Exciting Innovation Plan
Project proposal to strengthen Klein ISD's Personalized Learning Platform
Submitted by: Bobby Bracken, Klein ISD Video Production Specialist
Request for Approval
Addressed to: Dr. Jenny McGown, Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
PROPOSAL
Create a peer-training program and utilize existing technology trainers to assist teachers to use video in their classroom to enhance learning. This could follow the blended model where students rotate between learning and practicing and it can help Klein ISD teachers who would prefer to implement a flipped classroom model where students can watch a video for instruction and practice at school.
Some projects include creating videos of in class assignments, event recap, homework assignments, and explainer videos. This will give students the ability to access personalized instruction 24 hours a day at their convenience.
ISSUE
The top Klein ISD’s goal is to improve student achievement. We can do this through reaching their fourth goal, training quality competent teachers in their subject area. Research posted from the University of Queensland Australia (2016) shows that using video in the classroom for blended learning is effective and can lead to greater comprehension of the material.
BACKGROUND
I am a video production specialist for Klein ISD. One of my primary jobs is to assist or lead in the creation of videos for instruction. Currently our district has bought or approved a number of video creation tools that our teachers can use to create the perfect blended learning environment.
GO SLOW TO GO FAST
I would like to pilot this program with a handful of teachers who share the same vision of success. This program will allow them to share knowledge of what works and doesn’t work.
We’ll be able to test this out and model it before rolling it out district wide.
Some of them include
Windows Movie Maker
Screencast-O-Matic
Animoto
Kleinflix
Google Documents
FUTURE BASED
A news article headline provides promise for the blended learning model. "Personalized, blended learning could see a surge because of ESSA." Here we learn that classrooms and school districts will be rewarded for providing this alternative education model through funding. Knowing this I’m even more convinced that Blended Learning is in the best interest for our students. Future educational needs will not be dependent on whether a student is rich or poor, it will be built on what is best for the student. At Klein ISD we have wonderful technology infrastructure. Almost every student has access to a quality laptop, good wifi in schools, and great learning software approved. Their student council criticized how some students had the ability to work from cafes or other wifi hotspots.
SUCCESSFUL TEACHERS
We already have teachers apply blended/flip classroom models in Klein ISD. The 2014 Secondary Teacher Mr. Clay Huggins (2014) of the year applied a flipped classroom model by having his students review his instruction on their time so he could use class time for practice.
PEDAGOGICAL BENEFITS
There are many benefits to using video in education. According to the University of Queensland (2016) having kids watch or make a video can inspire and engage students when incorporated with student-centered learning activities.
Kelly Walsh (2016) heard from a dyslexic student they appreciate being able to rewind and watch videos at their own pace.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Encourage and facilitate school leadership to make videos. This includes school administration. Our district Superintendent makes a 90 Seconds with Bret video weekly. This can be modeled to our Principals and our teachers. Also, encourage bright students to help produce a video. There doesn’t need to be fancy production and video graphics. Communicating through video is an established method at Klein ISD and it allows teachers to go back and review the footage just like in a flipped classroom.
USING TOOLS
Also, following proven examples where teachers can just focus on the instruction and use video as a way to get there. We had talked by phone about Animoto, they have a website set up to make it easy for teachers to use video to enhance instruction. (https://animoto.com/education/classroom) This includes, assignments, events, homework, and my favorite an explainer video, where a child will learn through sight and sound and have the ability to refer back to it when needed.
FROM BAD TO GOOD
Teacher Joel Speranza (2016) detailed how he took his video creation from Bad to Good. The best way he did it is through the feedback loop. He saw the tremendous benefit of self video production and took the ball and ran with it. Student feedback was great, he said they loved it. He said his students focused on the learning and then started achieving more. It wasn’t about Joel’s lack of technical skill, it was about the learning.
TIMELINE
This will be an ongoing process of getting teacher into the on-ramp of blended learning success. We can use existing teams at school to build this knowledge and work flow. Since our teachers are already familiar with scheduling time in Eduphoria, the ability to reach teachers will be simplified.
REFERENCES
Clay Huggins Selected as Secondary Teacher of the Year. (2014, May 19). Retrieved from https://www.kleinisd.net/default.aspx?name=cr.pr.bloghome&a=183
Mathewson, T. (2016, October 25). Personalized, blended learning could see a surge because of ESSA. Retrieved from http://www.educationdive.com/news/personalized-blended-learning-could-see-a-surge-because-of-essa/428983/
Pedagogical benefits of video for teaching and learning. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2016, from http://www.uq.edu.au/teach/video-teach-learn/ped-benefits.html
Speranza, J. (n.d.). Why my Flipped Videos are Awful - Flipped Learning Network Hub. Retrieved October 20, 2016, from http://flippedlearning.org/syndicated/flipped-videos-awful/
Walsh, K. (n.d.). Student Reflections on Flipped Learning: What Works, What ... Retrieved October 20, 2016, from http://flippedlearning.org/learning_culture/student-reflections-on-flipped-learning-what-works-what-doesnt/
What is Blended Learning - http://jle.aals.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1016&context=home
Classrooms can be physical, virtual, or blended.
