Last week I was fortunate enough to attend the MISA Innovation conference in London where I heard some incredible ideas from educators from various school boards. We were inspired by the ideas of Tony Wagner, especially his seven survival skills.
This conference changed my perspective and understanding of what innovation is. If you had asked me a couple of months ago what innovation was, I would have immediately responded that for me it was the use of technology in the classroom (thinking of the SAMR model). However, after the MISA conference, I realized innovation is much more than that - it is creatively reinventing ourselves to solve problems. Teachers are no longer the main knowledge delivery system - Google search has quite successfully taken over this role for us. The problem then becomes what to do with all of this incredibly accessible information? How can we help our students make sense of it? And more importantly, how do we help students independently and critically think about it?
This conference changed my perspective and understanding of what innovation is. If you had asked me a couple of months ago what innovation was, I would have immediately responded that for me it was the use of technology in the classroom (thinking of the SAMR model). However, after the MISA conference, I realized innovation is much more than that - it is creatively reinventing ourselves to solve problems. Teachers are no longer the main knowledge delivery system - Google search has quite successfully taken over this role for us. The problem then becomes what to do with all of this incredibly accessible information? How can we help our students make sense of it? And more importantly, how do we help students independently and critically think about it?
Many of us went through an education system that was heavy on the knowledge and understanding piece and so it is what we are most comfortable with. Change is uncomfortable and so it is very easy to build a wall in response. This was a major topic of conversation in a couple of the groups I met with.
For me, innovation means change - a willingness to be fluid, creative, and open to making mistakes - no walls allowed!
I came away from this conference with ideas on changing the physical space of my classroom, the necessity for developing complex questioning in my students, and giving up control by allowing students more freedom in following their passions and interests. I also came away with a changed attitude - no more excuses on the constraints of the school system and it's impact on what I felt I could and could not innovate in my classroom.
Since the MISA conference I have had so many ideas swimming around in my head and I can't wait to try as many of them out as possible (and share them with you of course!). This week I introduced "Genius Hour" to my class and I am so impressed with the awesome ideas and interests students have (see my previous post on this). I've also been thinking about how I can get a standing desk in my class for those students who learn better standing or moving.
I would like to thank +Rolland Chidiac-WCDSB for inspiring this post on innovation New Fluencies: What Does Innovation in Education Mean To Me?
I look forward to hearing your ideas on what innovation means to you!
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