Professional Learning
For Virtual Learning
In virtual, homeschool, and unschool settings, learning often happens without many rules. Which gives families and students the freedom to explore and create in their own way. But that freedom can also make it challenging to provide structure, consistency, and strong social connections.
That’s where professional learning (PL) comes in. PL helps educators and parents learn how to use technology with purpose, not just as a tool, but as a way to build engagement and community.
I’ve developed professional learning experiences that use platforms like Rec Room VR, Google Classroom, and Khan Academy to model how technology can connect learners in fun and meaningful ways. These sessions let teachers explore new tools hands-on while using detailed guides and handbooks to support their learning afterward.
Along the way, I’ve learned firsthand how important planning and technical support are. My early builds in Horizon Worlds faced constant crashes, but those challenges helped me see the value of having a tech team and a clear plan before launch.
Now, as I prepare for my official summer rollout, my focus is helping educators and families confidently bring virtual learning to life through creative, tech-driven professional learning.
When educators are trained and supported, students don’t just learn, they connect, collaborate, and thrive.
Join the Movement
Ready to see how technology can transform learning?
Explore upcoming professional learning sessions and discover how VR, digital tools, and hands-on training can empower your teaching and your students.
Contribution to Learning and the Learning Community
Self-Assessment Score: 98
In this course, I have consistently demonstrated my ability to be a self-directed learner while contributing meaningfully to the learning community. I completed all readings, videos, and supporting resources, met all deadlines, and actively participated in course forums and peer feedback sessions. Since starting the EdLD program, I have worked closely with my peers and group members, and they have been a constant source of support and guidance. They have served as shoulders to lean on when I felt overwhelmed, uninspired, or unsure of my direction, and their insights have strengthened both my understanding of course material and the quality of my work.
A significant contribution I made was the creation of a professional learning workbook that aligns directly with the virtual classroom I developed in 5318. These projects required integrating theoretical knowledge with practical applications, which challenged me to think creatively and critically. The workbook provides a structured yet flexible resource for learners and educators, showcasing my ability to design learning experiences that are interactive, rigorous, and adaptable to different contexts. Developing this resource required careful planning, attention to detail, and iterative reflection, particularly as I revised my work based on both peer feedback and my own critical assessment.
As a homeschool school counselor, I work primarily with parent educators and learning coaches rather than students in a traditional classroom. With my biggest focus being in college access and college and career readiness for homeschool learners. This unique context requires me to navigate learning in nontraditional settings, where access to students is limited and learning paths are highly individualized. Homeschooling and unschooling approaches allow families the freedom to guide their children’s education with creativity and flexibility, yet these approaches are often overlooked, misunderstood, or undervalued in traditional educational systems. Through my work in this course, I was able to create tools and resources that honor these learning approaches while maintaining a structured and rigorous framework. Designing projects that respect both academic standards and the creative autonomy of homeschool learners has reinforced my ability to balance structure with flexibility, an essential skill in supporting nontraditional learners.
My work also reflects deep collaboration and engagement with the learning community. I have consistently provided thoughtful feedback to my core group members, helping them strengthen their own projects while also gaining insights to enhance my own work. The iterative process of receiving and acting on feedback has been invaluable; it has encouraged me to revise assignments with intentionality, to reflect critically on my own work, and to anticipate the needs of other learners. For example, while developing the virtual classroom in 5318, I applied feedback from my peers to improve navigation, interactivity, and clarity, ensuring the classroom could support both independent learning and collaborative engagement.
This course has also reinforced the importance of self-directed learning. By creating substantial projects that extend beyond traditional assignments, I practiced assessing the quality of my own work, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing changes. This reflective process is critical not only for my personal growth but also for modeling self-directed learning practices for others. Additionally, collaborating closely with my EdLD peers has highlighted the value of collective problem-solving and peer support, particularly when tackling complex projects that require both creativity and rigor.
Overall, my contributions to this course demonstrate leadership, creativity, and commitment to the learning community. I have developed resources that extend beyond the classroom, integrated feedback effectively, and applied critical reflection to strengthen my work. Importantly, this course has provided an opportunity to highlight the rigor and value of homeschooling and unschooling, illustrating that these learning approaches require significant planning, intentionality, and creativity. My work reflects my dedication to ensuring that homeschool learners are supported, valued, and provided with meaningful opportunities to engage deeply with learning.
Given the depth, breadth, and impact of my contributions, I believe a score of 98 accurately reflects my performance and my positive influence on the learning community.
Explore My Discussion Boards
Below are the discussion boards for this class, where I actively shared insights, provided peer feedback, and reflected on course content. My posts showcase my engagement with the learning community and my contributions to collaborative learning.
Curious about my work in other courses? Check out the discussion boards for my other class here to see how I connect ideas across courses and collaborate with peers to enhance learning.