Updating the plan...
It has been quite some time since I have revisited my plan for innovation. I am grateful for this opportunity to update my plan by applying the newly acquired knowledge I have gained through course readings, case studies and class discussions. My plan titled Teach with Technology NOW and Teach the World FOREVER focuses on 1:1 initiatives that have stalled out for various reasons. According to the research, most 1:1 initiatives fail because of a lack in vision from campus and district leaders. Other factors contributing to fading initiatives are low teacher buy-in and disconnects to learning and student achievement.
Even with all of the push back from teachers and students, some 1:1 initiatives do find a way to grow and thrive. What are they doing different? Perhaps the answer lies in the presentation of the leaders vision. Most teachers assume that a new initiative brings more work to their already full plates. These days, this way of thinking is definitely understandable given everything required of teachers. However, when administrators with a clear vision present a new initiative as not piling on more work, but instead taking what teachers already have on their plates and making it more intentional, meaningful and purposeful, then the initiative tends to sustain itself and move forward.
During this course, we were asked to analyze UNESCO's Working Paper Series on Mobile Learning. The series highlights the positives and negatives of mobile learning initiatives world wide. I found these papers quite helpful by comparing UNESCO's findings to my innovation plan and determining the areas of my plan in most need of an update. The studies examined five global areas, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America, all of which are at various stages of mobile learning integration. In my presentation, Reflect - Connect - Improve: Applying the Plus Delta Model to Global and Local Innovation Plans, I used a Plus/Delta model to determine what worked and what could have been done better for each geographical region. Below are the charts for each area of study. PLUS denotes the positives and DELTA denotes not necessarily the negatives as much as the areas targeted for growth.
Even with all of the push back from teachers and students, some 1:1 initiatives do find a way to grow and thrive. What are they doing different? Perhaps the answer lies in the presentation of the leaders vision. Most teachers assume that a new initiative brings more work to their already full plates. These days, this way of thinking is definitely understandable given everything required of teachers. However, when administrators with a clear vision present a new initiative as not piling on more work, but instead taking what teachers already have on their plates and making it more intentional, meaningful and purposeful, then the initiative tends to sustain itself and move forward.
During this course, we were asked to analyze UNESCO's Working Paper Series on Mobile Learning. The series highlights the positives and negatives of mobile learning initiatives world wide. I found these papers quite helpful by comparing UNESCO's findings to my innovation plan and determining the areas of my plan in most need of an update. The studies examined five global areas, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America, all of which are at various stages of mobile learning integration. In my presentation, Reflect - Connect - Improve: Applying the Plus Delta Model to Global and Local Innovation Plans, I used a Plus/Delta model to determine what worked and what could have been done better for each geographical region. Below are the charts for each area of study. PLUS denotes the positives and DELTA denotes not necessarily the negatives as much as the areas targeted for growth.
These eye-opening findings led me to create a Plus Delta model for the purposes of updating my own innovation plan. My updates will focus on creating more teacher buy-in of 1:1 initiatives in hopes that it will in turn generate more student buy-in leading to greater student achievement.