Ashford University Career Services Exploration Part 2

Prepare

Reflect & Explore

• Choose one company, district, or organization that you are interested in working for.
• Review their website and explore their values and mission. Review any current openings. Explore the site to get a sense of their work environment which may/may not match your preferences. Take notes on those that interest you most in the Roadmap to Success Template.
• Analyze the strengths that emerged from your Self Assessments in the Week 1 Discussion: Post Your Introduction: Ashford University Career Services Exploration.

Write (Post an initial response by Day 3.)

• Share how the strengths identified from your Self-Assessment in Week 1 align with the company, district, or organization you explored. Utilize insights gathered from My Next Move (Links to an external site.) and the company website you explored.
• Share anything that surprised you, disappointed you, and any areas you might agree or disagree with.
• Describe any adjustments you are starting to make in your thinking because of this exploration.
• Share something from this exploration process that is beneficial to you concerning goal setting and attainment.

Reflection from Discussion Week 1

There are four main reasons why it is good to teach learners life skills. The first reason is that it helps learners find new ways of not only thinking but also problem-solving. Secondly, teaching life skills to learners helps them recognize the impact of their actions and in the process teaches them to own up to faults or take responsibility for their wrong actions as opposed to blaming others. 

Thirdly, teaching life skills to learners helps them build confidence both in spoken skills and for group cooperation and collaboration (Kang & Jeon, 2016). Lastly, teaching life skills to learners not only gives them knowledge but it teaches them how to peacefully coexist with different members of the community. By understanding the value of standards alignment, I have been able to come up with learning schedules and plans that not only equip learners with knowledge but equip them with life skills. 

It is critical to align learning standards with measurable learning outcomes for practicality purposes. It is easier for learners to understand when they are taught things that directly impact their lives as opposed to abstract concepts (Wiggins, Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). It is also valuable to align learning standards with instruction, assessments, and resources for two main reasons. First, for practicality, through the use of relatable resources, learners can easily understand what they are being taught. Secondly, to make it easier for learners to understand what they are being taught. Practical lessons that use assessment tools that not only test what learners have learned but also test what the learners have grasped from a lesson are preferred by learners compared to assessments that test their mastery of a lesson.