What is a Campus Innovation Coach? Introducing Mellen Chrzanowski

Who is Mellen Chrzanowski?

Mellen (short for Mary Ellen) has taught 6th grade World Cultures at Bailey Middle School for the past four years. Prior to teaching full-time, she was the library clerk at the Ann Richards School. She also taught English in the Philippines for two and half years as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Mellen loves infusing technology into her classroom especially instructional games. She enjoys using technology in her classroom because it allows her students to show their knowledge to the best of their abilities and it also allows them to express their creativity. Technology also provides her with an individual understanding about each of her students...something that is a "challenge to accomplish with 130 students."

Sixth grade use devices to scan QR codes and view images of ancient Indian artifacts.

What is a Campus Innovation Coach? Introducing Stephanie Roquemore

Introducing Stephanie Roquemore:

Stephanie Roquemore is an elementary teacher at Boone Elementary.  She became a Campus Innovation Coach at the beginning of this year.

Stephanie's Digital Artifacts:

https://boonebearsgotech.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/paper-is-so-yesterday/

Paper is so yesterday… boonebearsgotech.wordpress.com It’s Totally Tech Tuesday Ya’ll! Today my class and I launched our very first Google Classroom sesh and it was AWESOME! The idea that we were going to be in a “virtual” clas…

Is having a Growth Mindset Necessary in Design Thinking?

When we think about Design Thinking, we think about the ability to Ideate, Define, Prototype, Define, Empathize and Test.  As defined by Tim Brown, president and CEO of IDEO, "Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer's toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology..."

When Design Thinking is implemented with both teachers and students, is it necessary and essential to have a Growth Mindset?  Can Design Thinking be implemented if you have a Fixed Mindset?  When you tackle issues or solve problems do you think of it as "failure is an opportunity to grow" or do you think that "failure is the limit of my abilities?  Can you have both a Fixed and Growth Mindset?  Which one do you possess?

Take the Quick Mindset Quiz  and share your results and thinking about what is needed in Design Thinking.

The Best Time for New Beginnings is Now!

Every new beginning.... comes from some other beginnings 

·     It's a new beginning for me as a Technology Design Coach. 

It's a new beginning to establish and implement new goals.

·       It's a new beginning for me to tackle new challenges and cheer on new accomplishments. 

It's a new beginning for me to collaborate on new projects and make decisions to end old ones.

·       It's a new beginning tackle new challenges and conquer new horizons.

It's a NEW Beginning to end another new beginning....It's a new beginning to write the next chapter...

The BEST time for new beginnings in NOW!

Transitioning from Teacher...to Facilitator...Creating New Horizons...

Bill Lewis @blewistexas was very influential in my career in Instructional Technology. He supervised me when I first transitioned from the classroom to the world of Technology Integration. Along with +Marc Thrall we were the Instructional Technology TIE5 Grant Team. We worked with AISD sixth grade teachers and students and provided support for several private schools.

I remember on my first day as an Instructional Technology Facilitator, I spent most of the day in the bathroom throwing up from nerves and anticipation of my new journey of working with teachers and students. I had provided professional development to other teachers for years before embarking on this journey, but I was also doing it at the same time as being a teacher in the classroom. Taking that big step out of the classroom and into the realm of instructional technology was both nerve racking and heartbreaking because I  had to leave my students in the middle of the school year.  And of course, my students needed me. I was totally convinced that no on could take my place.

When I finally came out of the restroom on my first day as an Instructional Technology Facilitator, Bill Lewis was there waiting with words of inspiration and encouragement that I needed to embark on this new adventure. Both Marc and I were encouraged and allowed to be creative, reflect on our adventures and implement our wildest and craziest ambitions that would impact students and teachers in the world of technology.

I owe my aspirations and love for the world of education technology to a leader that both inspired and trusted my passion to impact both teachers and students. I also owe a lot of gratitude to my Technology Directors Jeff Meyer and Dave Sanders and my team of technology integration specialists who helped me pave my way.  Like Bill said, this was a vert supportive, innovative and ground breaking group. Although we all have gone our separate ways, the "nail in the wood" still stays.

And so my journey continues with new pathways of design thinking and technology design coaching...

Thanks Mr. Bill Lewis, you continue to make a difference and have impacted so many educators!

Texas School Business
https://issuu.com/tasanet/docs/september16/3?e=0

Transitioning....Creating New Pathways of Learning

Adapting to transitions and change are part of our everyday lives. We transition from childhood to adulthood and from life to death. Transitions enable us to make changes and adapt our skill-set to what is needed to enable us to function and survive in our everyday lives.


As a classroom teacher, I was empowered to transform technology in my classroom and boldly go where no technology teacher in AISD had gone before. With the help of my technology facilitator and then former director Dave Sanders @sandersnow  and technology facilitator  Scott Robuck @piconut, I was able to use technology to enrich and create unexplored territories in the district and beyond. I was able to engage Along with my colleagues Marc Thrall @IT_Thrall and Howard Martin @mrmartinsclass, we were fortunate enough to participate and be featured in the district's first Educational Technology Integration CD " A Classroom View."  We went on to be featured in Part 2 of the CD series featuring digital media. These were interactive professional development opportunities that focused on interactive programs for educators taking place in authentic classroom environments. The big GIST was to focus on the states of Technology Integration transitions.

Fast-forward many moons.... my current job is a Design Coach in AISD. As a Design Coach, I'm still able to transform technology but, I use different skill-sets as well as different technology tools to transform and coach teachers.  As a Technology Design Coach, my task is to help facilitate the learning of teachers.  My goal is to help get the teacher to the level where they serve as Campus Innovation Coaches at their campuses.

About this Blog

The Innovative Voices blog will harness the power of digital tools and artifacts to tell untold stories.  It will give voice to hidden stories in and outside of the classroom. Innovative Voices will also showcase student and teacher engagement, learning experiences and innovative ideas and strategies. We will also examine what components and tools are needed to evolve and empower the implementation of transformative technology in the classroom.

"Everyone has stories. Stories represent who we are, portray our life experiences, and when presented to others, help connect us to others through common shared experience..."

What are Digital Artifacts?

A Digital Artifact refers to any object or process resulting from human activity which represents things from the present or past. Digital Artifacts are part of our history, learning processes and daily experiences. Digital Artifacts help capture and give us a visual voice to what has happened or what is occurring at any moment in time.  Digital Artifacts give us a better understanding of who we are and who others are.  Digital Artifacts also help us understand hidden parts of our world or help us look at things, experiences or situations from different lenses.