Innovation Proposal
How do I plan to innovate and bring positive change to my campus? I plan to bring a blended learning model and more specifically blended learning stations to my school. Below is my letter to my campus administration giving them reasons why this plan is needed and will be beneficial to our school.
Dear Administrators,
In recent years, our campus has seen an increase in the availability of technology for students. Many classrooms including my own have a dedicated set of laptops or iPads for our use. I have seen this technology used to enhance curriculum and have incorporated it into my own lessons, but are we using what we have to the fullest potential? Are we creating classrooms that are engaging for our students and maximizing how we use our time as teachers? Is there a way to increase my effectiveness as a teacher by increasing the quality of feedback I give my students? These are the questions that have driven my research into finding a better way to incorporate the technology we have into a teaching model that will maximize benefits for our students and staff.
The research I completed on the blended learning models focuses on a combination of online and in person learning where the students have control over some part of the learning such as pace (Horn & Staker 2017). I have created a plan to bring blended learning and stations into my classroom to make better use of my technology and increase student engagement in my classes. The blended learning station model will include several stations including small groups meeting with me, as well as at least one station where technology will be used. This model will break away from the traditional teaching format and will add time for teacher feedback and peer interaction. Students will be able to work at their own pace on independent activities including the online stations. My goal is to get my students engaged and give them a sense of ownership in how they learn.
This would be a pilot program beginning in my sixth-grade social studies classes. I plan to start small and focus on one class at a time. After the pilot program is complete, I plan to develop training for the rest of my social studies department and eventually the rest of our core subject areas. In the weeks prior to implementation, my students and I will develop behavior expectations and work norms for class during stations. I plan to preview one station at a time with students to get them used to the format. I will also create mini lessons to help students learn to troubleshoot technology issues that may arise. I will start with a shortened version of the stations so that there will be time at the end of class to reflect on with my students on what worked well and what needs to be changed.
I am asking for your support in making this transition to a blended learning model in my classes. I am also asking you to consider expanding this program in the future and allowing the rest of the social studies department as well as the other core subject areas to add blended learning stations to their classrooms. The implementation of stations will help engage my students as well as helping me build strong working relationships with them. I know that once you see the success of blended learning stations in my classes, you will want to continue this implementation across our campus,
Sincerely,
Carolyn Stangl
References:
Horn, M B. & Staker, H. (2017)
Blended: using disruptive innovation to
improve schools: San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
In recent years, our campus has seen an increase in the availability of technology for students. Many classrooms including my own have a dedicated set of laptops or iPads for our use. I have seen this technology used to enhance curriculum and have incorporated it into my own lessons, but are we using what we have to the fullest potential? Are we creating classrooms that are engaging for our students and maximizing how we use our time as teachers? Is there a way to increase my effectiveness as a teacher by increasing the quality of feedback I give my students? These are the questions that have driven my research into finding a better way to incorporate the technology we have into a teaching model that will maximize benefits for our students and staff.
The research I completed on the blended learning models focuses on a combination of online and in person learning where the students have control over some part of the learning such as pace (Horn & Staker 2017). I have created a plan to bring blended learning and stations into my classroom to make better use of my technology and increase student engagement in my classes. The blended learning station model will include several stations including small groups meeting with me, as well as at least one station where technology will be used. This model will break away from the traditional teaching format and will add time for teacher feedback and peer interaction. Students will be able to work at their own pace on independent activities including the online stations. My goal is to get my students engaged and give them a sense of ownership in how they learn.
This would be a pilot program beginning in my sixth-grade social studies classes. I plan to start small and focus on one class at a time. After the pilot program is complete, I plan to develop training for the rest of my social studies department and eventually the rest of our core subject areas. In the weeks prior to implementation, my students and I will develop behavior expectations and work norms for class during stations. I plan to preview one station at a time with students to get them used to the format. I will also create mini lessons to help students learn to troubleshoot technology issues that may arise. I will start with a shortened version of the stations so that there will be time at the end of class to reflect on with my students on what worked well and what needs to be changed.
I am asking for your support in making this transition to a blended learning model in my classes. I am also asking you to consider expanding this program in the future and allowing the rest of the social studies department as well as the other core subject areas to add blended learning stations to their classrooms. The implementation of stations will help engage my students as well as helping me build strong working relationships with them. I know that once you see the success of blended learning stations in my classes, you will want to continue this implementation across our campus,
Sincerely,
Carolyn Stangl
References:
Horn, M B. & Staker, H. (2017)
Blended: using disruptive innovation to
improve schools: San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
This is a review of the research I have found related to the benefits of the blended learning model as well as a look at some of the ongoing issues where further research may be required.
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Implementation Outline
Here is a timeline for the implementation of the blended learning station model for my campus. |
Annotated Bibliography
This bibliography is a link to the research I have found and will be updated as I find new articles and books to add. |