The Leadership in Distance Education and E-learning course allowed me to gain practical knowledge of change management and implementation, informed analysis and planning, and other aspects of leadership and effective management. I learned how to influence stakeholders and decision makers and to plan for and implement distance education programs in a systematic and impactful manner. The skills I gained here are particularly important because DE and E-learning is increasingly popular and successful programs require effective planning and development, leadership and management, and development and communication of vision and missions for DE and E-learning.

Artifact 1

This case study group assignment allowed me to think as a leader that is responsible for working with colleagues to study a challenge and recommend an appropriate solution. We were able to utilize the literature and assess the challenge at hand from multiple perspectives, and make a proposal for the way forward that we felt was justifiable, reasonable, and likely to be successful. I enjoyed the methodical use of the literature for this purpose, and I feel the assignment presented a viable real-world scenario for my group to address.

Artifact 2

This assignment was another case study, a challenge to be solved through informed leadership. This case study was a multi-piece puzzle to think through and it was necessary to break the challenge into individual pieces, propose solutions to those pieces in complementary manners, while ensuring the overall solution was in fact implementable. Looking back at the assignment now, I realize it could be expanded to include and solve additional components beyond the confines of the assignment at the time. I see that realization as a sign that my studies in the MDE program have been progressively fruitful.