In order to successfully carry out the goals that are listed in my GAME Plan, I am going to have to revisit them from time to time in order to monitor my progress in implementing them. Along with monitoring my goals, I also need to know what resources will be required when implementing the necessary actions to achieve these goals.
My first goal: To develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
In order to achieve my goal, the primary resource that my students will need is access to computers that will allow them perform research on the Internet. Since I only have two classroom computers and 28 students at a time, we will have to schedule time in the computer lab when it is available. Some additional information that I will need to successfully implement my goal will be my own knowledge of technology. During the course of the school year, I plan on having my students create projects using programs such as VoiceThread and Wikis. Since I am planning to model these programs to my students first, I will have to be proficient in them both in order to explain how to use them efficiently and then to help with any problems that my students may encounter. So far, my students have been introduced to a 'Sqworl' (http://www.sqworl.com) that contained websites for them to visit in order to perform their own research on the scientific method. This activity was a basic introduction to performing your own research in order to find needed information. On Friday, I plan on introducing my students to Wikis by having them complete pages that I have formatted for them over our current lesson in Social Studies. Once my students become familiar with how Wikis work, my plan is for them to create their own Wiki comparing and contrasting animal and plant cells in the upcoming weeks. By including these different technological programs, I am hoping to to promote authentic learning with my students. By taking part in authentic learning activities, my students will be increasing their understanding of the required content through the process of doing (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009).
My second goal: To evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
Teachers are only able to provide their students with meaningful access to technology when the teachers themselves are adequately trained on that technology (Cennamo et al, 2009). Taking this into consideration, my second goal is focused on my own education when it comes to technology. In order to achieve this goal, I will need access to the Internet in order to be able to follow blogs that provide articles about different programs that are available for educators to use in their classroom. I will also be using the Internet for my own research in hopes of finding programs that are able to provide information that will assist me in teaching my content areas. Currently, I follow 'Free Technology for Teachers' and 'The Whiteboard Blog' on Facebook. Both of these blogs have provided me with numerous links to programs that I already have used or will be able to use within my classroom. In addition to this, I am also hoping to attend a technology conference at some point this year so I will have the opportunity to learn about new technology or programs that I can incorporate within my classroom. Another practice I utilize within my classroom is to solicit the opinion of my students when we use a program for the first time. I feel that this step is important in order to learn what they think about these programs in terms of how the program functioned, meaning were they able to navigate within the program without too much difficulty, and how much knowledge was gained from using this program.
While I realize that I am still in the early stages of my GAME Plan, I do feel that I am in the process of taking positive steps towards achieving my goals.
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
Hi Michele,
ReplyDeleteReading your post reminded me of how important it is to continually monitor and assess the progress I have made toward my goals. Starting today I am going to keep a journal of actions I have taken and the next step to accomplish them. In addition, I will also use your idea to survey my students to get feedback from my students on their experience using the new taught technology tool.
In the immediate future, I am planning to co-teach lessons using Voice Threads, Wikis, and Blogs. It is essential that I demonstrate competence in using these tools as this will be my students’ and partner’s first introduction into using technology to communicate knowledge and understanding. The outcome of my lessons will set a future president for attitudes of staff and students toward using technology to enhance student learning.
Hi Michele,
ReplyDeleteVery well done! I quite agree with you that in order to achieve your goals you have to keep them in view to remind yourself each and every day. I think many teachers will have the same limiting situation like yours that is shortage of computers. I have one in my class with 26 students! However, most students have access to computers at home, which is a relief, I plan to introduce them to blog (http://youngmindsformathscience.blogspot.com/) and wikis so that they can collaborate and work from home. May be you two can try that to address the issue of inadequate computer time at school. Good luck in your GAME Plan.
Yemi Adegbite.
Vicki, I tell my students that they are my 'guinea pigs' since we will be doing things this year that I have never tried before with students and they love it. They know that everything may not go as planned and that I truly do want to know what they think of the lesson.
ReplyDeleteand Vicki, I plan on slowly introducing each of the technology programs that you have mentioned. My students have never used them, so in addition to learning the content, they will be learning how to use those tools as well. For example, I plan on introducing a wiki to my students this week. I have already created the wiki pages for them and have made it so all they will be required to do is find the wiki page and then editing it so that they will be able to add their information to the page. I plan on progressing as the year goes on by having them add a picture to their wiki edit the next time we go on, to hopefully including a podcast and video at some point to a wiki page before the year is over. I don't want to overwhelm them, so I'm trying to introduce one new skill each time.
ReplyDeleteYemi, I do plan on introducing things like wikis to my students (as early as next week). The problem with having them work from home is that my students are 5th graders and none of them have ever used these programs before. My goal is that by the end of the year they are able to confidently use these programs on their own. I do however, plan on first posting each new program to my class website and encourage those students who have Internet access at home to 'play' with each program ahead of time with the hope that a few of them will have a basic understanding of the program prior to using it during class.
ReplyDelete