My Innovation Plan

My Innovation Plan

Innovation Proposal

To: Dr. Ron Duerring, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools
From: Rebecca Recco
Date: February 3, 2017
Re: Innovation Plan Proposal

Dear Dr. Duerring,

When Edgewood Elementary School was being built, I remember going on the tour of the worksite. The walls were still bare cinderblock, and the rooms were just starting to take shape, and we were hearing some exciting phrases being used to describe the school: “high-tech,” “arts integration,” “project-based learning,” “flexible learning environments,” and “outdoor classrooms.” It was clear that the vision for this school was that it would be an innovative place where students could learn in exciting new ways. Through collaboration with teachers and the school administration, I have come up with a plan to bring Edgewood closer to its vision of holistic learning through the creation of a makerspace.

In fact, Edgewood has become the school where teachers are also learning in exciting new ways, and since starting training for Edgewood, I have been on an exciting journey that has taken me from using my first iPad to becoming the first and only (so far) Apple Distinguished Educator for the State of West Virginia, to Lead PBS Digital Innovator, and now to the Digital Learning and Leading program at Lamar University. As I am learning about innovative technology use in education, I am excited to see that Kanawha County Schools’ technology program is already ahead of the curve with our emphasis on choice-based learning, blended instruction, project-(or challenge-) based learning, and flexible learning environments. It is exciting to see these instructional styles happening in all Kanawha County schools.

But I also see a lot of teachers’ time being taken up by low-SAMR, low depth-of-knowledge activities, like Smarty Ants, ST Math, and Achieve 3000. These programs are important to student achievement, but their time requirements make it difficult to incorporate higher SAMR/DOK instructional models (like Arts Integration) into our students’ day. How can we encourage teachers to carve out some time for deeper learning?

Through Lamar, I am learning about the COVA model. COVA stands for student Choice, Ownership, Voice, and Authentic learning. This model promotes deeper understanding and better student engagement, while also fitting Kanawha County Schools’ technology plan verbatim. One way to promote the COVA model in an already-full class day would be to create a makerspace at Edgewood Elementary. A “makerspace” is a shared space in which students can collaborate to work on projects that incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Students will be allowed to choose projects to work on, and will be given dedicated time each week to work on these projects. They will document their work each week on Seesaw, which is an app that allows students to curate and share a digital portfolio, and for teachers, administrators, and parents to check in and leave comments on their portfolios.

Edgewood’s principal, Jan Scott, is in support of this program, and the PTO has already agreed to fund some coding toys (Osmo, Sphero, Code-a-pillar, and Play Doh Touch Shape to Life) to get us started. Many of our other materials would come from recycled donations. Principal Scott would like to put the Makerspace in the schools’ computer lab, and for Edgewood’s Technologist, Brianne Vandal and myself to run it during the times we don’t have art or technology classes. Each class would have a dedicated time each week to come to the makerspace, and for kids to continue their work on projects.

Some examples of makerspace projects would be:

  • coding toys
  • robotics
  • architecture
  • augmented/ virtual reality
  • sculpture
  • sewing/ weaving
  • math art
  • electronic music
  • paper circuits
  • app creation
  • science experiments
  • motorized inventions… and more!!!

To keep the makerspace time orderly and productive, we would have students choose from 6 prepared stations each week. Students would be required to work in the same station for at least two full sessions, and until the project is complete as described by a rubric. For the first month of school, all makerspace activities will be focused on team-building and collaboration skills, to prepare students for makerspace expectations.

As students work in the makerspace, they will document their progress in Seesaw. As they finish work, they will post a photo of their completed work, or upload digital work into their portfolio. They will also write a reflection piece about their work to include in their portfolio.

In preparing this proposal, I have researched academic papers and articles on makerspaces, and I have prepared a literature review of some articles that I found most helpful as we plan our makerspace at Edgewood. This review includes articles that discuss makerspace best practices, the maker movement, best types of maker projects, and ways to encourage curiosity and creativity in our students. 

We are already in the process of beta-testing some of our makerspace projects with the Edgewood after school program. I am also experimenting with TAB-Choice (Teaching for Artistic Behavior) art in my art program, which is very much like an art makerspace. These experiments are giving me a great deal of information that I can use when we launch our makerspace at the beginning of the next school year. Through the efforts to create a makerspace at Edgewood Elementary School, we can further the innovative efforts that Kanawha County Schools has been promoting through our technology initiative.

Thanks, always, for your continued support of innovative teaching and learning in Kanawha County Schools. I hope you will visit Edgewood and spend some time in our makerspace once we get it up and running.

5 thoughts on “My Innovation Plan

  1. Wow! Awesome! You did it. I know you had to redo your plan. That had to be a lot of work in a little time. Love it!

    1. Thank you so much, Karan! I forgot that I have to approve all the comments for them to show up. Whoops! Another thing I really need to check regularly. Yes, switching my plan was insane, but I’m so excited about the opportunity to create a makerspace! I didn’t think it would ever happen. Thanks for all your advice! I really love our little group of collaborators! It’s a small group, but you all inspire me so much! Thanks for all your help!

  2. Review 4 Rebecca, I’m your biggest fan. i think you wear your heart on your sleeve as your passion shows. Addressing your Superintendent nailed your audience just like the directions told us to consider. One question – Are you destined to go to London one day and talk about the innovations you are going to do because that darn London is still showing up. Also, please forgive me if I’m wrong, but although I was taken you your innovation site when I clicked on the link when I went to another page, I wasn’t sure how to get back.

    I agree with other members of our class that we should add a page for our student work samples. I am planning on doing that when I’m caught up. I know it’s not required, but I really love that on Anthony’s site.

    1. Oh, man!!! How is that design element still showing up? I keep chasing it around and it still comes up, but it isn’t showing up on my end, so I can’t figure out what’s triggering it. That being said, I am totally down with visiting London, because the last time I visited, I was too young to really appreciate what I was seeing. I need to go back there!

      Thanks for all your help! I am so glad to have you in this program with me, and I appreciate everything you’ve done to help me out.

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