EDU6630/EDU6920 Reflection

Brett Santo

Dr. David McGough

EDU 6630/EDU 6920

December 14, 2015

Reflection

       I chose to write a reflection discussing both classes in this one blog post, as my semester-long project truly became a coalescence of the two courses. I completed an extensive literature review and conducted a detailed pilot study to create a research article that not only interested me, but inspired me to conduct research moving forward.

                

       Going into the project, I had some trepidation about how I was going to handle such an extensive amount of research. Before this literature review, I had only analyzed three to five works at a time, looking for similarities and differences and identifying overarching themes. Accordingly, the concept of comparing themes between upwards of 31 articles and several books seemed daunting. To be honest, the research aspect of this assignment provided a foundation for my literature review, and further bolstered my ability to complete the task. I learned in EDU6920 that it is important to ensure that your research, quite simply, hangs together. If ideas and concepts in the paper become tangential arguments, then you have lost your reader. Accordingly, I found myself consistently aiming to address the question when analyzing each and every article. Hence, although some of the articles might fit into very different categories, I found a way to tie them together to address the question. The specificity of this task proved beneficial both as a student and as a writer.   

               

       As an undergraduate student I had conducted and analyzed several “experiments” prior to this study, but none of them to this extent. I found this portion of the assignment to be extremely interesting. I very much enjoy taking the time to conduct research in everyday settings - and this study allowed me to do just that. In my opinion, it is often conducive to conduct research in natural settings, as it can provide you with realistic data. Although research in controlled settings may account for confounding variables and validity and reliability concerns, I find it best to conduct research in a natural setting when you are attempting to collect natural data. Initially, I was unsure of my ability to actually conduct this research in the first place, due to time constraints. However, I learned that one can obtain valuable data in a short period of time. In fact, my most effective data collection method was the Impromptu Opinion Poll, where each trial was no longer than 2 minutes.

              

       Until now, I had not conducted research and attempted to connect it with literature. This proved to be extremely riveting. Just as if I were solving a puzzle, I was able to find the pieces that came together in my data to paint a picture similar to that depicted in the literature. As a visual learner, I found that visualizations also proved helpful when analyzing research. With the overarching question as my lens, I was able to construct several charts that helped me to relate the data and the research to my question. On another visual note, I found myself truly intrigued by the physical reactions from many of my participants. In fact, I found these to be the most telling of my entire study. For example, participants would sometimes writhe after providing their initial response, in fear that I would judge them! Thus, I consider myself to be a visual researcher now as well.

               

       The magnitude of this assignment certainly was intimidating. To be honest, I have never written a 37-page paper before. However, upon completion, I felt both accomplished and confident in my abilities. This assignment truly aided in my development both as a scholar and as a future researcher. 

                

       Firstly, it provided me with valuable insights about the correlations between evolutionary psychology and leadership. I was fascinated to learn about the inherent biases and preferences that might be present in our perspectives today. I discovered that leadership emerged among humans to ultimately ensure survival of our species. In the past, leadership was essential for group coordination, as well as internal and external conflict resolution. Furthermore males were the preferred leaders in times of inter-group conflict, and females were preferred as leaders in times of intra-group conflict. I also enjoyed uncovering research involving the physical preferences of leaders in the past and how they compare to today's preferences. Interestingly enough, in both cases, we tend to prefer taller and more physically fit leaders. Furthermore, males who are tall and fit are more likely to feel qualified to pursue a leadership position due to their inherent confidence and the fact that they are identifiable as a leader. These and other themes present in the research has truly sparked my interest in continuing to study evolution, psychology, and leadership moving forward.

