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The Flight Plan

          The Flight Plan is a page where you can find quick access to my itinerary of my DLL journey.  I can't believe that I enrolled in my first course in July of 2018 and I'm wrapping up my last class this week (December 2019)!  I've mapped out my itinerary visually via thinglink (start with the play button and finish at the star to follow my path chronologically) as well as a linear, written path of my adventure (found below my thinglink).  This page is a collection of my thoughts, ideas and projects for each class.  However, to really gain the context for how all the stops fit together in the itinerary, check out my blog posts and the menu buttons.  Happy reading and I'm so excited to see what the future has in store!

EDLD 5302 - Learning Mindset  (July 2018 - August 2018)

 

          Nearly 20 years after my undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma, I jumped into a masters program with both feet!  In 1999, I did start a graduate program, but never really got around to finishing it...yet (Dweck, 2006).  This first course was the launch point of my DLL adventure, where I was able to share my thoughts, ideas, and voice in a class meant to help me share my learning in a real, authentic, and meaningful way.  By the end of the course, I truly felt that I was growing as a learner and expanding my professional learning network.  Ultimately, I wanted to be able to use the concepts I was learning to inspire others to try, fail, improve, stretch, be uncomfortable, and grow.  

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EDLD 5303 - ePortfolio (August 2018 - September 2018)

 

          During this course, we had time to tinker, test, and work with various platforms which pushed me outside of my comfort zone by having me share my work with the world.  In fact, I probably have about 5 different e-portfolios started on various platforms while I was doing, experimenting, and learning how they worked and what I liked and disliked about each.  When I finally landed on a platform and really started to customize it, organize it, and change it up as needed, I also become more transparent about sharing it.  I also started blogging, something I had never really done before.

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EDLD 5305 - Authentic Innovation Plan (October 2018 - November 2018)​

 

​          Helping future teachers discover the world of blended learning (Horn & Staker, 2015) by tearing down the confines of their classrooms can turn the educational experience of students into something magical.  Blended learning positively impacts student engagement while the increasing availability of various technologies is constantly evolving and improving.  Preparing future teachers to leverage available technology in seamless, meaningful ways is not something that happens accidentally or by chance. This preparation happens through intentional exposure, modeling, and training of blended learning systems and strategies that future teachers will be able to set in motion in their own classrooms.  

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EDLD 5313 - Learning Environments (November 2018-December 2018)

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​          When I started this class, I didn't quite know what to expect.  The name of the course is Creating Significant Learning Environments, so I almost wondered if we were going to be learning about physical classroom spaces.  Quickly I realized that we weren't talking about physical spaces, but instead we were talking about creating a meaningful and relevant culture of learning.  In The New Culture of Learning (2011) by Thomas and Brown, there's a focus on shifting from an old educational culture focused primarily on teaching to a new educational culture focused specifically on learning.  My DLL journey has been an adventure in embracing the growth mindset, a reminder that learners thrive when learning experiences are authentic and relevant, and acknowledging that as we engage in meaningful activities, revising and editing the prior ones is a natural step in the learning process. 

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EDLD 5304 - Organizational Change​ (January 2019-February 2019)

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​          Understanding your why in anything that you do changes the way you speak and engage others as you talk about your ideas.  I have a passion for blended learning because every learner deserves the opportunity to embrace the learning process as uniquely personal, motivated by interest, driven by choice, existing on a global stage, and relevant to their lives.   If the head won’t go where the heart hasn’t been, I have to be able to start with the heart (a Crucial Conversations skill) (Patterson, 2012) and understand my why.  My why then becomes the force needed to establish all the sources of influence into a winnable game.

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  • Why?  It's my kids' favorite question (Blog post) - Every learner deserves the opportunity to embrace the learning process as uniquely personal, motivated by interest, driven by choice, existing on a global stage and relevant to their lives.

  • Influential Spark (Blog post) - Getting my innovation plan up and running will involve more people than myself.  How do I influence others innovate alongside each other?

  • #Winning (Blog Post) - Once we understand our why and consider specific sources of influence, we can put all the pieces together to design a winnable game!

  • Crucial Conversations (Blog Post) - Being able to engage in conversations when the stakes are high, there are strong emotions and differing opinions is crucial to every relationship.

  • Presents! (Blog Post) - It's time to wrap up the course and tie together all the pieces into an understanding of all the components that are needed to help lead organizational change.  

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EDLD 5389- Developing Effective Professional Learning (March 2019 - April 2019)

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​          If we are truly going to prepare the students of today for their rapidly changing technological futures, we have to be diligent in our efforts to make sure technology is woven seamlessly into our learning environments.  Exposure to tech tools should not be isolated to a single class period or activity.  It should also not be limited to something teachers use exclusively with students, but not with other teachers, or for their own learning.  Instead of professional development, let's consider a shift to professional learning.  Professional learning must be designed to provide engaging, active, just right, just in time, personalized learning with layers of support and a timeline that allows for practice and growth.

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  • Call to Action - Let's transition from "sit and get" professional development to "go and show" professional learning.

  • Outline - How is the professional learning plan going to happen?  Not only is the planned map out, but resources are included (nearly) every step of the way.

