Taking Flight

Current Coordinates

To me, personalized learning is difficult to separate from learning itself. Learning has always felt deeply personal. It may be driven by self-led inquiry or a thirst for knowledge, but even when structured by someone else, it still depends on the learner choosing to engage.

Much of my understanding comes from coaching and tutoring. I often work with kids, and one of the biggest lessons I have learned is that teaching is not just about explaining something clearly once. It is about understanding how someone else learns and translating knowledge into a “language” they can understand and eventually manipulate themselves. Sometimes that means changing the explanation, demonstrating it differently, or scaffolding the task until I can see where they are confident and where things become sticky.

As a learner, I have learned that no single method always works for me. Sometimes I learn best by doing, sometimes by listening, and often through failure. Online, I try to stay in the driver’s seat by actively searching for information and evaluating it critically rather than allowing an algorithm to decide what deserves my attention. YouTube has been especially useful when a visual explanation helps something click.

Mapping the Route

My main goal for this course is simple: I want to learn. More specifically, I want to understand the concepts well enough that I can question them, connect them to other ideas, and use them rather than simply repeat definitions for an assignment.

I am especially interested in GenAI and large language models as learning tools. As a psychology student fascinated by both the philosophical mind and structural brain, I find the way LLMs imitate aspects of language, reasoning, and interaction incredibly interesting. I am particularly curious about whether GenAI can support genuinely personalized learning, especially for people who learn differently or benefit from asking questions, reframing ideas, and working through material at their own pace.

I also want to understand these tools critically: when they support learning and when they may encourage over-reliance, reinforce mistakes, or create the illusion of understanding. Beyond AI, I hope to better understand how networked spaces can become intentional learning environments rather than places of passive consumption. These goals connect directly with the course’s focus on personalized learning, digital literacy, social media, and appropriate GenAI use.

Anticipating Turbulence

The technical side feels most daunting, although creating my OpenETC blog was much easier than I expected. When I encounter unfamiliar technology, my plan is to experiment with it first, use the course resources available to me, and reach out for clarification rather than allowing confusion to stall my progress. I also hold strong opinions about certain social media platforms, so I want to consciously engage with ideas that challenge those beliefs and judge them on their evidence rather than simply looking for confirmation of what I already think.

The asynchronous structure may be the biggest practical challenge. With six courses and the LSAT approaching, I plan to build EDCI 338 into my weekly schedule, regularly check upcoming requirements, and begin assignments early enough to ask questions when needed. Most importantly, I want to protect time to genuinely engage with the material rather than simply complete it. When I get stuck, I tend to step away, reframe the problem, try again, and seek clarification, and I plan to use that same process throughout the course.