              

       Second, this assignment provided me with invaluable experience on how best to conduct research as well as write a cogent article. As a methods study, I knew that this project was going to help me discern the most effective ways of conducting research. Upon its completion, I learned about three different methods of data collection - impromptu opinion polls, social media forums, and the use of a case study in a focus group. Each method is distinctly different, and provided me with very different data. Through detailed analysis, I learned about the strengths and weaknesses of each data method, and discovered how I could alter the methods if I chose to employ them moving forward. My favorite of all the methods was the impromptu opinion poll. Although a quick method, it provided me with the most valuable data concerning everyday perspectives. This research allowed me to apply knowledge that I have learned about leadership in a real-world setting - and this was extremely exciting. It provided an opportunity for abstract concepts to be connected to tangible evidence. 

                  

       As always, I very much enjoyed the seminar aspect of the semester. ( I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to test one of my methods in class - and I thank you for allowing me to use that time). Although I wish that more of my classmates were present for more of the classes, I understand that schedules get busy, and thus create conflicts. However, even with a small number of students, I found the differences in topics, opinions, and experiences to be valuable for both my research and myself as a student.

                

       As a result of this study, I will be more confident in my abilities to conduct and analyze research moving forward. Furthermore, I will be able to produce cogent literature reviews on a multitude of research articles. Finally, I will make sure that all of my papers moving forward hang together, so that my mind, and not the readers, is the one left to wander...

       I love reading research, and even more conducting research, and these two classes allowed me to do just that - and on a larger scale than ever before. I have always questioned everything, and will continue to question things moving forward - after all, the point of research isn't to answer questions, it is to create new ones...

I thank the science channel for summing up my beliefs succinctly in their motto:

Multicultural Leadership Seminar Final Reflection

Brett Santo

Dr. David McGough

EDU 6630

8/13/15

Seminar in Multicultural Leadership Studies Reflection

This summer’s seminar was truly instrumental in my development as both a leadership scholar and an aspiring educational leader. In my previous seminar I was able to establish foundational knowledge of seminal leadership theories, having read James MacGregor Burns, Robert Greenleaf, and Warren Bennis. This semester, I was able to culturally diversify my leadership scholar portfolio with the writings of Juana Bordas, Adrianna Kezar, Mary Gardiner and Ernestine Enomoto, and Adalberto Aguirre and Rubén Martinez. I found learning about multicultural leadership to be truly illuminating, as it provided me with a breadth of knowledge related to inclusive environments and postmodern leadership theories. 

As a leader, I feel that it is important to challenge the accepted norms, and work toward implementing social change; otherwise, we will maintain living in a world that is exclusionary, hierarchical, and stagnant. I was reaffirmed of this belief while looking through the lens of multicultural leadership as presented by these scholars. Many of the themes that I found in these works aligned with the principles set forth in the seminal leadership books that I analyzed last semester. Thus, this semester’s work has allowed me to delve further into leadership methods and practices, ultimately preparing me for both future research and professional growth. 

One of the concepts that resonated with me the most throughout my studies this semester was the West African concept of Sankofa, described by Juana Bordas as the ability for a leader to look back in order to successfully move forward (Bordas, 2012). Since my undergraduate career, I have tried to live by a quote that I created when I was dealing with troubling times. Life is a series of realizations. Once you realizing something, you look back to determine how you are going to move forward. When I read the concept of Sankofa, I was astounded at how much it aligned with my personal credo. Additionally, I enjoyed learning the derivation of where the concept came from, as it provided me with brief insight about different cultures.

My desire to understand the plethora of cultures around the world was the original impetus for choosing this topic in the first place. Additionally, I chose to make this seminar about studies in multicultural leadership as a result of my passion for discovering the unknown. I had very little prior knowledge of multicultural leadership, thus I found the opportunity to delve into leadership through different cultural lenses to be illuminating. 

I decided to take this seminar as a six-credit course, thus I was charged with completing a second project. Accordingly, I chose to attend a conference that was related to my topic of study. To be honest, I was extremely lucky that a leadership conference was happening during this semester, otherwise this option would have been impossible. I had the privilege of being one of 60 people to participate in the first-ever Leadership Education Academy (LEA), hosted by 14 faculty facilitators and members of the International Leadership Association. LEA was a two-and-a-half day long “un-conference,” (they preferred to refer to it as a retreat-like setting), where leadership scholars from all over the country and even the world came together to enhance their knowledge of leadership education. 

