COVA Reflection and Application

When I began this program, I had no idea what I was truly getting into. I began this program at the most hectic time in my life; my father began hospice as I began this program and soon transitioned. While I was going through that intense portion of grieving, I began to look forward to tests and things to memorize for the curriculum. Although there were no tests and plenty of things to memorize, I soon came to realize that everything I was looking forward to were the assignments that I had complete free range over. The curriculum was built around the authentic integration of the COVA method, giving me choice, ownership, voice, and authenticity in my learning (Harapnuik, et al., 2018). It was in those first authentic assignments, where I connected coursework directly to my professional context, that I realized this program was more than academic but more so an opportunity to design meaningful change (Thomas & Brown, 2011).

Adjusting to the COVA learning style required a mindset shift. I had to be comfortable with uncertainty and really “trust the process.” Success was not graded by numbers alone but by the connection between experience and real-world application (Mezirow, 2009). Taking control of my own voice was one of the most nerve-wrecking yet rewarding parts of this journey. At first, it felt discouraging to position my organization as the audience for my work, but over time I realized that my lived professional experiences gave me credibility and authority. My projects became less about “what the course required” and more about “what my school truly needed” and identifying and finding solutions for those deficits (Wagner, 2012). I initially started with a proposal to incorporate transition planning for special needs children post-secondary to identifying deficits in classrooms for students with significant communication needs. What is your why simply changed to Innovation Implementation Outline

At the beginning, I was cautious about pushing change in my organization, recognizing that systems are often resistant. But as the program progressed, my confidence grew. I learned to frame change not as disruption but as opportunity, and my attitude toward leading transformation shifted from hesitant to passionate (Dweck, 2006). I now see myself as truly capable of initiating sustainable change that aligns with both student needs and organizational goals.

My innovation plan went from checking off a to-do list to becoming a blueprint for meaningful improvement. While coursework guided its development, my true hope has always been to see this plan transform practice, empower students, and bridge gaps in communication and inclusion. The COVA approach and Creating Significant Learning Environments (CSLE) align deeply with my personal learning philosophy (Harapnuik & Thibodeaux, 2019). I have always believed that learning should be relevant, empowering, and student-centered.

My perspective on learning has undeniably shifted. Initially, I saw learning as something structured by instructors and measured by traditional benchmarks. Now, I view learning as a dynamic process that includes authentic choice, ownership, and application (Thomas & Brown, 2011). 

I must admit my favorite activity in this program has been learning about my leadership style and challenging myself to implement other styles. Often, we take courses and don’t apply what we learn to real world use, I used personality and leadership style lessons so much so that I scheduled a meeting with my principal to give me more leadership opportunities to display the needed styles at the time and use my new knowledge to grow and become a true leader. This is a perfect example of COVA. I was given a choice of a project, that I took complete ownership of, where I was able to voice my opinion, that led to true authenticity for me  to implement in real world solutions Personality Results

Part B

Looking back now, I can honestly say the COVA approach reshaped how I view learning and leadership. I definitely plan to use it to create significant learning environments within my district because it pushes both students and staff to move past compliance and lean into authentic growth. (Harapnuik, et al., 2018) explain that choice, ownership, voice, and authenticity allow learners to create meaningful work instead of just checking boxes. That’s exactly what I want for the students and teachers I work with. I believe we all want to be a part of work that matters.

To give my learners choice, ownership, and voice, I’ll design assignments that connect directly to real needs in their classrooms and communities. Instead of just giving them a “task,” I want to frame projects so they can pick the tools, methods, and audiences that best fit. For example, teachers could design interventions or strategies that tie directly to their students’ strengths, while students can present their learning in multiple ways. (Thomas and Brown, 2011) talk about how learning flourishes when passion and imagination are combined with some structure, and that really resonates with me.

Preparing learners and colleagues for COVA and CSLE will take some coaching and modeling. Not everyone is comfortable with open-ended learning, so I’d start by sharing my own experiences and showing how authentic projects can still meet standards. Creating Significant Learning Environments (CSLE) reminds us that our job is to build the conditions where imagination and ownership can thrive (Harapnuik & Thibodeaux, 2019). That means creating safe spaces for risk-taking, scaffolding the process, and celebrating small wins.

Of course, challenges will pop up. Some colleagues may prefer traditional, structured approaches and may see COVA as “too loose.” Others might worry about accountability or how to measure growth. (Mezirow, 2009) states, transformative learning isn’t always comfortable, it requires a mindset shift. I know I’ll have to balance patience with persistence, modeling that change can feel awkward but ultimately leads to deeper learning and impact.

References

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.

Harapnuik, D., Thibodeaux, T., & Cummings, C. (2018). COVA: Choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning. Retrieved from https://www.learningapplab.com/cova

Harapnuik, D., & Thibodeaux, T. (2019). Creating significant learning environments: A framework for authentic student-centered learning. Learning Applied Lab. https://www.learningapplab.com/csle

Mezirow, J. (2009). Transformative learning theory. In J. Mezirow, E. W. Taylor, & Associates (Eds.), Transformative learning in practice: Insights from community, workplace, and higher education (pp. 18–32). Jossey-Bass.

Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. CreateSpace Independent Publishing.

Wagner, T. (2012). Creating innovators: The making of young people who will change the world. Scribner.