A Reflection on GCU’s Professional Dispositions of Learners
“To truly enable human flourishing, we must seek to understand each person’s unique needs, accommodate diverse learning modalities, facilitate self-directed learning, and offer opportunities for people to share their experiences and highlight their strengths.”
According to the Grand Canyon University College of Education (2024):
Dispositions are the values, commitments and professional ethics that influence behaviors toward students, families and caretakers, colleagues and communities that impact student learning, motivation, and character development, as well as the educator’s own professional growth. If sincerely held, [these] dispositions should lead to professional conduct and enable human flourishing.
My goal as an educator has always been to empower each person to grow not just in knowledge and skills but also to develop metacognition (awareness of our own learning processes). I have found success in the practice of honesty and transparency, directly addressing areas for improvement, and taking the time to build buy-in for new initiatives and changes. As both a K-12 teacher and project/program manager, I knew it was important to model fairness and correct conduct. As a result, I make a point to meet deadlines, submit quality work, and communicate questions and challenges. Others must see you exercising fairness, good judgement, and self-improvement. When people see inconsistent accountability, favoritism, or hypocrisy, it breaks trust. I am proud to hear from students, faculty, and team members alike that I have high expectations, but they trust me to support them fairly in meeting those expectations.
As I embark on this new phase of my career as an instructional designer, I will continue to reflect on personal practices and professional skills to identify areas for growth. Through tracking and analyzing data to seeking feedback from stakeholders and mentors, reflective practice is a career-long effort. Individuals who choose to be in the education field must be committed to demonstrating consistent positive conduct and regularly seeking professional development. Professional educators must have a growth mindset, developing the mental, emotional, and social skills to persevere through obstacles, embrace and adapt to change.
To truly enable human flourishing, we must seek to understand each person’s unique needs, accommodate diverse learning modalities, facilitate self-directed learning, and offer opportunities for people to share their experiences and highlight their strengths. Respect for diversity of humanity grows from the practice of asking meaningful questions, listening actively, integrating varied goals, and tactfully resolving differences (Grand Canyon University, n.d.).
References
Grand Canyon University. (n.d.). Statement on the integration of faith and work [University document]. https://www.gcu.edu/Documents/IFLW.pdf
Grand Canyon University. (2024). Professional Dispositions of Learners [University document]. https://students.gcu.edu/academics/college-of-education#h-educator-preparedness