The curriculum for the first day was focused entirely on content within leadership studies. We explored the six major families of leadership theories, (Trait, Behavioral, Process, Situational, Systems, Cultural), as well as different aspects of each. I was introduced to many concepts that I have yet to explore, and as a result, left the event with enthusiasm and a multitude of questions. One of my favorite new topics was toxic leadership, which describes leaders who act in ways that may seem to benefit the group (i.e.-being kind), when in reality, these behaviors could prove deleterious to the group’s success (i.e.-overly complacent). This concept was among many new approaches to leadership that I explored while at LEA, and I will continue to strive to understand new concepts moving forward. 

The second day focused on pedagogical strategies for teaching leadership and ways of assessing your success in teaching. This was an extremely practical day for me, seeing as I had no prior experience with true assessment strategies. Exploring the myriad of ways in which one can assess their teaching methods was both intriguing and helpful. I was introduced to the ideas of formative, summative, and developmental assessment strategies, made famous by Patton (Patton, 2010). I truly enjoyed learning about these three, as they provide a thorough framework for assessment. Formative assessment involves an ongoing process of assessment in which you periodically check on the students while teaching, and provide them with assignments that will show their understanding. Summative assessment involves determining whether or not the students grasped the material at the conclusion of the session, with either a test, a project, or a survey of sorts. Finally, developmental assessment addresses changes with response to the dynamics in the system by assessing how the students feel about their success in comparison to their previous knowledge. For example, a developmental assessment strategy would be to perform a “before, after, and now” survey that asks them to rate their knowledge before, immediately after, and retrospectively compare them in the now section. 

The third day of LEA was simply a coalescence of the previous two days with a strong emphasis on coaching and personal mentorship. This day addressed a major aspect of the conference—establishing relationships. Not only did the facilitators proactively attempt to establish relationships with the participants, but as leaders in their respective fields, the participants made an effort to connect with one another as well. This was my first experience in a conference setting with that many people, and to be honest, I did not know how important networking would be, until that last day. After reading and writing about several leadership theories, it was truly enlightening to witness the concepts in reality as I broadened my knowledge of leadership studies. 

I truly enjoyed this class, and am extremely happy with my decisions in making this a class geared toward multicultural studies and enhanced through LEA. Using my new knowledge of varying leadership theories, pedagogical strategies, and assessment practices, I will work to apply these to my capstone project—one that I have been able to figure out finally, with the help of this semester’s work, and the relationships that I’ve developed in my life thus far. 

Bordas, J. (2012). Salsa, soul, and spirit leadership for a multicultural age (Second ed.). San Francisco, California: Berrett-Koehler.

I also wanted to include a TED Talk that I found both intriguing and apropos of my topic of study...

Brett Santo

Dr. David McGough

EDU 6933 - MPPE

7/12/15

Final Reflection: Moral Philosophy and Professional Ethics

I found this class to be the most intellectually stimulating of all the classes that I have taken thus far, and felt that the content provided will prove useful in my future professional endeavors. Before coming to this class, I had always been a strong supporter of the adage “question everything,” and the curriculum revolving around moral and ethical deliberation allowed me to explore this idea further than I could have ever anticipated. 

Firstly, I found the differentiation between the concepts of morals and ethics to be one of the most intriguing observations ever encountered in my higher education career. As the two concepts of morals and ethics are often perceived to intertwine, this class addressed the fact that they are in fact different on many levels. Firstly, morals typically involve an individual's internal code of what they feel to be right and wrong, while ethics involve a societal standard of norms where one may choose to apply their morals as they see fit. Evolutionary biologist E.O. Wilson believed there to be a stark difference between morals and ethics as well. He claims that all behavior has an evolutionary lineage, and that humans are born with certain instincts that dictate their behavior. Accordingly, when philosophizing as to whether an issue is a moral issue or an ethical concern, one needs to determine whether the incident involves the individual and the realm of biology, or the external entities and infractions from the norm, respectively. 

