Throughout the DLL Program, I have put in hours and hours to my innovation project. We have had multiple classes dedicated to multiple components and how to successfully implement innovation in our districts. At the beginning of the program, I had just switched districts/states. I had moved from a district and school where my ideas would have been heard and implemented, to a district where I felt like I had no voice and I was starting over professionally. It was completely overwhelming thinking about how to change a district that was completely different from what I was used to. My prior school focused on innovation and how we can create meaningful learning, and during the first few months at my new campus, I was not getting that same culture.
My innovation plan started out small and specific because I had no idea how to create change in the district or start the change. My innovation plan initially was creating a searchable database of VR/AR/Virtual Field Trips tools and explained how they could use them in the classroom. It was "easy" and something I didn't need to get too many people involved with at the district level. As I went through the DLL program, I started to realize, along with growing within my district, that I can create real change and I realized that my plan was too specific. After talking with Dr. Harapnuik, I broadened my plan to look at authentic learning in the classroom. I started writing my first literature review and realized authentic learning was way too broad. Eventually, I focused on experiential learning in the classroom with a focus on using XR technologies in the classroom.
I started out with a video of authentic learning and why it was important. This was a project I am not very proud of. It seemed shallow and like I was forcing my presentation. I focused on something I never do focus on, which was the tech. I wanted to make something different, so I created a Adobe Spark Video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqvQ8hC74zc&t=9s
I drafted a letter to the Director of Innovation and Technology talking about my plan and what it would entail. I initially did not send this out because I was nervous. I was nervous about what they would say and that it would get rejected right away. I had offered ideas before and had been shut down pretty quickly. By the time, I had started to gain confidence about my innovation plan, COVID hit and it has been on pause since then. My timeline I created was full of lofty goals that I might have been able to achieve before my current district and COVID19. The timeline is going to have to be edited drastically.
We looked at Fink's (2013) 3 Column Chart and Wiggins' and McTighe's (2005) Understanding by Design (UbD) template. After reading Fink's guide, I put together an overview using a 3-column chart on how I can accomplish the goal of helping teachers create experiential learning experiences in their classrooms. It is separated into precise learning goals: Foundational Knowledge, Application, Integration, Human Dimension, Caring and Learning how to learn. These steps will help others trying to implement my Innovation Plan through broad steps. This allows teachers the ability to see what needs to be learned/accomplished, how they can learn and the assessment piece for themselves. The Understanding by Design (Ubd) Template was more detailed than the 3 Column-Table. I chose to switch my focus from the educators creating authentic learning to creating authentic learning for the students when using UbD to create my outline for students. Both of these helped me practice and create a plan using backwards design for components of my innovation plan.
I have always enjoyed research. In undergrad, I loved the research component of my papers, but when it came to writing and putting my ideas together, I have always doubted my writing abilities. The research I have done on experiential learning has helped strengthen my innovation plan. I have over 30 sources of data driven research. I know that my innovation plan can help create meaningful learning in my district for our students.
My literature review has been edited and tweaked too many times to remember. It was a grueling process that helped me become a better writer and researcher. I struggled writing the sections about ICT Initiatives in my literature review because XR is newer to the education world. I was able to find ICT Initiatives and look at what prior initiatives got right, how they measured success and what they got wrong. This helped me grow in my confidence of implementing an innovation plan in my district.
My Action Research research, was helpful in figuring out how to look at the results of my future innovation plan results and to analyze if it was creating meaningful and engaging learning .
In the beginning, I was nervous to start any sort of innovation in my district. I knew that my idea could bring about change in my district and help create meaningful learning in classrooms. I am glad that I did not jump the gun before I was ready. My ideas on implementation have changed in the last 18 months and life has thrown curve balls at everyone. COVID 19 has created bumps in the road for the majority of DLL students as well. After learning throughout the program and building my knowledge on my innovation plan topic, I am ready to look at starting my implementation . This program has given me tools on how to become a digital leader. The course on creating Organizational Change gave me the tools to be a leader and a change maker in my district. It made me dive deeper on my why and how to have those crucial conversations when you are a leader in your school and district. I was able to build a professional learning plan from the administration side that would help my innovation plan be more than an idea. I now have a toolbox of ideas, technology, resources, and plans to make my innovation plan a success. This program has helped us create a roadmap we can use for our future innovation plans, big or small.