ICYMI: June Reflections and Looking Toward July

Colleagues,

June has been a busy month with seven unique discussions. We began the month revisiting the idea of meritocracy and social capital. What do you think? Should we focus program and instructional time building social capital? And how do we provide opportunities for our students?

David Rosen shared the OTAN Tech Talks.Have you had a chance to watch them? If so, how have you used the information?  

We had a rich discussion about backward design The steps are 1) Think about the desired learning outcomes, 2) determine which instructional practices are likely to produce the intended outcomes, 3) identify necessary organizational support, 4) evaluate current educator knowledge and skills, 5) determine the optimal professional learning activity. What did you take away from the conversation?

Along with backward design, we discussed inclusive technology integration. The American Institute for Research recently shared their report Inclusive Technology in a 21st Century Learning System  How are you creating an inclusive environment? 

Finally, we wrapped up the month with an exploration of the teenage brain. They should learn about their own brains and how they're changing because I think it's empowering for young people to know and understand more about why they might be feeling a certain way. Do you serve adolescents in your program? If so, how has this conversation aided you? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Which topic was most relevant to your experiences? What would you like to discuss in July? And finally, do you have an area of expertise and would like to share it through a featured discussion? Let us know.

Sincerely, 
Kathy Tracey
@Kathy_Tracey