Challenges in redesigning my practice

One of the most challenging aspects of any endeavour is thinking of innovative or creative ways of doing things. When one thinks of what he or she can do that has not been done before or, at the very least, is different or an improvement to what has been done there is a period of initial "staring into space." This is my current dilemma, particularly when faced with bell curves like the one below that places innovators as only 2.5% of the population. Rather than speculate about how these statistics are ever possible to discern, I have realised that it is essential to begin thinking about problems, and through identifying these I may be able to imagine possibilities.

   by  Wesley Fryer 

Many entrepreneurs and business leaders have frequently said that it is through thinking about problems that one can find innovative solutions. In the market place, they say, if your product or strategy provides a solution, it will be successful, if it does not, people with have no use for it. I think this applies to educational practices as well. Any research problem that I decide to try and solve will need to provide my clients with a solution. Therefore, I need to also ask is there a "market" for my solution. It would be absurd to redesign elements of my practice if my clients were not interested in that type of service. For this reason, my design-based research will be informed by the advice by entrepreneurs, particularly those in the growing area of educational entrepreneurship, as well as educators within the field and my peers.

I have been reading the blogs of some of my peers, such as Brendon, Anne and Mari, who are sharing their ideas about redesigning their practice. Through reading the identification of their "problems" I have been exposed to a wealth of ideas on what issues currently exist within their contexts, something I appreciate having access to. Brendon has provided access to his research proposal via Google Docs, a powerful tool that I am currently using in another subject to collaboratively write a paper about learning futures. He is looking at how new digital tools can increase collaboration and social learning within his classes, such as using blogs to develop ePortfolios. Anne is focusing on the implications of online learning for students from primary to middle years, and how schools can leverage the potential of online learning to improve student achievement and engagement. Mari, who is teaching in the senior years and working with the IB program, a program that I was also involved in in my later years of teaching, finds the program's assessment process as problematic, mostly because it is "static" and does not resemble real-world of creation, where individuals do have the opportunity to seek feedback whilst they create. I agree, as the assessment process in IB is not authentic, and something I also find problematic.

My major challenge is how to apply networking learning, particularly through an online medium, to my practice, particularly when I feel that the main focus of my service is in-person interaction rather than within a network. In my practice I use ICTs to communicate and research with clients, and most writing is done using a laptop. I also encourage the use of iPads to support learning, with the one that I provide having apps and tools that students can use, such as readers or a dictionary. Some of my students have even begun creating their own blogs to communicate and express themselves. To help them develop their blog I have integrated activities to coincide with what they are writing. Not all their activities will be posted to their blog but many tasks work towards improving their writing and self-expression. I think that keeping a blog is also purposeful as it provides many a reason to practice the writing craft.

I have not reached the writing stage of my design-based research but intend to over the next week. My challenge is now to move from staring into space and begin researching and thinking about what problems need solving.