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
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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

Why Not take a Risk? #IMMOOC Blog 2

Innovation does not have to be a big new change -- sometimes the small things can make a big difference, impacting our students in ways we can not even imagine.   A podcast is just a digital audio recording; but unlike its predecessor the cassette tape that could only be heard by those sitting by the the speaker, a podcast can be listened to by anyone around the world.  Creating a podcast gives students an opportunity to practice speaking and place to share their ideas.   Creating and sharing with a global authentic audience who can provide feedback and validation for their work ups their game.

A few years ago, when podcasts and online radio was in it's infancy, I had the privilege of creating and moderating a High School internet broadcasting club.  The students created podcasts about things they were interested and one of the most successful was a show called "Anime Hour".  The students involved in that show met weekly and talked about the news happening in the world of anime.  Since we were streaming live, anyone who was linked in on the internet site could listen.  It was a show that was created by students, driven by their passion for all things Anime.  They were focused and driven to produce the best weekly show possible and as a result, their show grew in popularity so much that they had listeners all across the USA and even had listeners in China!  Talk about a global audience!  

Creating an Internet radio station from scratch was a risk; many of the administrator's didn't understand the technology and concept was so new we were really learning as we went along.  But the students were excited and worked so hard fine tuning each broadcast that it became a success. Once the administration heard the podcasts and saw the shows in production, they were proud of the kids and excited about this new venture and the opportunity it provided them.

Innovation + Risk = Opportunity

#IMMOOC

@dherman62

Fueling Innovation

Technology in the classroom has the capability of transforming the learning process, but much of what happens in classrooms is just substitution.  Replacing a pencil and paper with a word processor, using online forms and surveys for taking quizzes, turning in homework sheets on Google Drive etc.  Real Transformation and Innovation relies on educators creating new ways to distribute knowledge and perform assessments.

How do technology leaders inspire their colleagues to step out of their comfort zone and innovate - - issue mandates on classroom technology use?  Many schools try to transform their classrooms by putting technology into the classroom and demanding teachers use it.  Teachers are forced to use it or lose their jobs, but "compliance does not foster innovation." Innovator's Mindset

Passion fosters innovation.  Passionate educators who believe in the future step out of their comfort zone and re-imagine their lessons.  They overcome their fears and they find the time to learn, and their students are better educated as a result of their dedication and passion.

"Anyone in any job or position-students, teachers, and administrators-can be a learner and a leader.  But to develop these traits in our people, we must empower them; we must inspire innovation, rather than demand compliance." Innovator's Mindset

School leaders need to provide their teachers with "Innovation Time".  Time to stretch their pedagogy and collaborate with colleagues in their building and around the globe.  Schools might look to Google and refine their 20% time policy.  Google’s 20% time is a program that allows employees to spend about eight hours a week to work on new projects that could benefit the company. Teachers need time away from the day to day responsibilities of lesson plans, classroom management, and grading to redesign, refine, and refuel.  Many say that that is what summer break is for, but teachers feel that summer is their time.

"As leaders, if we ask teachers to use their own time to do anything, what we are really telling them is: it's not important."
Innovator's Mindset 

School leaders must find time for their teachers to ignite their passions; fueling innovation and inspiring the future.

#IMMOOC

New Year - New Technology

The turning of the calendar year brings new opportunities and new technologies.  New technologies are introduced at a rapid pace and keeping up with them can seem to be a daunting task.  As educator's we are bombarded with new apps and trends on a daily basis. With all the other important items on our "to do list" where does exploration and innovation for expanding our pedagogies fit in the daily schedule?  Does it have priority or is it an after thought?

The fast pace changes in the workforce should be a wake up call for education.  We must begin to prepare our students for the jobs in their futures and not our pasts.  This recent article highlights the changes and challenges that our children will face in the near future.

A warning from Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Stephen Hawking

How are we preparing them for the work of the future?  What skills will be required?  What skills will be automated?  Educators of today must re-skill and refine in order to be relevant in the future.