Closure Reflection

Portfolio from Closure Reflection in Module VIII.

Here’s my old-school, boringly presented self-reflection. As much as I love technology and using amazing tools to create content, when it comes to how I process information, I have always liked words on paper. So that’s what you’re going to get because this reflection is for me.

--How have you changed as a learner and a leader through this process?

This class has been great for me. I already felt comfortable with technology, but the use of the web 2.0 tools has been outstanding in opening my eyes to further possibilities for my students and teachers. Coming into this academy, I was very confident in what I was doing at my site and where we were headed. This academy helped me look beyond this year to more of the nuts and bolts of what we are truly accomplishing. This class has helped me get beyond the excitement of new technology and the work of getting all of my staff up to speed and has shown me a path for the next few years. For anyone who hasn’t implemented a full-scale technology plan, I will let them know that it can be all-consuming. The overwhelming majority of my year has been spent slightly overwhelmed! The 1:1 iPad program has opened up so many new areas for students and staff that we have had trouble keeping up with all of it. We know students are more engaged than ever before, that our lessons offer true differentiation, and learning is extending far beyond the walls and hours of our classrooms. I have realized that we planned all of last year for this, and this year we still find ourselves reacting and responding to the changes as if many of them were brand new.

The assignments we have done in this academy have caused me to slow down at times and take a look not only at what we have accomplished this year and last, but also give me the opportunity to look ahead- not just at “what next?”, but also “what now?” As a leader, I set the vision and we achieved it. I am putting myself out there for others as a resource and a “how to” guide to get technology up and running at a site. I know now, though, that next year will be very different. Less reactionary and surprising, more planning for directed progress.

--What is your action plan for implementing change as a result of new learning?

Action Plan:

1) Create metrics to measure effects of technology use on student learning:

As mentioned above, next year will be more directed progress. At the end of our first year of 1:1, we now know what to expect from the technology. We can now take the time to look at how we measure our changes in a way that is meaningfully focused on best instructional practices and student learnings. At the end of this year, we will review our learning data from the year- student benchmarks, standardized testing, etc. We will review teacher data on classroom behavior, student engagement, and lesson progress and design. We will review student surveys about engagement, learning, and technology use.

From this data, we will develop metrics to create our plan for the next year. In that plan we will focus on how we use technology to advance student learning. Developing good metrics will allow us to measure consistently how students are responding to lessons with and without technology, how engaged students are, and how this correlates with their learning.

2) More training for teachers:

Next year we will have bi-monthly meetings focused on best teaching practices using technology. Teachers will share with each other in a “training of trainers” type format. Lessons will be shared.

I will use more of the tools we have learned in this academy to provide frequent (weekly) mini-inservices to teachers in a “flipped classroom” type approach so teachers can ask questions when we meet rather than listening to me!

3) More training for parents.

Using the web 2.0 tools, provide training for parents similar to that of the teachers, but with a stronger focus on technology’s home-to-school integration and digital citizenship.

4) Better, stronger, faster:

Continue to be bold and create teacher-leaders and student-leaders. Promote the use of technology and push the boundaries of what we believe middle school students are capable of learning, creating, knowing, and doing.

--How do you plan to continue your learning about digital age learning?

It is my passion. There’s no chance of stopping this train now! I’m attending a blended learning conference in 2 weeks, am working to expand our district’s summer offerings for high school students in technology, will be presenting at conferences into the next year, am sending teachers to present at conferences, will continue participating in my online professional learning communities, and will never stop doing what is good for kids!