Category: Investigate

Innovative Learning Outside of the Classroom

Dorcas Boateng Asa-Ntow

Innovative learning is “a sort of learning with a similar meaning with creative learning, by which the learners elicit the change, renewal, reorganization, and a series of new questions” (Gu 2017). Developing students’ creative problem-solving skills is paramount to today’s teachers, due to the exponentially growing demand for cognitive plasticity and critical thinking in the workforce and the demands of education to prepare students for college and career readiness(Gu 2017). In lieu of these demands, teachers are always trying something new in class all the time. However our effort seems to end after the students leave the class because we have not been able to get students to buy-in into our innovative skills but we expect students to replicate what happens in class in their homes. But most often than not educators know that’s not all the case for most students. For the continuity of innovative learning skills at home there has to be a partnership between educators and parents. One of the primary motivations for many parents to re-engage in mathematical learning has been to enhance their ability to help their school-aged children. They believe their children want, need, and deserve their help.(Ginsberg, 2018)

Heath and Heath (2010) presented a change framework in Switch: how to change things when change is hard, which makes a clear visual to communicate the change and acknowledging the small wins to keep people motivated in the change process. This concept brings together compounded knowledge of counterintuitive research in psychology, sociology, and effective and transformative change. The three analogies: direct the rider, motivate the elephant, and shape the path. Although their research framework was for business it am

Direct the Student

There are lots of research backed interventions for creating innovative learning environments that can help teachers be confident in their practice and also direct their students on the right path. There has to be a commitment from teachers wanting the change, investigating what is working and adapting it to your classroom needs. Do not think of achieving the big picture in a day, change is more natural when you know where you’re going and why it’s worth it. Therefore think in terms of specific steps that can help point to the destination to get your student to buy-in. Inform parents always about what is happening in your classroom and how they can support their students and also direct them to achieve success.

Motivate the Student

Be happy about the change and be committed to it, let the students. Be very transparent to your students and let them know what you want the class to achieve. Make the change easy for students to connect with and involve them in the process. Break down the difference until it no longer spooks the elephant.(Heath and Heath 2010). Cultivate a sense of identity and instill a growth mindset. Self-transformation is an extreme change in objectives, capacities and self-identity. By esteeming and bracing the self-identity of an innovator, you will end up being an exceptionally compelling innovator. The more grounded your self -identity as an innovator is, the more probable you will improve as an innovator. Build habits, when the behavior is habitual, it’s shape the path to doing spontaneously. Look for ways to encourage habits.

Involve the parents

Most families do not know exactly how to support their students in finding academic success.( Nevertheless, most families have never been invited into the learning process of their children to understand how to support them in achieving academic success.Redding et. al (2004) mentions that high levels of parent-engagement strategies in schools demonstrate high levels of achievement. With intentional and consistent interactions with parents and families, student learning outcomes were greatly improved. Their study in 129 high poverty elementary schools over a 2-year period, implemented a common set of comprehensive parent-engagement strategies. For instance, parent participation in decision-making at the school and parent education focused on home reading and study habits. The study was designed to answer the following: 1. Was implementation of the program acceptably uniform across the 129 schools to make this set of schools distinct? 2. Did this set of schools demonstrate significant gains on the Illinois Standards Assessment Test between 2001 and 2003? 3.Were the gains significantly greater than (a) all elementary schools in the state and (b) 1000 statistical control groups? Research findings depicted that the implementation of the program in the 129 high poverty elementary schools moved from 51.3% to 55.8% of students meeting state expectations and enjoyed a 4.5% increase in test scores. The efforts of “frequent and constant quality interactions among teachers and parents are a greater reservoir of trust and respect, increased social capital for children and a school community more supportive of each child’s school success” (pg. 6).

The beauty of this framework is that anyone can implement change in their environment. This is because also It is not just for management and leadership; it’s for anybody at any time who finds there’s a need for change in their environment whether in business or  education can make it. A change leader thinks, “How can I set up a situation that brings out the good in these people?” A few adjustments will make a world of difference in the lives of students’ academic career.

References

Heath, C., An, C., & Heath, D. (2010). Switch: How to change things when change is hard.                

Sŏul-si: Ungjin Chisik Hausŭ.

Tekin, A. K. (2011). Parent involvement revisited: Background, theories, and models. 

           International Journal of Applied Educational Studies, 11(1), 1-13.

