{"id":45,"date":"2016-01-18T19:56:05","date_gmt":"2016-01-18T19:56:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/?p=45"},"modified":"2016-01-20T01:48:28","modified_gmt":"2016-01-20T01:48:28","slug":"thoughts-on-my-action-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/2016\/01\/18\/thoughts-on-my-action-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Thoughts on my Action Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After November\u2019s inspiring F2F session, I was raring to go. I checked my TweetDeck several times daily, I was reading and saving articles to read later on Diigo, and I was planning my blog posts in my head on my drive to and from school. And then\u2026 snowboard season started with all of its paperwork and chasing down waivers, I moved an entire library collection to our new space, I had\u00a0my class do an evaluation\u00a0that I still haven\u2019t assessed and returned to them\u2026 And now it\u2019s the day after the deadline for our Action Plan post, and here I am. I did actually write the bulk of a post yesterday afternoon, but lost it in its entirety by using the quickdraft feature in WordPress. Note to others: don\u2019t do it! It was small consolation that <a class='bp-suggestions-mention' href='https:\/\/cohort21.com\/members\/adamcaplan\/' rel='nofollow'>@adamcaplan<\/a> had the same thing happen to him: <\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_59\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-59\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mrcaplan\/status\/688570365564436480\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-59\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-59 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/acaplantweet-200x200.jpg\" alt=\"acaplantweet\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/acaplantweet-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/acaplantweet-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/acaplantweet-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/acaplantweet-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/acaplantweet.jpg 833w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 960px) 75vw, 100vw\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-59\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>It hurts a little less when you know that the experience is shared by others.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So I apologize for the list-y nature of this post. I was far more reflective the first time through, but I\u2019m still mourning the loss of yesterday\u2019s post and I\u2019ve already missed the deadline. Instead, this is me putting out there on the web the design thinking process that I engaged in back in November, more to remind myself of it than anything else. I\u2019m including additional commentary in italics\u00a0to help readers further understanding my thinking.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Basically, the problem that I set out attempting to solve has to do with the Communications Technology course \u2013 \u00a0a brand new course for my school \u2013 that I am teaching for the first time. It\u2019s got a wide open curriculum and can be anything I want it to be. And while I love teaching it, it comes with some challenges\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Challenges: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Trying to teach two sections of a course simultaneously. My co-teacher isn\u2019t comfortable enough with the content to teach it, but both classes happen during the same period. Can\u2019t have all in one room as students need computers to work on. <\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We\u2019ve tried flip-flopping classes (one day with one section, one day with the other) but find it not flexible enough. Sometimes we need two or three days worth of instruction and practice before embarking on a project or task.<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We\u2019ve tried teaching via Google Hangouts \u2013 I\u2019ll screenshare and my co-teacher projects her screen onto the board. We found that it isn\u2019t very conducive to responding to students\u2019 questions and challenges while broadcasting to two rooms full of students. <\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We\u2019ve tried video lessons. I spent lots of time developing lessons with practice files for the students to follow along with, but found that students tended just to watch the videos straight through, rather than pausing and practicing with the files as was intended. <\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Teaching a new course with no set curriculum (content). It\u2019s becoming increasingly technical and I\u2019m finding it hard to stay far enough ahead of the students.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While I am quite comfortable with the content so far, I fear being \u201cnot enough\u201d. My school prides itself on hiring expert teachers, but there are times when I don\u2019t feel very expert at all, and as we get into more technical things, and especially when we begin video production, I fear that I will not have the skills (or the time!) to learn the content sufficiently to teach it.<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A desire to share amazing tools and strategies with colleagues through professional development but so limited by available time \/ differing comfort levels with technology \/ lack of support<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is obviously a different problem but I thought that the solution could have some overlap with my other challenges.<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Reframe & Rewrite: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">How might I develop an effective asynchronous model for TGJ3M (and professional development?) so that students and teachers can learn at their own pace\/level\/area of interest without being constrained by classroom walls \/ access to the teacher\/coach\/integrator?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Needs (mine):<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">time<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">technology \u2013 online learning system with personal support<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">new ideas \/ new way of thinking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">other experts to teach the things that I can\u2019t possibly master in advance of the kids or learn sufficiently to teach the really motivated students<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">an understanding of the range of interests to limit\/develop the scope of such a project<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cooperation\/buy-in from students to try something really different (and understand its value)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Needs (students):<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">clear expectations and instructions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a very clear structure<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">access to experts \/ support through the process<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201chow am I going to get marked?