Support for Learners

According to Bates (2015), it is important to have ongoing communication between the instructor and participants, especially when in an online environment. I will communicate with learners in a variety of ways. I will email them, I will talk with them on the weekly Zoom calls, I will give feedback on their reflections, and I will also be available to talk to them on the phone if that is their preferred means of communication. One way to alleviate the amount of communication, these new instructional coaches will also have a monthly communication with their coach cadre and coordinator coach. Although I created the course, there are eight of us that will be supporting the instructional coaches depending on who is assigned to who. We will also have mentor meetings and periodic check ins with their coach mentors. We really want them to have multiple avenues to access help wherever they may need it.

The course will be a mixture of the 2. It will be self paced and available as a resource for all experienced instructional coaches. If they need ideas or are stuck in an Impact Cycle, they can come here for tips or reminders of nuances of each stage. For new instructional coaches, I gave a loose deadline so that they can have room for issues that impact their work that is out of their control, such as teacher quarantines and other issues that might arise. I gave them a 2 week window for each module. I have found as an instructional coach previously myself and the issues my group has now, that if given a completely open window to do this, it will quickly go to the bottom of the list of things to do because of all that this job entails. The Impact Cycle is very complex and each one has its own trickiness and obstacles. It is important for them to keep the momentum, but also do it in a natural progression.

If I need to update my course, I will send out a notification if it impacts what they are currently working on. Otherwise, I will just change it since it is ongoing for all of them after they complete it. I will be consistently adding great examples of coaching videos to each module so that new coaches have examples and colleagues to reach out to for support.
What other courses can you develop into online learning experiences?

My next course that I am making for our district is for virtual teachers. We are going to reach out to some of our expert virtual teachers to create a course for incoming virtual teachers to give tips on different things they have learned about the nuances of online teaching and learning. This will be for existing virtual teachers and for new ones that onboard next year.

I would wait to create corresponding documents until the end because I made changes along the way and that impacted several documents that I then had to go change every time I made a little adjustment.

As instructional coaches access and use the different parts of the course, we will send out a Google form to get feedback on what was successful and what can be removed. They can also tell us what kinds of supports they would like to see going forward. Our instructional coaches are great about giving feedback and giving ideas for next steps. This is one of the reasons this course was created. I can't wait to see what they ask for next!

When it comes to support, our district curriculum and instruction department already has many great supports in place for our instructional coaches and coordinators. Each year, we get formal training from a consultant around the Impact Cycle book. As a coordinator team, we also devote a part of our monthly instructional coach meeting to a certain part of the Impact Cycle based on feedback we are getting from them where they need more clarity. We utilize instructional coaches who are doing a great job to provide examples and training sometimes too.

Analyzing my Course Structure

The author of your textbook acknowledges the difficulty and complexity of choosing appropriate media and technology. To assist with this process, he has created and included the SECTIONS model as well as others. Discuss how you can use these models in planning your teaching and your students' learning.

Using the SECTIONS model will help me to look at every aspect of my courses before getting started so that students are most successful. When thinking about my course right now:

S- The students for my course will not need a ton of support. Instructional coaches are high achievers by nature and are good at learning. They will all have access through the technology provided by the district on district time and I made my LMS Google Sites since our district is Google driven. It should be the most friendly platform for them to use and be able to save and adjust any documents they need within the course.
E- My course is very straightforward and easy to navigate. The teaching materials should be relevant for the foreseeable future. As we get more training from the consultants who wrote the book, we will probably be able to add tools, articles, tips to keep the course updated.
C- The district buys the book for the instructional coaches and provides the Google account and technology. Having the class in an online platform is more feasible than in person, especially since the work they are doing is on their own campuses.
T- This section was all about the pedagogy behind the course and how it is presented with the audience in mind. I took a constructivist/connectivist approach. Instructional coaches will be applying their learning each week as they go through the course. Reading through the points in this one were very helpful. I feel as though I may need to make some of the videos I have uploaded shorter so as to keep the attention of my students.
I- When thinking about ways to include interaction within my course, I have created reflection/notes pages for each chapter they will read in the book to make the reading more interactive. I have also included a time each week to meet synchronously so that instructional coaches can interact with each other, they will also be able to interact with each other as they reflect on their work on each stage of the Impact Cycle. They will also be interacting with the teacher of their choice as they implement their learning each week.
O- I don't think there are any organizational issues.
N- There are opportunities that I can add for this. I'm glad this was brought up. I will add some networking opportunities for Twitter and Facebook.

How can you use Mayer's multimedia design principles in your current online course or in future planning?

The multimedia design principles tell us that we need to present information both visually and auditorily for our students to help students process the learning in more than one way where they combine what they see and what they hear to make connections that increase learning. I do have many videos that have closed captions, but I do think that in my lectures that are synchronous, I need to think about this more to ensure I am providing both learning opportunities for my students.

Consider the continuum of technology based learning in Chapter 9. Where does your course fit on this continuum?

My course is definitely blended. The learning is online asynchronously and on Zoom for a synchronous lecture and collaborative time each week. There is also learning each week that is flipped, but teachers will be applying their learning on their campus face to face with a teacher.

Considering all the information you have gathered so far in this course, identify two other courses in your school that you could redesign into online courses. What would you need to consider for this redesign?


One course that can be redesigned would be how instructional coaches learn about our data platform, Mastery Connect. Right now, there are professional learning videos on their data base, and our instructional coaches get training during online meetings. The teachers then have to hear everything second hand, when they are the individuals that really utilize this tool daily. If there could be a course that really walks them through each of the different tools they need and reports they could run, it would cut out the middleman and be in their hands whenever they need it. A course could really focus in on how our district is using each part of the product, so it wouldn’t be mixed messages with all of the webinars that are available right now.

Another course that could be redesigned would be a course for incoming virtual teachers for next year. We know that virtual instruction is not going away in our district. Now that we have a year of virtual instruction under our belt, we have some very underutilized resources, our virtual teachers. I would like to get a few of our master virtual teachers to create a course with videos of how they are doing things successfully. They have the experience and trial and error behind all of the amazing things they are doing online with our students. A Slideshow that was used last year to tell teachers what to expect is now irrelevant. This will also allow for our new teachers next year and any teachers who have struggled with different aspects of online learning to use this course as a tool to get better at just the parts they need.


Reference


Bates, A.W. (2015) Teaching in a Digital Age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning (Chapters 3-4). Retrieved from
https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/

Different Ideas that Impact Online Course Design

Tony Bates does an excellent job of describing various MOOCs. What do you see as the value of a MOOC as a learner or as a course developer?

I LOVE the idea of MOOCs. I recently started listening to podcasts. The ones I love are educational in nature about leadership and coaching. I can kind of see those as a type of MOOC. I think it's just a human thing to do. In the description in the book (Bates, 2015), talk about how people in remote places could learn from the best professors in the world if we can just get them the technology. We could change the lives and trajectories for so many people in rural areas of the world by giving them nothing more than the opportunity to learn as long as they have internet and a computer. I think another great point that was brought up in the book was that these lectures could also be used to just enhance the learning as another source for students and not be the sole form of learning.

Do you find the distinction between media and technology helpful? Explain.

I somewhat find the distinction between media and technology helpful. It's nice to know, but I don't think it will affect how I proceed with the construction of my course. I had never thought of the word media and how we use our senses to interpret it.

Will your course be synchronous, asynchronous, or a combination? Describe.

My course will a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous. Each module will have an asynchronous short lecture. It will also include reading, videos and assignments that will be asynchronous. Each week, we will meet synchronously to problem solve any issues they are having as they work with teachers through the Impact Cycle, and they will be put into breakout rooms with experiences coaches depending on what module they are working on. This will be a self- paced course with loose deadlines because it is for instructional coaches that are all at campuses. With the pandemic going on, there are things that are out of their control that could impact their ability to do the work. Also, sometimes it takes coaches a little longer to do their first Impact Cycle as they are figuring it out.

Describe the broadcast and/or communicative media you will use in your course.

Broadcast- Video webinars with coaching consultants, asynchronous video lecture, Google Slides to get information, Blogs, articles, book, simulation of coaching.

Communicative- Discussion, giving and getting feedback from peers after posting videos, breakout rooms in Zoom, Synchronous Zoom meetings.

After reading about media richness, will you be able to enhance the media you plan to use?

I have a variety of of rich and simple media. I will look for more ways to enhance the media I am using.

What Role do Lectures Play in Online Courses?

In an online course, lectures alone should not be the norm for a multitude of reasons. When we think about our audience of learners, we have to think about how they learn best, not how we would like to teach. Since I work at the elementary level, most classrooms have moved away from lectures even in face to face courses. Students need to be engaged in the learning as much as possible. So if there are lectures, they should be short and interactive in order for students to be able to pay attention for the amount of time and to be able to apply what they have learned. According to McKeachie and Svinicki (2006) as cited in Teaching in a Digital Age by Bates (2015), they believe that lecturing is best used for summarizing material found in a variety of sources, adapting materials based on the audience, as an introduction to new ideas, or to model expert thinking. Another point to bring up is that if students can access the learning themselves, they should be. Vital pieces of information are lost when transferred to a lecture, which could also contain bias. One of the benefits of being in an online course is also to be able to access the learning when it is convenient. I have enjoyed in our courses at Lamar how that we can watch the lecture around our own schedule since all of us work full time and most of us have families, it allows me to learn when it is the best environment at home for me to learn.
In regards to learning by apprenticeship, I think it is a great model and reminds me of my student teaching. Even though there are some downfalls, as mentioned by Bates (2015), overall it at least gives the learner a real context for all of their learning from theory. I don't know that this could be done well in an online environment at least in a trades field. My course does have the learners doing the work on their own campuses, but it doesn't require any machinery or any materials. I think that would be harder to replicate and really feel comfortable in their ability to do the work. It's like if a doctor got their degree without every actually being trained in person or going through clinicals and skills labs. I wouldn't trust that doctor to have the deep learning that the other doctors who studied in person would have.
The experiential learning in my course will be instructional coaches taking teachers through the Impact Cycle, which is a specific structure to grow teachers in something that they care about. It will be a self paced course set up in modules based on distinct parts of the cycle. The assignments will be to submit a video of them coaching or a video of reflection about that portion of the coaching cycle. They will then give and get feedback from their peers. The course will include a reflection portion for each module so that they can remember what they want to do differently in their next Impact Cycle so it gets better and better every time. These instructional coaches will also have mentor coaches to reach out to along the way with questions and to problem solve with, including me as a resource.