Ensuring All Learners Succeed

Tricia Clarke

Teachers are, often, pushed and pulled in different directions given various internal and external demands. However, 2020 has ushered in one of the most difficult demands of them all. Across the country, schools have been propelled into finding new ways to approach teaching and learning and the use of instructional technology to support this shift has had its advantages. Sometimes, innovation does not wait. And, herein lies an opportunity. With remote teaching and learning, previously unknown technological tools, programs, systems, approaches to teaching and learning, to name a few, can advance teaching and learning for all students. It is my hope that this blog post could support teachers as they continue to teach and learn in the time of COVID-19 and beyond. 

The onset of educational technology on the educational landscape and the integration of instructional technology in teaching and learning is not without its challenges. However, in the face of these challenges the promises of educational technology exist. A foundational issue is a misuse of technology in the classroom that could be addressed with the understanding of how to leverage instructional technology. The Brookings Institution attests that:

“…this limited impact is primarily due to technology being used to replace analog tools, without much consideration given to playing to technology’s comparative advantages. These comparative advantages, relative to traditional “chalk-and-talk” classroom instruction, include helping to scale up standardized instruction, facilitate differentiated instruction, expand opportunities for practice, and increase student engagement. When schools use technology to enhance the work of educators and to improve the quality and quantity of educational content, learners will thrive” (Ganimian et al., 2020).

Where might teachers begin to leverage educational technology to support all learners? I propose a cyclical process that is encapsulated into six (6) Rs: Reflect; Reassess; Redesign; Reinvent; Regroup; Remember. Each step in this cyclical process includes questions for teachers (and schools) to consider as they leverage technology in the classroom to support teaching and learning.

Reflect – What gaps do I have in my knowledge and experience of incorporating technology into my teaching? What do my students need? Will I be teaching in a hybrid classroom? Fully synchronous? Fully asynchronous? What access do I have (wifi, digital tools, devices)? What type of access do my students have in school and at home? Are there any school-based constraints? (Introduction to the TPACK Model, 2020)

Reassess – Based on my students’ needs, where might I begin? Where am I currently in my curriculum? Should I focus on student engagement? Assessing student learning? Supporting student collaboration? Creating opportunities for authentic learning? (Introduction to the TPACK Model, 2020)

Redesign – How might I plan my instruction so that I am addressing the needs of all learners in my classroom? How might backwards design support my efforts in this process? How might I utilize the principles of Universal Design for Learning so that my instruction can support all learners–whether or not they are students with special needs?  Where can I begin or where might my integration of technology have the highest leverage for my teaching and for my students’ learning (lesson opening, mini-lesson, collaborative learning, independent work, closing, homework)? (CAST: UDL Unplugged: The Role of Technology in UDL, 2020); (McDaniel, 2020)

Reinvent – How might I approach my instruction with an innovative mindset and level the notions of “try it” and “yet”? Where might I engage in innovative thinking, one where I place myself in the position of learner with my students? What benefits might there be in being transparent with my students about my learning process in leveraging technology to support their learning? How might I invite students to co-create the processes of teaching and learning? Where are there opportunities for authentic learning? (Schuler, 2020)

Regroup – How did it go? What did I learn? What did I notice? What feedback did my students share? How might I apply my questions and students’ feedback to help me to reflect on the learning experience and to plan for the next opportunity? (Kamal, 2020)

The process of leveraging educational technology for teaching and learning is exactly that–a process. Moreover, instructional technology is not a panacea; its application will not “solve” every issue of teaching and learning. However, when teachers have the autonomy to decide what works best in their classroom, with their students, to address the needs that their learners face, and make choices about what will work and would not for their classroom; when they have the support of administrators to adopt an innovator’s mindset in their classrooms; when they are given opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in their building or online, in virtual professional development communities, an impact on teaching and learning is more than possible. As we continue to address issues of access, equity, poverty, we can consider that “It is time to better theorize the links between developments in technology, inequality and education, while also striving to actively design technologies that facilitate more equitable futures for all” (Ganimian et al., 2020).

Remember that you are not alone. Start small. Seek community as you take courage to be a catalyst for innovation in your own classroom.  

References

CAST: UDL Unplugged: The Role of Technology in UDL. (2020, September 23). CAST. http://www.cast.org/publications/2012/udl-unplugged-role-technology

Ganimian, A. J., Vegas, E., Hess, F. M., & Hess, F. (2020, November 23). Realizing the promise: How can education technology improve learning for all? Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/essay/realizing-the-promise-how-can-education-technology-improve-learning-for-all/

Introduction to the TPACK Model. (2020, April 1). Common Sense Education. https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/introduction-to-the-tpack-model

Kamal, J. (2020, August 11). Making Time for Reflective Practice. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/making-time-reflective-practice

Mcdaniel, R. (2020, June 10). Understanding by Design. Vanderbilt University. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/understanding-by-design/

