What's Your Why?
Hearts, Minds, and Change
This week, I wrestled with the gist of my assignment for my graduate program for quite some time. It is now Saturday evening with my deadline coming up tomorrow, and I am still struggling to put it all together. Why is this assignment so difficult? The answer is not abundantly clear to me. What the instructor is asking for seems quite simple at first glance, but it is the foundation of higher order thinking questions that has me so puzzled: the why. The why that makes my ePortfolio initiative significant and creates a sense of urgency in all stakeholders, yet my why also needs to be one that is both logical and speaks to the heart at the same time. How can I make something as unfeeling as an electronic device appeal to the hearts of those who are reluctant to buy in?
I can sit and talk about the logical reasoning behind adopting ePortfolios all day long, but to find an emotional connection is not an easy task. I can talk about the reduction in paper usage on campus, the convenience of keeping all projects and writings in one place, the way it will help to build technology fluency in my students and help prepare them for jobs that don’t exist yet, how their communication skills will improve through online collaboration, and even present my innovation plan to them, but I’m not sure how any of those things will capture the hearts of both students’ and staff members alike.
After considering my options for quite some time, I began watching video clips on YouTube to search for inspiration. I watched Ted Talks (1984) videos, teacher-created clips, and student-created projects for quite some time. I was tired and close to the point of taking a break for the night when I stumbled on one that provided the epiphany I was in need of. There was little information about the author of this video other than an online handle: Robstechpage. At first glance, I almost discredited the video because it didn’t have any voice over, but after reviewing the entire clip, there was one line that spoke to me: … “the overarching purpose of an ePortfolio is to create a sense of ownership over one’s accomplishments” ("Why Digital Portfolios," 2015). Bingo! This was the magic wording I was in search of. Words that could connect ePortfolios to a person’s emotions: personal accomplishments. What person doesn’t love to take pride in their hard work? To collect achievements and look back on the steps it took to get there. To share those attainments with friends, families, colleagues, colleges, and maybe even potential employers. I can’t think of a person alive who doesn’t love the feelings that come from a job well done and from receiving acknowledgement along with a pat on the back for the finished product. What a wonderful way to connect the heart and mind. The video below is the source of my inspiration:
Since adolescence is such an important and heartfelt time in a young person’s life, and they love to explore the things that are meaningful to them, ePortfolios are the perfect way to create a marriage between matters of the mind and matters of the heart. From football games, to homecoming dances, to lunches in the courtyard, to cheer leading, to marching shows, choir concerts, FFA contests, and graduations; all these events can be beautifully documented and described in their ePortfolios or discussed with peers on a blog page. In addition, that slide show over cells made in biology class freshman year can be preserved for years to come along with all those dreaded English essays showcasing the student’s growth in writing fluency throughout the high school experience. The possibilities are endless, but one thing will remain a constant throughout the artifact collection process: the students will be taking ownership over their own accomplishments, and they will be doing this by using a methodology that speaks to their emotions.
Since matters of the heart quite often initiate a sense of urgency in the individuals who are directly affected, my students will be fulfilling one of John Kotter’s first recommendations for initiating a change among a group of people: "establishing a sense of urgency" (2013). With that being said, it is my belief that we now have identified all the right elements to begin creating a Why statement to help promote the significance of implementing an ePortfolio initiative across Boerne Independent School District.
BISD’s ePortfolio Initiative
*Why=The Purpose: To encourage student ownership over growth and learning through the use of unique instructional strategies.
*How=The Process: Student exploration and investigation of self-selected topics of interest to help promote an environment of curiosity, motivation and fostering a sense of urgency.
*What=The Result: Enhanced learning outcomes are realized through passion, imagination, creativity, and risk taking.
References
Kotter, J. (2013, August 15). Leading Change: Establish a Sense of Urgency. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/2Yfrj2Y9IlI
R. (2015, January 28). Why Digital Portfolios. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUjn9l5TI6w&t=9s
Seluk, N. (2017). Heart Gets Caught in the Act [Digital image]. Retrieved from http://theawkwardyeti.com/chapter/heart-and-brain-2/page/3/
