Page 16 - International Journal of Process Educaiton (Special Issue)

development.” Indeed, the creation of self-growers is the documenting their development in self-growth and capac-
ultimate goal of Process Education (Pacific Crest, 2011, ity. This task is considered the capstone assignment in the
http://www.pcrest.com/resources/pedef.html). Figure 4 lists the Learning to Learn Camps and has proven to be one of the
10 components of self-growth along with a suggestion for key research tools for analyzing growth outcomes as dis-
how to target each component. For each component, the cussed in Learning to Learn Camps: Their History and De-
content, activities, or strategies in Foundations of Learning velopment (Apple, Ellis, & Hintze, 2015). The measure-
and Learning to Learn: Becoming a Self-Grower that most ment of growth is now being integrated into Learning to
strongly supports that component are shared. Learn Camps and the academic recovery courses with the
analytical rubric based upon the Profile of a Quality Col-
In addition to helping learners improve every component legiate Learner (Pacific Crest, 2015).
of self-growth, both Foundations of Learning and Learn-
ing to Learn: Becoming a Self-Grower include an activ-
ity that challenges students to write a self-growth paper,

Figure 4 The 10 Components of Self-Growth and How They Are Targeted in Foundations of Learning and Learning to
Learn: Becoming a Self-Grower

Key Components Steps, Actions, and Activities

1 Having All aspects of the Theory of Performance can be improved: identity, learning skills,

a growth mindset knowledge, context, and personal factors, and the rate of this growth are in their own

hands.

Students are introduced to the concept of growth and given not only performance levels for learners and self-growers,
but models and examples for each level of performance. Students are also given the Theory of Performance and
tasked with using it as a way to assert their own ability to improve and grow.

2 Planning Detailing an overall strategy with reasonable timelines for each of the desired aspirations. A
concept map can help organize links between identity, skills, knowledge, context, personal
factors, and fixed factors.

There is a chapter or experience on “Time, Planning, and Productivity” and students practice prioritizing and writing
action plans. Students also practice making both short and long-term goals when introduced to the Life Vision Portfolio.

3 Developing a life Knowing and analyzing who you are, where you come from, what you want to become,
vision and what you would like to accomplish; or determining what one wishes to be or achieve
in life.

Students create a Life Vision Portfolio in an early activity or experience and are then tasked with adding to it repeatedly
through the course.

4 Setting Determining one’s current level of performance with respect to self-growth. The key is to
performance continually increase the level of performance from the current level with clear understanding
criteria of the elevated levels and the corresponding pre-established measurement criteria.

The activity/experience that introduces the Theory of Performance also offers the Performance Level for Self-Growers
rubric (see Figure 2). Additionally, in the chapter/experience focused on assessment, students are taught to write
performance criteria for performances.

5 Self-Assessment Continually assessing and envisioning outcomes for strengths, improvements, and
insights.

Students are prompted to assess their performance in each chapter or learning experience. Further, they are
challenged with elevating their assessment skills in the chapter/experience on assessment.

6 Reflection Taking time to step back from doing to understanding why you are doing what you are
doing. This updating of your intrinsically driven inner compass helps you to align your
actions and decisions with your values to keep you moving towards your life vision.

Foundations of Learning contains chapter sections titled, “Reflection” where students are prompted to engage
in reflective thinking and writing. Learning to Learn: Becoming a Self-Grower contains an experience focused on
increasing self-awareness and metacognition. It also offers an extended excerpt from “A Comparative Analysis of
Reflection and Self-Assessment,” by Desjarlais and Smith (2011).

14 International Journal of Process Education (February 2016, Volume 8 Issue 1)