Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework Final

Reflection

Domain: Mindsets 

Mindset competencies include the core values or beliefs that guide an individual’s thinking, behaviors, and
actions, and that align with goals of educational change and mission. In blended learning, practitioners need to
understand, adopt, and commit to mindsets that help them shift towards new forms of teaching and learning.
Rating Scale
3 Meets or Exceeds Competency
2 Approaching Competency
1 Working towards Competency
0 Not yet attempted
Competency Blended teachers should: Rating

Competency 1: Standard A: Shift from teacher-led instruction to student-centered learning for the 3
New vision for purposes of meeting individual needs and fostering engagement and motivation.
teaching and
learning Standard B: Value collaboration with various stakeholders to enhance student 3
learning

Standard C: Create learning environments that are flexible and personalized, 3

dependent on real-time data, direct observation, and interaction with and feedback
from students.

Standard D: Model a growth-orientation towards learning for self and others. 3

Standard E: Have an entrepreneurial spirit, and possess creativity, imagination, 3

and drive.

Competency 2: Standard A: Embrace change and model this for others. 3

Orientation Standard B: Proactively initiate change in response to students’ needs and 3
toward change & progress.
improvement
Standard C: Embrace uncertainty and ambiguity as part of improving teaching and 3
learning practices

Standard D: Model and encourage others to be independent and self-directed 3

learners.

Standard E: Demonstrate the professional responsibility to contribute to the 3

effectiveness, innovation, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession, as
well as to their school and community.

Write a personalized reflection that focuses on your areas of strength and your areas for growth relative to
the ​Mindsets Domain.​ ​Support your reflection with specific examples you have shared or become aware of
during this course ​citing specific competencies and standards within the domain.

iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework

 Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework Final
Reflection

Response:

This course introduced me to new ways of using Google Suite applications to help create
learning environments that are flexible for students (1C). Using tools like Padlet to increase
student engagement (1A) and Google Survey to collect real-time data helped make direct
observations and real time analysis of student responses for immediate feedback prior to
moving on to the next lesson (1C). Collaborating with other teachers through class exposed
me to additional online tools, such as Formative, to make learning more engaging for
students (1B). This course helped me foster the drive to search for ways in which to use
technology as way for students to produce work and develop 21st century skills (1D, 1E). In
our department we are currently undergoing a mind shift in which students are being asked
to focus more on analyzing data and producing solutions for problems, something drastically
different from what was expected 5 years ago. Many veteran teachers are struggling to
meet these expectations, but as a team lead, I have modeled ways of integrating online
simulations (Gizmo) and collaborative tools (Google Sheets Academic Calendar) to help
them achieve the new goals set by the Next Generation State Standards (NGSS) (2A-E). In
addition, our school will now be 1-1 across all high school grades. To alleviate the stress of
new technology and content standards, I will continue to help teachers learn about tech tools
that can aid students in the mastery of the content (Quizizz, Quizlet, Illuminate).

Domain: Qualities
Quality competencies are those personal characteristics and patterns of behavior that help academic staff
make the transition to new ways of teaching and learning. These qualities, like grit, flexibility, and transparency,
need to be coached, reinforced, and developed over time.]
Rating Scale
3 Meets or Exceeds Competency
2 Approaching Competency
1 Working towards Competency
0 Not yet attempted
Competency Blended teachers should: Rating

Competency 1: Standard A: Engage in deliberate practice and persevere toward ambitious, 3

Grit long-term educational and professional goals.

Standard B: Maintain and model persistence, confidence, and optimism to resolve 2

issues.

iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework

 Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework Final
Reflection

Competency 2: Standard A: Openly and frequently share successes, failures, and challenges. 2
Transparency Standard B: Look objectively at all results (both positive and negative), and help 3
others to do the same.

Competency 3: Standard A: Balance individual initiative with teamwork to accomplish 3

organizational objectives.
Collaboration
Standard B: Proactively seek to learn from and with other experts in the field 2

Write a personalized reflection that focuses on your areas of strength and your areas for growth relative to
the​ ​Qualities Domain. ​Support your reflection with specific examples you have shared or become aware of
during this course ​citing specific competencies and standards within the domain.
Response:
Deliberately using Google applications on a daily basis for collaboration, curriculum, and student
engagement is something that is observable in my class (1A). When encountering technology issues or
learning new technology I reach out to either my students or colleagues to troubleshoot challenges (1B) and
make sure students know and see how I am troubleshooting. Transparency when learning new tech, allows
students to observe positive collaboration to achieve a common goal (2A). When using technology, I provide
students with options, for example using Excel or Google Sheets to develop charts. When introducing these
types of options, I inform them of the pros and cons of both (2B). In my class, students work in groups to
collect laboratory data, and then have to generate graphs on their own using technology such as Excel and
Google Sheets (3A). In this fashion students develop collaboration skills, while still being autonomous in
deriving products, either in the form or lab write-ups or abstracts of their work (3A). In order for students to
understand how the skills learned in class are applied on the job, I have taken them on multiple field trips in
which they have seen scientists in action, and in which they collected samples for data (3B). In this fashion
students are learning from experts in the field and validating the skills learned in class.

