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Turning Decades of Media Sales Leadership into Teachable Moments...
A Reflection on developing a practical curriculum for today’s media professionals
PIDP 3210 - Curriculum Development
Assignment #1 - Reflective Writing Part 2
For : Christopher Carroll, Vancouver Community College
Submitted by : Deepa Bhatia Dhingra I Student ID : 000507596
Date : January 22, 2025
With 57 years of age behind me and 37 years of solid media sales experience...
From grinding it out on the front lines to closing sales deals…
From leading sales teams in multiple national and international media houses in India, to moving into CXO role….
To stepping into Vancouver 2.5 years ago and then jumping into PIDP course one year
ago …
And now to developing complete curriculum for TV advertising sales course..
The journey has been filled with a hell of a unlearning and learning.
Here’s an honest reflection within ORID framework on the journey of translating my own sales experience to mapping the DACUM chart, creating a 10 weekend curriculum and then a lesson plan with discussions, role plays, reflection exercises and much more – a very grounding and humbling learning ground for me personally.
Objective : What is this about? What happened?
I drew on my (close to) 4 decades of extensive and hands-on media sales experience - from front end sales and deal making, customizing proposals for clients across various industries, leading sales teams in high pressure Indian media market, navigating ratings, programming, client relationships and the client spend shifts to digital and OTT, to now creating the DACUM. I facilitated sessions to identify skills, knowledge, duties, trends for TV ad sales professional today who are struggling in the digital first world. From there I build the 30-hour, 10 weekend programs with clear goals and objectives, practical assessments, ethical sales and reflections, all to ensure the learners find practical value in the program which they could transfer in their workplace and succeed. I articulated detailed lesson plans, incorporating multi-platform realities and aligned everything with adult education principles of PIDP. This was all done while managing my India office working till post-midnight, other personal commitments, career shift pressures and self-doubt pangs and adjusting to the Canadian way of life J
Reflective : How did it feel and what did it stir ?
It was a mix of highs and lows. The real highs came while drafting the lesson of handling client objections, reliving my actual client interactions with some good and some not so good/difficult and demanding clients. Highs also came while drafting the DACUM which mirrored my media sales leadership journey, leading teams of adult professionals who were with diverse backgrounds and needs.
With the highs came the lows too with self-doubt – moments of “Who would I teach all this now at 57 in a new country?”. 37 years of real experience vs is this career shift meaningful and am I worthy and capable of it in a new professional educational system. Country moving/ relocation burnout also played a part - everything feels harder when you have to rebuild identity and networks. But being a born optimist and a fighter, I brushed aside these clouds of self-doubt with pride that I could convert my extensive experience of
real-world sales with wins and losses, into something teachable for the next gen sales warriors.
Interpretive : What does it mean to you? What insights did you get ? How has your thinking changed by reflecting on this?
The whole process affirmed how much my career had prepared me for, without ever releasing it. Preparing DACUM method gave me a clear roadmap and structure what I have known for years, that is, the experts doing any job/s are the best ones to define it for they understand the best - the real tasks, tools, challenges, risks etc. Through my experience, I have built an intuitive understanding of what makes a great TV ad sales professional, and I transferred the same in preparing the DACUM, the 10 week program and the lesson plan.
This echoes Norton and Moser’s handbook on using it for precise industry validated curriculum (Norton and Moser 2008). The handbook basically backs up gut level expertise into structured, trustworthy training materials.
Building active and hands-on sessions of role plays, client needs analysis aligns completely with Knowles’ andragogy that adults learn best when its relevant, experience based and problem centered (Knowles et al., 2015). - I call it REP.
Developing the lesson plan also deepened my understanding of alignment between objectives, activities, and assessment - a core principle of effective curriculum design (Biggs & Tang, 2011).
The reflection pieces in Lesson Plan are built around David Kolb’s experience learning cycle which says real learning starts with a concrete experience, then moves to reflective observation (Kolb, 1984). This exercise of reflection, pausing, rebuilding and growing help learners improve with clear next steps, making it a practical and powerful tool.
My final interpretation is that building a curriculum was not just a task/ assignment at hand but at its core is leadership in different form – it moves from directing teams to now facilitating growth.
Decisional : How can this new or enhanced interpretation be applied to do things differently?
I will ensure reflection writing in ORID format after each of my instructional course to document what worked and what didn’t and improvisation scope for the learners so that I can evolve in my teaching naturally and design instruction with greater intentionality, empathy and alignment. In fact, writing this reflection allowed me to examine my own transition, from industry leader to instructor - and recognize learning as a transformative process shaped by experience, context, and reflection (Mezirow, 2000).