\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a way to avoid the \u201cwhat\u2019s the minimum I need to do in order to get a good mark?\u201d trend that tends to happen in open-ended assignments<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Crazy 8s (Ideate):<\/b><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_50\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-50\" style=\"width: 762px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Crazy8s.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-50\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-50 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Crazy8s-900x620.jpg\" alt=\"Crazy8s\" width=\"762\" height=\"525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Crazy8s-900x620.jpg 900w, https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Crazy8s-290x200.jpg 290w, https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Crazy8s-768x529.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Crazy8s-145x100.jpg 145w, https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Crazy8s.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 960px) 75vw, 100vw\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-50\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Crazy 8s: An uncomfortable but valuable process.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This\u00a0<\/span>process was super challenging and uncomfortable for me, but all of my sketches\/ideations eventually led me to realization that something resembling the Cohort 21 model of self-guided discovery might be the answer I seek. Using a combination of a live and digital\/online experience; developing a toolkit and leveraging it to find, organize, and share resources; harnessing the motivational power of badging; and leveraging teachers as coaches and facilitators rather than \u201cimparters of knowledge\u201d could be the million-dollar idea. I love the concept of students coming to class to work toward their own individual learning goals, and using this same design thinking process to come up with solutions to a real world problem.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><b>Action Plan \u2013 The Big Question: <\/b><\/p>\n<p><strong>How might we\u2026<i> reconsider the current instructional model in order to better\u00a0utilize\/leverage teacher strength and better tap into student interests?<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_57\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-57\" style=\"width: 762px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Stickies.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-57\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-57 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Stickies-900x327.jpg\" alt=\"A few of my favourite sticky note suggestions from fellow C21ers.\" width=\"762\" height=\"277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Stickies-900x327.jpg 900w, https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Stickies-300x109.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Stickies-768x279.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/files\/2016\/01\/Stickies-150x55.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 960px) 75vw, 100vw\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-57\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>A few of my favourite sticky note suggestions from fellow C21ers.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Throw out the model. Make up a new \u201csystem\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Partnering with teachers and creating cross-curricular approaches.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Eliminate grades (no, seriously)\u2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Content vs. skills?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Flip classroom: students make their own videos to teach each other.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Content often lends itself to delivery; take a close look at the curriculum wording.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Assessments that allow for students to always pick their own individual topics.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">#personalizedlearning @plearnchat<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sharing computers one day, split up next day, teach each other<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Great conversation about learning spaces on Derek Doucet\u2019s blog \u2013 check it out!<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Start with the physical space? Follow @EdTechTeam for some exciting ideas around innovation involving students.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Check out @techinLatina \u2013 very similar question\/idea<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Interdisciplinary units<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There were some great ideas, indeed, though some, I think, missed the mark slightly as I likely didn\u2019t communicate my challenges and my question as clearly as I\u2019d hoped. Perhaps reading through my entire thought process might inspire someone to add an additional question or suggestion to help me along the way? Please help!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After November\u2019s inspiring F2F session, I was raring to go. I checked my TweetDeck several times daily, I was reading and saving articles to read later on Diigo, and I was planning my blog posts in my head on my drive to and from school. And then\u2026 snowboard season started with all of its paperwork &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/2016\/01\/18\/thoughts-on-my-action-plan\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Thoughts on my Action Plan&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":127,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[8,7],"class_list":["post-45","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-action-plan","tag-action-plan","tag-design-thinking"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/127"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64,"href":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45\/revisions\/64"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/jenniferweening\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}