Domain 3: Adaptive Skills

Adaptive skills are generalizable skills that apply across roles and subject areas. These skills—which include things like collaboration
and problem-solving—are complex; they help practitioners tackle new tasks or develop solutions in situations that require organizational
learning and innovation. They are mastered through modeling, coaching, and reflective practice.

Rating Scale
3 Meets or Exceeds Competency
2 Approaching Competency
1 Working towards Competency
0 Not yet attempted
Competency Blended teachers should: Rating

Competency 1: Standard A: Continuously take note of what is or is not working (via student-level 3
data, technology applications, pedagogical strategies, supervisor feedback, etc)

iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework

 Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework Final
Reflection

Reflection and identify a plan of action.

Standard B: Collaboratively, transparently, and proactively seek out feedback 3

from students, parents, and colleagues to continuously improve instruction and
teaching practices.

Standard C: Apply lessons and takeaways about their own experiences as 2

learners, both online and offline, to their work with students.

Competency 2: Standard A: Engage in problem solving through continuous planning, designing, 3

Continuous testing, evaluation, and recalibration of teaching methods.
improvement and
innovation Standard B: Use technology creatively and purposefully to work effectively and 3
efficiently.

Competency 3: Standard A: Connect learners to sources of information beyond the classroom 3

Communication teacher and textbook.

Standard B: Establish and maintain open communication channels, online and in 3

person, with students, educators, and other stakeholders to support student
learning.

Write a personalized reflection that focuses on your areas of strength and your areas for growth relative to
the ​Adaptive Skills Domain.​ ​Support your reflection with specific examples you have shared or become
aware of during this course ​citing specific competencies and standards within the domain.

Response:
Using Quizizz as a formative tool to understand the area students are struggling in helps with preparing
them for the summative assessment. Analysing students’ responses on the summative assessment using
Illuminate allows me to better understand whether the intervention taking place between the formative and
summative assessment was effective (1A). In our department Professional Learning Community (PLC) we
analyze student’s responses on various reinforcement activities during the unit. When need be, we edit
material that would help students better understand the activity/lab (1B, 1C, 2A). As a PLC we
collaboratively look for accessible material on various content and link this material on our digital pacing
guide (Google Sheets Academic Calendar) (2B). During our PLCs and the development of content we look
for ways to engage all our learners by making sure that scaffolds are in place for students that may need
them (ELL, IEPs, etc.) and provide extensions on assignments in which students have to conduct topic
specific activities online (3A). When PLC members find new resources, we communicate via email (Outlook)
and link the additional resource on to the digital pacing guide (3B). In my class, if students are struggling
with certain skills, I will either create videos using Screencast-o-matic or find online videos and push them
out via Google Classroom (3B). If students have questions about an assignment, they’ll post them on the
comment section of the specific assignment or email me directly (3B).

iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework

 Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework Final
Reflection

Domain 4: Technical Skills

Technical skills are domain-specific “know-how” and expertise that educators used to execute against the known tasks in their jobs.
They are acquired and mastered through instruction, training, and practice.

Rating Scale
3 Meets or Exceeds Competency
2 Approaching Competency
1 Working towards Competency
0 Not yet attempted
Competency Blended teachers should: Rating

Competency 1: Standard A: Use qualitative and quantitative data to understand individual skills, 3
Data Practices gaps, strengths, weaknesses, interests, and aspirations of each student, and use
that information to personalize learning experiences.

Standard B: Continually assess student progress against clearly defined 3

standards, goals, and outcomes to identify specific topics in which each student
needs additional support to achieve mastery of a concept or skill.

Standard C: Use data from multiple sources, including data systems, in a 3

complementary way to inform and adjust individual student instruction and
groupings.

Standard D: Create ways to move ownership and analysis of data to students to 2

promote independent learning.

Standard E: Continually evaluate technologies, tools, and instructional strategies to 2

ensure their effectiveness.

