Embracing Change

Over the past 5 weeks, I have been more active on Twitter than ever before. I have been participating in a slow chat (my first ever Twitter chat) about a book through the ISTE EdTech Coaches Network on Twitter. The book, "Learning Transported: Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality for All Classrooms" by Jaime Donally, was broken into five segments, one for each week.  Participants were asked questions throughout the week with one final reflective question at the week's end. My participation in this book group helped me meet the ISTE standard for coaches regarding being a connected learner. More specifically, I feel it directly connects to the Connected Learner Standards 2a: Pursue professional learning that deepens expertise in the ISTE Standards in order to serve as a model for educators and leaders, and 2b: Actively participate in professional learning networks to enhance coaching practice and keep current with emerging technology and innovations in pedagogy and th...

I am enjoying reading "Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. Their theory of change is one I have heard before.  Check out this quick review/summary by  Callibrain .   I have only read the first 2 chapters, but I like what I am reading. I am already familiar with the Rider vs. Elephant explanation for fostering change.  The rider works on logic but the elephant is all emotion.  They have to work together in order to stay on the path of change.  What I like most about the Heath brothers' idea is that we need to focus more on what is working rather than trying to fix what isn't. "What's working and how can we do more of it?" (pg. 45) This is finding the "bright spot" and working on creating positive change.   While this approach can be used in MANY areas of teacher, my focus here is with technology. I have seen some "bright spots" with the use of technology in classrooms.  Here's one...