References:
Bates, A.W. (2015) Teaching in a Digital Age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning (Chapters 3-4). Retrieved from
https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/

McKeachie, W. and Svinicki, M. (2006) McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research and Theory for College and University Teachers Boston/New York: Houghton Mifflin

Creating an Online Course

My learners within my course will be new instructional coaches that have started this year for my district. My teaching style is really to be a facilitator to the learning that is happening. I am a big believer in the power of timely, specific feedback. I think that the person doing the talking/typing/reading/watching is the one doing the learning. There should be much more student talk than teacher talk as knowledge builds and connections are made. I have done many professional development sessions and partnering with teachers and instructional coaches through virtual instruction. I also filled in at the beginning of the year for just the first week as we hired a 2nd grade teacher. My experience with the content is extensive as I have read the book, been to at least 6 trainings from the instructional coaching group on this book, and I have taken several teachers through the Impact Cycle both face to face and virtually. I am very comfortable with the technology I will be using, as we are a Google district. I will be using Google Classroom since it will be the most accessible to the coaches.

When it comes to the four learning theories according to Bates (2015) and my online course, here is how I see them fitting in with my online course development.
Behaviorism- Information will be presented in an organized way to the audience of my course. Feedback given to the instructional coaches who will be taking my course, will really help them to know if they are on the right track and will help them to adjust how they are completing assignments. I do not, however, feel as though this course can be black and white, or have one right answer. These instructional coaches will be using this class to create and analyze teacher goals based on data provided.
Cognitivism- This theory will really go well with my course as it will really progress through lower level learning about the Impact Cycle for instructional coaches and into them applying what they have learned by watching someone go through the Impact Cycle and determine how to use the tools, then actually taking a teacher through one themselves where they will analyze data and evaluate the effectiveness of the coaching cycle success. I also feel that the aspect of learning how to learn goes well with online courses since there is not a teacher present at all times. The learner really has to be self-directed and know a lot about themselves as a learner in order to be most successful.
Connectivism- This one was tricky for me. Since my course will be for instructional coaches who are learning about the Impact Cycle, which is a type of coaching cycle where they partner with teachers with job-embedded professional learning through looking at data and student outcomes, I feel like this one does go with my course specifically. It does bring together coaches and teachers where that new knowledge that is acquired daily throughout the cycle really does determine what is learned and how it is learned, at the decision of the teacher. Connections will need to be made between the data, the content, and delivery in the strategy. There are many variables that are dependent on student knowledge levels, teacher delivery and consistency, coaching ability, and choosing the right strategy to implement change. This happens outside of the online component though. It will happen when they go apply the learning at the end of the course.
Constructivism- This theory will be embedded within my online course within the discussion board where instructional coaches will build their own knowledge off of each other's thinking as they analyze a coaching cycle together before they go off on their own. As they partner with a teacher to start their own Impact Cycle, they will also merge their thinking with that of the classroom teacher and it will build as they try out new strategies with students.

References:

Bates, A.W. (2015) Teaching in a Digital Age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning (Chapters 1 & 2). Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/

How I Will Continue Using my ePortfolio as a Digital Leader

I have many ideas that I would like to implement with my ePortfolio in my new position as an elementary math coordinator. One of them is to write blog posts and send them out via my Twitter feed. This will be a great way to promote learning about upcoming clusters of learning. I can use the timing to push out more conceptual understanding and progressions of math skills leading the skills about to be taught. 

Another way I plan to use my ePortfolio is as a means to promote best practice and give ideas to district teachers about engaging ways to teach number sense, problem solving, and mini lesson structures. 

I have already used it as a means to showcase myself as a leader in order to help me get my new position within my district. As teachers in my district try to progress and meet new professional goals, I will show them how to showcase the things they have done in order to achieve their goals and truly reflect to grow. 

I look forward to having this as a tool at my fingertips. I'm sure many more ideas will present themselves as I learn my new role entirely.

