Monday, March 6, 2017

To Plan or Not to Plan...It’s Not Even a Question

Tournament fisherman have many things to do before they actually make their first cast after the sound of the gun. A week of pre-fishing the lake and developing a game plan, various boat preparations, and checking and re-checking your tackle. There is a lot of hard work that goes into being a successful tournament fisherman. All of this planning before a tournament is not necessarily the fun stuff, but it is a requirement in order to have success.
Probably the most important piece to winning a fishing tournament is to have an effective pre fishing routine. During this time of pre fishing, an angler must learn everything they can about the lake or river system. This includes where different structure is, water color and depths of various areas and especially how the river or lake reacts to sudden changes in weather or water conditions.
Now, I’m no tournament fisherman (know of any openings?),  I am an educator that focuses on the integration of technology into curricula. In order to help teachers integrate various technology I have to be comfortable and knowledgeable about the latest trends and practices in educational technology. In addition, there is a need to effectively plan for the future in an area that is always evolving. I have spent quite a bit of time looking at things like the new Digital Learning and Computer Science Standards, research on 1:1 programs, as well as other bigger picture items. I always have to tell myself and be reminded that while this may not be the exciting and fun part of the job it is actually the necessary piece that allows me to have those invigorating and exciting experiences with teachers and students in the classroom.

The proper research and planning that goes into a 1:1 program or development of a makerspace for example, can be the difference between success and seamless integration and complete breakdown and failure. To properly embark on a new journey, especially in the area of educational technology, one must gather and utilize all available resources. This includes various documentation, research, and personnel.  Use all of the information that can be acquired to develop a detailed plan and finally execute and assess that plan. Without taking the time to properly research and plan what happens is you end up taking one step forward and two steps back.
So, make sure you know what your plan is for that sudden hail storm in August, the bass get finicky and the wireless network may get a little testy.

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