TNT Kid’s Fitness CI Report – Interim

What has been most instrumental to your progress?

Over the years, TNT has been part of developing many trainings for higher education students, paraprofessionals and teachers, gymnastics facilities, and childcares. Multiple trainings were provided; however, many had similar components. It wasn’t until we were awarded the Innovation Grant that we were able to narrow our focus after our listen and learn process. A couple of key components the first six months were instrumental due to the diverse groups we met with during our “listen and learn” stage. Conversations allowed our team to hone in on specific topics and specific points of education for each focus group. This opportunity allowed our team to specifically address each component that the entities expressed difficulties in, interest in furthering their knowledge, and ability to develop streamlined communication. Through the meetings and surveys, development of an online library resource with a variety of topics was able to start being created. Building an administrative focus committee which included NDDPI, superintendents, and principals additionally added valued conversations to what is the current state, what can be accomplished, and can we overcome obstacles as we learn.

Quantitative Research: Our anonymous survey data collected from the pilot participants indicated a distinct need for a 24/7 online resource library and training program to advance knowledge of helping students with self-regulation, behavioral and special needs. The results were important in confirming the need, the topics and the methodology for our 24/7 online resource. From these surveys the Development of the Able Equation formed. Focus group conversations sparked the innovation to build the Able Equation. This is a framework and methodology to ultimately look at yourself, your colleagues, your students, and your community. The framework addresses each of these areas and allows opportunity to both plan and reflect on situations to further develop relationships, communication, and knowledge. The Able Equation can be used as a quick look tool that can be utilized in classrooms, at home, and in the community. The Able Equation will support wraparound services in many ways including collaboration, effective communication, and a holistic approach to outcomes.

100% of the general education teachers, special education teachers, PT/OT Specialists and Parents indicated they would use an online resource library with training topics on further aiding students with self-regulation, behavioral and special needs. 80% of the Paraprofessionals indicated they would use this resource. Of these respondents, Paraprofessionals and Parents indicated they would access it once/week, while the Teachers/PT/OT indicated at least once/2 weeks. Video and written delivery formats were preferred over podcasts and webinars, with 79% of respondents stating they would spend at least 15-30 minutes on the content each login. Lastly, TNT added “experts” to our team to speed up the process of progress in the field of special needs as we developed the curriculum for online viewership. Each content area of the e-learning library will focus on top 5 topics to help students with behavioral, self-regulation or special needs: Anxiety reduction strategies; Trigger identification; Strategies to help with difficulties in transitioning; Strategies to prevent/reduce emotional outbursts in classrooms; and Strategies to prevent/reduce physical outbursts in classrooms.

Key lessons learned

Key lessons we learned was during the listen and learn stages with each focus group. The groups consisted of paraprofessionals, parents, regular and special education teachers, ND Department of Instruction, principals, and superintendents. There was a common theme between all groups, wanting each child to succeed. The Paraprofessional support deemed the most critical in all groups. Finding extending resources within a school day, having access to computers, and interpretation being broken down in laymen’s terminology. It wouldn’t be characterized as a failure; however, finding key search words for families and paraprofessional groups in the laymen’s term needs to be consistent with the terminology used by educators. Software can provide the bridge. We feel we have found a compatible software that is recognizable within school districts and can work within the parameters to achieve bridging and educating on proper terminology. This is one area many members of the focus groups felt like they were at a disadvantage and didn’t always understand the terminology during Individual Education Plan meetings. This also prompted us to develop a written glossary document.

When the grant was written we named the grant SONIC as an online e-learning product we were going to create. A failure of sort was felt because we couldn’t exactly explain SONIC and tie it in to the work we do in-person. Through conversations, and a product TNT has been developing named ABLE, it was determined that the ABLE brand had a stronger brand than SONIC. ABLE aligned to multiple products that TNT has designed and it could expand our products in ways we never thought possible. ABLE Online will host multiple products with the tagline ‘I am, You are, We are ABLE’. The lesson learned is we knew in many ways the product name SONIC was confusing as we tried to explain it. We should have spent time to understand why that was not resonating. We now have a better perspective and it is so ‘easy’ now to share the products within the ABLE framework. Lastly the framework of our budget. Allocating a project director was way off. There are essential technology staff needed along with industry driven professionals. This model is very different from what we were used to, it essentially is a start up business with a whole new skillsets of professionals needed that TNT needed to outsource.