I will continue to use DACUM to make learning observable and assessable. I will ensure using my real life sales experiences (the difficult client negotiations, the mutual bargains, the icebergs in client need analysis, the multimedia platform proposals clubbing TV with digital) more frequently in the teaching programs. This would make the teaching sessions more relatable for the learners, and learning more authentic and practical, thereby keeping the learners stay interested and curious.
PIDP course has lit a spark in me and keeping a growth mindset, I would stay connected with PIDP teachers and peers and keep myself updated on adult education to help me continuously evolve in my dual role of learner and instructor.
I strongly believe that above deliberate actions would adapt my teaching to evolving learners, industries and technologies.
References (APA 7th Edition)
Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for quality learning at university (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., III, & Swanson, R. A. (2015). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (8th ed.). Routledge.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice-Hall.
Mezirow, J. (2000). Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress. Jossey-Bass.
Norton, R. E., & Moser, J. (2008). DACUM handbook (3rd ed.). Center on Education and Training for Employment, The Ohio State University.
VCC - School of Instructor Education!
VCC - School of Instructor Education, Vancouver. 2,197 likes · 1 talking about this · 115 were here. The School of Instructor Education at V
A REFLECTION !
Using Generative AI tools - A Pandora's Box ?
PIDP 3210 - Curriculum Development
Assignment #1 - Reflective Writing Part 1
For : Christopher Carroll, Vancouver Community College
Submitted by : Deepa Bhatia Dhingra I Student ID : 000507596
Date : December 20th, 2025
Objective : What is this quote or idea about? What caught your attention?
The issue regarding the rampant use of AI-powered chatbots in the field of education is of utmost importance and requires serious considerations. The key issue regarding the use of AI-powered chatbots, such as the Chat GPT, mentioned in the articles pertains to the fact that while this tool holds multiple benefits of assisting the students with explanations and quick responses but it is extremely detrimental to them when its used to complete their entire work.
What caught my attention was the speed with which AI moved from being interesting, different, helpful to becoming just another educational tool being widely adopted in the field of education, making them question not only how education should change but also what exactly education even is (Eduettu, 2023). Another glaring issue which really got me thinking was how the overuse of AI could reduce the cognitive engagement necessary in learning through examples such as how it could “hurt learning” via the use of chatbots (Quirks & Quarks, 2024). This double edged sword of technology makes AI a true“Pandora’s box” for educators.
Reflective : Why did you choose this quote or idea? How do you identify with it?
I chose this idea because of its relevance to my role as a learner in this course and my goal to be an effective curriculum developer. Coming from a professional background of 36 years within corporate sector, I have seen technology reshaping workflows and also been a witness to the struggle of balancing technological developments and protecting core competence.
I have personally experienced how generative AI enhances productivity, clear complex concepts and help save on time when you are balancing multiple chores. At the same time, I see myself and people around me getting tempted to getting quick answers through AI and off load cognitive work thereby negatively impacting actual constructive knowledge building. Educators thus are having anxieties about how misuse of technology could hamper the intrinsic goal of cultivating knowledge.
This reflection resonated with my belief in adult education principles that emphasize self-direction, critical reflection, and meaningful engagement, which are at risk if AI is used uncritically (Knowles et al., 2015).
Interpretive : What does it mean to you? What insights did you get from the quote or idea? How has your thinking changed by reflecting on this quote or idea?
One of the key aspects of interpretation for me is that integrating AI into education can’t be left to chance, for its over dependency can seriously impact critical thinking competencies. It can be a support to learning but not a substitute to learning.
My thinking has shifted from seeing AI as something to “manage or restrict” to something that must be explicitly addressed through curriculum design, digital literacy instruction, and ethical guidelines (Eduettu, 2023). We have to move beyond the previous forms of assessment and develop models that require higher order thinking skills (justifying reasoning) that cannot be fully automated by AI.
I am also growing in my thought process as I realize now that AI is coming alongside in change rarther than being an agent of disruption. A win win scenario is in place when we can effectively mix teaching with tech while also exploring ways to promote knowledge.
Decisional : How can this new or enhanced interpretation be applied to your professional practice?
As a teacher working on curriculum development, the plan is to implement this interpretation through :
Redesigning the assessments incorporating : a) projects with clear rubrics, thereby emphasizing critical thinking and justification and b) presentations and reflective writing/videos to share their reasoning. These two components would ensure that the students have ownership of the learning process.
