COVA Reflection & Application
Living COVA: My Journey Through Choice, Ownership, and Voice
When I began the Applied Digital Learning program a year ago, I didn’t fully understand how transformative it would be to experience true choice, ownership, and voice in learning. That realization came when I chose my innovation project, School Sphere, a unified communication platform designed to simplify how teachers, parents, and students connect.
The moment I decided on that idea, I felt genuine excitement. For the first time, I wasn’t completing an assignment just to meet requirements, I was designing something meaningful that could become a real solution within schools like mine.
That single decision set the tone for everything that followed. Each course built on that foundation of freedom and responsibility. I wasn’t just learning about innovation. . .I was living it. The program modeled the COVA approach so well that it completely reshaped how I view learning and teaching. I learned that authentic engagement begins when learners are trusted to make meaningful decisions and when their voices are valued.
From Structured Learning to Flexible Growth
Before this program, I was used to highly structured professional development where every step was predetermined. There was little room for creativity or self-direction.
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Through the ADL program, I learned to embrace flexibility, and to stop fearing it. Initially, the freedom to choose my direction felt intimidating. I remember thinking, “Can I really do this my way?” But that discomfort became growth.
The freedom to explore tools, design my own innovation plan, and build my ePortfolio gave me confidence in my professional choices. Harapnuik et al. (2018) explain that learners thrive when they take control of how they learn and demonstrate understanding. That concept came alive through my ePortfolio, a visible record of my evolving mindset.
Instead of being locked into one right answer, I learned to evaluate, synthesize, and adapt. That shift has forever changed how I guide my own students.
My Learning Philosophy: Growth Through Authentic Experience
My learning philosophy now is simple: Learning happens best when it’s personal, purposeful, and practiced through authentic experiences. Students should have agency in their education, not just compliance.
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This aligns with constructivist thinkers like Dewey (1916) and Papert (1993), who viewed learning as an active, creative process. Creating Significant Learning Environments (CSLE) means trusting learners to take responsibility and providing the support they need to succeed.
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Every revision, reflection, and redesign throughout the ADL program reinforced this belief. The professors didn’t hand out maps with exact routes; they gave us a globe and trusted us to navigate (Godin, 2017). That trust helped me build perseverance, self-discipline, and creativity, the traits I now strive to cultivate in my own classroom.
Owning My Voice Through School Sphere
The COVA approach gave me courage to tackle real organizational challenges. My innovation project, School Sphere, grew from the communication barriers I saw in my district.
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It appeared in nearly every class because it represents more than a project, it’s the product of sustained, authentic learning. Over the past year, I’ve refined it with peer and professor feedback, linking it to leadership frameworks and digital-design principles.
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My attitude toward leading change has evolved dramatically. At first, I thought leadership meant convincing others to try something new. Now, I understand it as modeling curiosity, collaboration, and resilience. Real change happens when people experience meaningful, empowering learning.
Applying COVA and CSLE in My Classroom
As a Technology & Robotics teacher, I already use many COVA elements, but this program helped me make those practices intentional.
Authentic Digital Projects
My students design logos, games, and presentations, but I now give them more flexibility in how they show mastery. Instead of identical deliverables, I provide broad goals and let them choose their tools and formats.
Student Digital Portfolios
My middle-schoolers maintain Google Slides portfolios, which I’m evolving into reflective journals for setting goals and tracking progress, just like my ePortfolio experience. Giving students ownership of their learning narrative builds confidence and deepens engagement.
Peer Voice & Collaboration
I’m building peer-feedback loops and student-led tutorials. When learners explain concepts to each other, the classroom transforms from hierarchy to community.
Anticipating Challenges & Finding Solutions
Implementing COVA and CSLE in a Title I school brings real challenges. Many students lack device or internet access at home, and resources are limited.
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To address this, I’ll rely on free digital tools and open educational resources, ensuring equitable participation during class time. I also expect some colleagues may hesitate to adopt flexible methods. To help, I’ll model what authentic engagement looks like and share examples of student success.
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Change starts with showing, not telling, a lesson this program instilled deeply.
Moving Forward as a Digital Learning Leader
The COVA approach has permanently changed how I see learning, teaching, and leadership. My goal now is to create environments where students and colleagues feel empowered to innovate.
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Through School Sphere, authentic classroom projects, and continued reflection, I hope to keep building spaces that are creative, inclusive, and deeply human. The ADL program taught me that when learners have choice, they invest; when they take ownership, they grow; and when they find their voice, they lead.
Additional Links
References
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. Macmillan.
Godin, S. (2017, January 8). Maps and globes. Seth’s Blog. https://seths.blog/2017/01/maps-and-globes/?
Harapnuik, D. K., Thibodeaux, T. N., & Cummings, C. D. (2018). Choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=7291
Papert, S. (1993). The children’s machine: Rethinking school in the age of the computer. Basic Books.
Thibodeaux, T. N., Harapnuik, D. K., & Cummings, C. D. (2019). Student perceptions of the influence of choice, ownership, and voice in learning and the learning environment. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 33(1), 50–62.
Thibodeaux, T. N., & Harapnuik, D. K. (2020). Exploring students’ use of feedback to take ownership and deepen learning. International Journal of e-Learning.