GAME plan reflection...

As I review my GAME plan and think about the complications and possible successes I could have with following it I see that integrating the technology standards is a must. My students need to learn to develop the skills to work and function in the 21st century learning skills. Many opportunities students will come in contact with in the work force (in the future) they will be required to use those technological skills. Having students work on assignments and projects that require them to use technology is a great way to get them working and motivated about technology!

Many of the issues I see with my GAME plan, like creating classroom blogs, is an easy hurdle to overcome. Since the district blocks many websites due to their content, I just have to work harder to show the importance and learning possibilities for students with the use of classroom blogs. As long as I show I can manage the content and student use of the blog I am sure I can get the permission and website allowance. Another issue is if students do not have access to computers at home, however I can combat that with allowing students to use the classroom computers so they can complete the blog post.

Ultimately, I want my students to be comfortable using technology and developing those 21st century learning skills. I know that with constant reinforcement and use of computers in the class as well as other resources like the Smart Board and clicker system students will be able to see the importance of technology.

Resources

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

GAME plan with students...

The GAME plan process has been really helpful with planning for student success. Monitoring and assessing students is important to making sure that students are understanding content. Integrating technology is another aspect of giving students another way to learn new information. After reading through the NETS standards I realize that many of the standards are addressed day to day in the classroom. However, I have been working hard at keeping students and parents informed about technology usage in the classroom. Keeping parents involved in the classroom has also been what I have been working with. A class blog is a great way to make sure parents are aware of what students are learning about and it also gives them a chance to share opinions and insights.

The NETS standards are a great way for me to assess myself as well and make sure I am reaching those standards for the students. They serve as a guide almost and I can monitor what I have done in the classroom and continue to work on what I lack.

REVISE...my GAME plan!

I have made some progress as the week has gone on. We created a blog that parents can check to keep up with assignments and classroom activities. It is very much like the website that our school uses, so I think that in the future I would want to have it geared more towards student use. I wanted to get a trial run in though and see how it would work.

I have been utilizing my Smart Notebook more, which is a program that goes along with the SmartBoard. It is very similar to PowerPoint, but it is specifically for SmartBoard use. It is a great program, but it is somewhat difficult to navigate! I am working on learning the tricks that go along with the program and I hope to get more in depth with it as the quarter progresses.

A new learning goal I would also like to try to work on is the (4a) “advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.” I would like to incorporate more student research in the classroom and with projects. When I do this though, I really want my focus to be on finding sources that are appropriate and most importantly legitimate! Teaching students to cite sources and understand copyright is a valuable lesson that they can use later in life!

I am going to continue to work with some of the technology savvy teachers and those who know the SmartBoard “ropes” so to speak. They are more than willing to help and share different things they do with their students. I have been given some templates that I can use in class and some games that can be played on the SmartBoard. I am also on the lookout for any professional development opportunities that come across to us in the district.

Resources:

NETS Standards

http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers/nets-for-teachers-2008.aspx

Evaluatinb my GAME plan...

This week I talked with my “team” of teachers, the Math, ELA and SS teachers and discussed trying to implement the use of blogs in our classrooms. We all thought that having a team blog with simple things for now, like classroom expectations, upcoming events, ect would be best! We will then have the opportunity for parent/student feedback to see how the blog works. I think this was a good way to go about bringing the blog “to life” because it is introducing the idea and I can see where it takes me.

I hope that with the feedback of parents and students I can get an idea of how I could use it next year in my classroom. Many students are thrilled that they are going to be given this opportunity to use the computers for blogging and sharing their ideas. As far as assessing students, I am not to that point yet since we are just doing the trial blog for now. Next year though when I want to use it in my class, I will need to come up with a good way to assess or grade students on participation.

The other part of my GAME plan was dealing with using technology more frequently in the classroom. My room is equipped with a SMART board and projector, so I have technology at my full disposal. However, the SMART board can be very tricky to use. Some of the applications are hard to follow and can be slow at times. I am attending a workshop on our next professional development day to try and gain some ideas on what others are using their SMART boards for. I have started using them for playing Jeopardy and other interactive games and students have loved it! I think I just need to continue to ask my colleagues questions about the program and continue to work at it until I feel confident!

Attending the workshops and installing the latest software on my SMART board will definitely make me feel better about using it. It’s my first year using it, so I am still “in training”. However, I know how important it is for student learning to have the use of technology in the classroom, so I am going to do whatever it takes to keep my students happy and engaged in the lessons!