The purpose of my innovation plan is to promote 21st-century skills through the use of iPads in the classroom. Using iPad creativity apps such as Keynote, Clips, iMovie, Numbers, Pages and others apps to transport students to a world of collaborative and project based learning. Additionally, part of my plan is to use coding as a tool to develop computational thinking, and expose students to careers and opportunities in the field of technology.
A Call to Action:
The best way to create a solid innovation plan is to learn from what others have done. This can give us a clear idea of what has worked, what could be done better, and guide us in how we will approach and deal with challenges that may arise. As I learn about what how others schools and school districts have implemented the use of iPads in their schools, there are ideas that resonate throughout. I hope those ideas are well portrayed in my call to action.
Literature Review:
Reflection:
What worked?
As I dove into the research, one thing was evident for the students, using an iPad was speaking their language. Most of the studies included student surveys in which their perspectives on using iPads were taken into account. The majority of students had a favorable view and felt that using iPads in their learning process was helpful to them in various ways. Most importantly, students felt that using iPads was beneficial in preparing them for college and their careers. It is important to consider the input of the ones we are serving, in this case, students. Students’ responses were similar when schools implemented coding in their curriculum; students were exposed to different opportunities and careers. Many students who were not thinking of technology-related careers had now discovered new opportunities for their futures. The goal is to help our students see all the possibilities and equip them to successfully pursue the path they choose.
What could have been done better?
There was a common challenge that I observed in the research I conducted. When implementing iPads, many times, they were only used as a substitution for paper and pencil. They were used to access textbooks, read articles, take quizzes, or write essays. If we want to achieve and promote 21st-century skills, we have to use iPads to communicate ideas, collaborate with others, solve problems, and create learning products. Our implementation has to be purposeful and used as a tool to redefine and augment learning. With that in mind came the next challenge; there was a lack of professional development directly applicable to the content. Teachers were introduced to different apps that could be used in the classroom, but there was no follow-up and no accountability.
How to apply lessons learned?
My greatest takeaway from the research I conducted is the importance of buy-in and commitment from all stakeholders. I am not referring to teachers and administrators only; I also refer to teachers, parents, and the community. The more that participants are involved and support the implementation plan, the more accountability you will have. Parents should feel confident that coding and iPad creativity apps will serve their children for a greater purpose than just entertainment. Students should feel responsible for sharing their learning with their peers and use these tools to demonstrate their learning. Teachers should feel supported and confident in knowing that using these tools in their classroom will help their students understand the content and develop 21st-century skills.
Update to Innovation Plan:
I am satisfied with my implementation plan so far in terms of my timeline and my professional development implementation. I would like to add and fit into my plan the role I want students, their parents, and the community to play. At the moment, students play a receiving role in learning and being active learners in the process. Parents don’t appear in my innovation plan. I think that parents should be aware and excited about the great learning opportunities their kids will have. My idea is to have school events where parents learn about coding and creativity apps along with their children. After my research was complete, I felt like parent involvement in schools was an area I still need to learn more about and explore. Lastly, I see community members participating in activities such as being guest speakers, sharing their experiences and ideas to bring real life exposure to the projects students are participating in.