Tag: #IMMOOC2

Published March 30, 2017 by

Week 5 Highlights from #IMMOOC Season 2 Participants

This is a compilation of some highlights in our third week of Innovator’s Mindset MOOC Season 2. To join the conversation, check out IMMOOC.Org,  #IMMOOC on Twitter, or join us on Facebook.

Live Session 5 with George Couros, Katie Martin and special guests Beth Houf and Shelley Burgess, authors of the newly released book, Lead Like a Pirate.

 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=830vNqgejkk&w=560&h=315]

 

All four participants in Live Session 5 contributed so many meme worthy comments in creating and maintaining a culture of innovation.

How do we tackle barriers to innovation?

Beth and Shelley speak of the importance of  staff and students wanting to run into, not out, of schools with “culture first, culture next, culture always”. Shelley talks of the importance of all stakeholders needing to be empowered to become owners and protectors of the culture of a shared and clear-to-all vision for moving forward. “People will be less likely to tear down walls that they helped build”. Beth firmly believes in “you promote what you permit”. We need to model what we hope to see and celebrate every step along the way. Accountability partners may help us make the progress and take needed breaks for perfect balance along the way.  Katie offers the idea to “start with small steps without waiting for permission” and not waiting until the plan is perfectly planned before launching. George reminds us about the meaning of innovation in that we need to do something different (and better) if we want others to do the same. We then need to have “honest conversations at the most appropriate times” for the feedback needed to make improvements along the way. George stresses that we need to stop being so boring along the journey and make sure to liven things up and have some fun.

George refers to the story of the 5 Wet Monkeys in how we need leaders more than ever to fight the TTWWADI (That’s The Way We Always Do It) Monster; one of our barriers to innovation.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4vJ8l2NfIM&w=560&h=315]

Dave Burgess posted this popular Tweet on barriers to innovation:

Katie Martin Tweets that one way to avoid those barriers is to stop concentrating on them:

We have to reflect on other types of barriers that exist holding us back from innovative practices. This post by Rick Burkett was referenced by George to encourage self-reflection.

#IMMOOC Season 2 participants reacted with amazing reflections to Live Session 5.

Here is an awesome reflection from Grayson McKinney:

And this take away from Alex Lianne Carter:

And more take aways from Jessica Torres:

 

And this compilation of Twitter responses to Live Session 5 put together via Memories by Rebecca Lynn:

How might we measure the impact of innovative practices in education?  How do you know you are headed in the right direction?

In Live Session 5 Beth Houf said that the mindset can be measured. Do we have the mindset of innovation?  You can see the progress in her school through Twitter as their digital portfolio.

Shelley  believes that if there is a clear definition of innovation or goals then progress can be measured.

Katie believes that growth over time can be measured if there is impact of something that we value.

 

Yvette Rosario-Perez writes in her blog, “Evidence of innovative practices in education” on measuring innovation based on the goal of developing life-long learners:

Innovation = Life long learning

The ultimate purpose of  education is to instill a passion, a burning desire, and pursuit of ongoing knowledge.

Innovation can be measured by observing students’ level of commitment to the “voluntary, pursuit of knowledge.”  Do students leave school more curious than they entered? When you speak with students, connect with them, and build deep relationships with them you will be able to “see” the impact of innovation.

John Bennett defines, describes and defends how innovation can be measures in his blog, “Are education changes headed in the right directions?”:

What is our definition of innovative? In his book, “Innovator’s Mindset“, George Couros offers this definition of ‘innovative’: Something is innovative if its outcome(s) or result(s) are both new and better. Therefore changes to education will be innovative only if the student education is both different from previous practice and results in better learning.

What changes are we Considering? I cannot overstate how many great ideas and resulting changes have been introduced by MOOC participants; even a representative list is impossible. For this post, therefore, I will offer my personal list: (1) facilitating learning, not teaching; (2) keeping the approach student-controlled; (3) facilitating the development of four basic skills: Effective Learning, problem solving, communicating, and working in groups; (4) eliminating textbooks; (5) eliminating exams (in favor of project outcomes) ; and (6) eliminating grades in favor of course grades assigned by teachers with input from each student and their peers. It is my thesis that this list is collectively quite different from standard pedagogy. It will be appropriately Considered innovative if the student learning improves.

