Overview: 

My innovation plan will be based around teaching via blended learning. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the adaptability students, teachers, administrators, and parents have when it comes to education. The blended learning model can take skills learned over the last two years and implement them into the physical classroom tailoring learning to each individual student. This will behind by piloting blending learning to provide the concrete evidence and data needed to make the transition to this model necessary and soon a fixture in all learning environments.

 

Phase 1: Setting Goals

January 2022 

1. Create board-approved goals (both short-term and long-term) that identify what we are trying to accomplish and how we will know when we have been successful

   1. Ensure they are measurable, realistic, and achievable

   2. Discuss piloting at high school level initially (can be expanded to multiple levels if approved)

      1. Work with district administration to obtain reality of the situation and determine what is attainable

   3. In a public-school setting with an active schoolboard/community such as ours, this is necessary

   4. Discuss the doors additional forms technology could open, but are not necessarily required

      1. This should paint a picture of how truly open and invested the district is to the change

      2. Despite already being a one-to-one district, some of the classroom technology is dated and limiting

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Phase 2: Planning

February 2022 

1. Assemble an “lightweight team” consisting of individuals in different roles within the district (Horn & Baker, 2014)

   1. During the pilot stages this could be internalized to the high school where it is most likely taking place, but the committee will expand over time

2. Establish the pilot plan

   1. Who?

   2. Where?

   3. When?

3. Determine what support/resources from instructional coaches will be needed

   1. Create a catalog of blending learning activities specific to each subject

   2. Add a section into the district staff OneNote with blended learning resources

4. Consult with special education department to ensure students with IEPs/504s are being supported appropriately

   1. Determine what alternate activities may be necessary

 

March 2022

1. Identify how blended learning will work in tandem with Schoology, our course management system

2. Determine how the rigor of content can be maintained

   1. Must ensure students are gaining both a procedural and conceptual understanding of content

   2. Continuing to build problem solving and critical thinking skills

3. Discuss how data will be compared that limits variables and shows a cause/effect relationship between blended learning and the following:

1. Student achievement

2. Engagement

3. Motivation

4. Collaboration

1. Determine how the physical space and furniture in the classroom will lend itself and enhance the blended learning experience

   1. If not, what other spaces can be taken advantage of?

   2. This will look different from class-to-class and school-to-school

 

April 2022

1. Ask for volunteers and nominations for a student leader advisory committee

1. Try to get a diverse group that represents various grade levels, backgrounds, and academic levels

1. Create a student feedback survey

   1. Should provide both quantitative and qualitative data

   2. Get data that will be compared to after the pilot is run to be able to compare to

   3. Survey should discuss student engagement, motivation, and collaboration

2. Create a teacher feedback survey about needs and levels of comfort with blended learning

   1. This will drive the level of professional development needed moving forward

   2. Survey should again discuss student engagement, motivation, and collaboration

3. Arrange times for teacher collaboration

   1. This is built into the current schedule at the high school level (again, how this looks may vary)

   2. Can also be built into professional development days over time

 

May 2022

1. Determine which models of blended learning will being used in each pilot classroom

   1. Strategies will vary as each lesson will not be done the same, but ability to control variables to see impact will be important

   2. Providing support to instructional coaches will be essential when choosing activities

2. Meet with the student advisory committee to discuss the transition between learning models

3. Maintain the emphasis on a growth mindset culture

   1. This has been in place for several years, but connect it to the educational transition

 

Phase 3: Teaching

August 2021 - June 2022

1. Run pilot course(s) in the classrooms of teachers on the planning team for one full school year (could potentially be a single semester depending on courses)

2. Create student and parent surveys in the pilot courses to check in every X weeks

   1. Potential open discussion board

3. Talk to and visit other schools doing something similar blended learning programs (virtually if needed)

   1. This applies to students, teachers, and administrators

   2. Make use of learning networks

4. Read the research

1. Continue to research effective blended learning methods

2. Research the major challenges with blended learning and how other schools have overcome them

1. Identify early accomplishes and highlight them in district released updates

   1. Beginning to increase exposure of blended learning to the community

 

Phase 4: Reflecting

June - July 2022

1. Reflect on pilot program

   1. This should come from all parties involved, that is, students, teachers, staff, administrators, and parents

2. Meet with full advisory committee to analyze data and discuss the effectiveness of the pilot program

   1. Be open to feedback suggestions from all members

3. Decide what adjustments need to be made before moving forward with full implementation

   1. What worked?

   2. What didn’t work?

   3. The teachers who piloted the blended learning should be part of the professional development following

 

References

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