Schuler, J. (2020, May 29). Technology Sparks Growth Mindset and Innovation in the Classroom. Digital Promise. https://digitalpromise.org/2019/10/29/technology-sparks-growth-mindset-and-innovation-in-the-classroom/

Failure to Disrupt Book Review

Asia Franks

One word that is typically used when discussing innovation is technology. But innovating education involves more than just technology. Implementing intentional changes to pedagogy, instruction, and curriculum is necessary to ensure the use of technology included in the curriculum is used to improve teaching and learning. In his paper addressing innovation, Crosscombe argues that stakeholders using the word innovation assume that new products are enough to improve education but history has shown that new products create a financial burden and, in all actuality, new ideas are needed to improve the classroom experience. According to Crosscombe (2018), “Educational movements to encourage innovation disguise consumerism as pedagogy” (p. 49). When implementing new technology, it is necessary to keep pedagogy at the forefront and analyze the history of innovation to ensure that new yet ineffective technologies are not repeated.

Reich, an educational technologist, wrote his book Failure to explain why new technologies will not reinvent school systems. Reich (2020) categorizes learning into three categories and urges educators to determine which category a proposed new technology fits into and then make predictions about the outcomes based on history (p. 8). Instructor-guided, algorithm-guided, and peer-guided learning systems are described in depth and Reich offers strengths and weaknesses that these systems have on student learning.  

Reich’s book is divided into two parts. The first part describes and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of massive open online courses: instructor-guided, algorithm-guided, and peer-guided. In the second part of the book, Reich explains four obstacles that education must overcome in order for new technologies to benefit education. First, educators are adopting technology that replicates existing practices known as the curse of the familiar (Reich, 2020). Second, new resources often benefit affluent students who are able to utilize and take advantage of resources leaving socioeconomic advantage students behind which is known as the Edtech Matthew effect. Third, many learning systems can only assess routine performance rather than complex performance (Reich, 2020). This is known as the trap of routine assessments. Finally, Reich (2020) states that, “Successfully harnessing the power of data and experiments in learning at scale will involve balancing the potential rewards of research for incrementally improving learning technologies and learning science with the risks and harms that might accompany such research.” (p. 200). He explains the history of improving education by analyzing data, offers the benefits of educational research and offers strategies for managing the toxic power of data and experiments (Reich, 2020). Reich also reviews some commonly used applications in the classroom such as Quizlet, Desmos, Scratch, Math Blaster, and DuoLingo. 

Both Crosscombe and Reich advocate for the use of technology however urge educators to not fall in the trap of buying the newest application but instead deeply analyze the potential for improving pedagogy and student outcomes. I urge educators to read this book to become more knowledgeable about the history of technology and why it is not enough to transform education. Four questions that Reich urges educators to ask when choosing new learning technologies are: “What’s new? Who is guiding the learning experience — an instructional designer, an adaptive learning algorithm, or a community of peers? Pedagogically, is this attempting to fill pails or kindle flames? What existing technologies does this adopt?” (p. 233). 

References

Crosscombe, N. (2018). Innovation. Brock Education: A Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 27(2), 48–52.

Reich, J. (2020). Failure to Disrupt: Why Technology Alone Can’t Transform Education. Harvard University Press.

Improving Professional Development for Educators

JACQUELINE WATSON

An administrator once said to me “Try being more innovative with your lessons, use Google to get ideas”. This statement left me feeling two ways. First, I was feeling confused as to why the main resource for innovation is Google. Second, I was a little disappointed that I was expected to know what innovation is and how to do it to the appeasement of this administrator. While Google is a great resource, and it certainly has helped me in lesson planning, it cannot be the only resource for professional development (PD). 

If the school community is called to be more innovative in the classroom, then teachers should be educated on what that looks like. Educators need to be taught in the same way that they are asked to teach their students, in a differentiated and authentic way. Teachers need to be able to make it relatable to the needs of their classroom and the school community. However, that type of professional development is hard to come by these days. Do not get me wrong, I have had some great PD experiences with nationally proclaimed authors and educators who are considered the best in the business. On the other hand, I have had a lot of PD that was not effective or applicable. The idea behind PD can be purposeful, but the execution is what matters the most. 

What should we be looking for in our PD experiences? The first step into making PD more innovative is having it meet the development needs of the teachers, because every teacher is at a different stage in their career and development (Bozkus & Bayrak, 2019). PD needs to be personalized (Rodman, 2019). School leaders are called to acknowledge the variation of teacher needs, otherwise PD will continue to undermine their potential to be innovative (Rodman, 2019). The blanket concept of teaching and learning should not be used in the classrooms, and therefore should not be used on teachers. 

Second, establishing a space for teachers to collaborate, share experiences, seek advice, and brainstorm new ideas is crucial for professional development. This could easily be done in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), which provide meaningful and authentic learning and relationships between members (Rodman, 2019). While this is not the traditional PD approach that we are accustomed to, this is certainly grass roots innovation at its finest. Teachers can learn just as much or even more from their colleagues that could be more applicable to their classrooms. PLCs can provide some of the strongest PD for teachers because it provides space and time for them to discover, play, and practice (Rodman, 2019).

Third, professional development should be sought out by teachers, not just forced upon them. This is an opportunity for teacher leadership within the school community. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 2014 found that $18 billion is spent on PD and a typical teacher spends 68 hours each year on PD activities (Rodman, 2019). If that amount of money is going to be spent and that many hours are going to be engaged, then let’s make sure that the teachers are getting what they need and also what they want. An invested educator is an innovative educator. 

While these three steps are very basic, that does not negate their importance or effectiveness. This is a good start to get the ball rolling in your school communities. I encourage teachers to work with their school leaders to establish PLCs and gather data on what is needed by each teacher, and also what the school community wants in order to provide and build innovation. Innovation starts with collaboration. 

References

Bozkus, Kivanc, and Coskun Bayrak. “The Application of the Dynamic Teacher Professional Development Through Experimental Action Research.” International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, vol. 11, no. 4, 1 Mar. 2019, pp. 335–352. 

Rodman, A. (2019). Personalized professional learning: a job-embedded pathway for elevating teacher voice. ASCD.

The Reggio Emelia Approach to Innovation

Elsie A Rosa

Early Childhood Education (ECE) is continuously evolving. As an Early Childhood Educator of over sixteen years, I have observed the drastic evolution in the field. The evolution of ECE has transformed how adults (both parents and teachers) approach our young children and work to ready their young minds for future learning experiences, especially in the area of technology. We all have observed the increased use of technology in our day to day lives. There is an enormous increase in and access to handheld devices and computers marketed to young children these days. With the growing use of technology, there is a greater need for teachers to be creative to keep children curious and engaged in the classroom.

In education, why do many people automatically associate the word ‘innovation’ with technology? Although yes, in some circumstances ‘innovation’ is directly linked to technology, it is important to consider other approaches for innovating in early childhood education.  Early childhood educators’ objective is to support children’s independence and provide opportunities for learning through play. This idea helps to explain why ECE classrooms are set up with different learning areas, which include an assortment of materials and supplies to help facilitate learning opportunities for children. When starting to research innovation in Early Childhood Education, there is a particular philosophical education approach that continuously appeared, that is not related to the technology; it was the Reggio Emelia philosophical education model.

The Reggio Emelia approach is not technology or an application anyone can download; it is a philosophy that is used to innovate early childhood education.  The Reggio Emilia approach is an educational philosophy and pedagogy focused on preschool and primary education. This approach is a student-centered and constructivist self-guided curriculum that uses self-directed, experiential learning in relationship-driven environments.

One excellent and reliable resource to continue learning more about the Reggio Emelia Philosophy is the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance website. The North American Reggio Emilia Alliance defines cooperation as, “exist to connect early childhood educators and advocates in discovering, interpreting, and promoting Reggio Emilia inspired education. NAREA believed in the inherent abilities and basic rights of children and adults, particularly concerning their competence and right to actively construct relations, knowledge, feelings, and identity. NAREA works to mobilize educators, parents, and policymakers to play a collective role I moving the value of early childhood education to a position of priority. Through conferences, networking, and resource sharing, NAREA is advancing an inspiring and innovative movement that is giving more quality and excellence to education” (Resources, 2017).

Essentially, the Reggio Emelia approach supports enhancing children’s learning through real-life experiences instead of using a set curriculum. This philosophy allows children to love discovery, create their personality, value, and learn respect for others. Children are encouraged to create and investigate in their learning environment, all while following their natural interest to explore while staying connected with others. They create their learning as the adults nurture learning by asking thought-provoking questions, inviting others to play, and creating opportunities through project-based learning. Exploring NAREA will help expand one’s knowledge about the Reggio Emelia philosophy, sign up for a membership, access resources, connect with others, learn about upcoming events and how to get involved, employment opportunities, find Reggio Emilia Schools, donate, and access free resources, among many other learning opportunities.

I hope you enjoy exploring the NAREA website and learn more about strategies used to innovate early childhood education!

References

Resources. (2017, November 21). North American Reggio Emilia Alliance. https://www.reggioalliance.org/resources/