Reflections on inclusive, collaborative or resourceful problem-solving

All of them have been vital because they are reliant upon each other. Inclusive-It has been insightful in gaining feedback from general education teachers, special education teachers, paraprofessionals and parents alike. Inclusive-each of these groups, we learned the current misses in training and how they varied among each of these professionals and parents. If one of these groups was excluded from the process, we wouldn’t have the full circle of needs identified. Collaborative-To bring together the experience of multiple rural school leaders and educators, the state department for special education, other special education experts and parents, we have learned the current variants in today’s approach and how we can help innovate a new, e-learning platform that equalizes – and raises the level of – accessible training across the rural schools. This has been a collaborative effort amongst these groups to date and will require continued collaboration to execute the innovative vision. In addition, the collaboration with experts in online course curriculum, technology and survey/analytics has been instrumental in moving quickly to the solution and testing phases of the project.

Other key elements of Community Innovation

Due to ongoing special events at TNT Kid’s Fitness & Gymnastics, the Bush Innovation project grabbed the attention of the ND Governor. This led to presenting the pilot project work at the ND Innovate Education Summit in June 2021. We were able to further share the innovative mission among future participants, as well as initiate state-level conversations with the ND State Superintendent of Public Instruction. In addition, Active Listening: By actively listening to the stakeholders, para educators, teachers, special education teachers, and families of children with special needs, TNT’s team has been able to gain a holistic view of what processes, procedures, and educational frameworks are in place currently, and how to effectively infiltrate information into that system. Active listening has allowed our team to empathize with our stakeholders which ultimately builds trust and relationship- both of which are essential in building partnership in a pilot project as important as this one. The vision of the innovation grant is fulfilling the need in K-12. They are seeking support and guidance when working with children that need self-regulation in and out of the school day.

Understanding the problem

As a result of the survey work and organizing the training to align with the identified needs, we recognized we have a total framework – now named the ABLE Equation – to use in delivering valuable, timely, on target training that works to educate on the root of behaviors and/or more knowledge on special needs, therefore starting a systematic change to address the whys instead of reacting to and “fixing” behaviors. The true benefit is that is can be used by individuals, parents, school districts and community groups simultaneously with the same set of trainings. It can also be expanded into coursework for college level and CEU courses, as well as be easily innovative to include new subject matters. This could cause a systemic change within our school systems in an organic way by teaching the up and coming educators a set of common terms, practices, and methodologies as they head out into the business and educational world.

If you could do it all over again…

Completed more research on what an online learning platform consists of and what is needed and seek out those resources first. We focused on the content first, partially because we had the attention of the audience because it was during the school year. Looking back, it would have been advantageous to also focus on the online platform and engaged with stakeholders that have online and viewership experience simultaneously. At the beginning of the grant period, we positioned the innovative, online training resource to be geared towards an online, searchable library of videos and resources. We discovered we have a much more in-depth, systematic framework of training to provide online. It still does include a searchable online library of resources, but it can also include true coursework, CEU courses and more. We learned to keep a very open mind of the possibilities, and we may have benefited and moved quicker faster if this framework would have been realized much earlier in the process when we started this application.

One last thought

Building an online e-learning model has broadened our knowledge in ways that can change the whole trajectory of this pilot. We have contracted experts in many areas of building this tool for K-12 schools. All these experts are passionate and hold extensive knowledge in technology, creative making, scripting, and videography. The TNT team is extremely knowledgeable too in our content and need; however, we all lacked knowledge in the online infrastructure. It has been so beneficial to build this team which continues to innovate as we approach each milestone or crossway. Building an online model is very different from teaching in-person. The benefit of this team is we can break-down each area of knowledge to build the content decks needed in multiple videos and content. We are designing the business framework – prepare product; sales/marketing; support; product design team(s); types of product; and general operations. This framework will help us implement and execute – ABLE Online. We will exceed our grant dollars with external contractors; however, our product will be fantastic!