Delving into multiple ethical paradigms allowed me to analyze moral and ethical situations from different lenses, and thus fostered questions from perspectives that I had not previously been aware of. As a scholar of transformational and servant-leadership theories and having brief experience from a myriad of areas within a higher education institution, I find an important aspect of a school community to be the establishment of an ethic of care. Additionally, this class has broadened my awareness of three other ethical paradigms that are certainly important to consider moving forward. Specifically, Shapiro and Gross describe the four lenses of ethical deliberation to be Justice, Care, Profession, and Critique (Shapiro & Gross, 2013). I developed a greater understanding of both an ethic of justice and an ethic of the profession as it relates to educational leadership as these concepts provided evidence that it is important to align certain decisions with educational policies/guidelines, as they are what is sometimes expected in institutions. However, I found the ethic of critique to be my favorite ethical lens, as it provided opportunities to ask the questions that no one has considered before, while taking into account aspects of the three other paradigms. Specifically, this ethical paradigm raises difficult questions by "critiquing both the laws, rights, and policies themselves and the process used to determine if the laws, rights, and policies are just" (Shapiro & Gross, 2013, p. 24). I found this idea to align directly with my own morals related to questioning the reasons behind policies and guidelines, rather than simply accepting them. Moving forward in my professional career, I will continue to question policies, guidelines, and standards to ensure that all perspectives are being considered, and if a moral deliberation arises, I will now have the knowledge to feel comfortable taking on the challenge.

I have never taken a philosophy course throughout my higher education career, let alone one that encompassed philosophical debates revolving around one’s personal morals. My undergraduate degree was in psychology, with a minor in counseling, and this class allowed me to combine my passions of understanding humans and the concept of questioning everything in such a way that truly was illuminating. The choice book assignment allowed me to understand an anthropologist’s view of society as it related to culture via energy capture. Ian Morris contends that cultural and biological evolution are contingent upon the method of energy capture of a particular society, and that change will ensue inevitably as a result of humans reaching their capacity to produce energy in a given societal structure. Accordingly, Morris expresses his views on human values by stating, “Our values change in similar ways to our genes, through back and forth interactions between moral systems and the environment (social as well as physical), combined with external shocks” (Morris, 2015, p. 142). Reading this book allowed me to gain a better understanding of the external forces that may be in place while dealing with moral/ethical deliberations. Through the use of the four ethical paradigms that I was introduced to in this class, I will be able to gain a better understanding of how to approach difficult situations in the future. As an aspiring educational leader, being able to view situations through a myriad of perspectives, and accordingly offer varying solutions will prove conducive to both my professional and personal growth. 

Additionally, I found that the individual cases that we analyzed during class provided pragmatic applications of the theories and concepts that were introduced. By providing ways to approximately measure the success of ethical interventions through the use of ABAB-experimentation, I was able to visually understand and hypothetically quantify the effects of each ethical paradigm. Also, the inquiry project assignment provided an opportunity for personal moral philosophizing and professional problem-solving that gave me a glimpse into the world of ethical consultation. The process of making ethical deliberation into a quantifiable experiment, rather than an ambiguous debate, provided a new perspective into moral philosophizing that I not only enjoy, but will certainly use in the future.

Furthermore, I truly enjoyed reading the articles that were assigned each week, and found the assignment of reaction papers to be developmentally beneficial from both a scholarly and a personal standpoint. One of my favorite articles was the critique on feminists as it related to ableist rhetoric during the eugenics period. At first, the essay seemed rather daunting, as it encompassed several complex topics intertwined in a moral dilemma, however, I found this paper to be one of the most illuminating of all the reading assignments. From a moral standpoint, one may think that all feminists are morally sound and inclusionary, however this paper provides evidence that two prominent feminists actually perpetuated discriminatory ableist rhetoric by overlooking the rights of women who were labeled as disabled. Accordingly the two authors assert that, “Feminists must not only examine the eugenic roots of feminism but also root out the ablest bias that now perpetuates their movement” (Lamp & Cleigh, 2011, p. 187). I believe that this statement can be generalized to all areas of ethical debate as well. It is only by looking at ethical and moral situations through multiple ethical paradigms, in which we question the varying contexts of a situation, that we may attempt to truly evade biases. 

