edu.