Failing Forward
Merriam-Webster defines failure as simply “a lack of success” (2022) but if you ask individuals for their working definitions you might be surprised by the variety of answers. There is a growing movement in the do it yourself world called the Maker Movement. These individuals express a growth mindset believing that failure is the journey of learning. Through reflecting and revising they make amazing creations and are changing the way we approach education around the world. This is especially true when it comes to work surrounding educational technology integration. Rightfully so, as Richard Culatta discusses in his TED Talk, we need to work to close the digital divide that is seen in classrooms when integrating technology, because when used appropriately technology can solve many of the biggest challenges in education. If that’s the case, what is stopping us?
A Clue in the Past
When I taught in a classroom setting, I constantly pushed boundaries allowing my students to “play” more than other classrooms. My classroom was excited, loud, active, and sometimes messy. While this wasn’t a problem for myself, my principal, or my students I sometimes had parents and peers question my methods. While I found research backing my teaching style, I sometimes felt like a failure when more experienced peers questioned my style aggressively. I eventually moved on from the classroom with the motive of showing others what I learned and empowering teachers like young me to do what is best for students. Mitch Resnick masterfully articulates students learning through play in his book “Lifelong Kindergarten” where he describes learners as they “playfully work together, they learn about the creative process: how to imagine new ideas, try them out, test the boundaries, experiment with alternatives, get feedback from others, and generate new ideas based on their experiences.” (2017) We know humans learn through engaging play so why wouldn’t our classroom show them doing just that. Why is it that I latched onto this style of teaching while others stick to more traditional methods? Maybe this infographic of me shows the traits that engrained those beliefs through years of questioning.
A Bright Future
In my professional context I was further vindicated while working with a group of like minded individuals who exemplify these beliefs and are supporting the integration of technology to close the digital divide. As an educational technology specialist at Wexford-Missaukee Intermediate School District (WMISD) I participated as a member of the Regional Educational Media Center (REMC) Instructional Technology Specialists (RITS) where we created and delivered professional development (PD) for educators across the state of Michigan.
It was while working with REMC RITS that I myself gained a better understanding of who I am as a learner and as an instructor. The REMC group for me exemplifies a solution forward approach by providing experiences that help learners integrate educational technology with a growth mindset and accessible PD opportunities. REMC is funded by statewide funds and there is no cost to educators participating. They utilize technology to support learners from the diverse geographic regions across the state with flexible online, in person, and satellite location schedules to meet the needs of all learners. The training is intentionally flexible to support the individual needs of learners. From specialized food orders to individualized learning paths the training is structured to support the diverse range of learners who attended. Novices and experts learned together and supported each other as they tackled the common goal of best practice use of educational technology. Learners are at the center of the learning doing the work as they construct meaning through connected experiences. The learners experienced best practice technology integration owning the learning instead of being told what best practice and implementing someone else's ideas. More and more I am finding groups of educators itching for permission to pivot into 21st century learning being empowered by groups like REMC RITS and educators like Mitch Resnick.
References:
Gauntlet, D., & Resnick, M. (2013). Six Amazing Things about Making. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://blogs.ubc.ca/edcp508/2016/01/07/the-maker-education-movement/
Resnick, M. (2017). Lifelong kindergarten: Cultivating creativity through projects, passion, peers, and play. The MIT Press. http://web.media.mit.edu/~mres/papers/CulturesCreativityEssay.pdf
Riffle, C. T. (2022). Cep 811 About Me Infographic. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yquphtpY4eq1_0o5z975fKLH2FMJK-fy/view?usp=sharing.
Merriam-Webster. (2022). Failure definition & meaning. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved July 8, 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/failure
Tasty Tidbits for Techy Teachers © 2022 by Chad Riffle is licensed underAttribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
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