As I sit here and contemplate where I was and where I am now in my innovation project,  My innovation project was to bring blended learning to my classroom first then to the entire school. I wanted to bring my students to a more student-centered world of learning where they would get a taste of COVA (choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning). Let me just say that my journey has been a very twisted and bumpy roller coaster ride, but I truly am amazed with myself. I honestly did not know I had it in me. While I was a bartender and waitress for all those years, I was very confident in my abilities, and was comfortable with my job. I was never afraid to try something new, think outside the box, or try to lead a change. Then I got the crazy idea to go back to school and become a teacher later in life. I started to lose my innovative edge and just started to follow everyone else. I didn't want to rock the boat or try to lead others to do it. Fast forward to this graduate  degree... I'M BACK!!!! I'm back to thinking outside the box. I'm encouraging others to follow along and venture out to become innovative thinkers. 

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Where am I Now in My Journey?

Well, to think of where I am, I have to think about where I have been in this journey. I began my journey to blended learning implementation in the late fall of 2021 with the ADL 5303:Applying Educational Technology class and the ADL 5305: Disruptive Education class. I was instructed to think about how I could change the face of education in my school through a truly innovative project and create a webpage for myself that would be my education portfolio (eportfolio). Blended learning was going to be my project. I had high hopes of bringing a blended learning environment into my first grade classroom. I built an eportfolio to house all of  my innovative ideas and projects through the entirety of  this degree. This is the home page of my eportfolio. After creating my eportfolio, I shared it with my reading instructional coach and my math instructional coach. They both thought it was a great idea to bring blended learning to life and they offered to help in any way possible. I then presented my ideas to my principal and assistant principal. They were both a bit hesitant, but they gave me the go ahead to give it a try. They wanted me to try it for 9 weeks and see how it went before they would give a full support. They were very hesitant because they were afraid to allow technology to be such a big part of my student's day. They were also hesitant about giving the students more choice and authentic learning (they are still very old-school-teaching fans). 

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Well, immediately after Christmas break was to be my starting point... my kick-off to a blended learning classroom. I created a few video lessons and set up a blended learning station in my classroom. My 3 gifted students tried it out first, and they were going to help me get the rest of my class started. That lasted a week...  until I got a new student.  Unfortunately,  everything I had planned had to be put aside. My blended learning station are was destroyed. Computers were broken and my tables had been flipped upside down, My principal and assistant principal came to me and informed me that I would have to stop the blended learning and focus on a more traditional method of teaching to avoid any disruptive behavior. I was instructed to "try again next year".

Here it is, a new school year. I had planned to start right away with blended learning, but it has not happened yet. I have been told that I need to wait a little longer. We need to get through all of the beginning of the year testing and the intervention times set before I can try anything new with my students. Fingers crossed that I will be able to hit the ground running at the start of the next 9 week grading period.

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 What Have I Learned?

I have learned more than I had ever thought I would. I learned that I am not afraid to take on new projects. I have learned that I am an innovator  and that I cannot do everything alone. I have always struggled with leaning on others and looking to others for advice and for support. My mother always pushed the idea that I needed to be a strong independent woman and that I do not need to depend on anyone else. That is not true. I have leaned on and supported my colleagues through this entire process. We have needed each other and I have enjoyed having that connection with others that are by my side in this journey. 

While taking the ADL 5304:Leading Organizational Change course, I learned what "My Why" was and how I can be a true influencer. Click here  to see the page on my eportfolio with both.  I learned that I have what it takes to be a true innovator and that I do have my true reasons for wanting to be a teacher and for wanting to be an innovator. I also learned how to conduct an action research study (ADL 5315:Assess Digital Learning) as well as how to become a published author (ADL 5317: Resources Digital Environment). You can find them through the following buttons:   

 

                                                                               

 I never imagined that I had the potential to be a published author, but that is exactly what I can, and will, do.

 

 

What Could I Do Better?

In order to be a TRUE innovative thinker, one should always be looking inward to see how they can improve. I truly believe that I can improve in many ways. The most important way I can and should improve is in my planning. In ADL 5313:Create Significant Learning Environment, I had to create a UbD Lesson template that I intended on using for my PL on blended learning that I was going to introduce to the teaching staff at my school. The plan was to get them excited to join me in my quest to make blended learning part of our school culture and climate. This is one area that I can improve. I need to utilize a UbD lesson plan template to help organize my ideas and keep myself on track. I also NEED to do better at planning ahead and not waiting for the last minute. If I want any of my fellow teachers to follow my lead, I need to be more prepared. I also need to be more prepared for my students. To read the UbD lesson plan that I created for my eportfolio,  

 

How Will I Promote My Innovation Project? 

In the class ADL 5389:Develop Effective Professional Learning, I was instructed to create and alternative professional learning plan for my fellow teachers. I also created a slideshow depicting the various parts of my professional learning that I will use to get my fellow teachers to join my blended bandwagon.  Click here to read the slides for my outline of the PL. You can find the entire presentation that I will be using to promote a change toward blended learning in my school (with hopes to take it district-wide) here.  Through the use of professional learning, I can promote a more student-centered way of learning. The other teachers will learn about COVA (Choice, Ownership, and Voice through Authentic Learning) and CSLE (Creating Significant Learning Environments). I will become a campus leader and innovator in more ways.

 

                                                 

                     What Would I Do Differently? 

Part of the course ADL5302:Concepts of Educational Technology, was to create my very own learning manifesto and determine my passion. After reading this myself, I am reminded of at least one way to do thinks differently. The very first thing I would do would be to find a passion inside myself. I might have chosen a different innovation plan. Blended learning is a fabulous idea and it is something I would LOVE to implement EVERY year in all of my future classes, but it is not necessarily what I would do an innovation project on again. I honestly feel that I would have preferred to do my project on implementing eportfolios. I am now teaching 3rd grade and I really feel that eportfolios would be a better idea to grow. Upon reflecting on my entire project, as  I write in this moment, I wish I had done my project on eportfolios. 

 

 

 

How Can I Apply What I Have Learned on My Next Project?         

For my next innovative project (bringing eportfolios to life), I will use every bit and piece of information and knowledge that I have gained in this journey to guide myself. I will use my fellow classmates (my ADL colleagues) to bounce ideas off of and to help me stay motivated. I will ensure that I am promoting COVA and CSLE to my students. They might only be 3rd graders, but they need choice, voice, and ownership along with the opportunity to learn authentically. They deserve to have significant learning environments!

I will continue to use and update my own eportfolio website to remind me how to use a UbD template as well as how to lead an organizational change. I will use everything I have learned in this journey to help guide my own learning and innovation ideas.