Final Thoughts

This class not only exposed me to different technology applications but has also allowed me to gain first-hand experience with Ed Tech tools like Flipgrid, Wakelet, Visme, and more. Sure, I could have learned some of these applications on my own, but who has the time to do that between our career, family, and grad school?

So that brings me to my biggest takeaway – there must be fidelity in practice time for educators before true classroom integration can take place. I have gained a better understanding of what good professional development (PD) looks like and the need to provide not just formal, but time for independent as well as informal PD. Too often, PD is done to teachers, not done with teachers. Lastly, I appreciate having the opportunity to explore a wicked problem that I have been interested in for several years now, but could never garner support – revisiting our school division’s cell phone policy.

Through our passion project, I examined what other school divisions are implementing across America, as well as around the globe. We know the distraction is a problem and a ban is unrealistic. Mobile devices are not going away and we need to come up with a solution. I tried to come up with a balanced approach that, if enforced consistently and presented to stakeholders positively, could benefit our students in their classroom learning and beyond.