My Capstone

Howdy!

As my graduate program in Educational Learning and Leading comes to an end, and I complete each part of my Capstone project in EDLD5320, I wanted to take this opportunity to provide an Update on where I am so far on my Innovation Project. As I continue down this Innovation Implementation road in the DLL Masters Program, I'd like to take a couple of minutes to tell you where I started, where I've been, and where I see us headed. Through this journey, I've had occasion to research what has worked for some, what has not worked, and what could have been done better. Surprisingly, I picked up some good information from research done "across the pond," where they still remain confused on what "football" is. Actually, they are doing quite a bit in the areas of alternative learning and I have expanded my knowledge base quite a bit. As you will see from my Video Presentation, I will continue to learn from others, and will continue to tweak along the way, right up until and through implementation, I'm sure. Please take a moment to watch my brief video, and then take a look at a few thoughts on where I am right now.

Thoughts on where I am now:

• My Innovation Project has taken many twists and turns since its original inception. While the purpose of my innovation remains the same, Flipping the Defensive Meeting Room, modifications and additions have been added.
• Given the opportunity to plan and prepare an On-line course, I realized the huge benefit in using Schoology to prepare an online course that will not only teach my student athletes how to break down college game film, but will provide a forum to disseminate each week's film during the season for analysis and discussion.
• My current Innovation Project was ready to implement with a soft roll out during Spring ball and full implementation for the Fall season. However, the week after our last Lamar University game, my head coach was fired. It took the Athletic Director several weeks to hire a new coach on Friday, December 13th. While my position should be safe through the Spring, we will not know the status of current coaches, and who will be added to the staff. Until the new staff is complete, my current plan and its implementation will be on hold.
• While my original plan remains in tact, the courses I have taken since my original project was written have allowed me an opportunity to make it even better. Specifically, the on-line course design class allowed me to add a component that I would never have imagined I was capable of doing. Not only will I be able to utilize Schoology to teach my student athletes how to break down game film in a way that will benefit the team, I will also be able to use it to disseminate weekly game film throughout the season for analyzation and group discussion.
• While there seems to be a fear of change when new innovations are introduced, I found that by presenting my innovation to my colleagues with the preface that I had a plan that could "Fix an existing problem," my co-workers were eager to listen.
• One area that I think I could improve on would be implementing the Schoology film breakdown course to our incoming freshman and transfer students immediately as they report, prior to actual college course start time in the fall..
• During many of the courses offered in the DLL program, I have realized that I no longer need to fear new computer programs and applications. Things that I would have never believed I was capable of doing, I now do with relative ease. Right now, I am updating my website - something that I would never have attempted pre DLL. I am also quite comfortable creating online courses, so much so, that I am already planning several additional ones.
• Promoting my innovation project was not as difficult as I anticipated. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to page for the Georgia House of Representatives. Committee Chair Bob Lane asked a Senator, "What problem do you hope to solve with this Bill?" That has been my take on any new program or idea, "What will this fix or improve?" By introducing my innovation project as something that will make our team better, it was met with positive attitudes. I am hopeful that the same will hold true with our new staff here at Lamar University.
• The lessons learned along the way, from my first idea to it's implementation, will make any subsequent innovation ideas and the road to their implementation much less intimidating.

Work Cited:

• Lapowsky, I. (2017, June 03). What Schools Must Learn From LA's iPad Debacle. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2015/05/los-angeles-edtech/
• Sargent, J. & Casey, A. (2019). Flipped learning, pedagogy and digital technology: Establishing consistent practice to optimise lesson time, European Physical Education Review.