Have an idea? You can do it!

Quite often, I have conversations with other teachers that start off with, "Sarah, I wish ..." or "I'd really like to try ..." or even "Do you think I could ..." I always feel a little spark in my heart and it brings a smile to my lips when I hear this. 

These conversations are really what gave me inspiration for my Google Innovator project. I spent 14 years in the classroom and often had these same thoughts. I was always lucky enough to have colleagues who would listen and bounce ideas around with me. I always had supportive administrators who allowed me to try out ideas. Now that I am in a tech integration role, my job is focused on supporting teachers and integrating technology in meaningful ways.

I want to focus on what I consider the most powerful part of my Innovator project today - the "Idea Investigation". I created "Innovation You Can Do" to be a comprehensive and flexible workflow to take an idea from spark to launch. Over the past month, I have used the Idea Investigation to give structure to several ideas. Three are ideas of mine and two are ideas others have shared with me that they want to work on.

Upon completion of the idea investigation, I see the foundation of my next steps. I see where I need, not just want, the project to go. And, I have a reference guide to this idea in the event that I cannot focus on this idea right now. I see how having it down on paper forces me to think through and solidify the idea. And yes, I have printed out the Idea Investigation and physically written it out - it makes it more real.

For one of the collaborative projects, I gave the Idea Investigation to the two people who suggested it. It was insightful to have all 3 of us fill this out and when we brought them together - the bones of it was the same, but we each had a slightly different perspective and a few different - but necessary requirements - came to light.

This isn't just something that works for me, this can work for you. I hope you take a look at it and try it out with an idea you have. I'm sharing this because I believe in sharing what works. I believe that too many great ideas won't make it beyond the spark phase because the creator don't know where to start. You can start here. You can start with this "Idea Investigation". You CAN do this.

Here is a link to the whole "Innovation You Can Do" workbook. You are welcome to use the entire workbook to guide a timeline, meetings with others as you work through your project, and reflections. If you only want the Idea Investigation, it's Slide 3. Feel free to print it out or keep it digitally.

And if you are looking to bounce ideas around, feel free to reach out! You can contact me through any number of my social channels.

Innovation You Can Do

Have you had an idea of something to do or try but you are stumped with how to go about moving forward? I've been there so many times and I've seen so many educators in the same boat. Today, I want to share a framework for anyone who would like to move forward with an idea but aren't really sure where or how to start.

First, a little background. I was honored to attend the Google Innovator Academy in October of 2019. The goal of the academy is to produce a project that helps others. I focused on the idea that teachers have many ideas of ways to improve education but we struggle with execution. Time, energy, and direction are the hurdles. And often, it's overwhelming to try to tackle anything more while teaching full-time.

BUT I truly believe we, teachers, hold the keys to improving education.

With that in mind, my Innovator project is a framework to help you through the process of starting with an idea, to growing and changing and enhancing the idea, to ultimately what the designer sees as a "launch". No two projects are alike or will take the same path, so the framework is meant to guide the designer, rather than dictate a specific path. Ideally, the designer will team up with someone else to work on their idea. Having someone to lean on, ask questions of, bounce ideas off of, and to support can make a huge difference. Too many ideas are sidelined because the designer becomes stuck or lost or overwhelmed.

I'm grateful to three colleagues who've utilized my framework to further an idea they've had. One of these has gone through to a launch, the other two have been put on hold due to COVID. That's another piece to this - the projects won't be lost. We decided to put them on pause and we can pick it back up when we are ready and have the appropriate time and energy to put into it.

The one project that has gone through to launch has inspired me to spiral off of it to start work on a similar project that I will also use with the framework.

I am sharing the framework with you today. I've called it "Innovation You Can Do." This framework can be used both 100% digitally OR it can be printed on paper. Of the 3 projects I've been part of, all have preferred it on paper. We wanted to jot our notes during our meetings as well as in between our meetings.

