Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Developing a GAME Plan

I have always felt comfortable with and have enjoyed using technology both personally and in my classroom.  I have considered myself relatively technological compentent.  However, as I have been progressing through my master’s classes, I realize that I still have a lot to learn.  As an educator, it is important that I continue to learn how to integrate technology to enhance and enrich the curriculum.  Using technology to support my student’s efforts to become good thinkers is important so they are ready for the ever-changing work world.
After looking at the ISTE standards for teachers, I have chosen two areas that I will develop a GAME plan.  The GAME plan will help me in my own self-directed learning as I work on gaining confidence and proficiency in these two areas.
ISTE NETS-T Standard 2:  Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes in the NETS-S. 
G – Goal:  Learn more about how to design authentic learning experiences that guide my students in self-directed and creative thinking.  To search for resources that will help enhance and enrich my lessons while still meeting content standards.
A – Action:  Utilize my colleagues and my school’s technology coordinator as well as my classmates and other teachers who successful use technology in their classrooms.  Use the internet to identify lessons that other teachers have developed.  Develop and implement lessons that allow my students to be self-directed learners.      
M – Monitor:  Continuously monitor my students to ensure they are engaged in creative learning while meeting content standards.  Reflect on each lesson, take notes, and adapt as needed.
E – Evaluate and Extend:  Evaluate how the lesson went to determine if lesson needs modified.  Assess students to evaluate success in learning content knowledge.  Survey students to evaluate their views on the lesson.

ISTE NETS-T Standard 4:  Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
 Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.
G – Goal:  Model the proper method of using and citing sources for my lessons and presentations.  Teach my students safe methods when using the internet.
A – Action:  Utilize my technology coordinator and colleagues to ensure I am ethically using digital information.  Teach my students how to maintain ethical behavior and how to cite their resources when researching the internet.  Model safe internet methods. 
M – Monitor:  Continuously monitor my digital usage and my students’ digital usage to ensure legal, ethical, and safe behavior.  Reflect on daily activities that utilize technology to ensure proper etiquette.
E – Evaluate and Extend:  Assess student’s digital usage and citations on projects.  Evaluate/survey student’s knowledge on proper technology etiquette at home and at school.  Reflect on goal:  Do students understand the importance of legal, ethical, and safe technological behavior…did I model appropriately. 
References: 
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.
 International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards for
          


   

4 comments:

  1. Daneen,

    I definitely like your course of action for your first standard. Utilizing the district technology coordinator can be a great asset, as long as they are available to talk to. Our coordinator is always accessible, and very helpful. However, she is extremely difficult to get time with. I must ask her weeks and weeks in advance to find even the slightest bit of time. She is eager to accommodate, but definitely tough to get a hold of.

    Along similar lines, I truly like your idea of discussing with colleagues. Collaboration is key to good teaching practices, and finding out some new technology-driven lessons can help push your own planning to new heights. Additionally, I would not be afraid of asking the students what type of technologies help them learn. The student of today is exposed to so much technology outside of the school that we need to find some way to embrace that when they are inside it.

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  2. Scott,
    I teach in a parochial school... therefore we have our own technology coordinator in our building and he is very helpful and accessible. I talk to him on a daily basis and he is always eager to come help. He sends us out tutorials that he has produced constantly. Luckily, I do not have to plan weeks ahead for help.

    I am very blessed to work at a school that has a lot of technology accessible. Technology is a core tool at our school. Therefore, I am lucky to work with many teachers who are very comfortable with and use technology any a variety of ways within the curriculum. So yes, my colleagues will be a great asset to help me with my goal.

    I like your suggestion of using students to drive the technologies I use. Since I teach third grade, I tend to think they would not have a lot of experience with many different technology tools but I know that is not necessarily true. There may even be a certain technology tool that they want to learn how to use that I have not thought of. Thank you for the insight.

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  3. What is your school technology coordinator's job? I wish we had a technology person at our school each day to assist with teaching such skills to our students. I love your idea of teaching students ethic use of resources. I teach third graders and have to constantly explain how we cannot copy exactly from sources such as the internet or books. Teaching students how to properly use ideas without claiming them as their own is so important in preparing students for future educational experiences.

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    1. Kelly,

      He mainly teaches technology for grades 5-8. He collaborates with the upper grade teachers and then plans lessons (with the teachers) that integrate technology into what they are already doing in their classes. His classroom is the laptop lab. He also has many time periods throughout the day that he can help the lower grade teachers. On top of that he holds technology staff developments once a month and offers tutorials after school. He is our go to man with technology questions and help. I agree it is really nice to have someone at our fingertips everyday. He is very knowledgable and is constantly learning and looking for the latest and the best to show us.

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