This class sparked my interest in ethical deliberation and moral philosophizing, and allowed me to grow as a scholar, a professional, and as a person. I have even considered the possibility of ethical consulting as a future career option, as these types of questions truly align with my passions. I will certainly continue to consider multiple perspectives as I encounter difficult situations in the future, (as they are of course inevitable), however, I will be better prepared to take on such challenges as a result of this class.   

References

Lamp, S. & Cleigh, W.C. (2011). A Heritage of Ableist Rhetoric in American Feminism from the Eugenics Period. In K.Q. Hall (Ed.), Feminist Disability Studies (pp. 175-189). Bloomington,Indiana: Indiana University Press.

Morris, I. (2015). Foragers, farmers, and fossil fuels: How human values evolve. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

Shapiro, J., & Gross, S. (2013). Ethical educational leadership in turbulent times: (re)solving moral dilemmas (Second ed.). New York, New York: Rutledge.

EDU 6630 - Graduate Seminar Reflection

Brett Santo

EDU 6630 - Graduate Seminar

Dr. David McGough

May 13, 2015

Course Reflection

            At first, being able to personally design much of this Master’s program seemed to be a rather daunting task. However, after having completed my first Graduate Seminar, (in which I feel is rather analogous to an Independent Study of sorts), some of my anxieties have been assuaged.

            I would like to start by touching upon my own revelations as they relate to my personal studies in leadership. Firstly, I have gained a better understanding of how to become a better learner as it relates to many facets of my life, not just in educational paradigms. According to leadership theorist James MacGregor Burns, leaders must aspire to become perpetual learners, as this task should not be difficult, due to the experiential nature of our lives. He believes that leaders are constantly “learning from experience, learning from people, learning from successes and failures, and learning from leaders and followers” (Burns, 2010, p. 63). I have definitely learned a plethora of concepts during this class time. Specifically, this class has taught me the importance of listening, being able to agree to disagree, and time management prioritization.

            With regard to listening, I found it intriguing to listen to my classmates varying perspectives. As a gregarious individual who often jumps at the opportunity to answer a question, I found that sitting back and listening intently sometimes provided me with invaluable lessons both related to content and personal growth. By holding my tongue, I was able to hear a person’s full perspective, and often become enlightened by their own original ideas. Additionally, as an aspiring leader, it is crucial for me to learn not to interrupt, because by doing so, I would belittle my fellow colleagues, and thus not uphold the ideals of being a true leader. Robert Greenleaf, another leadership theorist, feels that as leaders, we should empower others to be part of the process, and provide them with as much responsibility as the next person, irrespective of title or position. Greenleaf succinctly and directly states, “No one should be powerless!” (Greenleaf, 2002, p. 98). Based on my experiences in this class, I will work to ensure that my future conversations will revolve around the importance of listening.  

            Learning to agree to disagree is certainly a skill that is appropriate in the field of leadership as well as life in general. By being part of this class - in fact, by being one of the few non-teachers in the class - provided me with an opportunity to see into a world in which I was unfamiliar. Furthermore, there were often times when I would completely disagree with my classmates’ perspectives, and those conversations proved to be instrumental. I recall several instances when discussing the concepts of standardization, children’s inherent motivation, and executive functioning where I disagreed with the majority of the class. Although I held true to my own beliefs regarding those matters, my classmates felt strongly about the opposing arguments. As a leader, it is important to hold true to your beliefs, but it is even more important to be willing to hear the beliefs of others as well. These classes proved to be instrumental in my own growth as it relates to leadership as I gained insight and understanding in how to be okay with others’ opinions differing from my own. Due to the protean nature of our society, answers are no longer concrete, but rather ambiguous and multifaceted. Accordingly, as leaders and as citizens, we must be willing to - excuse the colloquialism - roll with the punches, and move forward irrespective of our differences.