How can we assess if we’re headed in the right direction? Immediately, it should be apparent that there will be no testing (except for any mandated by government); there will be facilitating, not teaching with minimal if any lecturing; there will be no focus on information chosen as ‘correct’ and included in textbooks; there will be student choices of problems addressed (associated with teacher defining questions aligned with appropriate standards); and there will be no ‘right’ answers, there will be failures to learn from, and there will be development of useful answers. Facilitated properly, these changes cannot help improve education / learning with increased motivated student engagement:

What is one way that blogging has changed your practice or thinking?

Kristen Roe responds to this prompt on blogging in “Blogging…. Really? by saying we all have something to contribute.

In the grand scheme of things I think all educators have something of worth to say, that has value, and can bring new innovative ideas to the table. I want to learn from others. I want others to learn from me. It may be something small but it shouldn’t matter. It only takes one small pebble in the pond to make ripples. That one small pebble can have an affect on so many. I have made connections with educators from all over the world through this process. We come from different backgrounds , different types of schools but in the end we all have one thing in common…. Kids. We want to provide every opportunity we can to the children we interact with each day. In order to do that we have to start with ourselves and those we work with.  If we all throw our pebble in the pond just think of the ripple effects we will create!

Elizabeth Dixon Martin writes that blogging has helped her find her, “Blogging Voice”:

…the blogging requirement for this course has helped me develop a habit of writing, but more importantly, has helped me reconnect with my voice while reflecting on what we have done, what we do, and what we might hope to do here at South Central High School. I actually enjoy and look forward to this opportunity to think and write….

NOW, my next task is to work on developing an audience

Finding this to be the perfect place to put this Tweet by Laurie McIntosh on the importance of blogging or Tweeting:

George  writes in his blog about the importance for sharing “The Vulnerability of Learning” no matter which format we use. We need to share the process of learning, not just the product from learning. He extends the idea for sharing the process of our vulnerability of learning in this video reflection:

In the final thoughts we go back to Part 4 of  George Couros’s Innovator’s Mindset. We are reminded that “The biggest game changers in education are, and always will be the educators who embrace the innovator’s mindset”.  “We must be constantly focused on improving our practice, which means we will never be done innovating, growing, and learning.” It is what George referred to as, “relentless restlessness“.

We are better together and in the end the students are the winners,

Valerie

 

#IMMOOC2 Blog Prompts highlights Participant Posts

#IMMOOC #IMMOOC2 #InnovatorsMindset beth houf George Couros katie martin shelley burgess Valerie Zemaitis week 5 highlights

Week 4 Highlights from #IMMOOC Season 2 Participants
Published March 23, 2017 by

Week 4 Highlights from #IMMOOC Season 2 Participants

This is a compilation of some highlights in our third week of Innovator’s Mindset MOOC Season 2. To join the conversation, check out IMMOOC.Org,  #IMMOOC on Twitter, or join us on Facebook.

Live Session 4 with George Couros, Katie Martin and special guest, Jennifer Casa-Todd.

 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSzmdE_tnSM&w=560&h=315]

Jennifer Casa-Todd joined us in this week’s live session with her passion to “bring the students to the world in which they live”. If they are living in social media why are we not allowing them to go there in their learning experiences? We will find more on this topic when her book, Social Leadia, is published. Jennifer sends the message that we need to prepare our students with the skills to appropriately use social media. She adds that we need to empower them to be the “first responders” and take the lead in helping others recognize appropriate and positive uses. She calls this being taught digital leadership which extends beyond digital citizenship.

George has a blog on the topic of “Helping Students Develop Their Online Identity” where he explains the “3 Things Students Should Have Before They Leave High School”. In this blog he mentions Jason Shaffer and how his school in Coconut Creek, Florida has a required course starting in grade 9 called Personal Branding and Digital Communication. The message of this course is “Identify your passions, stick to your moral code, focus on your goals and tell your personal story through a variety of social platforms.”

