This course has given me new hope and inspiration for what I am capable of doing as an educator. I was a classic example of what Jean Piaget is speaking about in the above quote. I had simply repeated what other generations of educators had done. I have long happily considered myself a cog in the wheel of my institution. I keep everything moving in a forward direction, it just happens to be the same direction we have always moved. This semester we were charged with creating a publication for our innovation proposal. My proposal has evolved as each semester has passed into a much more comprehensive plan for blended learning within the radiography curriculum. I have always read the journals specific to my profession and sometimes considered if I was qualified enough to submit to a journal for publication. I have also scrutinized those same journals and wondered why they didn't take the articles in a different direction. Since we were tasked to submit to a publication, finally, my apprehensions had to be overcome. 

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I began with the publication outline of my proposal which was already many steps beyond my original idea. I debated if I had enough outcomes to even submit this as an idea. My collaboration team thought it was strong enough for a full publication. I had a few different options, one being that very coveted professional journal that I already read. The American Society of Radiologic Technologist(ASRT) has a monthly journal called Radiologic Technology which has two-options, one being original research, another being just peer-reviewed by the staff which is a short report. I could also submit to a magazine called Scanner also provided by the ASRT. If I chose the magazine it was more of a column in education, less words, not necessary to peer review as long as it was relevant and informational. I believe my best choice based on my plan was a short report. It was fascinating to go research what was required in order to be published. The qualifications and specifications to get published are very attainable.

 

My collaboration group was key in expanding my thought process after reading my rough draft and offering good feedforward to enhance my publication and engage my potential audience for my rough draft. This part of the process was the most helpful for me because we can lull ourselves into thinking we are making great sense and have fully developed an idea but new eyes give new perspective. My team encouraged me to have some sort of hook at the beginning so that my target audience would be intrigued enough to read the entire article. I also received instructor feedback to only use references if they were really relevant and expand my conclusion which I was able to do readily.

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The next assignment was probably the best one. When I first heard I would be required to create a recording of some sort, I was quite alarmed to say the least. The intention of the media project was to utilize some digital tools to create a podcast or long-form discussion to again entice your prospective audience to want to read the publication. I had many challenges that I had to overcome to turn in something that I was proud to present. I do plan to go back based on my feedback and update the video with the suggestions offered to me. I mentioned in my blog that I likely used the most primitive sources to achieve this assignment but I was proud of it because it was so far out of my comfort zone. The suggestions weren't even about my mode of presentation but just not again having a good enough push to get readers to the publication. 

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After all the activity around the publication, the last key part is having a completed final draft of the publication. I am not posting the rough draft or the final draft here just in case I do have the opportunity to publish in the ASRT journal. I do have to do some modifications because they want AMA style and not APA style which was required for the assignment. I also want to have some proven outcomes before I submit for publication. I am about to start another cohort and I will implement the remainder of the updates in blended-learning that I have proposed and after I follow the group through the changes, I should be able to have enough data to back up my proposal. 

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Tony Robbins says, "All growth starts at the end of your comfort zone." I believe I must be really growing. This course took me there but gave me hope that I am capable of being and doing much more as an educator than I gave myself credit. It will be an awesome day to see my work in print. 

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