            Time management is one of the most important characteristics among leaders and many people in this fast-paced world. Accordingly, this semester proved instrumental in my growth as it relates to re-prioritization and multitasking. I have been adjusting to being enrolled in a Master’s program while working full-time at a college, and I have to be honest - this is an arduous task at times. In the beginning of the semester, when tasked with constructing my own plan of study, I was truly at a loss. Thus, I resorted to the only method I had become accustomed to related to schoolwork - organization. Specifically, it was recommended that I read at least 3 seminal works on leadership theory, and subsequently provide a literature review at the conclusion of the semester. Accordingly, being a 12 week semester, I broke down my time to 2.5 weeks per book, and almost 2 weeks at the end to write the paper. At first, this seemed like the pragmatic course of action, however, logic sometimes falters while life jumps forward. Halfway through the semester, I had only read half of 1 book, and 70 pages of another. I believed that my leadership endeavor was going to end there. However, I came to realize that my mistake was that I was actually following my schedule to a tee too specifically. Rather than allowing my brain to flow through books at a pace it deemed comfortable and enjoyable, I was scheduling time, which made my exploration more obligatory than enlightening. Upon realizing this, I immediately altered my ways, and was able to complete my 3 books, an article, and write a cohesive paper two weeks before the deadline. Leadership theorist Warren Bennis believes that mistakes are not detrimental to leaders, but rather necessary. Bennis sees true value in mistakes, and in fact explains that leaders “Not only believe in the necessity of mistakes, they see them as virtually synonymous with growth and progress” (Bennis, 2009, p. 89). This class has taught me to become more malleable, and this will certainly prove conducive in my future studies.

            Initially, I was rather apathetic to the idea of coming to class and hearing about other people’s projects, as I felt the myriad of topics would have no connection to my own work. Contrastingly, I was certainly mistaken, as these conversations and debates in class proved to be rather useful. I feel that this class, although not geared toward a common goal as it relates to content, allowed for such diverse dialogue to commence that it was nearly impossible not to touch upon everyone’s topic at least once in a conversation, and my topic of leadership was certainly covered. As stated above, this class helped me to understand the ubiquitous nature of many leadership characteristics that I have studied thus far. I am very excited to have completed approximately half of my necessary credits needed to complete this program, and I look forward to my future studies.

Bennis, W. (2009). On becoming a leader (20th anniversary ed.). New York, New York: Basic Books.

Burns, J. (2010). Leadership (First Harper Perennial Political Classics Edition ed.). New York, New York: HarperPerennial.

Greenleaf, R. (2002). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness (25th anniversary ed.). New York, New York: Paulist Press.

EDU 6555 Final Reflection

Brett Santo

Dr. David McGough

EDU 6555 - Critical & Cultural Perspectives in Education

May 9, 2015

Course Reflection

I have had the privilege of being in the Critical and Cultural Perspectives class during this spring semester of 2015, and as a result, have been enlightened with a breadth of new information regarding educational institutions and paradigms. One of the most enthralling concepts introduced in this class was that of a critique. Being an inquisitive person, I find it necessary to perpetually question everything, so as to ascertain the closest thing to truth that one can attain in this ambiguous and protean world. The idea of a critique, (a process in which a person questions something, becomes illuminated with new insights, and then subsequently applies their new perspectives to the aforementioned concept), is directly applicable to many areas of life. I found that taking this perspective and applying it to various areas of study proved to be instrumental in broadening my understanding of many concepts. I have come to question the norms and status quo of society and societal-constructed beliefs, and I find this to be enlightening. Learning how to critique, and ultimately expanding on the importance of questioning everything has made me a even more of a perpetual learner, and I will continue to critique the world around me so as to gain a bit more understanding of this complex endeavor that we call life.

