ARichSeam

Reflection

Oneofthemainpointstakenfromthetextisthatdeeplearning,true,relevant
learningoccursinacollaborativepartnershipwithtechnologyasatoolandassessment
practicesthatcorrelatewiththose.Deeplearningcompetenciesshouldincludemastery
ofcontent,keyfutureskills,perseveranceinchallengesoflearning,andstudentwork
productsandtheeffectsontheaudience/problem(FullanandLangworthy,2014).
Studentsbecomeindependent,autonomouslearnersthatachievetheirownlearning
goals,personalaspirations,andmastercurriculumaswell.Purposeofdeeplearningis
tohelpstudentstobecometheirownteachers(FullanandLangworthy,2014).Deep
learningassessmentsneedtobeformative,needtodeterminepedagogical
partnershipsthatmeetlearningoutcomes,anddeterminewhichstrategies/policiesare
necessarytosupportthese.
Deeplearningrisesfrominherentchange,whereeveryoneisreachedand
motivatedfromwithin,cultivatingownershipandsustainability.Skillsfromdeep
learningcontinueon.Leadershipplaysanimportantroleincreatinginherentchangeby
helpingletgoofwhatisntworkingandtoreininnewstrategies/risktakingthatis
workinginstudentlearning.Thisleadershippermeatesthroughoutthesystempulling
theleadersoutofeveryoneinvolvedwhothencollaborateandcreateapartnershipof
leaders.Collaborationisfocused,specific,andpurposefulgearedtowardsthenew
pedagogy.Thenleaderscontinuethatmotivationbycontinuouslydeveloping,defining,
andcommunicatingthenewvision.
Oncetherightconditionsareinplace,newpedagogy,leadership,risktaking,
technology,thenchangecanspreadquicklyandtransitionsaremadeovershort
periodsoftime.Assessmentsdeterminetheeffectivenessofchangeand
accountability.However,toomuchfocusonaccountabilitycanimpedecreativityand
innovation(FullanandLangworthy,2014).Professionaldevelopmentopportunitiescan
notonlyintroducenewpedagogybutofferwaystoassess.Morethanformative
assessments,studentengagement,attitudesanddispositions,teachersperceptions
andpractices,andschoolsandsystemscultures/capacitiesshouldbeutilizedto
determineeffectiveness.Thetextgivesanexampleofhowtoassessbystartingwith
collaboration,creatingdeeplearninglessonsandrubricsthatgoalongwiththegoalsof
thelesson,comingbacktoreflectonthelessons/rubricandmakingchangesifneed
be.Aconstantcycleisneededtodetermineifdeeplearningistakingplace.Other
examplesgivenincludedlessonstudy,peercoaching,teachermeetups,andPLCs
(professionallearningcommunities),allofwhichfostercollaborationandpartnerships
neededtopromotedeeplearning.Parentalinvolvementandawarenessiskeyin

makingasuccessfulinitiativetousetechnologyasadeeplearningtool.Evaluations
needtoincludeallparties:teachers,students,staff,administration,district,andparents
inordertodetermineeffectiveness.
Changehastocomenotfromjustoneteacher,oneclassroom,whenusing
technologyasanintegratedtoolinnewpedagogy.Moresuccesshasbeenseenwhen
wholeschoolsandsystemstakeonthechange.Onewayofpromotingwholesystem
changeisthroughBYOD,orbringyourowndevice.Withnewintegrationsuchas
BYOD,comesnewresponsibilitysuchasethicsandaccountability.ResponsibleUse
Policiesandteachingstrategiesneedtobeupdatedandtaughttokeepstudentsaware.
Withthenewpedagogycomestheexpectationthatteachersandstudentstake
onapartnershipwithteachingandlearning.Wherebothworktogethertodefineand
carryoutdeeplearninglessons,tasksthatcreate/usethenewcontentinarelevant
mannerwhilecontinuouslymonitoringthelearningprocess,seeingwhatworksand
changingwhatdoesnt.Learningactivitiesshouldaddresstheskillswewantstudents
todemonstrateourexpectationsshouldmatchuptothelessonandstudent
achievement.Skillsshouldbegroundedinrealworldcontent,knowledgework.
Insummary,newpedagogyshouldinspireandensurethatallstudentsare
capableofindependentlearningandpurposefulactionintheworldandhavenotonly
thefoundation,butalsothepracticalexperiencesandtechnicalskillstocreatevaluable
futuresforthemselvesandtheirsocieties(FullanandLangworthy,2014).

Whenrelatingtheinformationfromthearticletowhatwehavelearnedoverthis
semester,throughouttheprogram,therearemanypointsthatstandout.Purposeof
deeplearningbeingthemostimportantpoint,stressingtheimportanceofrelevancy.
Deeplearningskillsthatintroduceandcontinuetobuilduponasthevisionchanges.
Assessingthoseskillsbydeterminingifgoalsarebeingmetwithnewpedagogy.
Developtrueintrinsicmotivation,creativity,andcollaborationinrealworldproblems/
solutions.SpecificallywhenIlookatwhatIhavelearnedintheprogramandrelateitto
myschool,aneedisidentified,strategiesthatwillpromote21stcenturyskillsanddeep
learningarecreated,technologyisusedasatoolinpromotingteacher/student
achievementandgoalreaching,collaborationamongteachersandteachersand
students,andassessingwhethergoalshavebeenmade,reflectingonthesepointsto
determineiftheneedisultimatelyfulfilled.