To implement AI as a support, rather than a substitute within the curriculum. Activity suggestions could help students use AI for research, but verification of the same by students would be a balancing factor.
Teaching students to identify reliable sources , use tools critically, and finally how to question AI outputs, reinforcing critical thinking rather than replacing it (Quirks & Quarks, 2024).
I would also try ethical AI use myself , showcasing how AI tools can support brainstorming or scaffolding.
This reflection illustrates that technology per se is not good or bad. As educators it is our core responsibility to use technology and educational pedagogy simultaneously and remain optimistically cautious about the value AI offers. Curriculum development must remain flexible, adaptive, learner centred and ethical, in the wake of technologies that keep changing the education landscape.
References
Eduettu. (2023). ChatGPT in education: Benefits, risks, and best practices. https://www.eduettu.com/post/chatgpt-in-education-benefits-risks-and-best-practices
Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2015). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (8th ed.). Routledge.
Quirks & Quarks. (2024). Bob’s blog: Do chatbots hurt learning? Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/bobs-blog-chatbots-hurt-learning-9.6987998
BLOG POST - PIDP 3260 -Assignment #4
For this assignment, I decided to create an infographic because I had never created one before and I wanted to challenge myself to design a poster that would look unique while being engaging and informative but not overwhelming in information overload. I loved the challenge of keeping to a simple colour palette and finding interesting ways to add graphical elements that were true to my cloud and education themes. Also, I chose word clouds as my topic because it is a strategy that I had not had a chance to use before and I wanted to learn how I could use this tool in my classrooms. Please find my infographic below. Because of its file size, it might be difficult to read, so I have also included a link to my project if you would like a closer look and read.
Please click on the link below for a closer look at my project:
Unsupported client – Canva
PIDP 3260 – BLOG POST – PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
As I near completion in the PIDP with just one more course to go plus my capstone project, I still don’t feel like a professional teacher because I am lacking in actual classroom teaching time. As an auxiliary instructor, filling in for a day or two, here and there, makes it difficult to really get into the flow of teaching a classroom, especially when I am teaching a different unit each time.
(Photo courtesy of https://www.vcc.ca/programs/artisan-baking/)
So, while I do have some free time before I can become a full-time pastry instructor, I would like to address my lack of experience in hands-on bread production. In the world of baking, there are quite a few paths to consider when it comes to specialization and when I decided to focus on pastries, I wanted to work in hotels so I could get exposed to as many facets of the industry as possible. Therefore, I learned to work in fine dining restaurants, making plated desserts and ice creams, as well as working on big banquets and setting up buffets while learning to make croissants and danishes from scratch. And when I opened my pastry shop, I specialized in working with chocolate and sugar and making custom cakes and wedding cakes along with teaching myself how to make sugar flowers. But the one area I never felt comfortable in was bulk bread production so I would never claim to be an expert boulanger. There are many bread making classes and workshops available locally and around North America, but luckily, we have one of the best master bakers teaching at VCC, so I would look to sit in on a week of his artisan baking classes to learn firsthand from the master himself. Additionally, I will need to do some reading and research to help fortify my background knowledge about the science behind artisan breads and not until then will I feel fully comfortable in teaching students about bread making.
As an instructor, I know that there is much that I have to learn so I will be looking at all available resources to help me become a better instructor. One area that I would like to focus on is increasing my teaching skills in the kitchen labs. I know that I can rely on my experience training my employees when it comes to teaching one on one skills, but it is a little bit different when you have a group of 16 students surrounding you as you demonstrate a recipe. I find that I need to have a greater awareness of how each student is absorbing my lesson and making sure that everyone is able to see and understand what I am trying to teach them. Therefore, I will need to do some research and read about strategies that will help me ensure that my students are all engaged in my demonstration and of course, practice makes perfect, so just being able to do demonstrations for students again and again, will help me become better at this skill.
(Photo courtesy of https://stock.adobe.com/ca/search?k=baking%20class)
In terms of books on teaching that I would like to read in the near future, here is a list of some books that have been recommended to me by my instructors in the PIDP and other fellow instructors:
(All book photos courtesy of amazon.ca)
“Facilitating Learning with the Adult Brain in Mind” by Kathleen Taylor and Catherine Marienau discusses the physiology and neuroscience behind how the brain works and how emotions are necessary for meaningful learning to occur.
“Teaching What You Don’t Know” by Therese Huston talks about teaching a course where one is not a subject matter expert and how teaching comes down to how one engages their students in the course material, despite one’s inexperience or lack of knowledge.
