#IMMOOC: Episode Five

Featuring: Brad Gustafson

Brad introduces himself as an "elementary principal, author, and speaker. He believes schools can be spaces where creativity and innovation thrive, but only when we prioritize relationships and a relevant, connected pedagogy". 

It is obvious that Dr. Brad Gustafson loves learning. It was affirming to hear that he would never ask others to do what he isn't already doing, or willing to try. I have added his book, Renegade Leadership to my #ProfReading list. Here is a sneak preview:

Missed the GHO session, view it here:

Vialogues:

Alternatively, we encourage you to join Vialogues - thanks Kevin. Kevin encouraged #IMMOOC participants to join up, and add to the conversation, alongside viewing the GHO. What I liked about this option, was to see other people's thoughts, alongside George, Katie and Brad, plus personally contributing. Check it out here.

5 min topics: Rapid Fire

1. How do you measure innovation? Improving student outcomes is what we desire - innovation is how we can achieve this. Do we measure what we value? What does student outcomes mean?

 2. Digital Portfolios - how might we make these powerful? Beyond school? Mindset - meaningful change - some are distractors! If this matters, we need to see how these can enhance learning. A continuity (platform) would be useful.

3. Barriers to Education: frivolous education. Decisions made by everyone other than the classroom teacher.

4. Innovating inside the box: When you are bringing people into dynamic classrooms, let's focus on the powerful learning. How are the teachers being innovative? How is technology enhancing learning? the learners? 

5. Empowerment, not just engagement: conversations. Purpose? Why should we empower our teachers? What does this look like? How will it impact on our learners? Content creators - authentic audience

IDEA from Brad: One sentence 'grant' - email what you need to the principal, generated conversation/transparent and accessible.

Wero

• How might we continue this #IMMOOC learning? Sharing? Encouraging internal accountability?

- Facebook Community link- Innovator Mindset MOOC Google+ link- Twitter - #IMMOOC- Internal Accountability - continue sharing our tried, tested, reflected   refined? Keep the conversations/reflections flowing.

- have an #IMMOC reunion 

• How might we create a culture of innovation?
  
  As I was recently reading George's blogpost: 'Why we Should not lead with fear in education', I was reminded of an earlier post written by the wonderfully talented, Karen Spencer, Director of Education at Netsafe (former consultant at CORE Education). Titled 'Keep the fear off the set', her blogpost explores the notion of supporting change and scaling innovation in a way that brings people with us, rather than the perception that change is being done to them.

Inspiring final keynote: Karen Spencer, ULearn16

 Often the barriers to challenging the status quo, prevent anything changing. If we are able to create the conditions required - relational trust (both ways), a 'fail' fast culture, critical reflection, transparency, modelling etc, then we are more likely to empower our teachers, leaders and learners to be innovative, to ask questions, to push the boundaries, to enhance powerful learning. George refers to creating this type of environment that fosters: strengths-based leadership, learners' needs driving our decisions, less, better, open culture, creating learning experiences for educators that we want to see in our classrooms. (Couros, 2015, p. 206)

At a recent CORE Education breakfast, this school worked in two groups to explore how might their classrooms be set up to enhance powerful learning.

Competitive Collaboration: 
 designing 'the stuff' within innovative learning environments