Digital Learning & Leading Synthesis
~Connecting the Final Dots~
COVA and CSLE Reflection
Innovative Educator Time Podcast
Podcast Transcript
References
Harapnuik, D. (2017) CSLE+COVA. Retrieved from
http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6988​
Harapnuik, D. K, Thibodeaux, T. N., & Cummings, C. D. (in press).
Creating significant learning environments through choice,
ownership, voice, and authenticity. Retrieved
from http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=7291
Tan, S. C., & Hung, D. (2003). Beyond information pumping:
Creating a constructivist e-learning environment. Educational
Technology, 42(5), 48-54.
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COVA and CSLE have helped me grow into a better educator, and it can help others, too. Listen to the podcast, and look over the transcript. Be sure to check out the linked content!​
Innovation Plan Update & Reflection
Innovation
Plan Page
When I first created my innovation project, I had strong goals. I truly wanted to transform my classroom, school, and district. Now, it’s not that I don’t want to do those things, but the reality of time and power has set in. It is taking much longer to reach my goals, setbacks have occurred, and I am still fighting for the platform to be able to share my knowledge to my colleagues. I’m thinking back to when I played softball. As a freshman and sophomore, I had to fight for my spot on the varsity team. I am currently a sophomore when it comes to my innovation plan; I’m still fighting for that spot on varsity to prove myself, and I have a lot to learn in the next few years.
My innovation plan “Ditch the Basement Box” is an ePortfolio innovation plan that encourages students to reflect, connect, and learn as they take ownership of the learning. In the 2017-2018 school year, I started ePortfolios with my class. They did a remarkable job with them, and I was seeing so much progress! However, when they went to fifth grade, their teachers did not continue them. I told the students they could continue them on their own, but not many ten year olds are driven and intrinsically motivated enough to continue working on an ePortfolio without adult interference. Now, in the 2018-2019 school year, I have moved buildings. I started fresh with new colleagues and a new student body, so ePortfolios unfortunately took a back seat to establishing the start of relationships with my new colleagues and following my new principal’s expectations. Going into next year having a better handle on my new environment, I am looking forward to starting back with ePortfolios right away.
In my path to innovation, I got all the way to the “present” step last year. This year, I started back at the “idea proposal” step. The whirlwind (McChesney, Covey, & Huling, 2016) got in my way, and I need to consistently remember to have those vital crucial conversations (Patterson, Grenny, McMillian, & Switzler, 2012) to keep the process going. Because ePortfolios are critical to student success as 21st century learners, I will make it happen for my students. I made the varsity softball team, and I will make this, too.
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References
McChesney, C., Covey, S., & Huling, J. (2016). The 4 disciplines of execution: Achieving your wildly
important goals. New York: Free Press.
Patterson, K., Grenny, J., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2012). Crucial conversations: Tools for talking
when stakes are high. New York: McGraw-Hill.
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Links &
Documents
Watch this
video update:
My DLL Journey
Each course in the DLL program helped me to learn and grow as an educator. I became more confident in my ability to use digital tools for my own learning, for my students’ learning, and in my ability to share my learning with others through leadership opportunities. Looking back on the program’s principles and course goals, it is almost inconceivable where I began compared to where I am now. All of the courses complimented each other well and were a necessary component of the journey.
EDLD 5302 Concepts of Educational Technology: I cultivated my growth mindset, grew my professional learning networks, and thought about the process of learning in my learning manifesto. I began to use COVA to take ownership of my learning and find my voice as I explored the core concepts of educational technology.
EDLD 5303 Apply Educational Technology - Portfolio: In this course I developed my ePortfolio by expanding on work I previously completed and adding new features to create my brand as a digital learner and leader. I added content including about me section, resume, certifications, contact information, teaching philosophy, link to Instagram profile, link to class website, inspirations, reading list, examples and samples of digital learning in my classroom, technology integration matrix, SAMR framework, and my blog.
EDLD 5305 Disruptive Innovation in Education: Without innovation, improvement would not exist. This course challenged me to create innovation, and I did that by developing an innovation plan. I then proved the effectiveness and importance of the plan through conducting a literature review. The world is changing, as is technology, and we need to innovate to prepare our students for the digital future.
EDLD 5304 Leading Organizational Change: Once I had the idea to create change, I needed to learn how to go about doing it. It is important to consider the why, how, and what of goals. Using leadership skills, I learned how to communicate with others effectively, influence others to join me, overcome resistance to change, and encourage innovation. Leading change requires influence, execution, and communication.
EDLD 5313 Creating Significant Learning Environments: Creating significant learning environments (CSLE) requires engagement, connections, innovation, growth mindset, COVA, and more. A significant learning environment is based on a strong learning philosophy of constructivist theories; it uses big goals and backwards design that allows students to be active participants in their learning. When incorporating technology into the learning environment, it is important to do so in a significant way.
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EDLD 5314 Digital Learning in Global and Local Contexts: Information and communication technology is all around us in the digital age, in more than just education. In the classroom, ICT relates to digital learning and innovation. Teachers must understand the uses and barriers of ICT in order to create significant learning environments in which students learn and make connections. By studying ICT projects, both successful projects and failed projects, educators can see how technology is being used throughout the world in a variety of settings. We can learn from the work of others and apply our understandings to our own projects.
EDLD 5315 Assessing Digital Learning and Instruction: Part of being an effective teacher and innovator is knowing if what you are doing in the classroom is working. Are students engaged? Are students learning? What are students learning? Sometimes we know right away if a method is effective or not, but other times it takes intensive study to determine the effectiveness. Assessing digital learning through action research is just that - an intensive study in which educators measure the effectiveness of their own practices. Based on results, educators plan for improvement, and the research continues to conduct in a cyclical nature.
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EDLD 5318 Instructional Design in Online Learning: Designing instruction is something that educators do daily in order to help their students learn. Designing online instruction, however, is slightly different. The teaching is still based on the same principles, but the teacher and students are not physically in the same place. This presents challenges as educators still need to apply appropriate learning theories, create significant learning environments, align instruction/activities/assessments, and meet curriculum standards and expectations while connecting with students to help them develop a lifelong love of learning as critical thinkers and problem solvers.
EDLD 5316 Digital Citizenship: Digital citizenship is critical in today’s digital age, and students must be taught how to be digital citizens. Digital citizenship creates upstanding citizens that act appropriately both online and offline. It is important that students learn each piece of digital citizenship, and that they do it in a way that is integrated into the regular curriculum instead of being separated. Educators should be proactive instead of reactive when it comes to the issues of digital technology by teaching digital citizenship. Technology issues include, but are not limited to, cyberbullying, plagiarism, and privacy protection. We cannot use digital learning effectively without teaching digital citizenship.
EDLD 5317 Resources for Digital Environments: It is important to explore and evaluate environments and resources. The number of available digital tools is constantly increasing, so teachers need to find ones that are valuable and transform student learning. Part of being a leader is discussing the practical implementation and pedagogical value of environments and resources for educational use. I found my voice and passion and communicated my thoughts.
EDLD 5388 Selected Instructional Topics: Based on my innovation plan, I developed professional learning to communicate and promote the idea. I worked on applying my innovation plan to design and model authentic professional learning (PL) that is active, has a significant duration, and meets the needs of my audience. Teachers should never stop learning, and developing a professional learning series allowed me to both learn and lead.
EDLD 5320 Synthesis of Digital Learning and Leadership: Putting everything together makes for effective learning, leading, and teaching. I have analyzed, connected, and reflected. I have developed into a digital learner and digital leader, identified and promoted innovation, created significant digital learning environments, and led organizational change.
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As an elementary school teacher, sometimes I give my students a connect-the-dots picture to complete. The DLL program was one of those. Each course, from EDLD 5302 to EDLD 5320, was one dot, just a piece of the bigger picture. You need to connect all of those dots along the way to reveal the bigger picture of collaboration, innovation, authentic learning, and more. The final dot has been connected; the picture is complete. I have seen what it takes to be a digital learner and leader, and I am excited to continue my journey beyond the DLL.
connect the dots
References
Harapnuik, D. (2019, January 20). DLL why & principles. Retrieved from
http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6756
Harapnuik, D. (2019). DLL course goals. Retrieved from http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6955
Lamar University. (n.d.). Online M.Ed. Digital Learning and Leading. Retrieved from
https://www.lamar.edu/education/educational-leadership/online-master-of-education-
degrees/med-digital-learning-and-leading/index.html
Panic! At the Disco. (2018, June 21). Hey Look Ma, I Made It [Video File]. Retrieved from