  • Blended PL Kickoff - Once the plan is mapped and folks are willing to willing to jump on board, it's time to kick things off!

  • Professional Learning - Tying all the pieces together into one cohesive presentation of my professional learning ideas.

  • References - A comprehensive list of references that influenced my work as I developed my professional learning plan.

 

EDLD 5314 - EdTech Review (April 2019 - May 2019)

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​          Not so long ago, I presented an idea to my classmates and colleagues that I teach future educators (students in an education practicum course) about blended learning by using blended learning in hopes that they would design blended learning experiences for the classes they were assigned to.  I am both excited and nervous about moving my plan ahead, while taking into account global perspectives, twists, turns, bumps, roadblocks, and detours that have become evident during the process.  There’s plenty of work left to be done, but being aware of the direction of the work is a huge piece of the puzzle.

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EDLD 5315 - Measurement Strategy (June 2019 - July 2019)

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​          It is important to start with research to best launch my idea of using blended learning to teach blended learning.  Action research can be defined as a structured and systematic investigation designed by an education professional to gather and analyze information regarding their instructional environment and used to guide the development of action plans (Mertler, 2016).  The focus of this action research will be to investigate the impact of modeling and co-teaching blended learning on the use of blended learning by classroom teachers.

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  • Action Research Outline

  • Action Research Literature Review - Modeling Blended Learning to Increase the Use of Blended Learning

  • Action Research Plan - As I get closer and closer to truly kicking off my innovation plan, it is important to start with some research to best launch my idea of using blended learning to teach blended learning.  Check out the following action research plan!  

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EDLD 5318 - Online Course (July 2019 - August 2019)

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​          A well designed online course should not be made of stand-alone modules, but instead requires connections be made during the learning process.  Learners should build upon the knowledge and skills they acquire as they move through an online environment that is reflective and composed of real life scenarios.  Online learning provides students with opportunities for learning that might not otherwise exist.  When courses are available that allow learners to progress at their own pace, from the comfort of their own home, at non-traditional hours, and learn from industry and field experts that might not otherwise be obtainable, the landscape of education changes. 

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EDLD 5316 - Digital Citizen  (August 2019 - September 2019)

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​          Our digital trail never truly disappears.  Much like a tattoo, it is with us forever.  Students have the opportunity to steer that forever impact in a positive, ethical, and upstanding direction.  Modeling is incredibly important.  When a student sees an influential grown up in their life ranting, being mean, using sources without attribution, or inappropriately posting content, the message is clear.  That behavior becomes acceptable. However, that is never what we want students to learn.  In fact, we want just the opposite.  However, digital citizenship is  "more than not doing bad things.  It also involves how do you make a positive contribution? (Kuropatwa, 2015).”  

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EDLD 5317 - EdTech Publication (October 2019 - November 2019)

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​          This course allowed me to look at research by Dr. Kelly Clewell, who took a deep dive to gather what teachers had learned about blended learning design using an LMS.  While interviewing Dr. Clewell (2019) at my kitchen table, she said “witnessing teachers skillfully design personalized learning experiences through blended learning, inspired me to conduct the research, so I was proud their thoughts and voices are evident in the findings.”  The amazing work teachers are doing is truly because they are focused on personalizing learning experiences and feedback for students.  Dr. Clewell and I have a three part blog/article series planned and are anxiously awaiting submission feedback.

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  • Ed Shelf: Tech Tool Box - I've curated a collection of some of my favorite digital tools!

  • Media Pitch Video - I'm looking forward to submitting a co-authored blog series for publication.

  • EdTech Publication article - not available until I know if my submission has been accepted.

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EDLD 5320 - CSLE + COVA (November 2019 - December 2019)

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          My final course was a look back at my learning adventure, from a COVA + CSLE reflection to my innovation plan status and future.  So much in my life has changed both personally and professionally since I began this graduate program last July.  I believe the COVA concepts of choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning (Harapnuik, Thibodeaux, & Cummings, 2018) have helped shape some big decisions I have made in multiple areas of my life, not just my career path.  Because of the freedom and flexibility that we have been afforded, I have a dynamic e-portfolio that I can share with colleagues and teachers through something as simple as a link in my email signature.  With just a click, I can share the evolution of my ideas, my thoughts, my learning, and connections I make to the world around me.  I'm looking forward to continuing to work in my e-portfolio, even after my diploma is framed and hanging on my wall.

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References

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Dweck, Carol. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York, NY: Random House.

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Harapnuik, D. (2018).  DLL program map. Retrieved from http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=7018

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Harapnuik, D. K., Thibodeaux, T. N., & Cummings, C. D. (2018). Choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities. Retrieved from  http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=7291

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Horn, M. B. & Staker, H. (2015). Blended: Using disruptive innovation to improve schools. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

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Mertler, C. A. (2016). Action research: Improving schools and empowering educators (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

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Patterson, K. (2012). Crucial conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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The Brainwaves Video Anthology. (2015, Jul 16).  Darren Kuropatwa - Digital ethics and digital citizenship #BLC15. [Video File].  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbMsbxYvr4E

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Thomas, D. and Brown, J. S. (2011).  A new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change. Lexington, KY: CreateSpace.

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