Katie tells us the best way to begin taking kids to social media in school is in first having a conversation of what to you want kids to know, understand and be able to do. Then you find the best tools in technology to fit those needs to get the kids to those goals. She adds that we have to move from a culture of fear with what kids can do on social media and shift it to a culture of believing in the positive of how they can do amazing things. She reminds us of the importance of revisiting our  vision and ask ourselves how we are doing in making progress toward our goals and share what is and is not working to enhance success. Remember, our intent needs to have an impact.

George adds that it is important that all stakeholders are clear on the vision you have for the students so we are on the same route and not making it messy and confusing. Thank you George for adding that those that fear technology aren’t veteran teachers. It has nothing to do with age, but in the mindset one has. “It is how you think and do stuff.”

George challenges us to make their learning public so we can shift the conversations at home from, “What did you learn about today?” to “I saw what you learned today.”

Matt Arend Tweeted out this popular statement:

Here is Lalonnie King’s and Debbie Donsky’s sketch note summaries of Live Session 4:


IMMOOC participants also enjoyed Stephanie Filardo’s post which looks like the perfect meme to use again when this session comes to a close.

Examples of setting the foundation for innovation. Examples of strengths-based leadership to unleash talent and foster innovation.

In Chapter 8, George makes this statement: “What if we stopped operating on a deficit model that focuses on a learner’s weaknesses and started operating on a strengths-based model that builds on the learner’s strengths?” How can we utilize the strengths and expertise of the people in our very classrooms or buildings?

Amber McMath’s blog entitled “Strength-based Blah Blah Blah” will resonate with you as she says that we all know relationships are important, but we need to go beyond knowing someone’s favorite color. “We need to know them deeper in order to provide strength based learning experiences.” She leaves you reflecting on these “What If?” thoughts:

What if…

  • It wasn’t just another “strengths-based blah blah blah” workshop I had to go to about being warm and fuzzy but rather a philosophical paradigm shift that touched every part of our school culture?
  • Teachers purposefully met individually with struggling students to encourage them specifically on what they’d done well that day?
  • Students were not punished for being behind in reading by having an elective class taken away?
  • Principals personally asked every staff member in their building, “What is your dream job? Where do you see your career in a few years?”
  • Superintendents invited a teacher, student, or parent to shadow them all day and see the nitty gritty behind the big decisions that affect everyone?
  • Instead of solely focusing on all the parts of the school that need be fixed, we celebrated the parts that shined?
  • We didn’t just say, “My door’s always open!”? What if we meant it enough that we invited people in to tell them how amazing they are, how valued they are, how sincerely thankful we are for what they bring to the table?

Mena Hill made connections of strength based learning with herself and the Wizard of Oz in her blog, “Leading, Learning, and Growing – Oh, My!”

Not only do I want to challenge my own thinking, but also the thinking of colleagues and my students. If a person is successful in a certain area and wants to explore more, why not? Isn’t that the point of learning and growing?  “Bringing people’s strengths to life” challenges us all to engage in a conversation. Throughout The Wizard of Oz Dorothy asks questions of her friends to not only find out “what” makes them tick, but also “why” they want to grow. When the main characters discovered their true strengths, they are filled with confidence. So start with asking yourself what are your strengths and do your colleagues and students a favor, ask them too.

Kris Kampovitz reflects on the lesson learned of “less is more and focus” is necessary to foster innovation in her blog this week.

I, too have constantly sent emails with links to blogs, articles and research to my teachers.  Links that contain fantastic strategies, ideas, plans etc.. for content and concepts they’re teaching or things with which they’re struggling.  I incorrectly assumed that my own enthusiasm and passion for this information would be just as greedily consumed by everyone.  What I found out was just the opposite.  I had sent so many over the course of a few months that teachers either read only one or two, didn’t even open them, or deleted them all together!  Seriously?  Why?  It was because I, too, didn’t have a focus for the content I was sending. I had sent a hodgepodge of everything and anything I’d come across on Twitter, Youtube, or www.fillintheblank.  With everything teachers had going on, more emails from me certainly didn’t make it to the top of their priority list.  What I have learned, and what was hammered home by Chapter 10, was that teachers want and need these resources, but the resources need to apply to them specifically.

