Innovating Inside the Box....

"Step outside of the box" is a cry to try something, new, different and dare I say innovative?  I question the suggestion that we must "step out" in order to make change.  It is not realistic for educators to leave the school house walls to bring about change, for change must come from the inside. We must use and reuse the resources available differently to help our students think creatively and critically.

In Learner-Centered Innovation, Katie Martin @kmartin says:

"If we want to create learning experiences that unleash the talent in all students, teachers, and administrators, we have to work together to push back against existing norms and traditions and intentionally design a culture that serves the larger goals."

To provide our students with the skills and mindset to tackle the future, we must push back against the box and make change from the inside out.

"We must rethink why, what, and how we learn in schools for students to thrive in the information economy of today and tomorrow, not yesterday."

  ~Katie Martin 

#IMMOOC, #LCINNOVATION

Ending the "we have always done it this way " mantra

Open-mindedness is critical in an innovation fueled educational environment.  The students and teachers must be willing to try new things -- to teach and learn in untraditional ways.  Students must not be afraid to tackle unstructured assignments, and take an active role in their learning.  Teachers must be willing to move away from a compliance educational culture and think outside of the box to create learning opportunities for their students.

School communities must be supportive of the risk takers, because they will fail; but that is all part of the learning process.  Both students and teachers need to feel supported, so that they are empowered to try new things.  As Katie Martin say in her book "Learner Centered Innovation":

"... if we don't empower teachers and create school cultures where people feel valued and free to take risks, we will miss out on our greatest opportunity to change how students learn"

Schools need to take a hard look at the world around them.  Things have changed exponentially and we can no longer all our practices to be decided by the mantra:

"This is the way we have always done it"

#LCINNOVATION, IMMOOC

 

Open During Renovation

Today we can communicate with people all over the world, instantly, in real time, face to face.  We can experience what it's like to climb Mount Everest, ride a rollercoaster, and visit the Taj Mahal whenever and wherever we are. Seventy-seven percent of all Americans now own a smart phone with more computing power than NASA had during the Apollo mission.  Yet most American classroom look the same as they did in the early 1900's filled with rows of desks.  How will we educate the leaders of tomorrow if we don't renovate and innovate education?

"We cannot continue to add on twenty-first-century expectations to a twentieth-century model of education"(@katiemartinedu). Education needs to be open to innovations, to embrace and not fear change because our students deserve it.  We as educators need to be creative in our pedagogy, redesign it, renovate it, and make it relevant to today's students.  

#LCInnovation, @Katiemartinedu

Relationships matter...

 

#IMMOCC

School is an institution; Learning is a culture

Learning happens long before a young child ever steps into a school.  They are driven by their natural curiosity to explore their surroundings.  They learn everyday through cause and effect, and the "What if" principle.  Young children's imaginations are filled with possibilities and wonder; and then they enter school.

School teaches compliance.  Webster's dictionary defines compliance as "the act or process of complying to a desire, demand, proposal, or regimen".  Schools teach children to obey, by punishing those who do not follow directions, follow the rules, or think differently. Schools by current design are imagination killers; but that is changing.  Technology and innovation make learning available anytime, anywhere.

One by one classrooms are evolving into places where learning happens by exploration. Learning begins with questions, and is driven by natural curiosity. This shift in education may one day change school from and institution of compliance to a culture of learning.

#IMMOOC B3

#IMMOOC

What if .... IMMOOC B2

"What if we hired people who did not look at teaching as a "career" but as a "passion"?

Schools would be flowing with excitement daily.  Passion is defined as "strong and barely controllable emotion". Passionate people are enthusiastic and enthusiastic teachers inspire their students to dream big and "think outside of the box".  MANY schools have some passionate educators on staff; but if All schools were filled with them, the possibilities are limitless!

Change is Hard -- Be Brave!

#IMMOOCB1
#IMMOOC

Change is Hard.  As a leader in educational technology it is important to really understand that.  To successfully lead people thru change, relationships matter.  As leaders we must meet people where they are, and provide experiences where they can be challenged, but also find success.

Coming into my school with the roll out of a 1:1 iPad initiative, I was purposeful in my interactions with the staff. I understood that many were unsure of their ability to manipulate these devices and they often said "I'm not good with technology"; "technology isn't in my wheel house". To these statements I would always respond with a resounding "yet"., changing the dialogue from a statement to a possibility.

Adding yet to the end of their statements helped them to realize that while they weren't comfortable with technology today, with practice they will be better tomorrow. I reassured them that I would be there to help them along the way, and I made it a priority to be there. Understanding people's fears, and helping them be brave helped build a foundation of trust that they can use  as they develop their competence in integrating technology into the classroom.   

"Each small step that is accomplished

helps develop confidence and competence along the way."

#Innovators Mindset  ~George Couros