The Directors Cut

A self-directed learners guide to the galaxy

We live in a "Brave New World" where we can access and consume knowledge 24 hours a day. This access provides an opportunity to be choosy with what and when we learn, we can choose to learn alone or with a group.
While working on my M.Ed. for Adult Education and Training I discovered the idea of "self-directedness". I teach mid-high school students and was curious if there was a way to help them become more self-directed and build the capacity to become a lifelong learner. I decided to explore the idea which culminated in a project I presented at the International Society for Self-Directed Learners Symposium.

Building Community, Collaboration & Communication In Urban Low Socio-Economic Schools Using Self-Directed Learning

Abstract: This project promotes lifelong learning for urban students in low Socioeconomic Status communities. High school Capstone students use research questions to guide their project, set learning goals, complete self-assessments and evaluate learning through reflection. This project helps bridge the gap between pedagogy and andragogy toward self-directedness of young learners.

Everybody has to Eat

My personal challenge: How do I excite (motivate) a learner of any age to learn. I always go back to Maslow’s Hierarchy to consider the learner. Where are they and what do they need physically, mentally and emotionally to learn?
Self-directed learners have to be ready to learn, set goals, engage, assess and evaluate their learning. Since I am a chef I always think about things in the context of food. Here are some ideas about the venue one might choose to learn in.
Buffet - Lots to choose from, potential to get overwhelmed and lost (surfing the internet, conference)
Quick Service - Get in and get out, go through the drive through, time sensitive (blogs, podcasts)
Family style - Relaxed, collaborative (Twitter chats, PLNs, video chats like Zoom, Hangout)
Fine Dining - Specialized learning, time sensitive (conferences, MOOCs, webinars)

It’s my learning and I need it now!

Consider the microwave. As teachers we have so many demands on us professionally and personally that time is a huge consideration in professional development. How can that mountain be conquered? I am sure you have probably heard of chunked learning where you break up units into small pieces of information to help learners retain it better. I have a lot of absenteeism with my students and I came up with this idea to “micro-chunk”. If I only have a student for one hour, what skills and knowledge can I help them learn. I feel like this strategic thought and process has helped my students be more successful. I often look to news broadcasts as an exemplary example for teaching content, engaging and holding the attention of the audience in micro-chunks.

The Elevator Course

Last year, due to massive budget cuts in Oklahoma, common planning time and professional development (PD) in the school day was eliminated. This made learning new instructional strategies a real challenge. Almost 50% of our teaching staff was new. I just kept thinking about a way to support teachers.
I was working with my students on their portfolios and they were developing elevator speeches for job interviews, entrepreneurship and branding.  It got me thinking about something I call an “Elevator Course”. This is PD that can take place in about the length of time it takes to ride an elevator. These short modules consist of a video and link to a resource to do an instructional strategy. The idea is the whole thing should take 5-10 minutes. Then the teacher can practice using the strategy during the week, take at least one picture with the strategy in use and post it. If you want a contained environment this could be done on Edmodo or Google classroom. Teachers could share a photo and reflection via the online platform. If you use Edmodo, you can create a small group for each topic so things don’t get so messy in conversations. Teachers could also choose which small group topic they wanted to learn instead of assigned. As far as I know, Google Classroom does not have this feature yet.
Another way to do this could be a Hyper Doc or Google slide that was open for everyone to view the weekly task and to post photos and reflections. You could integrate Flipgrid or Padlet for photos, videos and reflections. Incidentally, Microsoft bought Flipgrid and it is now free for teachers. Depending on your audience and desired outcomes, you could use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat.

Ready, Set Cook!

Self-directed learners have to be ready to learn, set goals, engage, assess and evaluate their learning.
-->Decide on the time and place you learn best or your learners learn best otherwise it might not happen.
-->Set a SMART goal. Be sure it is something you or your learners can attain in a timely manner.
-->Either find something you are interested in or create interest for the learners – sell the outcome, not the product, because “Who needs one more thing?”
-->Be ready to answer the question, “Did you learn anything? Did they Learn anything? How do you know?
If you are reading this, there is a good chance you are already self-directed and a life long learner. There is a name for that - IMPRESSIVE!

