Embracing Technological Change – Creating Independent Learners
BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) – Overarching Course Goal
I will cultivate independent learners who demonstrate confidence in troubleshooting, who are willing to seek out new information and solutions, and who lean on peers in a professional collective.
Three Column Table
Learning Goals | Learning Activities | Assessment Activities |
| Foundational Learners will analyze their current values around troubleshooting and application use. Learners will analyze resources to determine “the where” of information around technology use and troubleshooting. | Resource Evaluation & Job Reflection Discussion | Review the resources within and outside of the district used to provide technical support to you within your job. Which do you already use? Which do you think are useful? What gaps do you see? What does technical support mean to you? What do you do when you encounter a technical problem? |
| Application Learners will analyze and evaluate current digital workflows and systems and storage solutions. | Current Digital Workflow Analysis & Reflection Discussion | Analyze current systems and workflows that you use in the workplace. • What problems do you notice? • How might you solve these problems? • What technology supports these systems? • How could technology better support the systems? • How might you incorporate automation? • How might you replace paper practices? |
| Integration Stage 1 Learners will develop a professional goal in their specific district role to address a digital workflow, system, or storage solution. | Professional Goal Creation | Create a professional goal to address digital workflow issues and storage solutions specific to your district role. |
| Integration Stage 2 Learners will develop a plan and action steps to support their goal to address a digital workflow, system, or storage solution. | Professional Implementation Plan | Create an action plan to implement your goal to address digital workflow issues and storage solutions specific to your district role. |
| Human Dimensions/Caring Learners will analyze how a growth mindset can support them as they implement their professional workflow, system, or storage goal. | Growth Mindset: 1) Growth mindset pre-assessment 2) Active learning activities 3) Growth mindset post-activity reflection | Readings and videos: 1) The Power of belief — mindset and success 2) Moving from the Fear Zone to the Growth Zone 3) Four Stages of Learning Learners will use active learning activities such as KWL charts and concept maps to demonstrate their understanding. |
| Learning How to Learn Learners will evaluate their growth in their specific role due to the implementation of their professional implementation plan. | Learner’s Mindset Reflection | Use a Google form for professional reflection and to provide course feedback. |
Learning Environment & Situational Factors to Consider
Specific Context of the Teaching/Learning Situation
The number of adult learners varies – from one to thirty – depending on who attends. Also, the classes are offered to all administrators and administrative assistants in the central administration building. However, so far only administrative assistants have attended. The median number of students is 5-per-class. Classes are offered at a variety of times: Explicit professional development is offered approximately four times per year. Meanwhile, lunch-and-learns are offered bi-weekly. The course will be delivered in a mix of environments. This may include for example blended, online, in-person, and 1-on-1 coaching. Technology use varies. While some users have Mac or Dell laptops, some may have desktop computers, and others borrow a Chromebook. Networking is simple enough, and the software and applications are limited to district-approved items.
General Context of the Learning Situation
Society: Technological changes advance rapidly. Undoubtedly, this change will only continue to affect the way that humans work alongside machines. Jobs, as they are, will continue to change more and more rapidly. Therefore, society requires workers to change rapidly in response or even preemptively. This demands a need for people who are flexible, independent learners.
District: Within the context of the district, our goal as a district is to provide top-quality education to our students. Because “people are the key to educational excellence, GCISD will hire and develop the very best faculty members” (Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, n.d.). This includes all staff, and my goal with this course is to ensure that staff has the opportunity to develop to their full potential.
Department: My role in this is to prepare and support adult learners, particularly administration and administrative assistants, with shifts in technology. In particular, I want to build confidence in all staff as independent learners, thinkers, and problem solvers.
Nature of the Subject
The nature of this subject is primarily practical, as learners seek solutions to job-related problems. Since my goal is to create independent learners who can adapt to constant change, I will stress the importance of design thinking to solve these problems. Design thinking is a series of flexible “steps” to tackle a problem. This type of thinking is a mix of convergent and divergent thinking.
The graphic above from Divergent Thinking and Design (Engel, n.d.) demonstrates how problem-solving with design thinking uses divergent and convergent thinking. When approaching a problem with design thinking, learners use divergent thinking to create a plethora of choices within a series of constraints. Then, they use tried and tested processes to narrow the choices within the same or new constraints. Finally, they use convergent thinking to find or create a solution.
The most controversial aspects of flexibility with technology include security, privacy, storage, and troubleshooting.
Characteristics of the Learners
This course is composed of adult learners from middle and upper-middle-class backgrounds. They are usually family-oriented. Administrative assistants have often professionally peaked and are content with their jobs. In contrast, a few administrative assistants are new to the field and want to move up. Administrators, while at a high level in their career also, are often looking to move into new positions inside or outside of the district. Regardless of their role, all learners desire mastery, autonomy, and purpose in their careers.
There are mixed feelings about technology. Most of the discomfort around technology stems from troubleshooting and constant change. There is also a range of prior knowledge. While most people come in with some knowledge of the applications they will use, the range varies. While people either love technology or tolerate it, I believe all people want to be able to do their jobs successfully and with confidence. Therefore, their learning goals and expectations are personal and should be approached as such.
Characteristics of the Teacher
I believe that my joy for teaching and learning about technology is contagious. This joy stems from the belief that adults can learn, change, and grow in their use of technology within the right environment. Consequently, this significant learning environment can create a Learner’s Mindset, or “a state of being where people act on their intrinsic capacity to learn and respond to their inquisitive nature that leads to viewing all interactions with the world as learning opportunities” (Harapnuik, 2021). I experience even more joy when I empower others to solve problems. Because of this, I desire to create a community of learners who can lean on one another and eventually solve problems with limited support from me. Finally, I view my students as equal partners in learning. This means that, while I technically teach the class, I approach my teaching with a Learner’s Mindset as well.
References
Engel, P. (n.d.). Divergent Thinking & Design — Divergent Thinking. Divergent Thinking. Retrieved April 23, 2022, from https://divergentthinking.design/why-divergent-thinking
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD. (n.d.). Vision – Mission – Beliefs – Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District. Grapevine-Colleyville ISD. Retrieved April 23, 2022, from http://gcisd.ss18.sharpschool.com/our_district/vision_mission_beliefs
Harapnuik, D. (2021, February 9). Learner’s Mindset Explained. It’s About Learning. Retrieved April 23, 2022, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=8705