Competency 2: Standard A: Provide resources for students to learn content and enable them to 3
Instructional work independently and/or in cooperative groups.
Strategies
Standard B: Provide resources for students to create evidence of their knowledge 3
in a variety of formats to demonstrate mastery. 12 www.INACOL.org

Standard C: Create customized learning pathways with students, where learning 2

goals and objectives are linked to explicit and diverse learning experiences,
matched to the individual student’s learning performance level and preferences.

iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework

 Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework Final
Reflection

Standard D: Tailor content and instructional strategies to individual learning goals, 2

needs, and interests.

Standard E: Create pedagogical approaches and learning experiences that 3

promote content-based problem solving and online collaboration.

Standard F: Develop and deliver valid and reliable assessments, projects, and 3
assignments that meet standards-based criteria and assess learning progress by
measuring student achievement of learning goals.

Competency 3: Standard A: Understand and manage the face-to-face and online components of 3
Management of lesson planning and organization within a blended course.
Blended
Learning Standard B: Provide balanced opportunities for students to participate in 3
Experience asynchronous and synchronous modalities.

Standard C: Develop, practice, model, and embody respectful behaviors in both 3

face-to-face and online learning environments.

Standard D: Demonstrate technical troubleshooting skills during the online 3

component of learning (e.g., change passwords, download plug-ins, etc.).

Competency 4: Standard A: Use learning management system and/or other online collaborative 3
Instructional tools to organize and manage the blended learning environment.
Tools
Standard B: Demonstrate skill in the evaluation, selection, and use of effective 3
instructional materials, tools, strategies, and resources for students, and engage
students in this process to help their achievement and development of academic
skills. pub

Standard C: Provide assistive technologies to facilitate learning. 3

Write a personalized reflection that focuses on your areas of strength and your areas for growth relative to
the ​Technical Skills Domain.​ ​Support your reflection with specific examples you have shared or become
aware of during this course ​citing specific competencies and standards within the domain.

Response:
Throughout the class, new technologies were introduced and used to collaborate (Google Slides) and
facilitate discussions (Padlet and Flipgrid) (1A & B, 4B). To make curriculum accessible I integrated
resources such as YouTube videos in addition to teacher created closed captioned ‘how to’ videos (2A-C,
4B, 4C) that modeled certain skills and would help students interpret and analyze their data from a particular
lab (1D, 2D). Being able to graph using Excel is a skill that will be used in their Human Health Project
Based Learning unit (2E &F). Google Sheets and Google Docs have been a great tool to keep track of

iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework

 Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework Final
Reflection

lesson plans within digital pacing guides (3A). In an effort to make the content more accessible to students,
I’ve added the Daily Learning Targets and day’s agenda on to a Google Doc graphic organizer that I push
out via Google Classroom (4A). Essentially it’s a hyperdoc containing lesson materials along with day’s
expectations. In my class we synchronously take notes on key concepts by using either traditional note
taking strategies or use technology (Google Slides and Kami pdf editor) (3B). The use of technology in the
classroom allows for the integration of extension assignments for students to continue to master the content
(3B). This course helped me conduct and guide online discussion questions by helping me develop
guidelines for proper and respectful dialogue (3C). Within my role as a teacher and technology resource, it’s
important for me to know how to guide students and teachers on how to access various Google extensions,
use new applications, and recover forgotten passwords (3D, 4C).

Final Reflection
Answer the following three questions to synthesize your experience in becoming a blended learning teacher.

How have you changed as a learner and an instructor through this process?
As a learner, I’ve learned how to access my Professional Learning Network (Twitter, Facebook, Basecamp,
and colleagues) to make my classroom more engaging while continuing to hone my teaching methods. As
an instructor, I’ve learned that it’s imperative to have students demonstrate their learning. This can range
from making posters, infographics, presentations, and lab write-ups and displaying students’ hard work
around the classroom.

What is your action plan for implementing changes in your teaching practice as a result of new
learning?
As I continue to integrate new technologies, my plan is to generate screencasts of processes for both
teachers and students that are starting to use technology. This could be in the form of short screencast
tutorials. As a technology embassador, I will look for tools that focus on student feedback. In addition, as I
continue to use robust programs like excel, I need to create screencasts that demonstrate its basic and
advance use for both teachers and students.

How do you plan to continue your learning about blended and/or online teaching?
To continue my learning about blended learning, I will continue to work with our blended learning specialist in
honing my use of technology in the classroom. In addition, I plan on working collaboratively with him to
continue offering after school teacher Professional Development (PD) on technology integration.

iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework