Innovation Update

The journey of developing my innovation plan has been both comprehensive and enlightening. At the outset, I focused on my perceptions of learning, exploring the concept of a growth mindset. This introspection culminated in the creation of my learning manifesto, where I articulated my beliefs about education. I drafted a proposal for stakeholders to introduce my implementation strategy and developed a call to action to communicate the challenges within our current educational landscape.

To broaden my understanding, I conducted a literature review on how teachers struggle to integrate technology. In addition I delved deeper into my personal learning philosophy. I discovered efficient methods for setting goals and lesson planning through Fink’s 3-column chart and the Understanding by Design template. However, I recognized that successful implementation would not be feasible without collaboration. Thus, I took the initiative to create a call to action and plan a professional development course aimed at educating fellow educators about blended learning. Although the journey has been demanding and time-consuming, it has proven to be immensely rewarding, allowing me to delve deeper into the educational realm and contribute to shaping the future for students in an ever-evolving environment.Each component of this process has served as a foundational element in achieving the overarching goals of my innovation project.

Currently, I am in the planning phase of my innovation project and look forward to conducting the pilot program. Unfortunately, this has been postponed as I transitioned to a pre-kindergarten position, which emphasizes a play-based curriculum. Consequently, I lack the technological resources available to other grade levels within my school. Additionally, I realized that I would not be able to dedicate the entire school year to implementation. By the end of this academic year, I plan to present my proposal and engage stakeholders for implementation in the upcoming school year.

One significant aspect of this journey has been the opportunity to both receive and provide feedforward. This exchange of perspectives has enabled me to make adjustments I had previously overlooked.

To enhance the implementation process of my innovation plan, I would prioritize providing more detailed information at each stage. A greater level of detail from the outset would likely facilitate subsequent steps. Furthermore, actively seeking feedback from colleagues within my organization would be beneficial, as they possess a deeper understanding of the constraints and demographics specific to our district.

Throughout the development of this innovation project, I learned that creating a plan is only the beginning. I also had to consider how to gain support for my initiative. It became apparent that I needed to establish myself as a credible and valuable resource, convincing others of the necessity for change and effectively disseminating the knowledge I have acquired. The course has equipped me with the skills to develop and implement leadership strategies, fostering a willingness among others to follow my lead. Moreover, it has provided me with the tools necessary to educate fellow educators on the changes I aim to implement, underscoring the importance of being thorough and self-assured in seeking their support.

One of the most valuable lessons from this course is that for others to embrace change, they must genuinely believe in its necessity. I was able to craft a compelling call to action that highlights the shortcomings of traditional learning models.

Throughout this program, I changed grade levels, which necessitated adjustments to my plans and ideas. In hindsight, I should have remained focused on a single grade level at a time. Entering a new grade with which I was unfamiliar diminished my confidence in pursuing my plans due to unforeseen restrictions. Had I adhered to my initial strategy of implementing the plan in a second-grade classroom before expanding to other grade levels, the outcomes of my efforts would likely have been more cohesive.

The ADL program has taught me that creating meaningful change requires more than merely expressing a desire for it. It is vital to be thorough in understanding all aspects of the change and to support it with appropriate documentation and research when presenting plans to stakeholders. Additionally, I must ensure that I am fully committed to the change and can articulate the rationale behind my intentions. Finally, positioning myself to inspire others to join in actualizing this change is crucial.