Innovation Doesn’t Mean Technology

One of our summer reading PD options was Innovator’s Mindset by George Couros. As an instructional facilitator of technology (IFT), I return to this book often to remind myself of something very simple: innovation in teaching doesn’t mean teaching with technology.

Mr. Couros defines innovation “as a way of thinking that creates something new and better” and “is a way of thinking.” In terms of technology, it really comes down to if we use it, how we use it to create innovation. I want to spotlight two lessons that happened in our Innovation Lab last week, one with and one without technology, but both equally innovative.

The first lesson invited first graders to introduce themselves using Wixie. In the past Wixie, or Pixie as it was called, was often used as a reward for finishing work as it allows students to paint, draw and use different art features on the computer. This year students were given the opportunity to use Wixie to introduce themselves and share a little about them including a selfie and audio recording! Using Wixie as an art resource is one way to use it, but inviting first graders to use it as a communication tool is innovative. As a parent, I love this activity. I would have relished the chance to see what my child thought was a great selfie or wanted to share in the audio file!

The second lesson was completely technology free; the third grade team presented students with the challenge to create a paper airplane capable of carrying a load of five pennies from one destination to another. This lesson was fascinating to watch! Students designed all types of planes, shared ideas, and continuously refined their designs based on feedback. Students used an innovator’s mindset as they thought about the changes they needed to make to their airplane to achieve the objective. Did most of the students end of using tape to secure their payload? Yes, but no one told them they had to use tape or how to use it in order to be successful and this was reflected in their various designs.

Mr. Couros writes, “Having the freedom to fail is important to innovation. But even more important to the process are the traits of resiliency and grit.” In both of these lessons, the students encountered problems or struggles, but they did so with a smile. It was great to see them take the bumps in the road in stride and turn to their classmates for advice and guidance. Whether we use technology or not, I hope we all find such joy and excitement in our innovation journey!

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