To find my learning throughout my ePortfolio I have linked the main points from the rubric here:

Learning Manifesto ( including issues related to digital learning) and Growth Mindset- 

https://sites.google.com/friscoisd.org/danifryeportfolio5302/learning-manifesto-and-growth-mindset

Professional Learning Communities- 

https://sites.google.com/friscoisd.org/danifryeportfolio5302/resources-for-learning

What Makes an ePortfolio Great?

 After looking through so many ePortfolios today and over the last several weeks, I noticed that there were many that caught my eye and really hooked me in from the first moment. Most of that was set up of the ePortfolio and how aesthetically pleasing it was to the eye. I also noticed that the ones that posted their blog on the first page were very good writers. You could hear their voice through their writing and the passion they felt for the topics they were writing about. If there was too much text though, it was easy to get lost in it and quickly lose interest. 

When I looked at the ePortfolio for Dr. Harapnuik's son, I definitely noticed first how professional the photography was compared to other pictures I had seen on other ePortfolios. They really drew me in, and you could tell that he is an expert in the field by the content that was presented and how it was presented. 

I follow some of the people presented on Twitter already, so I was excited to see their sites and see what else they have to offer. This was reaffirming of how powerful that Twitter can even be as an avenue to get an audience for an ePortfolio as well. 

I have redone mine several times to hold different information, different color schemes, different themes, etc. At first I felt it was very juvenile in appearance, and I just couldn't figure out how to adjust it to be what I was looking for. So after looking through some ePortfolios from some people in my district, who still use theirs within their professional life, I found a way to start to reach what I was looking for in my own site. It is still very much a work in progress, but I love the way it is coming along. 

My Reflections on CSLE + COVA

 As I was reading this weekend about CSLE and COVA (Harapnuik et al., 2018), I feel like these terms make it sound a lot easier than it really is, but also these should be the focus of every educator. CSLE stands for Creating a Significant Learning Environment and COVA stands for Choice, Ownership, and Voice through Authentic Learning. The reading this week focused a lot on taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture. We want students to be learners and not just the producers of a cookie cutter product. Sometimes we get so stuck in the day to day as educators, we forget that if we zoom out, our job is substantial and changes the lives and trajectories of the students we serve. If we can step back, and teach students how to learn, the possibilities for them are endless. If teachers can create learning opportunities where students can own their own learning and really figure out how to learn and create products that really demonstrate their knowledge, that is where the dynamics of a classroom change and become the most effective. Teachers need to be facilitators of student learning instead of directing it. I have loved seeing my district shift its focus over the years to really setting the stage for this kind of learning to happen within our district at all levels. 

Harapnuik, D., Thibodeaux, T., & Cummings, C. (2018). Cova- Choice, Ownership, and Voice through Authentic Learning. Creative Commons License.

Check Out This Great FREE Resource for Instructional Coaches!

 If you are an instructional coach, administrator, or in the position to coach others in any capacity, you need to read this magazine. It is so timely for how to navigate this time in a pandemic with overwhelmed teachers and how to partner with them through this time. 

https://www.flipsnack.com/R13Coach/r13-coach-november-2020.html

There are countless nuggets of information from Steve Barkley's blog post about how to turn a gripe into a goal, how to be a balanced coach, how to support overwhelmed teachers in this time, and how to build trust.

You won't be disappointed by the time you spend reading it. 

How do we get students to "own" the work?

This week in my Masters class, the question was, "Who Owns the ePortfolio?" We read articles about who really owns the creation or learning if it is assigned work. This stirred up so many thoughts and much reflection about my experience as a learner in my last two classes. At first when this ePortfolio was just an assignment for me, I wasn't very invested. I was checking off the boxes of what was required so that I could get the grade. After I got further into the creation of it, saw more examples of how others use theirs in their professional lives, and really reflected about how I want to present information to others, I got really invested in the process. Having an open ended project and being able to make this what I want it to be makes the learning experience a bit uncomfortable and freeing at the same time. All of our ePortfolios will match each of us as individuals instead of being a cookie cutter project that isn't as useful to us. I have already changed mine completely as my thinking has evolved over the last 10 weeks. I adjusted it to showcase my work and as a digital resume when I was applying for a new job recently. Now that I am working outside of that purpose, I am turning it into a place that will work for me as a tool in my new role.

This question is not JUST speaking to me for this class though. How do we get students to "own" their work? I talk to teachers all of the time about giving students voice, choice, engaging work in order for students to own their learning. How can they own their learning if the work assigned is not meaningful for them?? How can they get invested in a worksheet or cookie cutter assignment that doesn't showcase their strengths, creativity, and critical thinking? This goes for any learning experience. As educators, we need students to be able to figure out their strengths as early as possible so they can invest in deep learning in their own element. I know as busy educators, grades really inhibit this action a lot of the time. That discussion is for another time. 