Here is a popular Tweet in our #IMMOOC chat this week from Kirsten Hund:

Gilles Thériault put together this Storify for us based on the @IMMOOC chat on what we can do less so we can dig deeper. (He made a Storify for all of our responses to this week’s #IMMOOC chat. Check it out on his Twitter page.)

Examples of Innovative elements in today’s Professional Learning.

George provided us with an opportunity for innovation when he challenged us to find a blog buddy when reflecting on this week’s reading over Part 3. How many of the elements of an innovative classroom did we use in this activity? How can we provide this opportunity for our students?

Jamie Wiitala’s blog entitled “Time for Reflection” confirms the need for a foundation of relationships in order to get others on board to move out of the “comfort bubble” and allowing time to reflect has accelerated the process. You will love her approach to getting others to change when she says, “You are fine where you are at, you just can’t stay there.”

As our teacher evaluation program continues to evolve, more and more teachers are becoming open to the idea of other teachers coming into observe and collaborate with them.  It makes me sad to see teachers that isolate themselves and have not experienced the amazing thing that is collaboration.  Having the time set aside in our observation cycles for dedicated reflection on their teaching is helping them see the benefits of talking to other professionals and growing together.  Once they realize that we are there as a support system and we are not doing anything evaluative they ease up and participate in the conversation.

She also adds the benefit of Tweeting out and reading for 5 minutes each day on a group # which she discovered on Twitter.

I started a school hashtag, #STMAshares, where my team of instructional coaches started tweeting the things we see in classrooms along with new resources and ideas we are researching.  I have taken time to find the best hashtag’s and the greatest minds to follow.  I try and post every day with things I see, read or try on my own.

 April Padalino refers back to strength-based learning in guiding professional learning in her blog, “Stretch Strengths”.

The same can be said when working with adults.  It is important to build on strengths and show people the way to growth. George Couros states in his book ” Focusing on individuals’ strengths that contribute to the vision of the school helps to move us from pockets of innovation to a culture where innovation flourishes.” I can see this happening in our district.  We have been offered opportunities three times this year to share what we are passionate about through a workshop model of professional development.  We are given the choice how to best spend our time on those days by presenting, attending, collaborating, reflecting, or a combination of these.  While working on the new strategic plan the district asked the staff the question, “If you could create a school, what would it look like?” I have to say it was nice to be asked. Our district appears to be working toward creating a culture of innovation.  I am looking forward to where it will lead.

Did you catch this highlight during Week 4? Our very own #IMMOOC chat co-moderators met face-to-face for the first time.

Michael Buist took on the challenge set by George to compile our favorite embarrassing artists. We have to include this in our highlights this week.

Here is a link to some examples of our video reflections of the week.

One of our assignments this week from George was to blog with a buddy. Connections are being made, conversations are being had, creativity juices are flowing to meet this challenge. We will post those highlights next week. Until then here is a sneak peak of what is to come.

George states, in Chapter 11, “In an open culture, the opportunities for learning and relationships are endless. the biggest winners of this sharing revolution are our students.”

We are better together and in the end the students are the winners,

Valerie

Blog Prompts highlights Participant Posts

#IMMOOC #IMMOOC2 #InnovatorsMindset digital citizenship digital leadership Digital Leadia George Couros jennifer casa-todd katie martin Valerie Zemaitis week 4 highlights

Week 2 Highlights from #IMMOOC2 Participants
Published March 9, 2017 by

Week 2 Highlights from #IMMOOC2 Participants

This is a compilation of some highlights in our second week of Innovator’s Mindset MOOC Round 2 #IMMOOC2. To join the conversation, check out IMMOOC.Org,  #IMMOOC on Twitter, or join us on Facebook.

In Chapter 2 George states that the innovator’s mindset takes on the growth mindset. An example would be  taking a “step further by focusing on using one’s ability to learn to play the piano to create music.” In education, he says we “must focus on creating something with the knowledge that’s been acquired.” He insists that this process requires resiliency, grit and the freedom to fail.

YouTube Live Episode 2 with George Couros, Katie Martin, and special guest, Sarah Thomas.

Share! Share! Share!

How do we get a culture of innovation in our schools?

