Connecting and Communicating My Ideas
As my transformation into digital leadership continues, I believe continual research and exploration is the key to making ongoing innovative contributions in my organization. My new learning will be tested in my classroom, and if the outcome is positive, I will pass it on to other teachers on my team. Once my team has latched on to new methods for integrating technology, the ideas will usually spread to other core areas in my building. In addition, once a principal has observed a new method, they will often ask the teacher to model it during staff development. As I become more confident in my abilities to drive change, I hope to begin volunteering to model ideas for our teachers, and this will further develop my abilities to be a change agent in my organization.
A few of the vehicles I will use to gain exposure to new innovation practices are through social media, blogs, books, and attending conferences. One of the events I have signed up for in February is the Texas Computer Educators Association’s yearly conference and expo. I have wanted to attend this event for several years now, and I am so excited to finally be going. After looking over the schedule, one of the sessions I have decided to enroll in is the Microsoft Innovative Educator Trainer Academy. This two-day course is designed for those who train teachers and will expose the attendees to the use of Microsoft Technologies to enhance innovative teaching and learning in the classroom. At the conclusion, of the session, attendees will receive a certificate from Microsoft. This opportunity should be an excellent way to build on what I have already learned about technology integration through Lamar University and will help to sharpen my skills and product knowledge for future training opportunities.
Throughout the process of research and discovery regarding innovation as a vehicle for change and improved student outcomes, I realized that even one small technology initiative can produce tremendous opportunities for ALL learners. The focus of my current innovation strategy is the use of ePortfolios at the secondary level.
My inspiration and desire to further explore ePortfolios was a result of the creation of my own through a graduate-level course at Lamar University. The process of searching and experimenting with various technology tools was a valuable one, and I took away a wealth of learning and motivation to share my learning with both students and staff in my organization. I also realized the initiative could be tailored to almost any age group and subject area, and that drove me to select it as one I wanted to further pursue.
The initiation of my ePortfolio innovation plan will begin in my classroom, then as a team-wide effort. Finally, we will train other departments to use our platform once we have trained the students, and they are comfortable maintaining an ePortfolio for one core subject. The ultimate goal will be for each student who graduates from our campus to have four years of writing and project documentation from all disciplines to take with them when they begin applying to colleges, for scholarship applications, and finally as a tool to showcase talents to potential employers. The independent collection of work will be a vehicle to show each student’s ability to electronically produce the artifacts necessary to succeed in a globalized 21st Century workforce.
To ensure that I was heading in the right direction with my innovation strategy, I conducted research from fifteen different sources and compiled it into a literature review to provide our administration with concrete evidence of the successful learning outcomes and enhanced technology literacy an ePortfolio initiative will yield. I was pleased to find that my innovation plan would target and enhance the following educational strategies: elevated student engagement, digital literacy, autonomy, collaboration, student voice, improved writing skills, and college and career readiness.
Once my research confirmed the usefulness of this new initiative, I felt the next step would be sketching out an implementation outline of how to put the innovation into action. The implementation of ePortfolios in the classroom will require additional upfront training of the teachers, but it should be easy to grasp, allow for widespread student-use once the initial setup is complete, and change the look of teaching and learning around our District.
Finally, to create a visual and reiterate some of the high points of my initiative, I created a video overview of the strategies and positive effects it will have on our students. The video showcases some of my research and provides a few snapshots of my personal ePortfolio to give you an idea of what my students will have the ability to produce throughout the course of our innovation implementation. Feel free to peruse any areas of my ePortfolio you are interested in to gain a better understanding of the types of tools and media that can be rolled into this ongoing project.
To continue gaining knowledge of strategies for driving change, disruptive innovations, and educational technology, I have put together the following list of books and resources to add to my reading list and share with my colleagues:
This book collection should help to keep me motivated as well as provide additional ideas for changing teaching and learning in my District.
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References
Bellanca, J. A., & Brandt, R. S. (2010). 21st century skills: Rethinking how students learn. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Eynon, B., & Gambino, L. M. (2017). High impact ePortfolio practice: A catalyst for student, faculty, and institutional learning. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Jacobs, H. H. (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential Education for a Changing World. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Nesloney, T., & Welcome, A. (2016). Kids deserve it!: Pushing boundaries and challenging conventional thinking. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting.
Robinson, K. (2011). Out of our minds: Learning to be creative. Oxford: Capstone.
Shirky, C. (2008). Here comes everybody: The power of organizing without organizations. New York: Penguin Press.
Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Lexington, KY: CreateSpace?
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