As far as having students create their own ePortfolio early on, I don't know how much I agree with giving young students their own domain to see growth. When I think about students' minds not being developed, and having the ability to put their thoughts out there for the world to see, is just not a good idea. One way that my district is helping students to create an ePortfolio safely is through the app, Seesaw. They will turn in a variety of assignments throughout the year, then choose a certain number of their favorite activities that will be saved throughout their educational career. I don't know when the appropriate age is to set kids free to start creating their digital footprint on the internet. I would hate for something that is posted early on to affect a person negatively later when they may not be mature enough to understand the impact of their words.

Why Use an ePortfolio

I think that ePortfolios are a wonderful way to showcase yourself as an individual. I love what Dr. Harapnuik shared about his sons both having an ePortfolio, but using them in their own unique ways. He further explains how for one of his sons, it showcases him in his profession as a well rounded individual which helps him to get sponsors. His other son uses his to showcase his design ability, in turn helping him to get more opportunities and more clients (Harapnuik & Thibodeaux, 2020). When I finished up my teaching degree, I wanted a way to make myself stand out and really showcase my strengths. When you go in for an interview, you can't really control a lot of what happens. The questions they ask might not showcase your strengths and experiences as well as you would like. When you have an ePortfolio, you have control over what your future employers see and learn about you as a person and learner. You can even personalize your strengths toward the role you are trying to get. At that point, 10 years ago, I just added a QR code onto my resume, and handed my resume to the interviewer. It contained my resume, my educational philosophy, and all of my letters of recommendation from professors, mentors, colleagues, etc. I have since used a form of ePortfolio every time I have tried to get a new job since then. Every time, someone has made a comment about how it helped me to stand out among my peers, helping me to get the job.




I think another huge reason to have an ePortfolio is the reflection process it makes you go through as a learner. You really have to think about what qualities you want to continue developing and how you would showcase that. When I was reading the 41 Benefits of an ePortfolio (2010), it described the benefits from three different perspectives: the student, the educator, and the employer. It broke down the benefits for each of those roles in the process and the product. My biggest takeaway from this article was the reflection piece and being able to look back on how far you have grown and to also look forward toward goals you want to achieve and what that can look like. Going through the process of creating an ePortfolio is the embodiment of being a learner and the documentation that goes with the growth that happens. It makes learning visible and more intentional.


References:


(2020). LMD EP30 ePortfolio Why. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx304CW-gKU&feature=youtu.be.



Barnstable, K. (2010, September 30). 41 Benefits of an ePortfolio. Stable Transitions. https://kbarnstable.wordpress.com/2010/01/08/41-benefits-of-an-eportfolio/.

11/19/2020 Getting Started

Review and discuss the following articles and related links:

• Getting Started Tips
• The minimalist fundamentals of eportfolios
• What is an eportfolio
• Making Meaningful Connections in An Eportfolio (this is a linked post in the What is an eportfolio link above--it is a good idea to follow the links in the pages that we ask you to review)

After reading these articles, I realize how much more I need to add to my ePortfolio. After reading them and what options ePortfolios should have, it really had me thinking about what I really want to be showcased. I just became a math coordinator, so this could be a very cool place to blog about my reading or new resources that I look into as a place to share my learning. We also spend a lot of time coaching in my role, so this could also be something that can be housed here. I also loved the suggestion of adding a page of books you love or recommend to others. That does really show what you believe as an educator as well.


In the last article, where it talked about students starting an ePortfolio their freshman year as a showcase to colleges of how they grew during high school is a genius idea. I will definitely be having my own personal kids do this. All kids should be taught the importance of this and how this is the kind of digital footprint you should want to have. I have always had somewhat of a digital portfolio when I have applied for jobs, and it is something that has definitely set me apart from others that I was interviewing against. I love how the articles kept going back to it being a showcase of how you learned how to learn, a place to kind of document your growth. It takes a bit of vulnerability to really put together something like this with everything you care about, believe, and produce for anyone to see.


I added some empty pages to my ePortfolio this week in response to these articles. They may be empty now, but I am very excited about the direction it is taking me.

How Growth Mindset, the COVA model, and Failing Forward Strategies Impact Learning