The critique that we most focused on in this class was the role of Democracy in education. Specifically, we aspired to understand the aims of democracy and their place in educational institutions. Upon completion of this course and its various assignments, I have gained a deeper understanding of this topic. Furthermore, I have reaffirmed some of my previous beliefs, and have been illuminated by new insightful information as well. Before taking this class, I had the inclination that education was about getting people to think critically and to provide them with the knowledge that will prove useful in future endeavors. One assignment that supported my contention was the book assignment - (I was directed to read Education and Democracy in the 21st Century by Nel Noddings). This book provided me with several important insights, including the idea of pedagogical neutrality, lateral thinking, teachable moments, and the importance of being a teacher that allows students to discover what they are passionate about. In her book, Noddings describes pedagogical neutrality as “a willingness to consider all reasonable points of view without endorsing one as the absolute truth” (Noddings, 2013, p. 63). I find this directly aligns with my idea of questioning everything. Rather than simply accepting the subjectively defined truths of the world, it is important to consider all points of view when directed with a problem. Another passage from the book that resonated with me was the following:

Teachers — real teachers — offer much wonderful material that will be received differentially, used eagerly by some students and largely ignored by others. Offering such material is basic to teaching because, with Dewey, we believe that the function of education is to help students find out what they are ‘fitted to do’. It is not to force exactly the same curriculum on all students with the promise that, if they obey and learn, they will have a successful future doing something or other (Noddings, 2013, p. 125)

I found this passage to be inspiring, as I feel that standardization of curriculum and attention to data-driven results is truly hindering our educational institutions, and is one of the many things that needs to be changed. Furthermore, by allowing a student to find something that they are passionate about, they will in turn become inherently motivated to pursue that goal. Having delved into many realms of psychological study, I can honestly say that when a person has a personal drive and connection to something, they will be more likely to follow through with it, as well as be successful. This should certainly be the aim of our educational institutions, and I upon reaffirming my belief, I will always be evaluating to see that any institution that I become involved with will uphold these ideals.

In terms of new ideas that came to fruition upon completion of the class and its assignments, some included the ideals of colleagueship and advocacy. As I mentioned previously, I had simply believed education to be a venue for creative thinking and personal growth. This was affirmed, however, there is much more to the picture as well. My inquiry project provided me with several concepts that I have come to accept as some of the aims of democracy - these are colleagueship and advocacy. Before engaging in this assignment, I was unsure of what some of the aims of democracy could be. However, after carefully analyzing and critiquing the roles of colleagueship and advocacy in my educational institution, I have come to understand that establishing relationships and advocating for those around you are crucial in a democratic society. Furthermore, I have learned that offering opportunities for everyone to become their own advocate may prove conducive for the institution in many ways. Firstly, to discover that advocacy and colleagueship are very closely related was a true revelation. Before this assignment, I naively believed them to be separate entities - and I never considered them in terms of a democracy - however through my analysis, I came to realize that one of the best types of relationships is one in which both parties are advocating for each other. Secondly, I have learned that an equitable environment will flourish when working in an institution that values advocacy and colleagueship. 

In addition to critiquing the aims of democracy, this class has provided me with information about this country as a whole. Specifically, there have been many articles that have stressed the abhorrent truth that the American Dream doesn't exist, and that we are no longer a land of opportunity, but rather a land of class battles, power struggles, and inequitable opportunities put in place to assure the capitalistic endeavors of the country succeed in some way. 

As a result of learning all of this information, I can truly say that I cannot wait to be influential enough to potentially change policies and practices for the better. After all, as you would say Dr. Mcgough - Habermas believed that our speech acts are our only way to turn our knowledge into change.

References

Noddings, N. (2013). Education and democracy in the 21st century. New York, New York: Teachers College Press.