Characteristics Of The Innovator's Mindset Found Reflection

My previous two #immooc reflections for part one were poems.  I had intended for my reflection for chapter three of George Couros's book The Innovator's Mindset to be a found poem. Not sure if I have achieved a poem. So let's call it a found reflection. Each phrase is one that someone else wrote but resonated with me. Each phrase is linked back to its source. As I was collecting items for my found reflection, I came across someone who had a similar idea, a blog tour.

One of things I love about #IMMOOC is reading so many interesting blogs that are new to me, & having new people comment on my blog. For me, Part One of The Innovators Mindset has one resounding key word ... empathy. Empathetic: Look at teaching from the learner's perspective.

Does something stop being innovative after the first time it exists? Use what you've got. Tweak it. Add to it. Take away. Make it better. Your lessons will lead your students and you to new destinations! I am always wondering if I do enough to set the grounds for student-led curiosity, as opposed to teacher-led instruction? I need that push to make sure I’m not getting comfortable. I think we all do. Be better today than you were yesterday. 

The Innovator's Mindset Poetry Summary

Today's #immooc reflection for chapter two of George Couros's book The Innovator's Mindset. This one was a challenge to summarize in 22 syllables.

A new

way of thinking. 

Resiliency and grit 

will help learners find solutions. 

Insight.

What Innovation Is and Isn't Poetry Summary

Today's #immooc reflection for chapter one of George Couros's book The Innovator's Mindset. 

Invent something that is
New BUT 
Not "just because". 
Or make something better.
Value
Asking why, then what and how. 
Technology is a tool that helps spread
Innovative ideas and
Opportunities.
Never stop learning.

Dusting Off The Blog

Deja Vu?

I started this particular blog when Dr. Alec Couros did #etmooc. Now I am dusting it off for his brother's (George Couros) #immooc. Another similarity between now and then: commenting. I was debating not setting up a spot for me to blog this time. I already find the massive amount of blogs (155 when I last looked) and FaceBook posts for #immooc to be daunting. Do I really want to add my small voice to that noise? Then George Couros set a challenge:

Yes. That is how we take the noise and make it a conversation. Which is the point to all of this, right? And these thoughts turned out to be very similar to my thinking three years ago: you put yourself out there when you post but I think sometimes that is easier than commenting.

Starting Conversations

I checked out Amy Stanley blog - Challenging myself to innovate! #IMMOOC. One phrase that really stood out for me was: "the spark of interest really changed into a fire to start something happening for myself and my district."

Next stop was David Wallace's blog - Create - Connect - Reflect. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was not the first person to comment on his blog. The title of his first blog post, I Don't Really Know The Destination, also resonated with others as well. One of the comments was a suggestion to join #immooc (which he already had done).  

Like selecting a new book to read, I am all about the titles. If there were covers for each blog post listed in the #immooc blog list, I would probably be swayed by the grooviest cover or anything containing Wonder Woman or glitter. So as someone who is passionate about technology integration in elementary school, I was drawn to the title of Alice Vigor's blog, Passionate About Primary, K-6 Teacher and Technology Leader. I was impressed by her student's curiosity that she brought out with starting a genius hour. You'll have to read her blog post to see what I am talking about. 

Jeff Nelson's short blog post, The First Step, really resonated with me. I really found myself turning a corner in the last few years as a professional. I have started realizing that I need to make time for professional reading, which is what brought me to #immooc. Like anything that we think something is important, as Jeff says, ….the time can be found.

My First Attempt to Define How I See Digital Literacies

Near the end of the #etmooc session/talk by  Dr. Doug Belshaw on  Digital Literacies we were asked to start to define how we saw "digital literacies" based on his 8 elements. 

Here's my attempt: Digital literacies are a web of elements that interact and support one another, they are to be viewed in a cultural context. They are developed by having confidence to commmunicate about, to think about, and to create content (text, image, video and other media). They are refined by the ability and opportunity to think critially about the content others create.  They ideally lead to a civic/global responsibility and to a connected individual who contributes something meaningful.

Checking Out My Classmates eMOOC Style

Who Should I Sit Next To?
It's been awhile since I was in University. But I do remember the first day of each course looking around for someone I know. I remember trying to figure out who would be good to sit next to and who would be useful to get to know. Being shy, when I was in big classes these remained thoughts and I usually sat somewhere I thought I'd remain unnoticed. 

Today I checked out my #etmooc classmates. Wow, what a difference. Before it was the complete lack of information overload - all you had to go on is what people looked like to make those first judgments. Now it's information overload! 

Yet same issue...

How to seek out those classmates who will help add to the usefulness of the experience? 

With the sessions recorded, I am not seeking those who keep awesome notes this time. Rather, those people who you wander out of class with having a great conversation. I'm seeking those people who you have engaging conversations with over coffee. 

Some Ideas

Commenting
Over the past few years, as I have participated in more online communities, I have learned the value of commenting as the first step in developing a relationship with others. In fact, that is how I met my husband! :)

You put yourself out there when you post but I think sometimes that is easier than commenting. 

Creating Unique Circles
I saw fellow #etmooc-er Heather Martin create a circle for librarians. Brilliant! I am attempting to do the same thing for K-3 educators. 

Twitter
When I first saw the lists they created with the #etmooc participants I didn't know what to do with that information. Today, as I read the introductions, I followed people whose introduction resonated with me. I was reminded of the blog post Why I Unfollowed 5000 People . For Twitter to be relevant to me, I need to follow people who I have decided are useful to me in a personal or professional way. To simply just follow everyone on #etmooc was not useful to me.

Google +
I did the same thing with Google+. I created an #etmooc circle and added those people whose introductions resonated with me. I do need to turn off my notifications because I find seeing notifications fill up my iPhone every hour a bit overwhelming!

What is nice about both Google+ and Twitter, is that there are ways for me to tap into the bigger Ed Tech community with hash tags or by visiting the #etmooc community on Google+. 

Pleased to #etmooc You My Name Is Colette