This program has been a huge eye opener into why growth mindset is so important. In trying new programs, platforms, and applying new learning about leadership, it can be a little intimidating to publish it out on the web within our portfolio without being fully confident in our abilities yet. I have learned from Daniel Pink (2012) that providing autonomy, mastery, and purpose to people to inspire and motivate them is a necessity as a leader. I have felt that I have gone above and beyond what I would have done if I had been only accomplishing what is on a rubric. This course has taught me that while rubrics do provide guidance and a framework for what is expected, sometimes that can put creativity to a halt and cause people to only do what they are asked and not think outside the box. I also learned this week about how important it is to start with the why, then the how, then the what (Sinek, 2011). I think sometimes I have gotten stuck with the lack of time we have as educators and been guilty of asking teachers to do things without fully establishing the why. I think that may be why that I have gotten some pushback as our campus has been implementing new things. As an instructional coach, I can see things from a bigger perspective so the why comes more naturally to me. When teachers are within the day to day of their own grade level, they may not be able to see the why as clearly. I also need to always be sure I am being an active listener so that I understand the obstacles that they can see more clearly.
As I continue to create my ePortfolio, I love that we are given the autonomy to really implement the COVA model. It is ours, so we get to make it exactly how it represents each of us the best. I have actually already made a copy of my ePortfolio and added in my resume and all of the professional learning that I have created at the district level and campus level. That one I used as I was applying for a position in my district. I didn't want all of that information to be public, which is why I made a copy and used it in a different way. It was very beneficial in showcasing my work and what I have been doing recently to help me get this position. When my colleagues gave just a piece of paper, having an ePortfolio and my Twitter account to speak for what I have done and believe, it helped me to stand out and to have support behind all that I expressed in my interview as my assets that I would bring to the position.
The most valuable thing I have learned in this class so far is that I have to build my portfolio in a way that showcases me. It doesn't need to be like anyone else's and it can change as I change. It doesn't have to ever stay the same. As I learn and grow, my ePortfolio should show that as well. It is completely ok to fail while creating this space for myself. That provides more opportunity for learning and growing throughout my Masters' program.

(2012). Daniel Pink: "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFlvor6ZHdY.

Sinek, S. (2011). How great leaders inspire action. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en.

Why Professional Learning Networks are a Must Have

As an educator, it is so important to be able to get out of your own classroom and educational bubble to collaborate with others for the benefit of your students. One of the most impactful learning experiences the teachers at my campus talk about is the ability to go on learning walks. In this time of COVID-19, learning walks have taken a back seat to safety. We can't just halt our learning, especially when we need to learn more than ever to teach in ways we have never imagined would occur. So when we can't take learning walks physically, we need to broaden our horizons digitally. Some of the best connections I have made are through Twitter. 

I have been a member of Twitter as an educator since 2014. It has been an amazing place to collaborate across the world and to find out the newest research and trends in education. It's amazing what teachers come up with and share. I am an instructional coach and my teachers are not really on Twitter, so it helps me to be eyes for them and to share new ideas that will make their job easier. Twitter has by far been where I have learned the most about my craft as an educator. Also from Twitter, I have learned about other entities that offer professional development such as Build Math Minds, Make Math Moments, and NCTM that has had the 100 hours of virtual PD this year. These events have definitely impacted me as a math educator. Some of the individual contributors I follow are Berkeley Everett, Graham Fletcher, Robert Kaplinsky, and any math teacher within our district. One of the major benefits from following teachers within our district is that we are all on the same scope and sequence. So if I see a great idea that someone else is implementing in their classroom, I can forward it to my teachers. Then my teachers also have someone at another campus to collaborate with off of social media as well. 

For the ELAR realm, we use the Units of Study curriculum. There are so many Facebook pages that are filled with teachers from all over the world that share the amazing resources they have made to support reading and writing instruction. When there are great ideas shared, I email them on to my teachers or tag them on that post within Facebook. On Twitter to support ELAR teachers, again I follow every teacher I can find from my district so that I can make connections for my teachers if a teacher has a great idea or has solved an issue we are having on our campus. It creates a bond between teachers and our district motto this year is that we are #StrongerTogether. It is definitely a true statement. 

On a personal note, I love to learn in general. Twitter is my main way to consume new learning. I am consuming all things education, virtual teaching, student engagement, technology, coaching, research... The list goes on and on. I contribute ideas that I create, great ideas my teachers have, research I find to be interesting, opportunities for professional learning, innovative ideas from other districts, hacks, anything I think the teachers in my district might use or challenge them. It has created the ability to collaborate across the world and opens up so many possibilities and perspectives I never could have been exposed to on my own. 

The digital footprint you create can benefit your learning, your teaching, your career, and other educators that get to learn from you. Don't let the opportunity to expand your horizons and disrupt "what you have always done." Make connections and keep getting better. It's all for the kids we serve and the future generations.

My Twitter handle is @danifryIC 

Here are some that I follow outside of Twitter. I could list a hundred more. :)

https://www.nctm.org/

https://buildmathminds.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/975388825890055/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1391607630957125/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/445786889466638/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/387698441673646/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/404130629988558/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HackingSchoolDiscipline/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/245931442563744/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HyperDocs/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ReadingStrategiesBook/

Learning Manifesto

When I think about the learning process and learning experiences for students, the main components that come to mind are being student centered and being the kind of education that I want for my own children. I want children to be ready for the future and to be successful at the criteria that will be sought after for future careers. Students should learn how to embrace challenges, collaborate with others, be innovative, respond with empathy, and know how to contribute positively to society. When I think about learning experiences for students in today's classrooms, they should be filled with deep discussions, real world contexts, and open ended projects that force kids to think outside the box. Technology should be used as a tool to transform the learning by providing personalized learning experiences and making outcomes more student driven, giving the teacher the opportunity to be more of a facilitator and coach. Teachers should be incorporating voice, choice, and goal setting to increase student engagement and ownership. When looking at this video, it reminds me that learning targets cannot be in isolation as a means to say that we "taught something." Students have to be able to envision solutions to problems that haven't even happened yet, and they have to be comfortable with productive struggle when presented with problems. For example, in this video (Kaplinsky, 2013), the student struggles to answer this math problem when presented in a real world context, but then solves with just quantities. Even his explanation doesn't REALLY prove he knows why he got the correct answer. We have to do better than this to set our students up for success in the long term.

I believe that it shouldn't matter what classroom in a grade level a student is in because every classroom should encompass learning at high levels. We shouldn't have certain teachers who go above and beyond with high leverage, engaging activities on technology platforms, and others who only use worksheets. All students have the right to a viable curriculum and a rigorous education to prepare them for the future. This is why I wholeheartedly believe in collaboration and teachers working together so that they are a team learning from one another and creating an environment where the students as a grade level all benefit from every learning experience regardless of who the teacher is. I also believe that all students should have access to the curriculum. One of the issues that was really brought to light this year was the amount of inequity when it comes to technology, access, and home environments as we embarked on virtual learning from home. Impairments, socioeconomic status, race, access to technology, access to internet, access to a support system at home, etc, shouldn't determine whether students should learn at high levels. We need to provide scaffolds and remove barriers so that they can also access their education to the fullest extent. I am lucky to work in a district that worked tirelessly to address these inequities, but there is still much work to be done. Take a look at this graphic that beautifully shows how equity and equality are different. It even takes it a step further to show that when inequity is addressed and barriers are removed, everyone benefits.

Another issue in public education right now is teachers not having enough time. It takes so much longer for teachers to create meaningful, authentic learning experiences for kids than to just pull out the worksheets they used for the last several years. Even though students are so much different than they were 20 years ago, there is little that has changed about how many teachers approach instruction. One of the fundamental issues is that teachers' contract time ends at 3:20 in my district. A lot of teachers do stay past that time to work, essentially without pay for it. So if teachers do leave at 3:20, it is almost impossible to be prepared with highly engaging and authentic learning experiences for students. Teachers do get a planning time during the day, but a lot of time is taken up by parent conferences, team meetings, preparation, and 504 or ARD meetings. One way this could be fixed, is to extend teacher contract time and pay them for it. I know teacher funding is one of the biggest issues as well, but there is a ton of funding that goes into state testing each year. I wonder if when we switch over state testing to online, how much money is left that can go to teachers? Teachers are some of the lowest paid experts in the professional world. If we want teachers to have time to learn, research, implement best practices for students, and truly do transformational teaching within our field, they need to be treated like professionals and be given the means to carry out their learning. We also have to provide teachers with the means to support students with the amount of technology in their classrooms. We can't ask educators to provide all of these experiences if they don't have the equipment and training to be highly successful.

There are also so many things going right in education. In my district, we are encouraged to be innovative, and our district really practices what we know as best practice according to research. All of our schools are in a roll out process to be one to one with technology, so that teachers and students can more easily be risk takers in the classroom. Schools are also getting furniture refreshes, so that our classrooms can be more flexible and give each student the learning environment they need to be most successful. Our district relies on research and what is best for students at every decision making level and provides campuses with whatever support they need to reach campus goals. 

Within digital learning and leading, I find myself wanting to continue to break down the old methods of professional learning. Teachers should be learning in ways that we know are best for learners in general. There should be no more "sit and get" professional learning experiences. Teachers should no longer have to sit through learning that they already have mastered. We need to practice what we preach and let teachers feel the difference in excitement and ownership that goes along with authentic learning experiences. If we are expecting teachers to transform their classrooms through use of technology, we have to help them experience these learning platforms as learners themselves and train them how to use them. I have been creating professional learning for my campus and district for over a year now, and we are always trying to reinvent the way we offer it. Here are some examples of what I have collaborated on so far.

Feedback for the Future Ready Classroom

Personalized Learning Experience

Please look for more examples on the Portfolio page of my website. 

If we can make some simple, but dynamic and disruptive changes to the way "we have always done things" in education, we can make the world a better place with producing the most disruptive and critical thinkers the world has ever seen. The key to this is growth mindset in educators and being willing to sit in the uncomfortable to experience growth. 

References

(2013). Student 14 Both. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XujdqrPcaQ.

Equality vs Equity. Diffen. https://www.diffen.com/difference/Equality-vs-Equity.

Growth Mindset Plan

Hello,

My name is Dani Fry, and I am an instructional coach in Frisco ISD, which is in north Texas. Much of my job is to grow people and work alongside them to use high impact strategies to raise student achievement. I am usually working with teachers on something that is out of their comfort zone, especially when it comes to trying out something new and getting feedback. A lot of my job pushes people outside their comfort zone and into the learning zone, which requires having a growth mindset. 