“Powerful Teaching - Unleash the Science of Learning” by Pooja Agarwal and Patrice Bain discusses the science of learning and they present highly accessible step-by-step guidance on how to transform teaching with four essential strategies: Retrieval practice, spacing, interleaving, and feedback-driven metacognition.
“What the Best College Teachers Do” by Ken Bain gathers insights from nearly one hundred college and university teachers across all fields of study to explain that its not what teachers do but what they understand, and that is, how to engage and challenge students and involve them in their learning.
(Image courtesy of https://unsplash.com/illustrations/little-boy-reading-books-kid-character-studying-visiting-college-or-preschool-learning-classes-school-child-in-library-back-to-school-education-knowledge-concept-cartoon-vector-illustration-Qqq2wJkv0Es)
So, what’s on your reading list this year?
PIDP 3260 – BLOG POST – ETHICAL DILEMMA: THE BURGER MURDERS
While doing some research for this week’s assignment, I came across this interesting ethical dilemma created by George Siedel and Christine Ladwig on TED-Ed Animations, called the Burger Murders, and the video can be watched below:
From the video’s discussion page is a quick summary of the ethical dilemma:
“Your meatless burger company’s brand was a rising star before a criminal tampered with the product in grocery stores. Now three people who ate the burgers are dead, and you are faced with the difficult task of deciding what to do in response. What’s the most ethical strategy you can devise to save your company and balance the interests of customers, investors and employees? Businesses frequently struggle to make ethically-responsible decisions that minimize legal risk for their organizations, employees, and customers. Choosing among legally-compliant options while balancing stakeholder interests is often complex and challenging. Ideally, business leaders hope that their decisions are both legal and ethical, and will also create value in the company that ultimately benefits all stakeholders.” (https://ed.ted.com/lessons/ethical-dilemma-the-burger-murders-george-siedel-and-christine-ladwig/digdeeper)
Having worked in the food and hospitality industry for the majority of my career, this case study was fascinating to watch. My first reaction was that the company has to look after the safety of all their worldwide customers because customer safety is paramount. Without customers, your business will not survive. And if your customers do not have confidence in the safety of your product, then you will not have customers and again, your business will not survive. To ensure consumer confidence, despite the financial hit, your business will survive in the long run by maintaining the safety of your customers (pulling products worldwide) and in the end, will win the PR and image war. And with the real world example of the tampered Tylenol bottles and how Johnson & Johnson devised their response, this seems like the best workable solution to this dilemma.
(Photo courtesy of https://news.wttw.com/2022/09/28/reporters-revisit-tylenol-murders-40-years-later-new-developments-emerge)
In the rest of the educational background write up, they discuss the values involved in business-related ethical dilemmas and the decision tree or analytical tool devised by the Dr. George Siedel for businesses.
“The model focuses on the key foundations for decisions in business, politics, non-profit organizations, and everyday life: strategy, law and ethics (the Three Pillars)…The Three Pillar model is especially valuable when making business decisions, and you begin the process by devising a strategy that aligns with value creation for your company… After devising a legally-compliant strategy, you next conduct an ethics analysis. To do this, work through these four steps of ethical decision making: (1) describe the ethical dilemma, (2) identify the stakeholders involved, (3) analyze options (including how each group of stakeholders will be affected—the stakeholder analysis), and (4) make a decision based on your analysis. To help you in examining the ethics of a potential decision, you may apply the tests included in the video, such as the Utilitarian Test, the Newspaper Test, the Family Test, and the Mentor Test.”
This is the first time I had ever heard about these “tests”, and they seem like great questions to help analyze one’s thinking. The following descriptions are taken from the transcript of the video (bold emphasis is mine):
“First is the Utilitarian Test: Utilitarianism is a philosophy concerned with maximizing the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people. What would be the impact of each option on these terms? Second is the Family Test: How would you feel explaining your decision to your family? Third is the Newspaper Test: How would you feel reading about it on the front page of the local newspaper? And finally, you could use the Mentor Test: If someone you admire were making this decision, what would they do?”
(Photo courtesy of https://nataliaperaita.com/ethical-dilemmas-in-coaching/)
And now, after a week of thinking about ethical dilemmas and talking about Assignment #3 with my partner, I think that any type of decision tree or framework is important to helping organize one’s thinking about possible solutions to their dilemma, but I think the most beneficial is being able to discuss all the various points of view with someone else. It really expanded my thinking after having the discussion with my partner, and allowed me to improve my answer. I still don’t know if my solution was the best solution, but it is the solution I would enact and I would be willing to live with all of its consequences. And I believe that that is the true answer to any dilemma...being able to live with the consequences.