Gauging Progress

How do you know if you're getting enough done?

This is a question that is floating around the front of my head today. I suppose it's proof that the TLLP project is truly a rich learning experience; I am learning about a new technology (the iPads), I'm learning more about my students (how, specifically, they learn best), and I'm also learning about the specific tasks of completing a project like the TLLP.

We had a good meeting today. We stuck to an agenda (sort of), we divided up duties, we made action items, we attached completion dates to tasks, and we came up with a comprehensive list of future meeting dates (weekly updates and monthly/bi-weekly task specific meetings). But is this enough? For some reason we all generally feel somewhat frustrated that we are not further along.

Part of the problem may be the fact that our project is somewhat dependant on purchasing technology (iPads and the gizmos and gadgets that will maximize their utility as well as keeping them safe and secure). We've had the pads for a few weeks now, but until we get cases and keyboards we are reluctant to begin using them with our students yet. In the interim we have been getting to know the hardware and software, but there is still some disappointment that our students have not yet been able to weigh in on the usefulness of this new technology.

So here is our question: how do we know if we're maximizing this great learning opportunity? We've set a deadline of November 1st to get the pads in he students' hands, and between now and then we will work to develop iPad based experiences/lessons.

If nothing else, we are receiving a great lesson in empathy - our program is self-paced, which means that students are responsible for determining due dates for their work. Many struggle with this new task and struggle at the beginning until they learn how to be the masters of their own time. The fact that we are now struggling with the openness of the TLLP process is it's own valuable learning experience that will only help us better know our unique learner.

Just curious - is anyone else going through this?