The overarching theme in Live Episode 2 was the value of collaborating and sharing allowing us to be innovative. Sarah tells us to “Share! Share! Share!” The more we share the more input we get from others to refine and “shine like a diamond”. She saw the need for something new and better and launched Edumatch in 2014. She also found a need for people to grow in developing their “moonshot thinking” and created an actionable plan through “Designing with Passion”.

George adds that we will find more value following a hashtag that matches our interests rather than just searching for people on Twitter. It is through “competitive collaborative” support and pressure from one another that allows for innovative practices. He tells us that a foundation of trust, risk-taking and a culture of growth helps to launch innovative practices.  Katie tells us that an innovative culture requires trust, space, support, modeling and accountability.

Reach for our Inner Fight Club!

How do we promote a culture where everyone is willing to take a risk?

Katie Martin reminds us that those with the best ideas aren’t necessarily coming from those that raise their hands first or are the loudest to be heard. What are we doing to allow the more introvert to share their innovative ideas? How are we breaking down barriers for them? Sarah brings on the great analogy with the movie, Fight Club, when she says that we have to project our confident alter ego to get stuff done; reach for our inner Fight Club.

Everything is in Beta Mode!

Innovation is about taking risks. Sarah reminds us that there are different types of risks and we must jump in “feet first” with our “moonshot” thinking rather than “head first”, but risks need to happen in order to keep moving forward. George tells us that innovation is not about creating something new, but doing something with what we created.

How do we know that our innovative idea is working? Sarah tells us the importance of documenting the journey as the best way to know how our “moonshot” idea is working. It is innovative if it is having an impact on students.

Here is a summary of the Live Episode 2 by Julie Johnson:

Examples of innovation by #IMMOOC2 participants

The highlights in the blogs for this week included reflections, ideas and examples which can help us move forward in the innovative process.

Amy Busby reflects on how to take innovation from pockets to the norm.

So another question I ask myself is what experiences are we providing for teachers to allow them to learn and explore and collaborate with others in their profession? If we feel it is important, we must make time for it. We as leaders get bogged down in the compliance aspect of education as well. There are rules, requirements, policies, and assessments that can’t be ignored. But even with all of those expectations, we must model the innovation we want to see.

My hope is that one of the new adventures we started in our district, Montgomery Master Teachers, is encouraging that type of innovation. The teachers are encouraged to share their ideas with each other through a district Yammer page. We’ve had some take off with this collaboration and others who have been slow to get on board. There have been some great moments where the teachers have shared ideas they’ve done in class and borrowed from each other. They are currently doing a book study together and using Yammer to share their ideas and discuss the book together. So far, this has been a great tool. I look forward to seeing where the teachers take their learning.

Jeff Court sees innovation all around him as a principal who wants to “lead with passion, push the status quo, and support the work that keeps student learning at the fore front of my thoughts and actions”.

I have had the pleasure of witnessing a number of innovative practices occurring over the last year in our K-12 school with 325 students. I have witnessed teachers utilize SeeSaw as a self reflection tool and document learning for parents to witness their grade 2 students growth. I have engaged in creating high school courses that will empower grade 11 and 12 students to create, cover and mashup music that they love. High school students helping to develop a hot lunch program that now serves approximately 130 students a day. This program is literally students helping feed students. Elementary teachers that have stepped outside of their comfort zone to create flexible learning environments to meet the diverse needs of all of their students. Instruction, assessment and feedback for students has to change to meet the needs of all students in these new classroom environments. Each of these scenarios are great examples of teachers that have reflected on the needs of students and were willing to take a risk to create something new and better. Based on their professional journey, they are innovators that I will continue to support their efforts to create better opportunities for students.

Understanding those we serve

As we move forward in this Innovative Mindset practice it is important that we are impacting those we serve.

Keri Snowden adds a question we need to be asking ourselves as we make move forward with innovative practices and doing what is best for students.

