So this one has been whirling around in my mind for a while. It believe it comes from having a wide variety of experience in instructional technology personally and professionally. I see both examples.. that is, examples of those who put on the brakes when the idea of innovation arrives, as well as those who take the wheel and see where it takes them. I have always tried to understand why one would choose one of these two paths over the other. As someone who lives each day to drive innovation, I assume those who are like me do it for the same reasons. We have found something that we love that truly makes a difference, and we can’t wait to see what happens next. For those who put on the brakes, well I can only assume it is due to a variety of factors that at the end of the day leads back to working harder for something you may or may not value or understand.  So no matter where you stand on the matter I charge you to think about this…

Instructional technology folks, no matter how long it has been, we all started in the classroom. We are teachers. We somewhere along the way found our specific passion in the field and moved that direction, but again we are still teachers. In addition to being teachers I challenge that we are also leaders. Leadership comes with great responsibility. In my opinion instructional technology leaders must be servant leaders. It is not about power, knowledge, expertise, or title, rather it is about serving. The best way to serve those you work WITH, is to learn alongside them, to do anything you would ask them to do, and show you of all people, are a lead learner.

Driving innovation and leading must also be about showing you are always reflecting and evaluating each and every day. You consider what you taught last year and determine if it is still instructionally relevant to your learners, and plan for where you want the learning to go next. While the ISTE standards won’t change from this year to the next, my lessons will. The reality is that my students will change from this year to next. They will have one more year of living in a digitally driven society. They will have one more year of experience with technology in schools. They will be one year more capable of creation over consumption, so in no way should my lessons look the same next year. If I do not model this as leader, how can I call upon those I work with to reflect and evaluate on their own instructional path? Driving innovation is about being the one out front, doing anything you ask others to do.

So look around… who do you know that is driving innovation? Who do you see putting on the brakes every time something new comes around? Ask yourself if you can foster an innovator in the months to come. Can you help one more person see the value of gunning it over slamming on the brakes? It is my challenge to you!

#drive

jaime