#IMMOOC - Powerful Learning First, Technology Second

Being an Educational Technology Trainer, we often are bombarded with questions about using technology in the class. Teachers will email and state they are teaching a lesson on nouns and verbs but they want a technology activity to go along with it. I usually start by asking questions about their lesson and how it is framed. I ask more questions about what engages their students and motivates them. I then ask they question, "How can we make this more effective?" Not every lesson activity needs to involve technology as we have many other useful tools to teach with in this day and age. There should be a connection between the learning taking place and the technology being used. The technology tool does not drive instruction. If we are looking to improve instruction and student outcomes, then the technology tools we use should provide support. When I work with teachers, I use good questioning to help evaluate the lesson as well as the tools used framed from a student/learning outcome viewpoint. 

I love the quote in the book, 

Technology should personalize, not standardize.

#IMMOOC - School vs Learning

When I look at this picture and reflect, I think about Chapter 6 - Engage Vs Empower. I think about school as something you do as opposed to learning which is what happens. Another view might be that school is the motions and learning is the outcome. School is about learning facts whereas learning is about inquiring and asking questions.

Learning is a life long skill. The ability to learn and unlearn is a pressing skill in the 21st century of education. 21st century learning emphasizes in depth understanding built upon interdisciplinary themes. We must integrate these skills to help prepare students for the workforce of the future.

@IMMOOC - Innnovation

I have always viewed innovation as trying something new and different. I grew up with parents who encouraged trying new things and finding new ways to accomplish a task. When I compare my career as a psychotherapist to an educator, I struggle with innovation in education. The field of psychology is constantly reading, researching and trying interventions to fit the perspective of clients. Juxtapose, education where it seems we teach to 1985. In my current state, the view is, if it fails, never try anything ever again. Failure is a change to regroup, rebuild and try again!

I like the definition of innovation being something new and better. Innovation in education is not just technology tools, but changing our we teach and how we learn. Moving towards innovation requires having relationships, being connected and listening to the needs of others. Innovation cannot happen in a vacuum, it happens in community.

#IMMOOC - Change

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines change as:

• to become different
• to make someone or something different
• to become something else

As a former psychotherapist, now in education, change can be hard. Change can seem impossible and scary. The first step in making a change is the hardest step. It is also common to hear that change is the only constant and if you are not changing, you are being left behind. 

To make changes in education, we must be scared, not afraid to fail and step out to make changes, which are in the best interest of learners. As educators, we must be risk-takers and commit to trying unconventional means to meeting the needs of learners. 

I, currently, have a great supervisor who lets me try new ideas for our district and if I fail, we re-evaluate and try again. However, if I succeed, we keep pushing the envelope. 

Be brave, connect, collaborate and push the boundaries.