What evidence of learning do we see in this student’s creation?
For several years I have believed in the power of looking at student work in shifting a teacher’s focus from what they are doing to what their students are doing. This shift is important because I have known many teachers who think only about what and how they are teaching, how their day is going, how hard they are working, how busy and stressed they are, how frustrating or amazing their students  can be. I have argued that looking at student work is what is needed to deepen PLC conversations and refocus teacher energy on the student experience. After all, it’s the student learning that is the purpose of our work.
Now I feel the need to revise my mantra from “looking at student work” to “looking at student creations.” In a creation, a teacher would see not just facts or algorithms regurgitated onto a page, instead she would see synthesis, prioritization, and communication about a topic or concept. This tells us so much more about a student’s strengths and weaknesses, his “soft skills,” his depth of understanding, and his ability to share it with others.
Susan Aplin looks at what we are experiencing in #IMMOOC2 and asks these three questions to see how we can provide the same experiences for our students.

When I sit back and think about it, this type of learning is amazing.  Learning from 3 different people who were in 3 different places  – awesome.  Learning at a time that was convenient for me – even better.  Getting to hear directly from experts – priceless.

This connection to experts and to people physically out of reach is now available to everyone with internet.  Learning like this is not just for teachers and other professionals, but also for our students.  Are we helping our students find new learning opportunities and ways to connect with experts?

George said, “Everyone has something to say.  Everyone.”  This came as a part of discussion about introverts.  I enjoyed hearing Sarah explain how she is an introvert (like me!), but she has found new ways to share.  Katie continued by pointing out that technology creates opportunities for our introverted and/or quieter students. It gives ALL students voices in (and out) of the classroom….

…We HAVE to make these opportunities available to all of our students.  Are we giving students ways to ask questions, ways to share ideas, ways to reflect and to grow?  

When Katie said, “If you don’t know your kids and what they need, the innovations are frivolous,” she helped remind us that innovation is meaningless without connections and relationships.  George also talked about how time spent talking to a teacher is time he will get back tenfold because of the relationship he’s developing.  This applies to everyone in our school buildings – students, teachers, administrators, etc.

New ideas might be “fun” or “interesting” to people who like to try new things (like many of us in #IMMOOC), but we all must remember that if they don’t connect with our students and improve learning, then we need to rethink them.  Are we keeping our students and their goals in mind when trying new things?  Do we take time to get to know our students and teachers as people?

 

Characteristics of Innovator’s Mindset

We have talked a lot about these 8 characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset this week. Which one did you talk about the most?

Robin Young reminds us how being networked makes us better in the end rather than being on an island.

Networking has been crucial to my development as an Instructional Technology Specialist.  Recently the 8th grade math teachers wanted me to present ideas for integrating technology into their classes.  This is an area that I have struggled with for a while since my background is in history.  I turned to social media for ideas.   I posted on twitter and on a Google+ community that I belonged to and asked for ideas.  Within a day I had enough ideas and several concrete examples that in the end I was very proud of the final product and the math teachers were happy with their training.  If I had been isolated I would have drug out the same old ideas and tried to sell them again.  Instead I was able to deliver some good ideas that have continued the conversation between us about technology integration.  In fact I agreed today to help develop a minecraft review session for them.    We are also in talks about trying out a BreakoutEdu game soon.    Opportunities that would not have existed without my network of amazing folks.

Joe Robison challenges us to think about  what we are asking students to do with the information they are obtaining.

The question of what students can do with the information they are obtaining is something we need to begin asking ourselves as educators.  As my paradigm has changed over time, and the more I have developed a growth mindset, my philosophy about my students and the information they learn has changed.  I had to ask myself, “why am I presenting this information to students?”  If the answer was only to pass a test, either mine or a standardized one, then I realized I was doing my students a disservice.   If all we are measuring is memorization and compliance, then we are not preparing our students to be future ready.  It is important that we allow our students to use the information they are obtaining in practical ways.  At the end of every unit or topic, I have started asking students to identify a problem they can solve with their new knowledge.  This practice has become so much a part of what we do, that students now go into each lesson looking through the lens of problem solving.  The process has now become one of students continually looking for problems to solve as they are introduced to new concepts.  This concept is crucial to developing an innovative mindset in the classroom.  As a teacher, your job is not to find problems for students to solve, but rather to create an environment where students look for problems to solve.  This mentality is critical to not only having an innovative classroom, but also to fostering an innovative mindset in your students.