Yet... who knew such a small word, could change the meaning of a phrase so much? It can change "I don't understand." to "I don't understand yet." The power of yet within growth mindset is so important because it allows people of all ages to believe that they can still learn new things. There is such freedom in that, which allows for an abundance of grace between people because mistakes are just part of the learning process. So much more innovation will happen, more risks will be taken, and people will live fuller lives if they view everything as a learning experience. When adults and children have a fixed mindset, there are so many dangers that appear. The victims of a fixed mindset avoid new challenges, rarely excel at things because they believe they were born with a certain amount of talent that doesn't change, and they are likely to give up after a few mistakes or trials when new tasks are presented (Jeffrey, n.d.). We see from the video, Famous Failures (2012), there are many examples that have become some of the most well known and talented individuals in their craft, not because they were born that way, but because of their growth mindset and desire to achieve and put in the work to get better and better. 

At my school and within education in general, there are many people who do not encompass a growth mindset. We teach students to have one, yet some teachers do not model it themselves. Now, I do attribute a lot of this to our current reality this year of COVID-19, and I do believe everyone is embracing change at differing levels, with some being at their max level of stress. As a first step to having teachers realize their current reality of mindset, I have created the attached professional learning that I plan to push out to my staff next month. In A Complete Guide to Changing Your Fixed Mindset into a Growth Mindset by Scott Jeffrey (n.d.), Dweck references the four steps to change your mindset from fixed to growth. The first thing you have to do is be self aware of what mindset you are having and be able to hear that fixed mindset voice. In order to start my teachers off in the professional learning, I have them taking an assessment, so that they will be mindful of what mindset they are starting out with as a baseline. The next step that she suggests to change your fixed mindset is to realize that you have a choice. Throughout the professional learning I have developed, it really informs teachers of the way they can change the words that they think and say and that there is a science behind how the brain works to learn new things. This essentially busts the myth that people have a set amount of intelligence when they are born. Dweck next says the step is to talk back to your fixed mindset voice with a growth mindset voice. To address that step, I have teachers doing a sort so that they have statements they can say instead of the fixed mindset statements. Next I teach them about the learning pit and how to react when they experience failure instead of quitting and giving into that fixed mindset mentality. In the fourth and final step, Carol Dweck talks about how they need to take the growth mindset action. For this step, I have teachers creating a goal for themselves after watching a video on famous people who have experienced failure, but used their growth mindset to rise to the top. 

The message of "YET" is the most important part to impart, especially to children. In order to impart that though, we have to truly believe it and model it. I think this learning experience that teachers will go through thatt I have created, will give them the reminder of what growth mindset is all about. It is not just a fad that came into play a few years ago. It is a scientifically proven way of thinking that makes our lives better in all aspects. Instead of children focusing on the negativity around them or their failures, it is so important for them to speak the word yet as they experience hardships in learning and other aspects of their lives. Reminding teachers of Dweck's philosophies with her video, The Power of Yet (2014), will help with the implementation in our building that I am hoping will trickle down to students. 

The videos and content that I am using are embedded within this Genial.ly. We actually decided that we will send it out as a personalized learning experience for teachers to gain one of their hours of GT credit this year. They will turn in their reflection in order to receive professional development credit. As I was reading for this project about growth mindset, I realized that I may have some areas of my life where I tend to have a more fixed mindset right now. Going forward, I will be sure to listen out for the fixed mindset voice, and I will use the tools I have found for my teachers in order to reframe my thinking and take action toward a growth mindset, especially when learning new technology and modes of delivery. 

References

Cullins, A. (13AD). The Ultimate Guide to Praising Your Kids. Big Life Journal. https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/praise.

Dweck, C. S. (2008). Mindset: the new psychology of success. New York: Ballentine Books.

Farmer Kris, D. (2015, June 10). Preschoolers and Praise: What Kinds of Messages Help Kids Grow? KQED. https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/40369/preschoolers-and-praise-messages-that-can-help-kids-grow.

Jeffrey, S. (2020, June 23). Change Your Fixed Mindset into a Growth Mindset . CEO Sage. https://scottjeffrey.com/change-your-fixed-mindset/.

Khan Academy. (2014). Growing Your Mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtKJrB5rOKs&feature=youtu.be.

Motivating Success. (2012). Famous Failures. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLYECIjmnQs&feature=youtu.be.

Sesame Street. (2014). Sesame Street: Janelle Monae - Power of Yet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLeUvZvuvAs&feature=youtu.be.

Take the Mindset Assessment to Learn More about Your Mindset. What's My Mindset? (2015). https://blog.mindsetworks.com/what-is-my-mindset.

TEDx Talks. (2014). The Power of Yet. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-swZaKN2Ic&feature=youtu.be.