The Original Plan

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          Where am I on my innovation plan?  As originally written and presented, I'd have to admit I am not very far along (see Innovation Plan Updates).  What started as a proposal to model and promote blended learning (Horn & Staker, 2015) in the Instructional Practices and Education Training courses in my district has morphed over the last year.  As I contemplated my BHAG several months ago, my goal was tweaked and rewritten as "IPET/PET learners will collaborate, design, and incorporate blended learning experiences for local elementary and/or middle school students."  As my coursework continued, even though my influencer strategy focused on the IPET teacher, their students, and the partner teachers, I realized my vision was shifting from these specific target groups to a much broader reach.  As I continued to make connections between my innovation plan, BHAG, 3 column table (Fink, 2003) and my Understanding by Design template (Wiggings & McTighe, 2005), my original plan took several detours.

Detour Factors

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          There were several factors that led to the shift in focus.  One of the easiest to identify, and probably the first anyone points fingers to, was physical access to the appropriate digital tools.  Across my district, there is an uneven distribution of hardware for various reasons (PTA purchases, grant dollars, principal purchases, etc.).  Additionally, as many of our existing devices age, they reach a point that operating systems are no longer able to be updated.  When applications require an operating system can't be upgraded, there's a hiccup.  Additionally, our campuses are remodeled/renovated/and refreshed on a rotating schedule.  There is no way to upgrade all 18 of our elementary schools as well as all our secondary campuses simultaneously without significant funding structures in place. 

          Our Instructional Technology team (in C & I) often explores a variety of non content specific tools and how they can be leveraged to allow students to collaborate and create, while our Technology Services team (hardware/infrastructure/systems/etc.) proceeds very cautiously, keeping many tools locked away.  We have to be able to strike a balance between these two teams as digital citizenship, cybersecurity, and student data privacy are very real concerns.  Of course we all want students to be safe everywhere, including in their digital world, but when the mindset is lock it all down because it's all dangerous and bad and scary, we are modeling that curiosity is unwelcome and no one should ever take a risk while trying to learn something new (see Growth Mindset - Part Deux).

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          Another factor in my shift in focus includes changes in leadership.  My boss was promoted to a different position in the district, leaving his position open for quite some time.  Even though he was in full support of my innovation plan, he was no longer in a position to help me make it happen.  So, I had to wait until our new director was hired and even then, account for the transition period as he gets to know all the projects and systems that are currently in motion.  He also was hired because he had some of his own ideas and initiatives to bring to the table.  Additionally, a new CTE director was brought on board and because the IPET program courses are listed as CTE courses, I had a new stakeholder to influence.

          The final big detour involved the IPET teacher who retired last spring.  We were connecting and laying  groundwork when she realized that the time was right for her to take a well deserved break from her career.  Although I wish her much happiness and rest, I knew that was a huge stalling point in my plan.  It wasn't until late August of this year that I learned who her replacement was and much to my delight, it was a teacher who I already knew that was returning to our district.  I am anxious to begin collaborating with her classes, but when school started, my team was without a director as mentioned above, and several projects were put on hold.   

Lessons Learned from  the  Field

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          This fall, our district was able to roll out 1:1 devices at four of our eighteen elementary campuses.  We learned a great deal about realistic timelines, identifying a lead point of contact, strategic planning, and incorporating suggestions on how it could run more smoothly.  By November, all four campuses had issued all of their devices to students and many of the promised software tools were in place.  Hopefully, rolling out any future devices will run faster and more efficiently due to genuine reflection and changes made based on the lessons of this fall.  

          As we learn from the roadblocks and take necessary detours, all is not lost.  I have realized that my why, how, and what statements were never focused solely on the IPET students, but rather all learners.  I have started working more closely with our campuses that have all their new devices.  Often what starts as a worksheet that can be disseminated through Google Classroom turns into teachers looking for other ways to use the devices.  This has allowed students opportunities they might not have had before, whether it's access to a virtual field trip, collaborating in real time with peers who aren't in the same physical space as themselves, to having more choice and ownership in how they demonstrate their understanding.  As teachers seek to learn more about the digital tools available to both themselves and their students, it is imperative that the professional learning they engage in is meaningful and active.  Pointing learners back to action and global research, as well as conducting research, are also keys to shifts in thinking.  

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