Idea for
How might we make professional development videos easier to find?
In Stage 1, you shared that it can be challenging finding videos that not only fit into your schedule, but also match the subject, grade level, or practice you’re looking for.
Featured Idea
Ashley's idea is innovative, feasible to implement, and has the potential for big impact. Help Ashley get ready for Innovator's weekend by sharing your feedback. How would you make this idea work in your setting?
Curioed Convos
As Brian Grazer describes in his book, "A Curious Mind", I find that the best PD I've done is when I'm given freedom to follow my own curiosity. I get curious about things, investigate them, and these investigations end up in my lessons and strategies for teaching. The problem is I write these ideas down in various places or have enlightening conversations, and often forgot so much of what I learned through the process. I propose a Pinterest-like website for educators, except with a virtual notebook and social media component. Teachers can collect and develop ideas and with each board or page, other people can comment, question, or discuss what they see or think about the ideas. These boards can be arranged according to topic for easy reference and searching capabilities. Have you ever seen those "Smash Books" you can buy at Target and other stores? Kind of like that, except virtual. Borrowing from Grazer, a platform for "curiosity conversations" between educators.
Potential Impact
As I mentioned, the best experiences I've had as an educator come from my own curiosity and genuine exploration both personally and professionally. PD is often "one size fits all", and sometimes it's helpful when we sit and listen all day, but mostly it isn't. Even online PD can become cumbersome, if we're not able to explore our own interests. With a platform such as the one I described, teachers have a place to connect, reflect, organize, and share authentic explorations and experiences that allow us to engage divergent thinking in order create lessons about which we are truly passionate.
Possible Implementation
The first task is to build the platform, beta test it with real teachers, launch it, and market it.
North Oldham High School
Yes, teachers will post inspirational, exploratory, and educational videos to the boards, and other teachers will view them, comment, discuss, and share them, in addition to other virtual resources teachers may find, collect, and discuss. I really think of it as a virtual notebook, in the same way that I have a collection of notebooks from every year I've taught. Except these notebooks will be interactive and collaborative.
Lisa H Community Guide
Palmyra Area School District
Hi Ashley! I am very excited to see how your idea develops. Your focus is on curiosity and inspiration in the classroom, which just so happens to be the topic of our first Google Hangout on Thursday at 7:30 EST. I would love it if you would participate! What do you think?
Lisa H Community Guide
Palmyra Area School District
Ashley - we were postponed last week. This GHO is now happening Tuesday, June 16 at 7:00 EST. Are you interested in being a part of the conversation?
Lisa H Community Guide
Palmyra Area School District
Hey Ashley! Take a look at Eric Russo's Video and Pinterest idea. I think that you two could create an excellent collaboration.
Hey Ashley. As recommended by Lisa, I checked out your idea, and we are thinking along the same lines. I already have a huge bank of article on various Pinterest boards, but for this conversation I began thinking about creating boards strictly with video. Occasionally I pin video links as well, but with the new idea, the boards would be dedicated to video that might show best practices that are relative to a certain domain around Danielson's Framework, for example. Here is an example of one of the boards I have now around project based learning.
I'm not sure. The timing is always tough with family needs, but I will try to get on. Bedtime and bath time usually coincide.
Ebenezer El Sch
Great idea, Ashley! I can even see the ability for a board to have multiple administrators so that team collaboration is enhanced.
Your Name
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Almost 6 Years Ago
Christopher B Community Guide
Downers Grove North High School
I really like the interactive and social-media-driven aspect of this proposal. Thank you for sharing! In what way do you video as part of this? Will teachers watch classroom video on this platform? Post them to this platform?