Would you like your own copy of this workbook? Here's a link to the template version. Hands down, I feel the "Idea Investigation" page is the foundation. I hope if you see it having potential use for you that you DO use it. I do plan on doing a few solo projects where the "Idea Investigation" is the only piece I will use. I know this page will force me to go through the process of solidifying my idea by turning it over and thinking it through.

I'd love feedback - whether you use this framework or not. Is there something I can improve? Do you have an idea or a project you want to use it with? Feel free! Let me know if I can help or be part of it. 

Do you have a comment about this framework? Feel free to leave it below ⤵

Or Tweet at me @kiefersj 

Or email me sarah@techyoucando.com 

Or connect with me on Facebook - Sarah Kiefer

So many ideas have value ... but if you don't give them the space to grow, you'll never know!

Innovation You Can Do

Have you had a period of time where it doesn't matter how you look at it, time isn't your friend? That has been me the last month or so. So many GOOD things going on and if I had the ability to completely skip sleeping I would have done so! I chose the word "Intentional" for my word this year and I am struggling to be true to it. My blogging was one of the items that needed to be put on hold while I completed other projects.

One of my BIGGEST projects has been my Google Innovator project. I am nearing the 6 month point and I feel like it's a great time for an update. I am blessed to have 3 amazing educators working through my project with me. I have a great cohort and coach working with me. And my mentor is incredible.

I've kept my project on the quiet side, mostly because I am protective of it and like most people, I really worry about putting it out there. It kind of feels like I'm letting one of my "babies play in traffic" 😆 by sharing.

Deep breath ... here's the background. For my application to the Google Innovator Academy, I had to identify a problem I saw in education. I had to share my problem as a video. I am no video expert, but I am pretty proud of this video. I used the skills I had, and with the photo skills of my youngest daughter, and a few free pieces of tech (remove.bg, the Noun Project, Bensound, Screencastify, and few others) to create it.

I was elated to find out in August I had been accepted to the #NYC19 Google Innovator cohort! At the academy, they put us through the Design Thinking process with the help of Les McBeth and other Innovators. Let me just say, those were 3 FULL days packed with thinking, re-thinking, and thinking some more! It was an amazing experience I will carry with me forever.

And my project was born ... "Innovation You Can Do".

Truly, the best part of my job is working with teachers and students. Therefor, my project focuses on creating a framework, a structure, that - I hope - anyone can use to take their idea from the "spark" to the "launch". I've had many teachers throw an idea out but then follow with they don't know where to start (I know that feeling!). That's where my project comes into the picture. My hope for "Innovation You Can Do" is it will walk the "Designer" (the one with the idea) through the process from "spark" to "launch". The "Collaborator" (the coach, the support person) acts as a second perspective, an additional resource, a friend, a listening ear, a question-er to the Designer in this process.

Currently, I am honored to be working with 3 amazing educators who were willing to bring their idea to life using "Innovation You Can Do".

At our first meeting, I give them a copy of "Innovation You Can Do" and we walk through the workbook. Each project is unique, so the first task to be completed is a "Needs Assessment". When we meet again, we go over the needs assessment and questions are asked to clarify as well as agreeing on a rough timeline. While it has the ability to flex, we are looking to pin down a "launch" date. At this point, each project takes a unique path. We decide what the next piece is that needs to be done and when to meet again. Once a date is decided, we lay out what each of us is responsible to do prior to the meeting.

I am excited to get these projects off the ground and solidify "Innovation You Can Do". It has already come a long way from what I initially put together and I see it taking shape. Innovation really IS possible ... and when you have someone walking the path with you, it is definitely achievable.

I know all I've shared is my idea, but my hope is that this is enough for you to picture it. I will be back to share the actual project.

After reading this, if you are willing, I'd love to know your thoughts and feedback on it. You can comment below, respond on Twitter (@kiefersj), or send me an email - sarah@techyoucando.com .