‘Share Your Findings and Reply to Two of Your Classmates’ Changed My Perspective on Learning

At Global Online Academy (GOA), we believe that when students clearly understand what success looks like, they are empowered to grow with purpose and confidence. That’s why rubrics play a central role in our learning experience. Rubrics are not just tools for grading, but guides that help students reflect on their progress, identify areas for growth, and deepen their skills over time. This blog post, written by a GOA Student Ambassador, offers a firsthand perspective on what that growth looks like in action. As you read, consider how clarity, feedback, and student voice—anchored by strong rubrics—support meaningful learning and skill development across our global community.

In August 2024, I began my first-ever online GOA course. Although I knew this would be a very different experience from learning in a regular, school classroom, I was excited to embrace a new learning style. Furthermore, a brand new concept was introduced to me: the rubric scale consisting of Beginning, Developing, Mastering, and Advanced. The biggest challenge was understanding how the assignments were evaluated; however, once I overcame that, I managed to bring my time management and communication skills to the “Advanced” level.

Every GOA assignment is assessed according to the rubric. Each assignment contains a rubric with different criteria that vary per assignment. Each criterion is assessed based on the Beginning, Developing, Mastering, and Advanced scale.

The criteria vary not only on specific assignments but also on the GOA course you are currently taking. For example, in Game Theory, as seen in the screenshot above, the first criterion says ‘You interpret a real world situation using a game theory lens.’ Depending on the GOA course you are currently enrolled in, the criteria will vary, however, the rubric grading scale will always remain consistent throughout your GOA courses.

I had to learn how to dedicate time to my assignments without a teacher reminding me to complete them as well as managing the time zones in which the assignments were due.

To overcome this, I took full advantage of an online timezone converter.

The two main forms of communication throughout GOA courses are replying to classmates in discussions and GOA’s messaging app, Pronto.

For a majority of the assignments, you are required to reply to two of your classmates to provide feedback on their discussion posts. I believe that this is a great way to improve communication skills since we can’t interact with each other face-to-face. Furthermore, giving feedback to my classmates via asynchronous and synchronous discussions has helped me express my thoughts successfully.

Additionally, Pronto has been the most effective form of communication throughout my GOA journey. It is the easiest way to communicate with both my teachers and classmates. Moreover, if I need direct feedback from my teacher or classmates, I can send them a quick message! Overall, Pronto has also allowed me to develop my communication skills and receive positive feedback that encourages me to perform better on my assignments.

Overall, I have come a long way since the very beginning of my GOA journey. Engaging with my peers from around the world has helped me develop my time management as well as communication skills. Although I faced initial challenges regarding how exactly GOA assignments are assessed and evaluated, I gained valuable skills that I will be able to use for the rest of my life. Embracing and experiencing a new style of learning has helped me grow into the person I am today and the person I will become. Even after my GOA journey comes to an end, GOA will forever be a part of me.

Kheyden T. is a GOA Ambassador and Student at Pinewood American International School.

For more, see:

• The Power of Interest-Based Learning: Insights from Student Experiences
  
• Empowering Students through the GOA Student Ambassador Program
• The Power of Pathways: Redefining Student Success in a Nonlinear World

This post is part of our Student Spotlight series, where we feature stories from students who take GOA courses. Are you a current or former GOA student who would like to contribute or be interviewed for a Student Spotlight article? Or, are you an educator who has a recommendation for a student for us to feature? Email us at hello@globalonlineacademy.org with the subject title “Student Spotlight.”

GOA is a nonprofit learning organization that reimagines learning to empower students and educators worldwide. In partnership with our global network of 150 schools, we provide interactive, relationship-driven courses, expert resources, and innovative thinking that help to expand and elevate academic programs. Together, we help students and educators become open to the extraordinary.

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