Ready Teacher One: Why We Need To Embrace Technology In The Classroom

Technology " Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before." My dad was an engineer and a Star Trek fanatic. We had the entire book series and of course watched the television shows. This was the time before VHS recorders. To watch, you had to have the television on and be in front of it. We would all sit and watch as the crew explored new worlds, fought adversaries and worked as a team to solve problems. I remember when my dad got the black and white two player video game Pong. We were beside ourselves and would sit on the couch clicking and hearing "boop" "boop" as the ball hit the paddle and was returned back and forth between players. My dad would be beside himself now with holograms, tracking chips in animals and humans, Find Me apps on "devices" and 24/7 connections to the world. I come from a family of explorers and question "askers". Christmas and birthday presents were socks of course, and a red Craftsman toolbox with a new tool added when opportunity for celebration presented itself. The magic device - a Phillips head screwdriver:) If it had screws we took it apart and explored "I wonder, how, why and what".

Now I am a teacher and I still have my toolbox however, now it is filled with different kinds of tools. I feel like I am in a galaxy of technological resources. With the click of a button or the swipe of my finger I can talk to educators who are like minded in my Personal Learning Network (PLN). I learn about the newest websites and applications and I can share my ideas and strategies. I have owned a number of businesses and worked retail. If you want to be successful then you have to make sure you are anticipating and meeting the needs and wants of the customer. Educational leaders who continue to stay in their classroom, alone may be be passed by because "honey there's a new kind of student in town". The students in middle and high school have now lived a life embedded with technology. They talk to their phone for goodness sake! And it talks back! Siri, Alexa, Echo, Cortana and Google are the "new life". We are on the edge of new civilizations with robotics, holograms and virtual reality. 

I love learning, sharing and collaborating. Giving and receiving constructive feedback is how we grow and make things better. I use Twitter education chats to have productive and reflective conversations with educational leaders around the world. The learners in these chats are innovative explorers. #edmodochat #LeadLAP, #5thchat #aussiechat  #formativechat #edtechchat #pblchat #blogchat #podcastchat 
I like to explore, review and rate resources on Edmodo Spotlight. Doing this with purpose is like a mini reflective professional development where I can learn applications, teaching and learning strategies. Playing in the Formative Community Center is another place I can chat, ask questions, share resources and learn how to effectively use technology in the classroom. More and more I participate in conversations with my extended family of educational leaders from around the world using Zoom and Google Meet.  I have started taking virtual selfies for fun and to document our time together. 

These learning experiences are a big part of what drive me to a conference session. I also consider, location, availability and seating that supports my learning styles. This year big conference sessions were Social Emotional Learning, Trauma, LGBTQI, Sketchnoting, Gamification, Autism, Global, Empathy, PBL, Ethics, Cultural Diversity, Career & Technology, Podcasting & Blogging. I believe Podcasting and Blogging will be addressed even more next year. Both are an impacful way to use technology to move students up the SAMR & Blooms Taxonomy for instruction, learning, assessment and portfolios.   

When I present at conferences I try to model and share resources that can empower teachers to use technology in their instructional practices. I find that providing first hand experiences can potentially excite any learner to explore, use and apply to their personal outcome needs or desires. #create #innovate #collaborate

I try to encourage other teachers to use technology by:

1. Using their phones to engage in learning and sharing. 

2. Sharing my twitter handle and encouraging them to tweet the session.

3. Using QR codes to take them to resources in the presentation.

4. Using Padlet or Flipgrid to have them collaborate.

5. Sharing the slide presentation. 

I recently saw the movie Ready Player One with my husband. It had music from when I was growing up so it was especially exciting. The digital effects with technology were super cool. The movie was centered around virtual reality, holograms, gamification and imagination. Today this is where our students live. However, the movie ultimately makes a point that we still need to nurture our relationships in person, even in the presence of amazing technology. My closing thought is technology is super fantastic and allows us to do things we were not able to do in the past but never forget the power of relationships, going outside and unplugging for our personal wellness and our students.