Week 2 #IMMOOC Twitter Chat

The theme this week revolved around WHY we all need the innovator’s mindset? Here are just a few of the top TWEETS from the #IMMOOC chat during this second week.

George created a synopsis of this week’s #IMMOOC chat using Twitter Moments in this link.

 

 

Katie Martin was able to provide the whole Week 2 #IMMOOC  Chat into two Storify links provided here for your review.

[View the story “#IMMOOC Twitter Chat 3/8–Part 1 Questions 1-3” on Storify]
[View the story “#IMMOOC Twitter Chat 3/8 Part 2– Questions 3-6” on Storify]

 

Examples of Participant Created Images of Favorite Quotes

This Storify link showcases some IMMOOC2 participant creations this week. These creations highlight phrases that had an impact on us. What seems to be the overarching theme that inspired us the most this week?

[View the story “Favorite Quotes of #IMMOOC2 Participants Week 2” on Storify]

I leave you with an inspiring clip, “What Are You Waiting For” mentioned by AJ Bianco in his blog,  “Do Something Amazing”.

“We need to move from a known to an unknown that is possibly better.” – George Couros

We are better together and in the end the students are the winners,

Valerie

#IMMOOC2 #InnovatorsMindsetMOOC Blog Prompts highlights Participant Posts Uncategorized

#IMMOOC #IMMOOC2 #InnovatorsMindset George Couros katie martin sarah thomas the innovator's mindset Valerie Zemaitis week 2 highlights

Published February 11, 2017 by

The #InnovatorsMindset MOOC Starting February 27, 2017 #IMMOOC

change

How do you move from “pockets of innovation” to a “culture of innovation”?

How do we start to innovate inside of the box?

What does innovation mean for education, and should every educator be an innovator?

These are questions that I have addressed in my book, “The Innovator’s Mindset”, and will continue to dig deeper into with the second “Innovator’s Mindset Massive Open Online Course” that will be starting again on February 27, 2017.

The brilliant Katie Martin will be joining again to help host this experience,  but alumni from the first course will also be taking part to lead in this experience as well.  Not only is this a great way to dig deeper into the content of the book, it is an amazing opportunity to create your own learning, while networking with passionate educators around the world.  We have also confirmed guests that will be joining us not only for a YouTube Live, but as well as a Twitter chat every Wednesday night at 9pm EST (6pm PST).  

We are also extremely excited to bring on some awesome guests for this experience that will share their own experiences and work, to open up the learning past the book.

The guests and the times are as follows:

Actual Date Topic Guests Twitter Chat
February 27, 8pm EST Introduction AJ Juliani and John Spencer March 1, 9pm EST
March 5, 8pm EST Part 1: Innovation in Education Sarah Thomas March 8, 9pm EST
March 12, 8pm EST Part 2:  Laying the Groundwork Amber Teamann and Matt Arend March 15, 9pm EST
March 20, 8pm EST Part 3: Unleashing Talent Jennifer Casa-Todd March 22, 9pm EST
March 26, 8pm EST Part 4: Concluding Thoughts To be announced March 29,

9pm EST


If you miss the original YouTube Live session, you will be able to watch the recorded version or listen to the podcast.

If you are interested in joining, please do the following:

  1. Buy a copy of “The Innovator’s Mindset“. We will have a “selfie challenge” coming soon so get your book as soon as you can so you can win a prize for our draw.
  2. Sign up for the course (also listed below).
  3. Get your blog ready to go! (I suggest either edublogs.org or wordpress.com)
  4. Share that you are joining to the #IMMOOC hashtag on Twitter and share this link for others to sign up.
  5. Join the Facebook group.

The great thing about the first IMMOOC, was participants created their own spaces to share as well. This is not limited to the groups that we are using above, so if you are interested in making your own spaces, please feel free to do so.

We look forward to having so many great people join this process and delving deeper into the importance of innovation in education.

Join #IMMOOC!

* indicates required




#IMMOOC2 #InnovatorsMindsetMOOC

#IMMOOC #IMMOOC2 amber teamann Innovator's Mindset jennifer casa-todd katie martin matt arend sarah thomas