Reflection on progress

I've noticed that my earlier work was more difficult to research, despite the fact that I entered with strong index searching skills. I feel that I've developed a much better sense of the body of literature available to me. I also notice in writing my assignments that although I'm still unsure if my writing is linear and easy to follow, I'm certain that it is more concise. My writing assignments used to be two pages too long and needed significant editing down. My sense is that I'm better able to conceptualize my topic and structure the paper to fit in an appropriate amount of space for the depth of inquiry.

My teamwork with others in the courses has been strong throughout the program. My work as a professional in higher education has afforded many opportunities for team work with professionals in other disciplines and with faculty members. I try to model reliance on the group and provide an organizing voice in my teamwork with other students. As my studies have progressed one area I feel has improved is my ability to reconcile multiple scholarly interests and identify projects that take advantage of each person's knowledge and curiosity.

I discover in reviewing past assignments that my thinking has become deeper on several topics. I already reflected on this in a post about recent work on entrepreneurial activities in EAD876 contrasted with earlier work in EAD805. Similar growth has occurred in my comfort with inquiry between TE891 and EAD877. Primarily I feel much more comfortable designing and carrying out an objective course of inquiry in a professional manner that respects and protects my subjects. Work in each of these courses complemented my interest in distance education and instructional technology while focusing on administrative and governance issues that set institutional strategy for supporting such efforts.

Scholarly Interests
As I move into my final six credits, I feel that for now I've satisfied my interest in entrepreneurial university governance. This is a topic I might pursue further if I choose to continue in a PhD program. I hope to close out my graduate program with courses that focus on leadership and teaching. These courses will provide good integration of the topics I've already been developing along the lines of distance education, instructional technology, and leading organizations.