Innovation Plan Shift
Innovation is adapting an idea or process to make it more useful or purposeful. It is not always something new or original (that is more an invention), but more a disruption. With that definition of innovation, I don’t know if my project is innovative, but could it be?
Is using iPads new? Not necessarily. Does using the iPads increase authentic student learning? More likely. Overall I still have a big hairy audacious goal of utilizing iPads effectively and efficiently to improve student outcomes and increase engagement in students. This may need to shift as my district is in the process of updating the student technology, and may divert from iPad use, but the end goal of using technology to improve student outcomes and engagements is still central in my innovation plan. As of right now, I am still on the small steps. My current small step is to push the utilization of technology in a consistent and purposeful manner.
This step is the initial component of the end goal in mind. Steps toward personalization of learning, where the learning is focused on the development of understanding and comprehension and not just on being to able memorize and regurgitate the information on a standardized test. In the development and enacting of this plan, I have recognized important detail. The distribution of devices to both teachers and students does not mean use. This innovation plan is as much about the adjustment of a culture, as it is training.
Instilling an idea that education is worthy of work to change for the betterment of the student.
Although there are many articles that point to the idea that iPad and technology integration does not support student learning (Barshay, 2017; Escueta, Quan, Nickow, & Oreopoulos, 2017; Murphy, 2014), the focus is on the changes to teaching practices with iPad support.
I have focused on having trainings that have application in the practical uses of the technology. Where the focus is the support of the pedagogy and the teaching of the content. This component of the plan has gone successfully. Surveys after trainings have comments in this regard. Comments like “I can use this tomorrow,” “It is made for me and my content” and other comments tell me that I am succeeding in that goal. Initially, a plan of daily iPad use was the goal. The idea that a daily use of iPads at the lowest level, would be better than no iPad use at all. My classmates Jason Kern and Michelle Heckaman), in the Digital Learning and Leading program, brought up a good point. Maybe it is more important to have authentic iPad use, instead of the consistent use of iPads. Where the use of iPads is focused on the higher level, analysis and synthesis of the learning can be done on a consistent, but less frequent basis. This is where the culture shift is a challenge. Having teachers understand that the utilization of personal mobile devices like iPads can support the individualized learning of students. It is through individualized student learning, that there will be a greater impact of education. Individualized learning is such an important focus, that many educational support groups (Olson, 2017; Personalized learning, 2016; The personalized learning toolkit, 2017) have spent time researching, interviewing, and studying the impact of personalized learning. This is why schools have pushed toward personalized learning devices, like the iPad.
The next direction of the innovation plan is for this goal, and where my innovation plan has shifted.
Taking the idea of technology integration not as a side thought, but as an essential component in lesson design.
Bringing personalized, deeper learning to the classroom with technology integration. Finding a way to encourage the effective use of iPads in the classroom is important for this to happen. Looking at ways to integrate for the deeper understanding of the students. As I wrote in my last post on my eportfolio, there are small segments of teachers that are excited to try these changes. Developing these teachers, I hope to promote and develop my innovation project. Gathering data and information about the successes and challenges of those teachers first. Then using this information to garner more support for iPad integration. It is there, that I hope to gain more adoption of the innovation plan.
Innovation is a shift, a change, a development of something better. Even if my innovation plan for the consistent and effective use iPads does not ever come to fruition, I hope that I am successful in this culture shift. Where students are impacted positively. Where they know that asking the right questions is just as important as finding the right answer. With iPads or any form of personalized mobile learning, stimulating that curiosity is naturally developed.
References
Barshay, J. (2017, September 26). Three lessons from rigorous research on education technology. Retrieved October 28, 2017, from http://hechingerreport.org/three-lessons-rigorous-research-education-technology/.
Escueta, M., Quan, V., Nickow, A. J., & Oreopoulos, P. (2017). Education technology: An evidence-based review (Working paper No. 23744). doi:10.3386/w23744.
Murphy, M. E. (2014, August 05). Why some schools are selling all their iPads. Retrieved October 28, 2017, from https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/08/whats-the-best-device-for-interactive-learning/375567/.
Olson, A. (2017). Personalized learning: The importance of teachers in a technology-driven world. Brookings. Retrieved 4 November 2017, from https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2017/09/27/personalized-learning-the-importance-of-teachers-in-a-technology-driven-world/.
Personalized learning: Enabling student voice and choice through projects. (2016). Edutopia. Retrieved 4 November 2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/practice/personalized-learning-enabling-student-voice-and-choice-through-projects.
The personalized learning toolkit – EdSurge guides. (2017). EdSurge. Retrieved 4 November 2017, from https://www.edsurge.com/research/guides/the-personalized-learning-toolkit.
