After the last face-to-face, I left with more ideas for my main project than before. It is really powerful (and no I am not trying to be corny here) to be surrounded by like-minded people who have so many great ideas that you can see how they could all enhance your own personal project and you try to find a way to do so.
- having video games to enhance learning (Mike Farley)
- Digital lockbox to encourage engagement and collaboration (Brent Hurley, Leslie McBeth)
- Classroom discussions via Parlay
Just to name a few! So many ideas to enhance my unit where students will (hopefully) be engaged in a truly personalised learning experience.
But here we are several weeks after the face-to-face and I haven’t posted anything, haven’t shared my next steps. I am wondering have I created a 
monster? Bitten off more than I can chew? Yes and no.
Having read Seth Godin’s latest blog, I have realised that I have done exactly what he says many are prone to do: “there’s a queue of urgent things, all justifiable, all requiring you and you alone to handle them. And so you do, pushing off the important in favor of the urgent.” For me, I think I realised that this project was getting so big and becoming so daunting that I allowed the urgent everyday things to occupy my time and have me drift away from my goal.
So the solution? Downsize a little (from the list above, I decided to just add the digital lockbox idea to the unit as a formative assessment task), ask for assistance/advice and take it one step at a time.
I look forward to sharing the outline of my final unit plan with the various activities, both digital and non-digital that will allow students to determine their own path to learning (and hopefully some student feedback before the next face-to-face).
One last thought – once I have created my digital lockbox, any takers out there to ‘test-drive’ it to help work out any kinks? Thanks!
Yes, Seth Godin often provides an excellent lens that gives clarity to our situations. One of my favorites is to delineate between what is “urgent” and what is “important”. Check this one out:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2016/01/deconstructing-urgent-vs-important.html
I think that this has really helped me understand what to do first – take care of the important things – the foundational pieces, for example – in order to reduce the frequency of ‘urgency’.
I’d be happy to test your lock box for you too!
garth.
@lmiller So glad you were able to narrow down your project and land where you did. No less ambition but now really focused and connected directly to the unit you are about to start. I am really excited to see how it turns out. Having watched you struggle and work so hard over the last few weeks no matter how it goes you have learned SO much. #docappenderguru 🙂
Hi Garth & Justin!
Thank you for your comments.
Garth – that blog was fantastic! Seth certainly has a way of getting us to think about where we should put our focus – think long term! This is one I would like to read over and over again when I feel that I am straying from what is important in teaching. Thanks!
As for the digital lockbox, it probably won’t happen until after the 21st, but I would love for you to give it a go!
Justin – thanks for you words of encouragement and your guidance (along with Tim). I have to confess I cannot believe how much I have learned about google form over the last few weeks. I am hoping that the students are enjoying learning in this different way. They have been great so far about letting me know about any glitches.
If you were able to dedicate 3 uninterrupted hours and a whole second person to work with you, do you think you could make the Digital Lockbox a reality? If so, send me 3 times when you have 3 hours and let’s DO IT! (I’m free next Sunday afternoon!)
Hello Adam,
My apologies for the delay. I would love to take you up on your offer! Unfortunately this Sunday doesn’t work (prepping for a test), but how about:
Saturday April 29 – anytime
Saturday May 6 or Sunday May 7th – anytime
This would also give me time to do some reading/listening and sorting out what I am hoping this will look like that I could share with you before the creating session :).
Thanks so much for the offer!