101. The Transformative Power of AI

-
Image
Folks, let’s face it. Our classrooms are going to look a little different this year. AI, specifically ChatGPT, is going to change the way we design learning experiences and assess student mastery. I’ll be honest, when I first explored the ChatGPT platform I was terrified. As I have dug deeper into the technology and its capabilities, I realized that while it does pose significant challenges — it also presents us with some pretty amazing opportunities. In this series, we will explore what AI is capable of, its implications in the classroom, and how it can benefit both teachers and students. Let’s start by examining where we have been, where we are currently, and looking forward to where we are going. Whether this is a trip you wanted to go on or not, the AI train has left the station and it is time for all of us to jump on board. From Card Catalogs to Artificial Intelligence I belong to the micro-generation called Xennial. Xennials are considered to be a “bridge” between Generation X a
Post a Comment

#84: What's Good for the Goose: Personalized PD Pathways

-
Have you ever heard the saying that teachers are the worst students? As a teacher who participates in professional development and as a leader who designs and implements professional development (PD), I can attest to the accuracy of this statement. I will fully admit that I am guilty of doing the following during PD time,
  • Designing lessons
  • Grading papers
  • Checking emails
  • Daydreaming
  • Wondering "why am I learning this?"
  • Thinking about all of the other things I could be doing with this time
  • Participating in totally-unrelated activities
Sounds familiar? Based on the number of laptop screens that I saw at my last PD session, I think most, if not all of you, can probably relate. 

It is time that we rethink the way we approach professional development. If one-size-fits-all doesn't work for our students, why do we continue to think it will work for adults? Last year our admin team was really excited to launch cross-departmental professional learning teams focused on developing SEL competencies. We learned a lot from this experience. Some teams loved meeting and sharing ideas. Other teams thought it was a complete waste of time. Some teachers were passionate about SEL and began implementing it immediately. Others didn't see the connection between what they were learning and their own classrooms. Our teachers were coming to us from different places. They each brought different backgrounds, experiences, prior knowledge, passions, goals, and priorities just like our students do. 


What's Good for the Goose, Is Good for the Gander

If you are familiar with my blog, you probably already know that I am really passionate about human motivation. Most everything that I do as an educator involves motivating others (and myself) to do something. There are a number of theories that attempt to explain human motivation. I tend to gravitate towards the Self-Determination Theory (SDT). It is a growth-oriented theory that postulates that humans are motivated by three innate and universal psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In a nutshell, 

  • Autonomy: People need to feel in control of their behaviors and goals.

  • Competence: People need to feel that they are capable of achieving their goals. 

  • Relatedness: People need to feel connected to other people. 

In the last year, I spent a lot of time reflecting on how I meet these needs in my students. I didn't, however, consider how I needed to meet these needs of the teachers while developing their professional development opportunities. This realization gave me a fresh lens through which to view how I was offering professional development. I TOLD them what they needed to learn, I TOLD them what their goal needed to be. I even  TOLD them what group they were to be a part of. I completely negated their need for autonomy. By taking away their ability to choose, I took away their voice. 


Supporting Self-Determination in Professional Development

I struggled with how to reconcile our teacher's need for self-determination and the needs of our organization. I still needed everyone to row in the same direction. So the question became, How can we provide choice within our organizational framework that honors each teacher's need for self-determination?


As a leadership team, we decided to tackle this head on by designing personalized learning professional development pathways. 

  • We broke down our district's strategic plan into four areas of emphasis: Student Success, Student Well-Being, Workforce Excellence, and Collaborative Partnerships. 

  • The PD in each of these areas is led by a Division Leader.

  • Teachers can CHOOSE which pathway is best for them. This was purposefully designed so that no matter which pathway they want to take, we are all headed in the same direction. 

  • These pathways can be used as an action step for their personal goals. 


I chose to lead the Student Success (Personalized Learning) Pathway. My sessions will address the following questions and topics:

  • What is Personalized Learning? In this session, we will explore the factors that influence student motivation and ways we can increase student motivation through personalized learning. You can see my presentation here. 

  • What is Blended Learning? In this session, we will learn about how to personalize learning through the blended learning model. Different types of blended learning will be discussed, with an emphasis on the station-rotation model.

  • How can we provide more meaningful feedback? In this session, we will explore different ways to provide meaningful feedback to students in a manner that is sustainable for the teacher.

  • How can I use this in my own classroom? In this session, we will explore how we can create a more personalized learning experience for our students. This will be a flex day assignment involving an online discussion. 


In the end, if we end up in the same destination does it matter how we get there? We can all work towards the same goal in a way that honors our individual strengths, needs, and interests. By providing choice in the PD process we are empowering teachers to better serve the unique needs of their students. I'd say that is a win-win!  I would be VERY interested in your feedback on the PD process. What is the best PD session or opportunity you have attended? What made it effective or meaningful? Please share in the comments below. 


Be Well,

Cori 


Last Post: #83 Equity in Grading: Fostering Intrinsic Motivation


I am trying to reach more educators and build my readership! Please consider subscribing to my blog. I post two posts per month. That's it! If you received this in your inbox, I have a new website! Check out https://ablendedlearningjourney.com/ for additional resources! Plus, you can now find me on TikTok. Follow me @corischwarzrock for psych-related content posted throughout each week!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#23. Tackling Testing and Individual Differences Using Station-Rotation

-
Image
This past November, I had the honor of presenting about blended learning at the National Council for the Social Studies Conference in Austin, Texas.  I was happy to see that there was a great deal of interest in this model of teaching! In my presentation, I differentiated between different models of blended learning and shared how I use the Station-Rotation model in my own classroom. I have found the Station-Rotation model to be my "go-to" model for blended lesson design.  The essence of the Station-Rotation model is that students rotate between different stations within the classroom walls.  However, as you will see in my example, they can also use flex time to complete some of their learning tasks.  The key to a well-designed, station-rotation lesson is balance.  One of the most helpful resources that I have found in my blended learning journey are a book and blog by Catlin Tucker.  According to Tucker, a strong lesson balances teacher-led stations with online and of
Read more

#47. Playing with Playlists: Clinical Psych

-
Image
Are you looking for another blended learning strategy to try that provides your students with choice and a voice? Consider designing a playlist for your students. A playlist is an interactive digital assignment that provides students with a roadmap for how to achieve their learning goals. I am really excited about incorporating playlists because it allows for a more personalized and differentiated learning experience for my students. They also require the students to assume ownership of their own learning because they choose which direction they take on their learning path. When I begin the process of designing a learning playlist, I focus on the following questions: Learning Outcomes:What do my students need to know at the end of this lesson? Assessment: How will I know if my students know what they need to know? Choice: What choices can I give my students in regards to the time, place or modality of learning that they can engage in? Teacher: How can I best support my students duri
Read more

#66. Special Edition: APA Positive Psychology TOPSS Module

-
Image
A few years ago I made a small change that has radically altered the direction of my life. I decided to start saying "YES" to opportunities at work that, quite frankly, terrified me. I piloted a class, started a blog, submitted proposals to and presented at national conferences, and even appeared on a podcast. As a closet introvert with imposter syndrome, the idea of sharing my ideas, activities and passions with the whole world required a whole new level of vulnerability on my part. It was hard, stressful, and very scary but it led to one the most energizing, purposeful, and meaningful periods of my professional life. In this post, I would like to share with you something that I am really proud of - which is a result of me taking a chance and saying "YES." TOPPS The Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPPS) is a division of the American Psychological Association (APA). It's mission is to"promote excellence in the teaching of psychological scienc
Read more